City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
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City Sightseeing Panama City Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
By City Sightseeing Panama
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About
A hop-on hop-off bus tour is one of the best ways to get oriented to a destination. This city sightseeing double-decker bus guarantees 360-degree views of Panama City from the open-top deck. Stay on board for the full loop and listen to the informative audio tour, or disembark at any of the stops to explore independently.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 4-99
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Audio guide: Portuguese, English, Spanish
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Highlights
- City sightseeing hop-on hop-off bus tour of Panama City
- Double-decker bus offers panoramic views of top sights
- Audio commentary provided in three languages
- Select a 24-hour or 48-hour ticket to suit your schedule
- Unlimited hop on hop off for 24 or 48 hours, depending on option selected at check-out
- Audio commentary available in English, Spanish, Portuguese
What's not included- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Entry to attractions
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5694PTY- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- Season: All Year Round (except on Carnaval - March, 25th December, 1st January)
- Buses depart from Stop 1 Balboa Plaza
- Monday - Friday: Departures at 8:30am, 9:45am, 11am, 12:15pm, 1:30pm and 2:45pm
- Saturday and Sunday: Departures at 8:30am, 9:15am, 10am, 10:45am, 11:30am, 12:15pm, 1pm, 1:45pm and 2:30pm
- Tour duration - 120 minutes
- Balboa Boutiques Kiosk is open 8am - 5pm
- Ticket does not include lunch, entrance fees to other attractions or transfer to departure point
- Mobile and printed paper vouchers are accepted on this tour and can be redeemed at any of the stops along the route
- Vouchers can be used any day within 12 months of travel date selected at check-out
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5694PTY
From
$30.00
per adult
Select date and travelers
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Pam W0 contributionsAvoid, unless it is a necessity and you get on, but don’t get off or else you’ll be stuck somewhere for two hours.No schedule!! Over two hours between buses… IF YOU GET ON, DONT GET OFF!!! We tried to get on at old town yesterday (Saturday, Dec 2), we waited over an hour and gave up. Tried again on the 3rd. Finally got the so-called ap, which actually showed busses in “real-time”. We got off at the mall and were told 1 hour for the next bus, we are still waiting after 1.30 minutes. The ap price was 20.00 the bus was 30.00. No way to buy through the ap, which took me a whats ap person. Two of us for 60.00… an Uber on the same loop would have been cheaper.Written December 3, 2023
- Haley S0 contributionsDon’t do it!Fraud! Never even saw the bus. When I asked for a refund they declined. This is the second time this has happened.Written February 3, 2023
- SewingPro0 contributionsHistory in MotionThis is a fun way to see the city of Panamá while learning about its rich history. The guide was very knowledgeable and engaging.Written November 10, 2022
- DGI20140 contributionsDay 1 in Panama CityHupe on and hupe off was the way to is the high lights of Panama City. Your issued a head phone to listen to guide tell you all about points of intreast and historical sites.Written February 17, 2020
- Dianna C0 contributionsHop on Hop Off Panama CityThis is a great way to get an overall view of Panama City and allows you to get a sense of where you might want to go back and spend more time.Written January 13, 2020
- Deborah S0 contributionsWorse HoHo EverThere was NO narration at all and the cost is exorbitant. You are much better off to Uber to the specific places you want to go.Written November 16, 2019
- Reslysten540 contributionsGives you perspective of the cityFor $33 per person you can travel around the city and beyond out to the Miraflores locks. Simple headphones are handed out on the bus. Narration is in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Guiding was rather sparce, and sometimes repetitive. Booking was done easily online through their website. But the map is very hard to read, so I had to text them to get information about the nearest stop. However, there was no sign indicating the exact stop. We asked some locals who indicated a general area. There's no timetable either on the website, and it is not posted at stops, so I called for that. The frequency is only every 90 minutes, so this is critical to know. Once on the bus you get one. It arrived on time. In summary, it was worth the time and money, but the company needs to upgrade their website with a good, readable map, and timetable. Bus stops need signs with timetables. Narration needs an upgrade too. No doubt that would bring more customers.Written November 13, 2019
- Rosario_it0 contributionsPractical way of visitingEven though not very economical it's good for visiting in a short time Panama and visiting some interesting sites (such as Panama canal and Casco Viejo).Written May 22, 2019
- lylianav0 contributionsExcellent!We had the most wonderful experience with sightseeing tours, everybody was kind, courteous, friendly and very helpful. They solved an issue we had over the phone and in an expediated manner. The buses took us to the most important places in the city, were on time and gave us a map along with the bus schedschule, so everything was clesr. Thank you guys for making our Panamá trip memorable!Written December 28, 2018
- verclaco0 contributionsVery coolCool tour around Panama City I will post pictures of the hold tour stop time and price because At most hotel they don’t have any info about this tour It was nice we when everywhere and is better to pay for a taxi I recommend Uber or metro taxis are to expensive. The city is beautifulWritten November 10, 2018
- Mariann U0 contributionsCould be more informativeThere's barely any information provided on the website or at the bus stops, which makes it hard to use this service, unless you buy the pass at the first stop in the morning. The schedule could be more frequent with one more bus in circulation at least. Staff was helpful and polite. I attached the much sought after info for others.Written October 14, 2018
- Jessica A0 contributionsSkip it.The bus is often late, takes too many breaks and gets stuck in heavy traffic. We got off and walked 10 minutes to our destination to avoid an extra hour in traffic. We bought 48 hour passes but only used the first 24 hours. Uber or taxi is faster. The company does sell discounted tickets to the Panama Canal.Written August 26, 2018
- Ernesto F0 contributionsA waste of time and patienceWe were approached by this promoter offering us to take the tour to several places for 33usd, next day we decided to go for it: bus arrived 30mn late with not even an excuse, part of the places that were supposed to be on the tour were skipped arguing that it was another bus to go there.. Made a scene, got my money back and maybe the worst experience in Panama. Avoid at all costs!Written August 22, 2018
- Jascaliner0 contributionsA good way to exploreThis was a good way as any to explore Panama with limited time. Although it would have been more enjoyable to spend time at most stops, the panoramic views on the second deck gave a tantalizing view of the city and it's treasuresWritten August 21, 2018
- SaigonDoug0 contributionsPanama City from the top of a double decker busThis double decker bus has a retractable top, in case of hot Sun or rain. $33 per person, bring proof of your reservation and payment. There is wifi on the bus, also an audio recording explaining places along the route. Many stops are an hour or more till the next bus, so be prepared. Have your camera ready.Written August 7, 2018
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.0
241 reviews
Excellent
53
Very good
66
Average
37
Poor
31
Terrible
54
Plotte
Dubai, United Arab Emirates71 contributions
We did the Sightseeing bus here a couple of years ago and were happy with the experience. As we had a 9 hour stopover in Panama City before our evening flight, we decided to take the bus again and enjoy visiting the city. Unfortunately our second (and last) experience was disappointing.
We started the tour at the Multicentro Mall stop at midday. When purchasing the ticket, I asked for the tour map and was told that they did not have any available. Although we were given headphones and told that the sightseeing commentaries were available in various languages, no commentaries were available for some time (apparently they were having issues with the system).
When we reached the Albrook Mall stop, we were informed that the bus would stop for an hour for the staff’s lunch break. No one had informed us about this hour long stop (we have never experienced this in any other city in the world), and as we had to get back to the airport for our evening flight, the one hour break basically meant that we would not have time to do the full tour and hop on and off to visit certain sites. For $33 per person, we would just have time to sit on the bus and do the round trip. The normal city bus would be much cheaper.
We insisted on a refund and got off the bus. We will definitely not use this service again.
We started the tour at the Multicentro Mall stop at midday. When purchasing the ticket, I asked for the tour map and was told that they did not have any available. Although we were given headphones and told that the sightseeing commentaries were available in various languages, no commentaries were available for some time (apparently they were having issues with the system).
When we reached the Albrook Mall stop, we were informed that the bus would stop for an hour for the staff’s lunch break. No one had informed us about this hour long stop (we have never experienced this in any other city in the world), and as we had to get back to the airport for our evening flight, the one hour break basically meant that we would not have time to do the full tour and hop on and off to visit certain sites. For $33 per person, we would just have time to sit on the bus and do the round trip. The normal city bus would be much cheaper.
We insisted on a refund and got off the bus. We will definitely not use this service again.
Written February 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are very sorry for your bad experience. If I must clarify that the customer service staff informs about lunch time and also appears at the given schedule when buying the ticket. thank you for your comment.
Written February 29, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Adrienne R
1 contribution
Feb 2020
We bought our tickets online, checked the stops, and went to Stop #2, where we gave up after waiting for over three hours with no sign of the bus. This was on the Monday of Carnival, and we are wondering if the service was cancelled, but can't figure out how to find out, and if so, how to get refunded. We had to buy the 48 hour pass, although we could only use it on the one day, so for three of us, we are out $105 US for a service we were completely unable to use. I would say if you are considering this, check first to see if indeed the service is running, and perhaps also what sort of wait times to expect. 3+ hours is totally unacceptable.
Written February 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are very sorry the misunderstanding, but this was reported on our social networks and website. Thank you for your comment.
Written February 29, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
moniquefv90
10 contributions
Mar 2020
This was possibly the best way to see Panama city. We were hesitant, then decided to try it. Had a friend recommend getting a taxi as it would cost less, but I dont see how we could have done what we did with this bus on a taxi. We hopped on near our hotel (the park was one of the stops) and the bus gave us so much great detail on all the things we were passing. the best part is that we could hop off at any sight, and hop on another bus when it passed. We were given a schedule so we knew more or less how we could do that. Our only hop off though was at the miraflores locks. We arrived just in time as the canal was opening/closing and got to see most of it! By the time that was done, we had time to buy a beer and use the bathroom at a great little restaurant inside the center and had a view of the traffic so we were clearly able to see as the bus approached. We hopped on back, finished the tour and did our final hop off at the other shopping center where we spent the rest of the evening then uber'd back to the hotel. It can feel a little long initially waiting for the bus but its worth it!
Written October 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kaylastia
Brooklyn, NY3 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
The tour was average, l am used to a live tour guide, explaining the sights and sounds, the flora and the fauna. I understand that the tour may have people from multiple countries, and would mean being versed in multiple languages.
I ended up pointing out to my fellow passengers areas, landmarks and places of interest, which was totally different than the audio (English). My mom and l stayed on the tour bus for the entire length, and we chose not to get off at any of the stops.
Recommend: save your money for a more personalized tour of Panama City.
I ended up pointing out to my fellow passengers areas, landmarks and places of interest, which was totally different than the audio (English). My mom and l stayed on the tour bus for the entire length, and we chose not to get off at any of the stops.
Recommend: save your money for a more personalized tour of Panama City.
Written February 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your opinion, we will consider your comment.
Written February 29, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Carla P
36 contributions
Feb 2023 • Friends
I booked my ticket in advance online. Busses were supposed to run from 9-5. We arrived at the pickup spot (poor signage) around 8:45 am. At 10:15am we saw the first bus. They stopped a half block up from their sign. I paid $30 US for my ticket, but people getting on were charged only $20. On my friend's bus (they had to wait for the next bus) they charged $15. They had only 3 busses running, so you didn't dare get off. The narrator did a good job, but the lack of busses and inconsistent prices makes this a poor choice. There are cab drivers who will do nice tours fir $25/person with a group of 4-5 people. Every one who did that was pleased with their choice.
Written February 28, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ann B
31 contributions
Dec 2022
We do not recommend this trip unless you want to stay on the bus and do the whole circuit. They do not understand the concept of hop on hop off, so once you hop off the problems multiply.
We bought a 2 day ticket. The first day was OK till we tried to get back on a later bus. It was more than 30 mins late. We met other customers who were giving up and getting taxis.
Mira Flores Lock - most of the exhibition is closed till 2024. But it's worth seeing, especially is ships are passing through. If City Sightseeing knew anything about customer service, they would have a timetable for the ship transits. Instead, they tell you about the closure after the stop, when people have already been left behind.
On the second day, we waited with a number of other people. The bus never arrived.
We eventually got a refund for day 2. So if you're due a refund, it's worth persevering with the parent company online.
We bought a 2 day ticket. The first day was OK till we tried to get back on a later bus. It was more than 30 mins late. We met other customers who were giving up and getting taxis.
Mira Flores Lock - most of the exhibition is closed till 2024. But it's worth seeing, especially is ships are passing through. If City Sightseeing knew anything about customer service, they would have a timetable for the ship transits. Instead, they tell you about the closure after the stop, when people have already been left behind.
On the second day, we waited with a number of other people. The bus never arrived.
We eventually got a refund for day 2. So if you're due a refund, it's worth persevering with the parent company online.
Written March 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mattcipc
Edmonton, Canada276 contributions
Dec 2022 • Couples
Would give zero star rating if available. If you are in a group save yourself a bunch of money and use Uber. Uber XL from city centre to the locks was $8US. Hop on Hop off oversold the tickets, so we got stranded for two hours while full buses went past. Finally small vans were called in for additional capacity, but the awful woman working the kiosk was picking and choosing who was able to board rather than doing it in order of who had arrived first. This lady had ZERO customer service skills and is not suited for a tourist facing position such as this. Luckily we were able to get a refund and we’re able to finish our tour using Uber. Plenty of taxis around as well but I’m not sure how they compare price wise.
Written December 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TwoJcj
Denver, CO2 contributions
Oct 2022
The city sightseeing bus was a lot of fun, nice way to see the city and learn about it. JoJo was the bus tour guide was is a lot of fun to talk with an lean from and she knows her city and the best places to eat and where to go to find stuff. we were on the bus fir 2 days and loved every mins of it, they make stops for like 10 mins to hop off and get a drink and go to the restroom of route.
Written October 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Twispette
Twisp, WA58 contributions
Feb 2023
Where do I start? We were told the bus starts at 9:00 a.m. We were there well before then. First bus finally arrives 10:50ish. When it went by us the first time, almost empty but it had to circle down and around. By the time it came back to us waiting off the ship, it was FULL! Told us we would have to take the next bus. Crossed the street to catch that one before it could fill up again about 15 minutes later. We prepaid our trip @ $27USD each and they were charging passengers $15 each on our bus. What a freaking rip off!! Could not hear much of anything upstairs. Because of the unreliability of the bus, we were hesitant to get off at any stops. Plus our bus was having mechanical issues. We did not want to miss getting back to the ship. If we hadn't prepaid for tickets, we would have bargained with one of the many taxis. It would have been a better experience. Never again! It ruined my Panama experience.
Written February 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debbie F
BOWLING GREEN20 contributions
We wanted an overview of the city, and we definitely got that. The guide was sometimes hard to understand, mostly because of the bus acoustics…we were on the top/open air. The combination of road conditions and the bus itself made for a VERY bumpy ride. Add to that it was extremely windy, and we felt a little beat up by the end of the day. Others have given this service low ratings because of the wait time. We only hopped off once and the bus arrived 5 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Written March 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where did you get the schedule for the Hop On Hop Off bus? Will hotels have this information? thanks
Written January 6, 2020
Hola, con cuánta anticipación debo pagar la excursión, o si se puede el mismo día.
Written July 13, 2019
Buenas tardes, espero llegar a tiempo con esta contestación, la excursion la podes pagar el mismo día, minutos antes del viaje en el puesto del Centro Comercial Balboa Boutiques. (en la parte externa del mismo, frente a la Av,. Balboa) Buen viaje.
Written July 25, 2019
Hola. pienso que por el tipo de atraccion turistica que tienes que bajar y subir a cada rato como opinion personal no creo que seria muy comodo andar maletas, pero por lo demas es opcion personal.
Written July 11, 2019
Quisiera saber si puedo usar el tour desde las 11 am hasta las 17 y si tiene alguna parada cerca del aeropuerto o donde me conviene tomarlo, ya que voy a estar en escala. Gracias
Written July 10, 2019
Hola, se me acaba de ocurrir otra opción, cuando llegues al aeropuerto de Tocumen, luego de realizados los tramites de inmigraciones, (atención, segun el horario, puedes demorar mucho tiempo) puedes salir y contratar algun taxi que te lleve en un tour por la ciudad, recuerda que los precios son previamente pactados, ya que no tienen reloj o taximetros. Un tours tomado en el centro de la ciudad, y recorriendo los principales lugares incluido la ciudad vieja, regateando un poco te puede costar aprox.U$S 30 por persona, el bus 34 U$S. Recuerda que al volver tienes que realizar nuevamente tramites de aduana e inmigraciones que tambien te puede tomar varias horas. Feliz viaje. Saludos.
Written July 11, 2019
Tem como sair do aeroporto Internacional, e voltar em vôo com escala no Panamá
Written June 25, 2019
Buen día
Más o menos a que hora esta terminando este recorrido?
Que me recomiendan pagar acá o allá?
Y que otras recomendaciónes me darían?
Written June 15, 2019
Hola, hay algo que no entiendo cuando dicen que el recorrido se demora 2 horas quiere decir que cuentan dos horas a partir de que uno se subió al primer bus?? Entonces si es posible ir a todos esos lugares en tan solo dos horas?? Por ejemplo recorriendo un mall puede uno tardarse dos horas y los demás lugares??
Written June 12, 2019
Is this tour every 60 minutes or 90 minutes? also which is a midpoint time and stop? most country hop on bus gives you a little chart of each stop and timings. If I want to arrange my sight seeing, no sites showing me timings for full circle and each stop times. You need to show approx time for 1st bus each stops and correct frequency, 60 min or 90 min?
Written May 8, 2019
HI, just wondering which hotels would be near a stop to get on the bus? Is there a map that would show this?
Written December 4, 2018
I went on google map and tried to find hotels near my stay. very easy to do and find your pick up drop of point...
Written May 8, 2019
Desearía saber a que hora aproximada pasa el 1er bus por la parada del Casco Antiguo. Desde ya gracias.
Written November 14, 2018
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