Getting around Panama City

Public transport

The super-efficient Metro De Panamá (tel: +507 504 7200; www.elmetrodepanama.com) was built with suburban commuters in mind and is incredibly cheap. The modern MiBus (tel: +507 800 9393; www.mibus.com.pa) buses (accessed via top-up cards) are almost as crowded as their characterful predecessors, the Diablos Rojos, which were such a vital part of the city's fabric with their colourful paintwork and loud music (not to mention nerve-wracking driving).

Taxis

You can hail taxis on the street. They are relatively cheap; though make sure the driver switches the meter on. Taxis are yellow and clearly marked with the name of the taxi company. Yellow Car Taxi (tel: +507 369 9999; www.yellowcartaxi.com) are reputable and reliable.

Driving

Parking is widely available throughout the city centre, though it is recommended that you only use guarded lots as car theft and vandalism remains a problem.

Car hire

You must be at least 23 years old to hire a car. Recommended car hire companies in Panama City include Avis (tel: +507 238 4037; www.avis.com), Thrifty (tel: +507 238 4955; www.thrifty.com) and National (tel: +507 238 4144; www.nationalpanama.com).

Bicycle hire

The city itself is neither easy nor pleasant to cycle, being entirely too hilly and congested. However, there are several bike hire places along the scenic 6km (4-mile) Amador Causeway. Try Bikes and More, just past the Figali Convention Centre (tel: +507 211 8600).

Visa and passport information is updated regularly and is correct at the time of publishing. You should verify critical travel information independently with the relevant embassy before you travel.