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Tool: Lancha Schedule

Catch the right boat.

Public lancha routes, typical fares in Quetzales, last-boat times, and the unwritten rules. Pick where you are and where you are going. The tool figures out the rest.

How this works

Lake Atitlan has three public lancha (colectivo boat) routes: the North Shore arc from Panajachel down to San Pedro, the South Shore link from Panajachel to Santiago, and the Cross-Lake shuttle between San Pedro and Santiago. Public boats are first-come first-served, cash-only, and run on a demand-based schedule rather than a printed timetable. Fares and frequencies below are working estimates compiled from 2024 to 2026 sources and require ground-truth verification before you bet a tight connection on them.

Pick an origin and a destination. The tool returns the matching route, typical fare in Q (USD in parens), travel time, and a live readout of how many minutes you have until the last boat of the day: assuming Guatemala time (UTC-6, no daylight saving).

Lake time (UTC-6): -:-

Pick an origin and a destination to see the route, fare, and last-boat warning. No selection? Scroll down for the full schedule across all routes.

Universal rules

The Xocomil wind

The Xocomil is the regional afternoon wind. It typically rises 12pm to 2pm and peaks 2pm to 4pm, dying at sunset. Capable of swamping a lancha. Captain practice is to stop crossing open water once the Xocomil is fully on. Plan crossings for the morning when possible.

Gringo pricing

Captains charge tourists more than locals. Ask the fare BEFORE boarding (Cuanto para [destination]?), agree or counter-offer calmly, and pay exact change. Locals typically pay 5 to 10 Q less per leg than tourists.

Last-boat reality

Public lanchas effectively stop running by ~6:30 PM on the busiest route and earlier on other routes. Miss the last boat and you are sleeping where you are or paying for a private lancha (Q300 to 400+ for the boat).

Weather and cancellations

Mornings (6am to 10am) are calmest. Afternoons (2pm to 6pm) see increased wind and wave action. Rough conditions can cause cancellations or delays. Rainy season (May to Oct) afternoons are the riskiest.

Payment and boarding

Cash in Quetzales. Exact change preferred. No advance booking for public lanchas; ticket purchase happens at the dock immediately before departure. First-come, first-served. Boats fill up; if full, wait for the next departure. Baggage is included; bikes and large items may incur a small surcharge (Q5 to 10).

Private alternative

Private water taxi (lancha privada): Q300 to 400+ for the boat (all seats). Faster, no stops, departs on demand. Worth it for groups of 8+ or when time is critical.

Who runs these boats

Lancha cooperatives are locally owned and operated by Kaqchikel, Tz'utujil, and Ladino boat captains and crew. These are working families who depend on lake transport for their livelihood. Using public lanchas supports local economies directly.

Full schedule: all routes

All fares per person, one-way. Times are typical first/last departures and fluctuate. Fares and schedules fluctuate seasonally, with fuel costs, and with cooperative decisions. All prices and exact departure times require on-the-ground verification. Use these ranges as working estimates only.

North Shore (Panajachel to San Pedro)

Primary workhorse route. All towns water-only except Panajachel (hub) and San Pedro (road connection to San Lucas).

Operating hours

Direction First departure Last departure Notes
Panajachel to San Pedro (northbound / westbound along the lake) 06:00 to 07:00 18:00 to 18:30 Frequency: every 20 to 30 min peak (8am to 4pm), sparser early/late.
San Pedro to Panajachel (southbound / eastbound along the lake) 05:30 to 06:00 17:00 to 17:30 Slightly earlier service westbound; last boat often departs by 5:30pm.

After hours: Service after 7:00 PM is rare. Safety concerns plus afternoon/evening winds make late service dangerous.

Frequency

Peak (08:00 to 16:00): every 20 to 30 minutes.
Off-peak (06:00 to 08:00 and 16:00 to 18:00): every 45 to 60 minutes.
Busy days (weekends, holidays) may run every 15 to 20 min.

Per-leg fares

From To Fare (Q) Fare (USD) Duration
Panajachel Santa Cruz La Laguna Q10 to Q15 $1.31 to $1.96 5 to 10 min
Santa Cruz La Laguna Jaibalito Q10 to Q15 $1.31 to $1.96 5 to 10 min
Jaibalito Tzununa Q10 to Q15 $1.31 to $1.96 5 to 10 min
Tzununa San Marcos La Laguna Q10 to Q15 $1.31 to $1.96 5 to 10 min
San Marcos La Laguna San Pablo La Laguna Q10 to Q15 $1.31 to $1.96 3 to 5 min
San Pablo La Laguna San Juan La Laguna Q10 to Q15 $1.31 to $1.96 3 to 5 min
San Juan La Laguna San Pedro La Laguna Q15 to Q20 $1.96 to $2.61 10 to 15 min

Common multi-leg journeys

From To Fare (Q) Duration Notes
Panajachel Jaibalito Q20 to Q25 10 to 20 min Skip Santa Cruz, dock at next stop.
Panajachel San Marcos La Laguna Q25 to Q30 25 to 35 min Most common long journey.
Panajachel San Pedro La Laguna Q25 to Q30 45 to 60 min Full route depending on stops.
Santa Cruz La Laguna San Pedro La Laguna Q20 to Q25 30 to 50 min Within-route journey skipping Panajachel.

Fare note: One-way per person. Locals typically pay 5 to 10 Q less per leg than tourists. Ranges reflect what tourists should expect to negotiate. Exact prices vary by cooperative, fuel cost, and captain.

Operators: Primary union: Lancha Atitlan (white polos with orange shoulder lines, ship's wheel logo). Other private cooperatives also operate. All official boats stop at standard docks; no advance reservation needed.

Dry season: Most reliable, frequent service, minimal cancellations (Nov to Apr).
Rainy season: Afternoon service (3pm to 6pm) subject to cancellation if storms arrive. Morning service usually reliable (May to Oct).

South Shore (Panajachel to Santiago Atitlan)

Secondary route. Lower traffic than North Shore. San Antonio and Santa Catarina have limited/scarce lancha service; most access is by road. Santiago is the primary destination.

Operating hours

Direction First departure Last departure Notes
Panajachel to Santiago 06:30 16:30 to 17:00 Less frequent than North Shore.
Santiago to Panajachel 05:30 to 06:00 16:00 to 16:30 Westbound service slightly earlier.

After hours: Departures after 4pm subject to cancellation in rainy season due to lake chop and storm risk.

Frequency

Peak (09:00 to 15:00): every 45 to 90 minutes.
Off-peak (before 09:00 and after 15:00): sporadic.
San Antonio and Santa Catarina stops are sporadic; many travelers road-via-San-Lucas (Pana to San Lucas by microbus to Santiago by shuttle) instead. Cheaper but slower.

Per-leg fares

From To Fare (Q) Fare (USD) Duration
Panajachel San Antonio Palopo Q20 to Q25 $2.61 to $3.27 20 to 25 min
San Antonio Palopo Santa Catarina Palopo Q10 to Q15 $1.31 to $1.96 10 to 15 min
Santa Catarina Palopo Santiago Atitlan Q10 to Q15 $1.31 to $1.96 10 to 15 min

Common multi-leg journeys

From To Fare (Q) Duration Notes
Panajachel Santiago Atitlan Q25 to Q30 45 to 60 min Most common; skip intermediate towns.

Fare note: One-way per person. Negotiate before boarding.

Operators: Mix of cooperatives; same union identification (white polos, ship's wheel logo) where applicable.

Dry season: Service more consistent (Nov to Apr).
Rainy season: Afternoon departures (4pm+) subject to cancellation due to lake chop and storms (May to Oct).

Cross-Lake (San Pedro to Santiago Atitlan)

Direct cross-lake connection. Popular with tourists who stay in both towns. Faster than going through Panajachel.

Operating hours

Direction First departure Last departure Notes
San Pedro to Santiago 07:00 16:30 20 to 30 min crossing.
Santiago to San Pedro 06:00 16:00 Return service slightly earlier.

After hours: Subject to lake conditions; rough afternoon chop in rainy season may cancel 4pm+ departures.

Frequency

Peak (08:00 to 15:00): every 60 to 90 minutes.
Off-peak (before 08:00 and after 15:00): sparse.
Less frequent than North Shore. Morning/afternoon departures less regular.

Per-leg fares

From To Fare (Q) Fare (USD) Duration
San Pedro La Laguna Santiago Atitlan Q20 $2.61 20 to 30 min

Common multi-leg journeys

From To Fare (Q) Duration Notes
San Pedro La Laguna Santiago Atitlan Q20 20 to 30 min Consistent pricing across most sources.

Fare note: One-way per person. Pricing more consistent than other routes.

Operators: Locally operated cross-lake boats; identification varies.

Dry season: Generally reliable.
Rainy season: Afternoon (4pm+) departures may cancel due to lake chop.

All schedule and fare data is compiled from these public sources. Last verified 2026-04-25. 1 USD = 7.65 Q (April 2026).