How To Get From Flores To Antigua Guatemala

Are you looking for the best way to get from Flores to Antigua?

Many Travellers who visit Guatemala will find themselves at some point looking to make the journey from Flores to Antigua or vice versa.

This is because both of these destinations are awesome and despite being pretty far away from each other they are definitely both worth visiting. Flores is home to the magical Tikal Mayan Ruins and Antigua was our absolute favourite city in all of Central America!

We did the journey from Flores to Antigua as we were travelling from Belize and heading south. It is a route often travelled when doing a multi-country trip.

In this post, I will share the way we did it plus another option too.

I get it, depending on how much time you have for your trip, the thought of long bus journeys may seem pretty gross. We are also not the biggest fan of long journeys but luckily this was one of the easier ones we did in Central America.

A girl walking down a street in Antigua Guatemala lined with colourful buildings

Flores To Antigua, Guatemala Map

Making the journey all the way from Flores to Antigua can seem overwhelming due to the distance of the journey. But when you see it on a map you can see it is actually a pretty straightforward route.

a map showing the route from Flores to Antigua in Guatemala

3 Best Ways to Get from Flores to Antigua, Guatemala

As I mentioned, due to the long distance of this journey, there are 2 ways that are best for getting from Flores to Antigua. And they are;

1 – Flores To Antigua By Overnight Bus

The number one option that most travellers end up using, including us, is the overnight bus.

However, it is actually more like a taxi, bus and shuttle bus. Don’t worry though it is actually super easy.

We booked our ticket through Los Amigos Hostel. We were also staying there so it was really convenient. They have a tour desk inside where they also sell shuttles to Antigua or to Belize.

💰 Our tickets cost us around $50 each.

This included a taxi pick-up to take us to the bigger bus terminal just outside of Flores. The overnight journey to Guatemala City in the coach and the shuttle to Antigua.

If you are not a fan of leaving things to the last minute, you can also book the journey online with Guate Go. They also have an option to do the journey during the day but it will take the entire day so you lose precious time on your trip.

The Journey From Flores to Antigua by Overnight Bus

If you choose to book with Los Amigos Hostel, like we did, you will need to be in their reception with all your bags ready to go at 8 pm. Taxis will then arrive to drive you all to the bus station which is around 10 minutes away.

Once you are at the bus station you will be guided to the correct bus. Larger backpacks can be stored safely underneath the bus and make sure to keep any valuables with you.

The coach is very comfortable and has big reclining seats which was great. It is safe on the Bus because, unlike the chicken buses, they don’t allow more people onboard than there are seats.

The coach will drive through the night and arrive in Guatemala City around 5 am. You will need to wait here at the bus station for your shuttle driver to come and get you and take you to Antigua. We ended up waiting for around an hour for our shuttle.

The drive to Antigua took around 1.5 hours and we arrived around 8 am.

While you’re waiting you could also have read of our top things to do in Antigua for inspiration for your time in the city.

Looking down the aisle of an overnight bus in Guatemala showing large comfy seats

Good to know before you make the journey by bus

To help you feel a little more prepared for the journey here are some handy tips;

⭐️ Keep your valuables either on you or in front of you on the buses. Never store them in the overhead areas or under your seat.

⭐️ When you get to Guatemala City, don’t leave the bus station. It is not safe to walk around the city at that time of the night.

⭐️ If you are prone to motion sickness, take a pill before you set off on the Bus. I don’t usually have any problems but we sat on the top deck of the coach and after 20 minutes I felt pretty sick.

⭐️ The Bus does not stop on the way so take everything you think you might need such as water and snacks.

⭐️ There is a toilet on the bus, so you don’t have to worry about that.

⭐️ When you arrive in Antigua it will be pretty early but the shuttle company allowed us to store our bags in their office and many cafes in the city are already open when you arrive.

2 – Flores To Antigua By Plane

Another great option, especially if you are short on time, is to fly from Flores to Antigua. Or more specifically fly from Flores to Guatemala City and then take a shuttle or taxi.

The best way to find flights for great prices is to check a comparison site such as SkyScanner. I had a quick look and found that there are many flights from Flores to Antigua for as little as $35. If you are travelling with just hand luggage, that is even cheaper than the bus!

✈️ You can search SkyScanner here to find the best flights for your trip!

If you are new to the world of booking flights then we also have a great guide for that.

The Journey From Flores to Antigua by Plane

You will first need to take a short Taxi ride to the airport in Flores. There is Uber but it is known to be a little dodgy in Guatemala. We tried a few times and each time the driver would arrive and then demand more money than the app was charging us. So we stopped using it. I recommend asking your accommodation to call a taxi for you.

Take the short, 55-minute flight. As always don’t forget to arrive a couple of hours early and don’t forget to check in online for your flight. We have forgotten a couple of times and been charged extra to check in at the airport, which sucks!

Once you land in Guatemala City you have a few different options to get to Antigua.

🚌 – You can book a shuttle bus online for $19 with GuateGo.

🚙 – You can book a private transfer in advance with Get Transfer for around $30.

🚫 – You can just head out of the airport and jump in a bus or Taxi but I wouldn’t recommend this option. Airports are notorious for scammers hanging around waiting to pick up unsuspecting tourists. For this reason, we always know exactly how we will leave the airport before we land.

3 – Flores To Antigua by Overnight Bus & Private Transfer

If you read the details for the night bus and thought to yourself, you really don’t want to be waiting in Guatemala City at 5 am. I don’t blame you! Then there is a third option.

You can book via this company to take the same overnight bus but then a private driver will be waiting for you to drive you the rest of the way to Antigua.

This option is a little more expensive at around $90 but it does give the added peace of mind and security if you don’t want to fly.

A close up of 2 seats in an overnight bus in Guatemala

Where To Stay In Flores Guatemala

In case you have not yet found somewhere to stay for your time in Flores, here are a couple of places I would highly recommend;

📍 Los Amigos Hostel – This is where we stayed and it was perfect!

They have dorms, private rooms and even apartments. We actually stayed in one of the apartments because they were fully booked. So if you are on more of a budget I recommend booking a stay with them in advance to avoid missing out like we nearly did.

✔️ Check out the super fun Los Amigos Hostel Here!

📍 Casa Maya Itza – Great Price and Awesome rooftop views

Casa Maya Itza has super high ratings and really great reviews. Located right in the heart of Flores, they have a stunning rooftop terrace where you can enjoy the sunsets from.

✔️ Take a Look for yourself at the highly rated Casa Maya Itza

Boats on the lake at Flores in Guatemala

Where To Stay In Antigua Guatemala

We absolutely loved Antigua and actually spent a couple of weeks there in an air bnb. We also visited again briefly a second time and stayed in a great guest house. So here are a couple of our recommendations;

📍Hostal Morenos – This is where we stayed on our second visit to Antigua and we loved it!

The family who own the place were so incredibly friendly, they even waited up with us till 1am to catch a shuttle. The hostel is really affordable and a yummy breakfast is included too.

✔️ Check out Morenos Hostal and see what we mean by the lovely open garden space.

📍Ojala – This Place has it all!

If you are looking to stay somewhere in the perfect location, just outside the busy centre.Somewhere with amazing reviews and high ratings. A place with impeccable decor and style, a rooftop terrace with awesome views and FREE breakfast. Then Ojala is for you.

✔️ Take a look and see what i mean, it truly is stunning!

Looking down the street at the famous clock arch in Antigua Guatemala

For more information on the best places to stay we have a dedicated post to our favourite hostels in Central America.

Flores To Antigua FAQs

Now that we have covered the best ways of getting from Flores to Antigua, I wanted to make sure I had answered any other questions you have about the journey.

How long does it take to get from Flores to Antigua?

Taking the night bus from Flores to Antigua takes around 12 hours in total. Flying would take about half the time, including transport to and from the airport.

Is it worth going to Flores?

Hell yes! If you have the time then we think Flores is definitely worth visiting. Mostly because it is the best place to visit Tikal from, but also because Flores itself is really pretty.

Can you go all the way from Flores to Lake Atitlan?

Yes, you can. But you will need to break up the journey and do it in parts. If you take the overnight bus from Flores to Antigua as I explained previously. Then take a shuttle from Antigua to Lake Atitlan during the day.

Can you do a Tikal tour from Antigua?

You can indeed.

With this 17-hour trip from Antigua you can visit Tikal in a day. You will fly there and get awesome views of the sites from above before landing to explore on foot. Lunch is included as well as guides.

✅ Check out the day trip to Tikal from Antigua Here!

How many days do you need in Flores Guatemala?

I would say the ideal amount of time in Flores 2 days. One full day for visiting Tikal and another to explore Flore itself. Any more than 3 days might feel like a bit too much time. Flores is very small and you may feel like you start to run out of things to do pretty quickly.

A row of brightly coloured houses in Flores Guatemala

Flores To Antigua – Final Thoughts

So there you have it, the different ways that you can make the journey from Flores to Antigua in Guatemala. Hopefully, now you can see that it is not a difficult journey to make, it’s just going to take some time.

We found the overnight bus to be really straightforward, comfy and safe and this is the option we would recommend. It saved us a whole day and also we didn’t have to pay for any accommodation that night either, it was a win-win!

However you choose to do the journey I hope you have a great trip and love your time in Guatemala just as much as we did. As always if you have any questions or want to chat feel free to get in touch.