San Salvador - Post Report Question and Answers
Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
No. You can take Uber or approved private taxi services, but no public transport. - Oct 2023
I don’t believe anything other than Uber or approved taxi services is allowed. There are plenty of local buses, but transportation crime and control of bus lines by gangs are rampant, so using them is not recommended. - Feb 2022
We don't use the buses. However, Uber is quite safe and reliable. Very cheap. - Aug 2021
Only taxis and Uber are used. - Jun 2018
Taxis are safe and cheap if you use an embassy company. Local buses are not recommended. - Mar 2018
Buses, no. Dispatch at the Embassy can call a taxi for you, and that’s your safest bet. Uber is now in full swing here, and it is approved to use. - Jan 2018
We have Uber and taxis, stay away from the buses. - Nov 2017
U.S. Embassy personnel are not permitted to use public transportation. There's a taxi company, Acacya, that's reliable. The commissary also has transportation options for larger groups. - Jul 2016
Local buses are incredibly dangerous, with high numbers of shootings, robberies, and sexual assaults. Taxis dispatched from the Embassy are safe, and our embassy American Association has shuttles available for hire for a reasonable price (about the same as a taxi to/from the airport). - Dec 2015
Can't do local buses here (safety), and there are no trains. Taxis are called via the Embassy- they are safe. - Jun 2015
No. RSO recommends one taxi company which is good. Besides that, everything else is prohibited. - Mar 2015
Acacia taxi is what the Embassy recommends and it is safe and affordable. You can call day or night and they are very reliable and safe. The local buses are not safe and not recommended, but luxury buses to Antigua or Tegucigalpa are safe and very nice. - Oct 2014
No . - Jul 2014
Buses are regularly held up by gang members exacting bribes or just hungry people who ask a dollar from all passengers while wielding knife. Take the local taxis. Fares are reasonable, but negotiate in advance. It's 25 USD to the airport. - Apr 2012
Do not use local transportation except for taxi companies that are commonly used by the embassy or your place of employment. - Jul 2011
Absolutely do not take any form of public transportation except for cabs, unless you really want to get mugged and/or shot. The embassy security dispatchers will happily call you a cab, though it's not a good idea to just hail one off the street since many are just dudes in yellow cars. To get from the embassy to the malls costs $6. On the plus side, the micro busses have these really cool neon shark fins on them. - May 2010
Buses are generally considered not safe although in the past I used to ride them everywhere and had no trouble. Taxis are safe, but it is recommended that you call one of the larger companies or use one of the hotel cabs rather than simply calling one off the street. - Feb 2009
