How To Successfully Travel Belize by Bus – The BUDGET Way to Travel But There are Some Compromises…
Belize is a very small country with a very small population (about 350,000 people) and only a handful of highways. The width of Belize maxes out at 68 miles wide – the length at only 170 miles!
First, for a lay of the land, here is a quick overview of the relatively simple highway system. This map (snagged from this website) pretty much says it all. We’ve got the Northern Highway/Philip Goldson Highway, The Western Highway/George Price Highway, the Southern Highway and my favorite, The Hummingbird Highway.
Here is a look – and a drive along the Hummingbird Highway.
Our tiny size is one of the coolest coolest COOLEST things about Belize. You can go from barrier cayes…
to a Mayan temple surrounded by jungle in about an hour.
But that sort of zoom-zoom-zoom flitting sure ain’t gonna happen by bus.
It’s going to cost quite a bit more to flit…whether going by one of the two airlines in the country or, for those who live the lifestyle of the rich and famous, by helicopter.
Buses are, by far, the most affordable and the most popular ways to get around mainland Belize. It can be slow, but IT IS CHEAP (Belize City to San Ignacio is only about $8bzd) and you get to really see the landscape, the people and the local color of Belize.
If you live in country, you always see someone you know. And for all of these reasons, I really like it.
Sometimes there are problems…
We had this issue on my last bus just outside of Dangriga.
But most issues can be avoided with a few tips.
Here are my tips to make things as easy and stress-free as possible.
If this is all completely new to you, take a shorter trip! Perhaps to the Belize Zoo or to the country’s capital, Belmopan. See how you feel about it.
1. Ask Questions – Lots of Them
There are schedules online but for the best, most up to date information just ask at the bus station. All major stations have the guys in the khaki shirts who work there – like this guy. The back of their shirts say something official.
This photo reflects the yellow shirts pre-2016.
Ask which gate you need to be waiting at, what time you should line up, can he give you the head’s up when the bus arrives. Just ask! They are very helpful.
For even faster answers, just ask the person waiting next to you on the bench or in line. In my experience, everyone has been great.
Here are the gates at the Belize City station.
2. Tickets are purchased on the bus.
Don’t look for a ticket window at the station. Each bus has the driver and the money collector. You PAY ON THE BUS. Don’t worry about exact change, these guys have plenty.
Here is the money collector during the ride. These guys have an amazing ability to keep track of who and when everyone has boarded.
3. If the station is busy, sharpen your elbows, the push to get on the bus can be fierce and there are no rules. Or try to find a bit of help…
I mean it when I say no rules. “I was here first” does not apply. People will enter through different gates and making absolutely no eye contact use their newborn baby to cut in front of you. If you want a seat, you are going to have to work for it. If you don’t get a seat, you will be waiting for the next bus. And that you do not want.
Eyes down everyone! If you don’t see the person you are cutting then maybe it didn’t happen.
See Tip #1 if you are looking for additional help. Sometimes you can find a super nice employee of the bus station (often the khaki-shirted guys cleaning up) who is willing to get on the bus for you and save you a seat. I’ve never asked…they often just suggest it with the unspoken agreement that you will slip them a few bucks.
It is money well spent.
Worst station for boarding the bus BY FAR: Belmopan. In the middle of the country, it is a hub for buses coming from lots of different directions.
Days to avoid if possible: Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon/evening. Holiday. All are heavy travel days for people going back to work.
4. Use the Bathroom Right Before you Get on the Bus
Obviously there are no bathrooms on these vehicles. And when you stop for the 5-minute breaks at the larger stations (like Belmopan and Dangriga), the very LAST thing you want to do is lose your seat.
Limit your beverages.
If you MUST use the facilities at a stop, ask your seatmate to save your seat for you. She will have to say “no someone is sitting there” 1000x while you are gone, so be quick!
Here is the Belize City terminal and its toilets.
It’s 50 cents Belize and not a place where you want to linger. But it does the trick.
5. If you require Air Conditioning and/or to arrive at your destination with good hair, do not take the bus.
These are retired US school Blue Bird buses. Exactly like you remember from your school days. And if you went to school in the 90s or before, it could be the very same bus you took to Benjamin Franklin Junior High.
Windows are open, the wind and the dust is whipping. Sunglasses are helpful on dry days.
6. Don’t Worry Too Much About Packing Food And Drinks (refer to Rule #4)
At each major bus station stop and some other smaller ones, people will board the bus or sell you food and drinks through the windows. Don’t worry about a lack of selection. At my last stop at Belmopan (the nation’s capital), I was offered: Dukunu and tamales, packaged cookies and gum (well…he called it chicle), watermelon juice, seaweed shakes, bags of craboo, fresh guavas with or without pepper, pizza and chicken sandwiches, creole buns and banana cake.
The last cost me $1bzd. It was a huge hunk and super moist and delicious.
7. Always Try to Get An Express Bus
It just saves SO much time – the non-express can literally stop every 100 feet. Ask for it by name.
8. The Most Important Rule: BE EASY GOING.
The driver might be blasting music you hate (think modern country), the woman who boarded the full bus handed you her baby and proceeded to the standing room in the back, you might have to help an elderly lady load her sack of potatoes, the driver might stop at a Chiney shop to pick up his fried chicken lunch or the “express” bus might stop at every single village in the Maya Mountains…all of these things have happened to me.
The bus seats are not all that comfortable. You might pick the “wheel seat” (you rube!) and you’ll have to keep your knees tucked to your chest. And if you are forced to squeeze three to seat so the bus driver doesn’t get in trouble for having people standing in the aisle? You are going to be extra uncomfortable.
Your large bag can be packed in the belly of the bus if you get on at a major station, otherwise bring a bag that can be squished into the overhead storage. A small suitcase works but a duffel bag or backpack is even better. As always in Belize, it’s easiest to travel light.
If you are coming from the south, you are probably going to get stopped by BAHA (Belize Agriculture Health Association), where you are asked unload and stand on the side of the road (in summer bring your mosquito repellent), the bus is then boarded by BAHA guys and police and the bus searched for mangoes and drugs (I’m guessing) or maybe drugs stuffed in mangoes. Who knows. My mango got taken.
SO in the end, I think Ralph Waldo may have been talking about the bus in Belize when he wrote “Life is a journey, not a destination”.
I hope I didn’t scare you off. I really do like traveling by bus. I take it quite often both alone or with a friend.
I suggest you try it. The scenery will be interesting…ever thought about stopping at the Hattieville Prison gift shop? and the people watching some of the best in the world.
For information on the very different bus from Belize City to Cancun, Mexico, check this post. (This post is from 2015 – so prices have been updated!)
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