Wondering how to pay for metro and bus rides in El Salvador - cash only, or do cards work too?
The chicken buses were one of my favorite parts of El Salvador. They’re loud, colorful, and ridiculously cheap. I hopped on a bus near Parque Libertad to Soyapango, gave the conductor $0.30, and off we went with music blasting. It’s cash only, but that’s part of the charm. I was staying near Escalón, and for $1 I could ride all over the city. Don’t expect fancy ticket systems, but for the price and energy, it’s an experience worth having.
Honestly, I found the transport system in San Salvador exhausting. Buses were overcrowded, and when I asked if I could pay with card, people just looked confused. Cash only, always, even for the $5 bus to El Tunco beach. One time I only had a $10 bill, and the driver refused me because he had no change. If you’re used to metro cards or apps, forget it here. Carry coins and small dollar bills or you’ll be stuck.
I stayed near Metrocentro Mall in San Salvador and used buses #30 and #4Every ride I took was cash only - usually $0.25 handed to the driver. Once I asked if they took cards, and the whole bus laughed. El Salvador is basically a “cash society” for public transport. Even when I took the King Quality bus to Honduras, I had to buy the ticket in cash at the terminal. Definitely bring small dollar bills - no one wants $20s or bigger on the buses.
There’s no metro in El Salvador, but buses and microbuses are everywhere. In San Salvador I caught the famous “chicken buses” from Boulevard de los Héroes to Santa Tecla - always cash. Fares are tiny, like $0.25-0.35, and you hand it to the driver or conductor. No cards, no apps. I stayed in Antiguo Cuscatlán, and even the newer microbuses there didn’t accept plastic. Even intercity buses to La Libertad were cash-only. ATMs are widely available though, and since El Salvador uses USD, it’s convenient to just carry small bills for rides.