Getting around Panama City

Public transport

The super-efficient Metro De Panamá (tel: +507 504 7200; www.elmetrodepanama.com) was built with suburban commuters in mind and is incredibly cheap. The modern MiBus (tel: +507 800 9393; www.mibus.com.pa) buses (accessed via top-up cards) are almost as crowded as their characterful predecessors, the Diablos Rojos, which were such a vital part of the city's fabric with their colourful paintwork and loud music (not to mention nerve-wracking driving).

Taxis

You can hail taxis on the street. They are relatively cheap; though make sure the driver switches the meter on. Taxis are yellow and clearly marked with the name of the taxi company. Yellow Car Taxi (tel: +507 369 9999; www.yellowcartaxi.com) are reputable and reliable.

Driving

Parking is widely available throughout the city centre, though it is recommended that you only use guarded lots as car theft and vandalism remains a problem.

Car hire

You must be at least 23 years old to hire a car. Recommended car hire companies in Panama City include Avis (tel: +507 238 4037; www.avis.com), Thrifty (tel: +507 238 4955; www.thrifty.com) and National (tel: +507 238 4144; www.nationalpanama.com).

Bicycle hire

The city itself is neither easy nor pleasant to cycle, being entirely too hilly and congested. However, there are several bike hire places along the scenic 6km (4-mile) Amador Causeway. Try Bikes and More, just past the Figali Convention Centre (tel: +507 211 8600).