There are 5 ways to get from San Francisco to Panama City by plane, bus (Flixbus), car, or train
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly from San Francisco International Airport
best- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY)plane SFO - PTY
10h 34m$458–650Caltrain to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport, fly
cheapest- Take the train from San Francisco Caltrain Southbound to Santa Clara Caltrain Southboundtrain
- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY)plane SJC - PTY
13h 13m$260–852Bus
- Take the bus from San Francisco to Los Angeles Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBusbus
- Take the bus from Terminal Tica Bus San José to Terminal Tica Bus Panamábus
5d 18h$490–630Drive 6,676 km
- Drive from San Francisco to Panama Citycar 6,676 km
3d 11h$914–1,320Fly from Oakland International Airport
- Fly from Oakland International Airport (OAK) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY)plane OAK - PTY
12h 19m$384–846
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Francisco to Panama City is to Caltrain and fly which costs $260 - $850 and takes 13h 13m.
The fastest way to get from San Francisco to Panama City is to fly which takes 10h 34m and costs $450 - $650.
No, there is no direct bus from San Francisco to Panama City. However, there are services departing from San Francisco and arriving at Terminal Tica Bus Panamá via Cesar E Chavez / Vignes, Los Angeles, Managua and Terminal Tica Bus San José. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 5 days 18h.
The distance between San Francisco and Panama City is 5391 km. The road distance is 6676 km.
The best way to get from San Francisco to Panama City without a car is to bus which takes 5 days 18h and costs $490 - $650.
It takes approximately 10h 34m to get from San Francisco to Panama City, including transfers.
San Francisco to Panama City bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, depart from San Francisco station.
The best way to get from San Francisco to Panama City is to fly which takes 10h 34m and costs $450 - $650. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $490 - $650 and takes 5 days 18h.
San Francisco to Panama City bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, arrive at Los Angeles Union Station.
Panama City is 2h ahead of San Francisco. It is currently 8:07 AM in San Francisco and 10:07 AM in Panama City.
What companies run services between San Francisco, CA, USA and Panama City, Panama?
Copa Airlines, Avianca - Aerovías del Continente Americano S.A., and Aeroméxico fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tocumen International Airport (PTY) 5 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a bus from San Francisco to Terminal Tica Bus Panamá via Los Angeles Union Station, Cesar E Chavez / Vignes, Los Angeles, Managua, Terminal NicaBus, and Terminal Tica Bus San José in around 5d 18h.
- Website
- copaair.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tocumen International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 14m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Jose Cabo
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 51m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $220–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 40m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 3m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Austin
- Ave. Duration
- 12h
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 4m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–900
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Diego
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 50m
- When
- Monday and Friday
- Estimated price
- $220–850
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Las Vegas
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 5m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $220–850
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Austin
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 5m
- When
- Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $220–850
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $290–800
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 45m
- When
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday, and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $220–850
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 6m
- When
- Tuesday to Saturday
- Estimated price
- $230–850
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $410–600
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 45m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $340–800
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Tocumen International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 45m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–900
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- caltrain.com
Train from San Francisco Caltrain Southbound to Santa Clara Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 11m
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $9–12
- Website
- https://www.caltrain.com
- Schedules at
- https://www.caltrain.com/?active_tab=route_explorer_tab
- One-way Adult
- $9–12
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- https://www.flixbus.com
Bus from San Francisco to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 5m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–110
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- [email protected]
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Los Angeles to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 6h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $330–400
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
- Phone
- +505 2222 2276
- [email protected]
- Website
- nicabus.com.ni
Bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBus
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $37–38
- Website
- https://nicabus.com.ni/en/
- Phone
- +52 962 625 2435
- [email protected]
- Website
- ticabus.com
Bus from Terminal Tica Bus San José to Terminal Tica Bus Panamá
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $55–80
- Website
- https://www.ticabus.com/en/
Want to know more about travelling around Panama
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between San Francisco to Panama City is 6676 km. It takes approximately 3 days 11h to drive from San Francisco to Panama City.
There are 889+ hotels available in Panama City.







