Puerto Princesa to El Nido

Puerto Princesa to El Nido

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Puerto Princesa to El Nido Schedule

Puerto Princesa to El Nido Schedule
Transport NameRoute TimePrice
Lexxus Shuttle Private Van Any time₱ 6,500
Fortwally Travel and Tours Minivan 05:00 - 10:00$ 11.78
Fortwally Travel and Tours Minivan 06:00 - 11:30$ 9.52
Cherry Bus Elite 09:00 - 15:49₱ 880
Fortwally Travel and Tours Minivan 10:30 - 16:30$ 17.76
Eulen Joy Express Minivan 13:00 - 18:30$ 13.38
Lexxus Shuttle Shared Van 15:00 - 20:00₱ 670
Fortwally Travel and Tours Minivan 17:00 - 22:30$ 9.52
Cherry Bus Elite 21:30 - 04:21₱ 865

How to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido

If you need to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido your choice is rather limited: you can opt either for a bus or a shuttle van.

How far is El Nido from Puerto Princesa?

The distance between Puerto Princesa and El Nido is approximately 230 kilometres.

How long does a trip from Puerto Princesa to El Nido take?

You will need between 5 hours and 9 hours to get to El Nido.

What is the price of tickets for the Puerto Princesa–El Nido trip?

The ticket price depends on your choice of transportation but expect to shell out from PHP500 one way.

How to get to El Nido from Puerto Princesa airport

Puerto Princesa airport is a gateway to the island of Palawan and sits slightly to the north of the centre of the island. El Nido, also on Palawan, is located in the northern part of the island. To get to El Nido, take a regular shuttle van from the airport – try Lexxus Shuttle.

How often do vans depart from the airport?

There are regular departures every hour and a half or every two hours depending on the time of the day.

How much do tickets cost?

Tickets normally cost under PHP700.

How long does a trip from Puerto Princesa airport to El Nido takes?

The trip takes between 6 and 7 hours. The airport is located some 40 km south of the city of Puerto Princesa, and the major part of the road leading up north to the city is quite winding. Thus it takes about one hour longer to get to El Nido from the airport than from the city of Puerto Princesa.

A word of warning

There are different vans waiting for passengers outside the airport building. They come to meet each flight and depart for El Nido only when full. In certain cases this can mean hours (!) of waiting as if there are not enough passengers, drivers will wait for the next flight. It is important that you realize this especially if you are pressed of time.

How to get from Puerto Princesa Town to El Nido by bus

The Puerto Princesa-El Nido route is served by big buses, too. There are both air-conditioned and non-aircon buses; some offer on-board entertainment systems and even Wi-Fi.

Where do buses to El Nido depart from?

Buses to El Nido depart from San Jose Terminal.

How much time does a bus need to get to El Nido from Puerto Princesa?

Bussing to El Nido takes from 6 to 9 hours.

Which companies ply the route between Puerto Princesa and El Nido?

There are only two companies that operate big buses between Puerto Princesa and El Nido: Roro and Cherry Bus.

What is the bus fare to El Nido?

The fare generally ranges between PHP600 and PHP900, depending on the bus class. There are regular and elite class buses.

Are there many departures during the day?

Buses usually run every 2 hours with the first bus departing at 4am and the last bus at 10pm.

Are there night buses from Puerto Princesa to El Nido?

Yes, there are night buses but some of them arrive somewhat inconveniently in the small hours – between 2am and 4am. It means that you probably won’t save any bucks on a hotel room, alas.

How to get from Puerto Princesa to El Nido by van

Vans from Puerto Princesa town to El Nido depart frequently and are operated by a number of companies. The majority of the vans depart from the same bus terminal which serves big buses – San Jose.

What are the popular van operators between Puerto Princesa and El Nido?

The most popular operators are Eulen Joy, Fort Wally Shuttle Services, and Lexxus Shuttle.

How long does a van travel to El Nido last?

Vans are the quickest way to get to El Nido – expect the trip to last about 5 hours.

How much do van tickets cost?

Van tickets to El Nido from Puerto Princesa cost PHP600-PHP700.

Travelling to El Nido by bus or van? Read these simple tips

Sit on the left side of the bus or van if you are traveling during the daytime and you will be rewarded with a view of the sea as you approach El Nido.

There is a short stretch of a relatively rough road between Puerto Princesa and El Nido – hence the travel time.

All buses and vans make a stop about halfway between Puerto Princesa and Port Barton for a quick meal and toilet.

Transportation from Puerto Princesa to El Nido

Puerto Princesa to El Nido Destination Reviews

JF
Very nice tour, the underground river it’s beautiful and the tour team is amazing!
Van Shared van, Lexxus Shuttle, Feb 19, 2023
C
The driver and his assistant made 5 stops. We had no idea why, but everyone in the van became restless. It probably would’ve taken less than 6 hours had they not stopped so many times.
Van Minivan, Fortwally Travel and Tours (Fortwally Transport Service / Fortwally Travel and Tours), Feb 12, 2023
KH
Call the day before!!! We got to the pick up point at 4.30 am. No one turned up so called the hot line and they had not been informed of my booking despite booking it weeks in advance. Luckily they had space last minute, they only had 2 seats which were cramped in the back with no leg room which was very uncomfortable to say the least but we made it safely and in good time. Remember to call the day before to make sure they have you on their list!! Not ideal at 4.30 in the morning.
Van Minivan, Fortwally Travel and Tours (Fortwally Transport Service / Fortwally Travel and Tours), Jan 16, 2023
JA
Driver was on time, polite and friendly. Driving was safe and pretty smooth going (says a lot out here). Stop offs were well timed and offered enough to get you through the journey. Seats in the van were comfy enough. couple stops along the way to pickup random solo local passengers seeming to need a lift up the road an hour. Considering the journey length, it was fairly comfortable.
Van Shared van, Lexxus Shuttle, Jan 1, 2023
T
They where 45min late, after 5 guests where in the car we sopped right on the market to stuff the vehicle full with other people. After that we went directly to a gas station where we drove on a ramp to completely fill thr tank, lasting 15 minutes. We were lucky that we had booked 3 seats for 2 Persons. You should rather take an other option to go/fly to el nido. The driver was getting faster and fastet to the end if the trip, felt very unsafe. Never again...
Van Shared van, Lexxus Shuttle, Dec 24, 2022
XF
A little scary towards the end because the driver kept stopping at places without explaining why. Otherwise, very happy with the trip!
Van Shared van, Lexxus Shuttle, Nov 29, 2022
PM
We left almost 2h later than planned waiting n a ban for 1,5h so we were at our destination late.
Van Shared van, Lexxus Shuttle, Nov 29, 2022
ZS
The problems started at the airport when I contacted 12Go with a question and they did not have either of my bookings to/from El Nido. I gave the booking number they provided and they had no record of my booking. Fortunately Eulen Joy did have my booking - so I'm not sure what was the problem with 12Go. Up to this point, no problems with Eulen Joy. The van left the airport on time, and stopped at the office. So far it's ok. Then the driver stopped at McDonald's for one customer to eat, adding about 20 minutes of wait time. Then the driver stopped by a school to meet with someone briefly and give them something. Felt like a personal errand. It was a full hour after we left the airport that we finally got on the road to El Nido. I didn't mind the frequent stops on the side of the road for the driver to pee, but the extra hour of sitting in the van just within Princesa felt unnecessary.
Van Minivan, Eulen Joy Express, Jul 29, 2022
EG
The driver was very good and fast,a long drive but considering the distance good. 👍
Van Minivan, Eulen Joy Express, Jun 16, 2022
EE
The van looks new outside but was old inside. Its sliding door has brown masking tapes. There was an extra person, like a conductor, who was riding on top (roof) of the van. It was really unsafe for him since it was a really long evening travel/drive (6:30 PM til midnight).
Van Minivan, Eulen Joy Express, Mar 29, 2022
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