Quetzaltenango travel guide

Bus

Local

City buses run between 0600 and 1900. Between the town centre and Minerva Terminal, bus No 6, Santa Fe, US$0.20, 15-30 mins, depending on traffic. Catch the bus at the corner of 4 Calle and 13 Av by Pasaje Enríquez. Buses to the Rotonda leave from the corner of 11 Av and 10 Calle, US$0.20, or catch bus No 6, 10 or 13, from Av 12 y 3 Calle as they come down to the park, 15 mins. To catch buses to San Francisco El Alto, Momostenango, the south coast and Zunil, get off the local bus at the Rotonda, then walk a couple of steps away from the road to step into a feeder road where they all line up.

Long distance

To Guatemala City, Galgos, Calle Rodolfo Robles, 17-43, Zona 1, T7761-2248, 1st-class buses, at 0400, 1230, 1500, US$5, 4 hrs, will carry bicycles; Marquensita several a day (office in the capital 21 Calle, 1-56, Zona 1), leaves from the Minerva Terminal, US$4.60, comfortable, 4 hrs. Líneas América, from 7 Av, 3-33, Zona 2, T7761-2063, US$5, 4 hrs, between 0515-2000, 6 daily. Línea Dorada, 12 Av and 5 C, Zona 3, T7767-5198, 0400 and 1800, US$9. Transportes Alamo from 14 Av, 5-15, Zona 3, T7763-5044, between 0430 and 1430, 7 a day, US$5, 4 hrs.

The following destinations are served by buses leaving from the Minerva Terminal, Zona 3 and the Rotonda. For Antigua, change at Chimaltenangoby either taking a chicken bus or pullman. To Almolonga, via Cantel, every 30 mins, US$0.50, 10 mins. (Buses to Almolonga and Zunil not via Cantel, leave from the corner of 10 Av and 10 Calle, Zona 1.) To Chichicastenango with Transportes Veloz Quichelense de Hilda Esperanza, several from 0500 to 1530, US$3.80, 2½ hrs. To Cuatro Caminos US$0.50, 30 mins. To Huehuetenango with Transportes Velásquez, every 30 mins 0500-1730, US$2.50, 2½ hrs. To La Mesilla at 0500, 0600, 0700, 0800, 1300, 1400 with Transportes Unión Fronteriza, US$3.60, 4 hrs. To Los Encuentros, US$2.20. To Malacatán, US$3.60, 5 hrs. To Momostenango, US$1.20, 1½ hrs. To Panajachel, with Transportes Morales, at 0500, 0600, 1000, 1200, 1500, US$3.20, 2½-3 hrs. To Retalhuleu, US$1.20, 1½ hrs. To Salcajá, every 30 mins, US$0.40, 15 mins. To San Andrés Xecul every 2 hrs, US$0.60, 30 mins. To San Cristóbal Totonicapán, every 30 mins, US$0.40, 20 mins. To San Francisco El Alto, US$0.70. San Marcos, every 30 mins, US$1, 1 hr. San Martín Sacatepéquez/San Martín Chile Verde, US$0.70, 1 hr. Santiago Atitlán, with Ninfa de Atitlán at 0800, 1100, 1230, 1630, 4½ hrs. To Ciudad Tecún Umán every 30 mins, 0500-1400, US$3.60, 4 hrs. To Totonicapán, every 20 mins, US$1.20, 1 hr. To Zunil, every 30 mins, US$0.70, 20-30 mins.

Shuttle

Adrenalina Tours. To Cobán, US$33 and also to Fuentes Georginas and Las Cumbres Eco-Saunas y Gastronomía, by its own chicken bus at 0800, 1100, 1400 returning 0900, 1200, 1800, US$5 return. Returning from the Eco-Saunas at 0920, 1230 and 1820.

International

: Adrenalina Tours.

Car

Car hire

Tabarini Renta Autos, 9 Calle, 9-21, Zona 1, T7763-0418.

Mechanic

José Ramiro Muñoz R, 1 Calle, 19-11, Zona 1, T7761-8204. Also Goodyear Taller at the Rotonda and for motorbikes Moto Servicio Rudy, 2 Av, 3-48, Zona 1, T7765-5433.

Taxi

Found all over town, notably lined up along Parque Centro América.

Taxis Xelaju, T7761-4456.

Banks

Many banks on Parque Centro América. Non-Amex TCs are difficult to change here. Maestro can’t be used in ATMs. There is a Bancard, 24 hr Visa ATM on the park next to Banrural which has a MasterCard ATM Banco Industrial, corner of 5 Calle y 11 Av, 24 hr Visa ATM, Visa accepted. G&T Continental, 14 Av, 3-17. Advances on MasterCard.

Embassies and consulates

Mexican Consulate, 21 Av, 8-64, Zona 3, T7767-5542, Mon-Fri 0800-1100, take photocopies of your passport.

Emergencies

Police: T7761-5805; Fire: T7761-2002; Red Cross: T7761-2746.

Internet

Lots of places around town.

Language schools

Many of Xela’s schools can be found at http://www.xelapages.com/schools.htm. There are many schools that offer individual tuition, accommodation with families, extra-curricular activities and excursions. Some also offer Mayan languages. Several schools fund community-development projects, and students are invited to participate with voluntary work. Some schools are non-profit making; enquire carefully. Extra-curricular activities are generally better organized at the larger schools. Prices start from US$130 per week including accommodation, but rise in Jun-Aug to US$150 and up. The following have been recommended: Centro de Estudios de Español Pop Wuj, 1 Calle, 17-72, T7761-8286, http://www.pop-wuj.org. Guatemalensis, 19 Av, 2-14, Zona 1, T7765-1384, http://www.geocities.com/spanland/. Instituto Central América (ICA), 19 Av, 1-47 Calle, Zona 1, T/F7763-1871. INEPAS (Instituto de Estudios Español y Participación en Ayuda Social), 15 Av, 4-59, T7765-1308, http://www.inepas.org. Keen on social projects and has already founded a primary school in a Maya village, extremely welcoming. Juan Sisay Spanish School, 15 Av, 8-38, Zona 1, T7761-1586, http://www.juansisay.com. Kie-Balam, Diagonal 12, 4-46, Zona 1, T7761-1636, kie_balam@hotmail.com. Offers conversation classes in the afternoon in addition to regular hours. La Paz, Diagonal 11, 7-36, T7761-2159, xela.escuelalapaz@gmail.com. Minerva Spanish School, 24 Av, 4-39, Zona 3, T7767-4427, www.minervaspanish school.com. Proyecto Lingüístico Quetzalteco de Español, 5 Calle, 2-40, Zona 1, T7765-2140, hermandad@plqe.org. Recommended. Proyecto Lingüístico ‘Santa María’, 14 Av “A”, 1-26, T/F7765-1262. Volunteer opportunities and free internet access. Sakribal, 6 C, 7-42, Zona 1, T7763-0717, http://www.sakribal.com. Community projects are available. Ulew Tinimit, 4 C, 15-23, Zona 1, T7761-6242, www.spanish guatemala.org. Utatlán, 12 Av, 14-32, Pasaje Enríquez, Zona 1, T7763-0446, utatlan_ xela@hotmail.com. Voluntary work opportunities, one of the cheaper schools.

Laundry

Minimax, 14 Av, C-47. Lavandería Pronto, 7 Calle, 13-25, good service. Lavandería El Centro, 15 Av, 3-51, Zona 1, very good service.

Medical services

San Rafael Hospital, 9 Calle, 10-41, T7761-2956. Hospital Rodolfo Robles, a private hospital on Diagonal 11, Zona 1, T7761-4229. Hospital Privado Quetzaltenango, Calle Rodolfo Robles, 23-51, Zona 1, T7761-4381.

Post office

15 Av y 4 Calle.

Telephone

Telgua, 15 Av “A” y 4 Calle. Kall Shop, 8 Av, 4-24, Zona 1.

Voluntary work

Asociación Hogar Nuevos Horizontes, http://www.ahnh.org, T7761-6140. EntreMundos, El Espacio, 6 Calle, 7-31, Zona 1, T7761-2179, www.entre mundos.org, puts people in touch with opportunities. Hogar de Niños, Llanos de Urbina, Cantel, T7761-1526, hogardeninos@hotmail.com.