border guatemala-el salvador - Horizons Unlimited

**markwitteman** · #1 21 Nov 2004

hello,
I'm in guatemala now and would like to go to el salvador.
I've heard it is a troublesome bordercrossing in to el salvador.
does anyone have some recent information?
thanks in advance,
Mark

**paulc** · #2 22 Nov 2004

crossed it last year. Took about 2 hours very burocratic but cheap, 50c for the bike. The officals where helpful and no corrupion. Honduras is far worse

**Albert Hoermann** · #3 22 Nov 2004

Hola!

Easy but takes time but you will need the original papers. International ones do not work there!

Good luck!

**mattpope** · #4 23 Nov 2004

I crossed in May on a Sunday afternoon. It took just under 1 hour and was totally free. I found this to be the best of the Central American crossings - possibly luck. I was not very happy the next day when I entered Honduras.

**markwitteman** · #5 23 Nov 2004

thanks guys,
I will give it a try tomorrow morning.
you took away most of my worries.
bye,
Mark

**Moflow** · #6 24 Nov 2004

Just be sure that you get a permit for the moto. I crossed through in April 04 with another rider and the small crossing was too easy. We got there just about lunch time and exiting Gautemala was not problem and the Migration for El Salvador was the next window over. The border guard stamped out passports and welcomed us to El Salvador. What about papers for the bike we asked? `No es neccicito`was the reply. After asking a few more times the guard insisted that it was OK to proceed. A few days later when we tried to exit, the fun started. We were pulled over, told to leave the bikes in a locked compound and escourted to chiefs office. We explained what had happend, showed our passports and stamps, explained where we had been. Over the next two hours there was lots of yelling on the phone by various officials, and questioning again by a very upset looking cheif of the border station. I began to worry how much this was going to cost us and how long we where going to have to roast in that office. In the end it was all too difficult to sort out, the cheif gave us a stern lecture about illegally importing motorcycles into the El S, then stamped out passports and told us to get out. A local border guide who had helped us with some translation was convienced that we were going to get the run around to Guat City, but it all worked out in the end. Just make sure you get the permit, and avoid the trouble.