Panama-Colombia Ferry
 

I just read an article in Spansh about a ferry that will start service between Colon and Cartagena as of May 10th. It also says it will cost $99 for a return trip in a deluxe seat. Three sailings each way per week. It will be interesting to see what really happens. I am hoping to take a trip south at the end of next year or the beginning of 2014. This, hopefully, will make things easier and cheaper. I don't like boats and the idea of spending 5 days on a little yacht is very off-putting.

Unicorn Ferry Servicio SA

Hey just kidding. I hope it happens. More likely to happen than a paved road through the Darien in my lifetime.

Cheers,
John Downs

Here's the link to the article http://elporvenir.com.mx/notas.asp?nota_id=576097

Thanks for the link. Sure sounds good on paper. Three times a week. 99 bucks roundtrip. Capacity of 500 cars. 12 hours one way from Colon to Cartagena. Starting on May 10th. Wow! Sign me up!

They seem to think the reasons the last ferry failed were due to Colombian troubles ten years ago that cut down on tourism along with animal disease scares that no longer exist. I sure hope they are right. Might have to adjust my plans and ride to South America while they are still in business.

Kindest regards,
John Downs

I read somewhere else that it is $99 one way which is still a good price. It sounds like my wife and I could go with one bike for under $400. It also said the trip will take 7 hours and on the link it says 12. Either way 7 or 12 hours sounds better than 5 days on a yacht with a bunch of other people all cramped together.

Here's a link in English.
New Ferry Service Between Colon and Cartagena to Begin on 10 May 2012 - Panama Guide

It looks like it's for real.

Sails from Colon at 6pm and arrives the next morning in Cartagena at 7am. 99.00 for the cheap seats like I know and love. Maybe a couple hundred for a little bike although it doesn't say. Will be interesting to follow this story.

It does sound promising. But with hurricane season in the fall I can't imagine it would be a year round service. Time will tell.

It was a quiet day at work today so I spent some time looking for this info. That just stopped when we had another small earthquake (6.3) and had to think about evacuating the building.
I just hope the Mayans aren't right because I will be well and truelly P***ed off if the world ends before I get to go to South America!

The legend that is - Garry Diamond
 

Hi Garry,

That's great news, the best bit is those boat owners who have been shafting travellers for years will now be struggling for customers.
Good that it's worked well for you and Ivonne. We have plans to come back and complete that part of our trip on one bike so I'm hopping the ferry actually happens.
We are in Dunedin NZ now, bikes fumigated today and we collect them on Monday. Blue skies and 18deg but down to 4deg at night.
Take care mate - glad you managed to somehow spare a few moments from your hectic working day to post the above - don't know how you do it xx

I hope this pans out well, but I haven't been able to find any contact information for the ferry or anyway to book a sit. I am/was hoping to ship in 1-2 weeks time so if this is true would be almost perfect timing and save me £££££s

Fingers crossed

This is a birthday wish come true!
 

If it is true, that is...

People are expressing doubts that they'll have this service up and running any time soon (apparently they have to improve their docks)...

But, we're in Honduras now and we're driving a rig that's too big for a container so this will save us $$$$ - so we're hoping it's true....

We're emailing about trying to get some more info - anything I find I'll put on here - this could be the biggest news since the brand new Amur Highway took us across Siberia.

Any info anyone finds, please please send to us:

andyeverywhere@yahoo.co.uk
facebook: Andy Everywhere
facebook group: Earthcircuit
our project: www.earthcircuit.org/blog

here's hoping!

Ok more info

In the local newspaper here in panama I saw an article with the following

Call either for more info
209-2000
380-0900

My wife tried to call today (sat) but no answer, we will be calling on Monday and will keep the thread update

also can go to
Index of / but the site isn't there :-s

or write to reservas@panaferry.com
I am waiting on a response

Just got off the phone with someone and have some updated info.

The 99$ ticket is a round trip and will have an 80$ (ish) tax added onto it, making the ticket $180 per person (children have to pay full price, well my 4 year does, not sure about younger)

A car / van wil be charged at $260 each way, BUT YOU MUST buy a return ticket. One way tickets are not possible for some reason, so a ticket is $520.

Reservations are made by emailing copies of your passport along with a flight reservation out of the country. We explained we want to go one way and will not have a flight, but she insisted it is company policy.

Out of WHICH country? Or is it the same in both directions?

By your calculations the price of a one-way journey is $700 plus any cost associated with that "ticket out of the country," which should be satisfied by a fully-refundable plane ticket. If the cost is similar for bikes, that's almost as much as one of the nicer sailboats.

Still a lot of unknowns, but glad to hear it's all moving forward. Thanks for the update.

Mark

We were told, on one of the phone numbers above, that you need to have a flight reservation out of panama.

I have no idea about the price for bikes on the ferry, so the $260 each way (total $520 is for a car / minivan) so one would think bikes are less.

However, I have been speaking to another traveller looking into this, and he has called the same number and spoke to another person and was told that you did NOT need a flight reservation out of the country.

TBH I never made a reservation, just entered some flights into expedia.com, then printed out the itinery without paying, scanned it and sent it to the eail address as above

Ferry between CA & SA
 

At this rate, it seems rather expensive for a 12 hour journey with a moto, when you can take a sailboat for 4 days via San Blas for $500..

Tim, those sailboat tours with a motorcycle now cost about $800.

Thanks for the continued updates, Martin.

Mark

Hi guys,

Some updates. After being on the phone with aventuras2000 (who are selling the ferry tickets) mulitple times waiting for our confirmation, it turns out that something was wrong their end. They would be on the phone to us saying they are now sending to our gmail and hotmail addresses but nothing would come through.

So we were told to go to their office in Panama city and we could pay in person. We were told this Monday morning. We left David and drove to Panama city and it took us about 9 hours in all, but we parked up overnight and arrived Tuesday morning. We met the woman we were dealing with (Betsy) only to find out our reservation had been cancelled as we didn't arrive on the Monday and the boss had said it couldn't be held any longer.

I was a tad annoyed to say the least but they wouldn't listen to the fact that the fault was at their end at being unable to send us an email, they not telling us on the monday we had 5 hours (to do a 9 hour hour drive) to get to Panama city or our confirmation was cancelled.

So anyway, we are now on the reserved list hoping someone else with a reservation does not pay. We are waiting to hear on Thursday what will happen.

We were told, that the ferry is now fully booked until June.

There was some confusing about getting a British vehicle into Colombia. We were told that all legalities for entering colombia must be completed BEFORE the vehicle gets on the ferry! But I had the impression that they didn't really know and were just talking about having insurance.

So that is it for now. The office is quite easy to get to and if you want directions let me know, much easier than trying to deal with them on the phone

Martin

"...booked until June..."

I need a little emoticon expressing extreme astonishment. And doubt. At three trips per week, 500 cars per trip, that would mean they've got at least 4500 cars reserved already.....without anyone knowing how to contact them until about a week ago.

Leaving all that aside, thanks for the update. They do sound sort've clueless. I've never heard of Colombian insurance being available in Panama--why would it be, with no road connection? In my two times bringing vehicles into Colombia (once from Panama, once from Venezuela), I was required to buy local insurance one time, not the other--available by the month from some, but not all, offices. Once in the country, an insurance card from anywhere, whether genuine or not, can be presented at roadblocks to police who don't generally read English or understand the fine print. Just tell them it's international insurance and includes Colombia.

Of course, you did not hear this from me, and all the usual caveats apply. Hope your trip works out. If you post their address in P.C. here I'll pass it on to a few other forums where people are clamoring for information.

Mark

just was in contact with one of the sailors down there, shipping bikes from/to Colombia.

They have heard the same rumour/story, but still operate without any problems.
No sign of 'coastguard control' or anything... and none one has ever seen this huge ship there.

I think a company which is going to have a 1500-people ferry there... would have a very clear website by now if they want to start operating anytime soon. To add to that, I think this ferry is very big and I doubt whether this is all real. Where are the loadingdocks in Colon and Cartagena?

If the damn boat is booked full till June without even having a proper contact person or ticket-office, we should all buy our share in an even bigger ferry and start our own business: HorizonsUnlimited@Sea!

Or maybe get those unused Hoovercrafts from Calais-Dover out there and use them! Eco-transport... as you cannot damage the reefs! ;-)

But if not legit, why would they ever turn anyone away who wants to give them their money? I'm not convinced there isn't a business model that'd prove profittable for this transport, given they are after all connecting two very large continents.

I'm most curious about the cost. Is it actually going to be upwards of $500 for a motorcycle? For a round trip that's not bad but for one way that blows...if nothing else this will help to drive down the cost of private sailboats.

I'm sure it'll be at least a couple weeks before the point of sale side of the business gets it's dicks lined up in a presentable fashion for the customer, but not a sufficient reason to completely doubt the service end of the operation. Thanks to those who have offered input and updates, I'm in Costa Rica now and probably going to pick up a bike here to head south on.

I have no doubt that "something" is happening down there, and that this "something" might eventually morph into a functional transport option. My doubts have involved the incessant string of press releases, relayed with uncritical enthusiasm by posters here and elsewhere, all of which have made extravagant claims about start dates, frequency of sailings, and capacities. A few posters have gone on to celebrate, rather prematurely, the demise of the sailboats making that run.

But the sailboats have proven track records, better and worse. The rumored ferry has none whatsoever. I wouldn't count on anything specific happening by any specific date--May 10, June 4, this year or the next.

Mark

I´ve just stumbled across this thread, but have been following one on the South America page: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-service-63720

I´ve been quoted $170 for the bike, plus taxes etc, plus my costs, which are as noted above. I´ve also been told I have to buy a round trip, even though I´m heading one way (north), and that they will sell Panama insurance on the boat. They also confirmed that I would not need a plane ticket.

All that said, I am still a bit doubtful about this service - and would love to hear of anyone who has done it. I´m not planning on booking a slot two weeks in advance and running up to the coast to get a boat that doesn´t exisit - and then have to trek back to Bogota for a plane!

Will follow this thread with interest, and post here too any news I get.
Cheers
Pat

The boat has not run yet. Latest promise from the operators said something about end May/early June. Don't hold your breath (but don't slide too deep into bottomless cynicism like me!).

Mark

Hi Pat
if you make it to Pana let me know, I am a Brit living near David, if I am around you are welcome to stay normanonthehill@yahoo.com

Cheers fella, I´ll keep that in mind.

Also just heard from a fellow Hubber that they are now talking about 10 June start - but I am waiting confirmation of this.
Pat

As promised this is the latest message from the ferry company:

We were informed that for the month of June the ferry will not be able to travel. You can make reservations from now for the month of July onwards.

Ah well - too much late for me.
Pat

Shame to see the ferry is still "a month away".

After all our troubles with them, then being offerered a definite date of 30th of May, I am glad we decided to ship with a container. Although it was alot more expensive, we are now home here in Ecuador and not still living in the Albright shopping mall car park (a great place to park up for free and close to the offices you need to visit in order to get permission to ship out of panama I will add, plus free internet if you sit near Cinabon at the end).

Good luck to the rest of you though

Over and out (until the next run )

:D

Views: 110
http://www.panama-guide.com/images/t...c_feedback.jpgBy DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - Received today via email: "HEY DON! I enjoy your guide immensely. Thanks for all the news!! Do you have any current info please on the proposed ferry service to Cartagena? Yesterday, I went to the Port Authority in Colon, and was told that it's not happening. We also stopped into "Shelter Bay Hotel & Marina". Had a grand lunch there. Highly recommended! Best Wishes, Ted." Editor's Comment: It's being held up by the Customs Authority. This week the Director of Customs was on a television interview and someone asked her about the status of the new ferry service. She said they are in the process of training up their staff, hiring new people, and installing some additional equipment. This new ferry will be bringing in thousands of people and potentially hundreds of vehicles every week from Colombia. The short answer is - the government of Panama currently does not have the required infrastructure in place to be able to handle that level of new flow through that port facility, as the result of the initiation of the ferry service. I understand the actual ferry itself - the boat - is still in the Mediterranean providing service there, today. So, despite the press releases, public announcements, and plans to have started the service a couple of months ago, right now the government is forcing implementation to be slow-rolled, until they are up to speed with new people, training, equipment, facilities. I suspect it's going to happen, and I think the company behind this effort was moving faster than the government of Panama, so they put on the brakes. But with all of that having been said, I also have not heard anything indicating the ferry won't happen. Or, (without the double negative this time) I think the ferry service eventually will begin, some time in the relatively near future. Hope this helps. Oh yeah, the burgers at Shelter Bay are the best in Panama.

Open water..........
 

Hi,

Thanks for the update, I will be in Panama in around two months so hopefully it will be sailing by then:thumbup1:

Hi Lynch, please keep all informed as I will be there in the new year and need to figure away across as well.

Hey any news on the delux all inclusive ferry service yet, thx.

no ferry
 

there will be NO ferry! not now not in a few weeks or months.
Ask the captain of the Stahlratte for more info

The Gap for me too
 

I am leaving Tucson om the 15th of December and hope to make the Gap around the first of the year. Maybe we can cross. Tom Udulutch
tom@markentpersonnel.com

Time for alternative shipments
 

Thanks very imformative' I expect to do the Gap sometime in early january. Do you have any idea if you ride with the boat or fly? If so what kind of time are we looking at?

Tom Udulutch tom@markentpersonnel.com

Thanks

What an amazing phenomenon this non-existent ferry has become! People quoting uncritically a totally erroneous puff piece by someone who obviously had no better information than any of us....and has already been proven completely wrong.

Maybe the ferry will start operations: next month, next year, next decade. Maybe it will be the Greek boat advertised....but then again, maybe not. All we've seen so far is a couple of ridiculously improbably press releases, plus an indication the boat in question is no longer parked in Greece: pretty slim, I'd say. Hardly worth getting all frenzied about it.

On the other hand, if you really want to know what the press releases said back in May or so--rates, schedules, seats and cabins, etc. etc. etc.--you might do a search on this site or ADVrider. It's all there.

Mark