Best Ways: How to Get from El Nido to Puerto Princesa
Are you looking for the best ways to get from El Nido to Puerto Princesa City, Palawan? Puerto Princesa is the perfect place to start or end your Palawan Itinerary.
Take a day trip to Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, relax on the best beaches, join a city tour, take a Honda Bay island hopping tour, or go ziplining.
Getting to Puerto Princesa may seem difficult, but depending on your time and budget, there are several ways to get there. You can easily get to Puerto Princesa by bus, shared minivan, private transfer, or plane.
In this ultimate guide, you will find all the ways to get from El Nido to Puerto Princesa, such as the cheapest and quickest way to travel, journey times, and how much a plane or bus ticket costs.
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El Nido to Puerto Princesa Distance
The distance between Puerto Princesa and El Nido is about 270 km, and the travel time is 5-6.5 hours, depending on traffic and mode of transport.
Scroll down for more information about which transport is the best for you, how long the journey takes, and how much a taxi or bus ticket will cost.
Read our → Palawan Itinerary
El Nido to Puerto Princesa by Flight
There are no direct flights from El Nido to Puerto Princesa. Therefore, you must first fly to Manila and from there to Puerto Princesa City.
El Nido has a small airport with domestic flights only, the Lio/El Nido Airport (airport code ENI). The airfare and extra airport transfers make this one of the most expensive options to get to Puerto Princesa, so we don’t recommend it.
The flight time takes about 5-6 hours, including the connection, and plane tickets start from 150 USD (without luggage) per person for one way. In high season, flight tickets will be even more expensive.
TIP
Use Skyscanner to find cheap flights.
El Nido to Puerto Princesa by Taxi, Private Transfer
One of the easiest and fastest ways to get to Puerto Princesa is by taxi. The journey takes 5 hours, depending on traffic.
A taxi cost from El Nido to Puerto Princesa starts from 110 USD, depending on the number of passengers, time of day, etc. If you are not traveling alone, the price is affordable.
Before you get in the taxi, be sure to agree on a price with the driver. The taxi drivers do not accept card payments, so you should bring local money!
Alternatively, you can book a private transfer to Puerto Princesa (any hotel) starting from 119 USD, and 10 pax are allowed.
El Nido to Puerto Princesa by Bus
The cheapest way to reach Puerto Princesa is by bus. As these are direct buses, you don’t have to worry about additional transfers to get to Puerto Princesa City.
The travel time is approximately 5.5-6.5 hours, depending on traffic.
You can easily reach El Nido Transport Terminal from El Nido town by a 5-10 minute walk or tricycle. We recommend you arrive at the bus station at least 30 minutes before departure.
Buses do not run to the main bus station in Puerto Princesa (San Jose Terminal). The Cherry buses run from El Nido Bus Terminal to Puerto Princesa International Airport (airport code PPS) or Irawan Bus Terminal. As buses only run four times a day at 7 AM, 9 AM, 11 AM, and 9 PM, tickets sell out quickly. Therefore, we recommend buying them days in advance online (especially in high season).
The bus tickets start from 9 USD per person, depending on the type of bus (economy, standard, VIP, etc.). Economy buses are non-air-conditioned.
The city center is a 20-30-minute drive from the Irawan Bus Terminal, and you can get there by tricycle for around 5-8 USD.
El Nido to Puerto Princesa by Minivan
One of the best and most popular ways to get to Puerto Princesa is by air-conditioned minivan. The minivans run between 5 AM and 6:30 PM to San Jose Terminal (Puerto Princesa City) or the airport.
A shuttle minivan to Puerto Princesa starts from 10 USD per person. The journey time is 5-5.5 hours, depending on traffic.
Where to Stay in Puerto Princesa
Puerto Princesa City has some luxury hotels, but accommodation options are available for all budgets. These are our recommendations.
Best hotels in Puerto Princesa City
- Luxury: Princesa Garden Island Resort and Spa
- Mid-Range: One Manalo Place or Panja Resort Palawan
- Budget: Cleon Villas Pension
More Travel Guides about the Philippines
- Palawan Itinerary for 10 Days
- Ultimate Travel Guide to Coron
- Coron Itinerary for 3 Days
- 8 Best Things to Do in El Nido
- El Nido Island Hopping Tours
- Best Boracay Hotels in Station 1
We hope our post on how to get from El Nido to Puerto Princesa will help you plan your next trip to the Philippines. If you have any questions or thoughts, let us know in the comment below.
Travel Resources
Hotels – Booking.com
Car Rentals – Discover Cars
Flights – Skyscanner
eSIM – Airalo
Travel Insurance – SafetyWing
Tours & Attractions – GetYourGuide
Bus/Ferry/Transfer – 12Go
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