As many other travelers have learned, it is best to start your travels early in Panamá. I was awake at 6am to start this travel day. I wasn’t sure where my own evening’s destination — and had several thoughts in my head — but it all starts with the almost $5 bus from Santa Catalina to Soná — and it is best to be at that bus stop at 7 as it departs 7:15 or 7:30.
Traveling by bus from Santa Catalina, it is always necessary to travel first to Soná. From there, most travelers take a second bus into Santiago, a farm industry town that is at the highway crossroads. (A rest stop on the Pan American Highway acts as the mid-way stopping point for busses between Panamá City and David.)
Here is the bus schedule posted at Ellie’s Surf & Shake shop
( Surf & Shake makes great shakes, by the way):
I do notice that it says the bus goes at 7am, I am unsure of this so use it as a guideline only and check when you are there.
Note: I think I saw a bus that cited Panamá city as its destination while in Soná but I didn’t investigate it as I wasn’t ready to choose a destination yet.