Booking, deposit & cancellation policy

Thank you for choosing Panama Shuttles. We want booking with us to feel easy and fair, so here is everything in plain words — how to reserve your seat, how the deposit works and when we refund it. No small print.

How to book, step by step

  1. Send us your trip on WhatsApp or with the booking form: route, date, number of passengers and where you are staying.
  2. We confirm availability, departure time, price and the exact deposit for your booking.
  3. You pay the deposit — only after our confirmation — by PayPal, Wise or a secure card link (card payments include the processing fee).
  4. Your seat is reserved. As soon as the deposit arrives, we send you your confirmation by WhatsApp or email.
  5. The day before your trip, we confirm your exact pickup time.
  6. On the day, you pay the balance in cash to your driver — and enjoy the ride.

Please don’t send any payment before we confirm your booking. Until we receive the deposit, the seat is not reserved.

The deposit

  • For shared shuttles the deposit is $15 USD per person.
  • Some services require at least 50% of the trip price in advance. When that is the case, we say so clearly in our confirmation, before you pay.
  • It is not an extra charge: the deposit is deducted from your total.
  • Why we ask for it: from that moment the seat is yours. We stop offering it to other travellers and plan the vehicle and the driver around you.

Changes and cancellations

  • Plans change — we understand. If you cancel, however, the deposit is not refunded, whatever the reason and however much notice you give. This includes last-minute cancellations.
  • Please still let us know as soon as you can on WhatsApp, so another traveller can take your seat.
  • Need a different date or time? Write to us early. If there is space, we will gladly try to move your booking.

On the day: punctuality

  • Please be at your pickup point 10 minutes before the confirmed time, with your luggage ready.
  • Shared shuttles keep a schedule that other passengers count on, so the driver cannot wait for late passengers.
  • If you are not at the pickup point at the agreed time, it counts as a no-show: the vehicle continues its route and the deposit is not refunded.
  • Running late? Message us right away on WhatsApp. We will do everything we can to help, although we cannot promise that the vehicle can wait.

When we refund your deposit in full

We refund 100% of your deposit when the trip cannot go ahead for reasons beyond your control:

  • Road closures or blocked roads that stop the driver from reaching your destination.
  • Any situation that prevents the journey to your final destination, such as landslides, flooding, protests or orders from the authorities.
  • If we cancel the trip.

You choose: a refund through the same payment method you used, or keeping the deposit for another date.

Tours run by other companies

Coiba boat tours, snorkeling, diving and similar activities are run by local tour operators, not by Panama Shuttles. If we help you reserve one, the operator’s own conditions apply, including its cancellation rules. This policy covers the transport we provide. See our terms and conditions.

Your details stay private

We use your details (name, phone, email and pickup point) only to arrange your trip. We never sell them and we don’t share them with anyone outside our team. Read the privacy policy

Questions

By paying the deposit you accept this policy and our terms and conditions. If anything is unclear, ask us before you book — we are always happy to help.

Last updated: October 2026