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Transit & logisticsBy Clever Tourists · Published
For most people the shared van is the answer: about 5 to 6 hours from Puerto Princesa to El Nido for roughly ₱650 to ₱900 (about $11 to $16) in 2026. The bus is the cheapest and steadiest ride but slower, around 7 hours. A private van cuts the trip to about 4 to 5 hours and costs well over $100 for the vehicle, which only makes sense split between a group or with an early flight. There is no train and no regular ferry on this leg; flying straight into El Nido's small Lio airport from Manila is the way to skip the road entirely. We were in El Nido from 15 to 21 November 2022, arriving from Port Barton, after starting Palawan at Sabang.
Last checked 27 October 2026. Fares are approximate; dollar figures convert at our committed exchange-rate snapshot.
| Option | Time | One-way price |
|---|---|---|
| Minivan Shared van Lexxus Shuttle, Lakkbay Travel Services | 5h–6h | 650–900 PHP (≈ $10.2–14.1) |
| Bus Cherry Bus | 7h | — |
| Minivan Private van | 4h–5h | 126–136 USD |
Planning more legs? Use the route finder.
Several operators run air-conditioned shared vans up the national highway. Listings in 2026 show Lexxus Shuttle and Lakkbay Travel Services each with daily runs at about ₱650 (≈ $10.2), timed at roughly 5.5 to 6 hours; one 2026 guide gives a ₱600 to ₱800 (≈ $9.4–12.5) range and others quote up to about ₱900 (≈ $14.1). Operators have warned that fuel surcharges can push fares above listed prices, so treat ₱650 to ₱900 (≈ $10.2–14.1) as the realistic range rather than a fixed tariff.
The van leaves from operator offices and the San Jose terminal on the north side of Puerto Princesa, a tricycle ride from the city centre and the airport; travellers on 12Go report budgeting about ₱200 to ₱300 (≈ $3.1–4.7) for that tricycle. Many vans also offer airport or hotel pick-up for an extra fee, which saves the transfer. In El Nido, shared vans drop at the El Nido bus terminal outside town, from where a tricycle takes you into town or out to Corong-Corong.
• Book: operator Facebook pages and phone numbers, your hotel, or aggregators such as 12Go. One or two days ahead is usually enough outside December to April.
• Seats: the front row has the most legroom and the least motion sickness. The road north of Roxas and Taytay is curvy, so take a pill if you need one.
• Delays: reviews mention late departures after van swaps and stops to fill seats. Never schedule a same-day flight at the other end with less than a full day's slack.
Full-size buses run the same road, with Cherry Bus the name most travellers mention; 2026 reviews describe its El Nido runs as fast and punctual, though at least one reported a long delay. Expect about 7 hours. A comparison site lists a reclining 'Lazyboy' bus class at about $19. We could not confirm a current official timetable, so ask at the San Jose terminal the day before or have your hotel call.
The bus suits travellers with big luggage (it goes underneath instead of on the roof) and anyone who gets queasy in a packed van. It also stops more, which is slower but gives toilet breaks.
A private van with driver is listed at roughly $126 to $136 per vehicle and takes about 4 to 5 hours, door to door. Split four or more ways it costs only a little more per person than the shared van, avoids the terminal tricycles at both ends, and lets you stop at viewpoints or break the trip at Port Barton. Arrange it through your El Nido hotel or a transfer company, and confirm whether the price includes the drive back empty.
If you are coming from Manila and do not need Puerto Princesa at all, flights go straight to El Nido's Lio Airport, a few kilometres north of town. They cost more than flying to Puerto Princesa and the planes are small with tight baggage allowances, but they save a full day on the road. Note that AirSWIFT's routes passed to Cebu Pacific's regional arm Cebgo on 1 July 2026, so search under the new carrier. For Coron afterwards, see El Nido to Coron: ferry vs flight.
The road passes the turn-offs for two worthwhile stops, and we recommend using them rather than doing the full drive in one go. Sabang, about 2 hours from Puerto Princesa, is the base for the Underground River, which needs a permit booked ahead (see our Underground River permit guide). Port Barton sits on the west coast roughly halfway, and shared vans from there to El Nido take about 4 hours with a couple of departures a day.
That is the order our route followed: Sabang (10 to 12 November 2022), Port Barton (12 to 15 November), then El Nido for six nights. The full plan is in our 2-week Palawan itinerary and the longer 4-week Philippines route.
• Cash: carry pesos for the fare, the tricycles and terminal fees; card payment on the road is unreliable.
• Timing: morning departures arrive in daylight, which matters because El Nido's terminal is outside town. In the wet months (roughly June to October) allow for slower roads; our best time for El Nido and Coron covers the seasons.
• Where to stay: pick your area before you arrive so the tricycle driver knows where to go; where to stay in El Nido compares town, Corong-Corong and Nacpan.
• Entry: fill in eTravel before your flight into the country with our eTravel guide.
Once there, plan your boat days with El Nido Tours A, B, C and D and our El Nido guide.
About 5 to 6 hours by shared van, about 7 hours by bus, and about 4 to 5 hours by private van.
Shared vans cost roughly ₱650 to ₱900 (≈ $10.2–14.1) per person in 2026, with fuel surcharges possible. Private vans are listed at about $126 to $136 per vehicle.
Yes, from Manila to El Nido's Lio Airport, now under Cebgo after AirSWIFT's routes moved on 1 July 2026. It costs more but skips the road.
Yes if you have the time: it sits roughly halfway, and vans from Port Barton to El Nido take about 4 hours. Our route spent three nights there before El Nido.
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