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Palawan transport guide: El Nido, Coron and Puerto Princesa
Pick the airport for where you are staying. Puerto Princesa takes jets from Manila and Cebu. El Nido's Lio airport and Busuanga, for Coron, take turboprops from Clark and Cebu, not from Manila's NAIA. Between them, Puerto Princesa to El Nido is five to six hours by Cherry Bus or shared van, and El Nido to Coron three and a half hours by fast ferry, on the days it sails.
Palawan airports and terminals: quick reference
| Island group | MIMAROPA |
|---|---|
| Airport | Puerto Princesa (PPS), El Nido Lio (ENI), Busuanga for Coron (USU) |
| Usual way in | Jets to Puerto Princesa; turboprops to El Nido and Coron from Clark or Cebu |
| Terminals and ports | Irawan terminal, El Nido Ferry Terminal, Corong-Corong terminal |
Best way to get to El Nido, Coron or Port Barton
Staying in El Nido? Fly to Lio from Clark or Cebu, or fly to Puerto Princesa and ride north for five to six hours. Cherry Bus leaves Puerto Princesa at 07:00, 09:00, 11:00 and 21:30, with pickup at the airport, city hotels or the Irawan terminal an hour before; shared vans run from early morning into the afternoon.
Staying in Coron? Fly to Busuanga from Clark or Cebu. By sea, 2GO sails from Manila on Fridays, and from El Nido the fast ferries cross in about three and a half hours.
Staying in Port Barton? Fly to Puerto Princesa and take a van, about three and a half hours, or come down from El Nido.
Puerto Princesa itself. Jets from Manila and Cebu, about an hour and a half from Manila.
Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Busuanga (Coron) airports
Puerto Princesa International Airport (PPS)
Puerto Princesa had nonstop flights in September 2026 to Manila (Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines, around 180 a month), Cebu (Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines), Davao and Iloilo (Cebu Pacific), with a Clark route listed to start in October 2026. It had no international flights.
The airport is about 3 km from the city centre, a short tricycle ride. For El Nido, Cherry Bus sells boarding at the airport itself, and most shared vans sold online start there.
Heading north from Puerto Princesa airport, Cherry Bus collects at the airport an hour before its 07:00, 09:00, 11:00 and 21:30 departures for El Nido.
El Nido Airport (Lio) (ENI)
Lio airport, about 4 km north of El Nido town, is served only by Cebgo, with nonstop flights in September 2026 from Clark, Cebu, Caticlan, Busuanga and Tagbilaran. None come from Manila's NAIA.
A tricycle to town takes 15 to 20 minutes; 2026 guides quote ₱150 to ₱300.
Francisco B. Reyes Airport (Busuanga, for Coron) (USU)
Busuanga airport, for Coron, has nonstop flights from Clark and Cebu (Cebgo, Philippine Airlines and Sunlight Air) and from El Nido (Cebgo). None come from Manila's NAIA.
Shared vans to Coron town take 30 to 45 minutes and are listed at ₱150 to ₱200 a seat in 2026. They leave when full, so a private van or a hotel pickup is quicker if you land alone.
Getting around Palawan by bus, van and ferry
Puerto Princesa's bus and van terminal is at Irawan, where the city moved it from San Jose in January 2023. Many guides still name San Jose. Most buses and vans sold online also pick up at the airport or hotels, which saves the trip out.
El Nido has two different terminals. Buses and vans stop at Corong-Corong, outside town. The ferries to Coron leave from El Nido Ferry Terminal in Barangay Buena Suerte, in town.
El Nido to Coron is not a daily ferry in the low season. In late September 2026 only Montenegro Shipping Lines was selling seats, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Jomalia Shipping's 12:30 returns on 1 October and was on sale every day to mid-October except 3 October, and Montenegro on most weekdays. The Cebgo flight from Lio to Busuanga is the alternative.
Leaving the province means going back to an airport, and from the north the road to Puerto Princesa alone is five to six hours. For a flight out of Puerto Princesa, take the earliest bus or van north that you can.
Manila to Palawan: NAIA or Clark flights, and the 2GO ferry
Decide which part of Palawan first. For Puerto Princesa, fly from NAIA: Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific run about five flights a day, around an hour and a half. For El Nido or Coron, the flights leave from Clark, not NAIA. By sea, 2GO's MV 2GO Masigla sails from Manila once a week.
| Usual way | Flight to Puerto Princesa, El Nido or Coron |
|---|---|
| Typical time | About 1½ hours to Puerto Princesa |
| Where it departs | NAIA for Puerto Princesa; Clark for El Nido and Coron |
| Where it arrives | Puerto Princesa (PPS), El Nido (Lio) or Busuanga for Coron |
Puerto Princesa. Cebu Pacific and Philippine Airlines fly nonstop from Manila to Puerto Princesa, about 34 flights a week in September 2026, from about 04:35 to 21:40. For 7 October 2026, Philippine Airlines PR2781 was on sale at 06:00, landing at 07:25, and PR2787 at 16:35, landing at 17:55. Land early if you are heading straight on to El Nido: the last Cherry Bus north leaves at 21:30, and the day buses are gone by 11:00.
El Nido and Coron. The turboprop flights to Lio airport for El Nido and to Busuanga for Coron moved from NAIA to Clark on 29 March 2026, and are sold under Cebu Pacific since AirSWIFT became part of Cebgo on 1 July 2026. A Manila start for either means getting to Clark first.
By sea. 2GO's sailing schedule, updated in January 2026, lists MV 2GO Masigla leaving Manila on Fridays at 17:30 and due in Puerto Princesa on Saturday at 22:30. It leaves Puerto Princesa on Sundays at 04:30, calls at Coron at 17:30, and reaches Manila on Monday at 09:30. Gates close an hour before departure. Separately, MV Francis Xavier sails Manila to Coron on Fridays at 17:30, arriving Saturday at 06:30.
Puerto Princesa to Port Barton van schedule
Take a van. SBE Transport, Recaro Transport and others run from Puerto Princesa to Port Barton through the day, timetabled at three and a half hours, from about ₱580 a seat online, and SBE also runs an ordinary bus for ₱450 that takes about four. For 7 October 2026 SBE's vans were on sale every two hours or so from 06:00 to 17:00.
| Usual way | Shared van |
|---|---|
| Typical time | About 3½–4 hours |
| Where it departs | Puerto Princesa (city pickup on most vans) |
| Where it arrives | Port Barton |
What was on sale for 7 October 2026. SBE Transport vans at 06:00, 08:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, ₱600 with a hotel or airport pickup, and its ordinary bus at 08:00 from the Irawan terminal and 14:00 from its own office, ₱450. Recaro Transport from ₱580, and Fortwally, MLRJ, JCalbert, Lexxus Shuttle and Palajuanders from about ₱690 to ₱990, at times you pick when you book. The vans are timetabled at three and a half hours, SBE's buses at four.
A week earlier, for 30 September, the same companies were selling their vans at fixed times from 04:00 to 19:00. The timetable on this road moves from week to week, so search your own date.
Port Barton is sold as its own route, separate from the El Nido vans, so book a van that is actually going there.
As on the El Nido road, Puerto Princesa's bus and van terminal is at Irawan, not San Jose, since January 2023, and most vans sold online collect you in the city instead.
El Nido to Port Barton van schedule
Vans link El Nido and Port Barton, taking three and a half to five hours for about ₱680 to ₱1,050 a seat. Prince John Transport runs at 10:00 and 15:00 from the El Nido transport terminal to the Port Barton bus terminal, and SBE and Lexxus Shuttle at 13:00.
| Usual way | Shared van |
|---|---|
| Typical time | About 3½–5 hours |
| Where it departs | El Nido transport terminal, or hotel pickup |
| Where it arrives | Port Barton bus terminal |
For 7 October 2026 the fixed departures from El Nido to Port Barton were Prince John Transport at 10:00 and 15:00, ₱690, and SBE Transport at 13:00, ₱700, both timetabled at three and a half hours, and Lexxus Shuttle at 13:00, ₱900, at four and a half. Recaro Transport (₱680), JCalbert, Fortwally, MLRJ and Palajuanders sold seats with the time chosen at booking, up to ₱1,050.
Private vans for a group are sold as well, priced for the whole vehicle.
Port Barton sits between El Nido and Puerto Princesa, so it works as a stop on the way south: El Nido to Port Barton, a few nights, then on to Puerto Princesa for the flight.
Palawan bus terminals and ferry ports
Ask the operator which terminal your service uses. It is printed on the ticket.
Palawan routes
Palawan bus routes
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido by bus or van
- Puerto Princesa to Port Barton van scheduleVans and SBE's ordinary buses through the day, about 3½ to 4 hours.
Palawan van routes
- Puerto Princesa to El Nido by bus or van
- Puerto Princesa to Port Barton van scheduleVans and SBE's ordinary buses through the day, about 3½ to 4 hours.
- El Nido to Port Barton van scheduleVans from El Nido between mid-morning and mid-afternoon, about 3½ to 5 hours.
Palawan ferry routes
- El Nido to Coron ferry: schedule, fares and ports
- Manila to Palawan: NAIA or Clark flights, and the 2GO ferryFly NAIA to Puerto Princesa in about 1½ hours, or Clark to El Nido and Coron; 2GO sails once a week.
Flights to Palawan
Travelling around Palawan: common questions
Which airport should I fly into for El Nido?
El Nido's own Lio airport if you are coming from Clark, Cebu, Caticlan, Coron or Tagbilaran, all on Cebgo. From Manila's NAIA, fly to Puerto Princesa and ride north for five to six hours.
Can I fly from Manila to El Nido or Coron?
Not from NAIA. Since 29 March 2026 the flights to El Nido and to Busuanga for Coron leave from Clark. Cebu also has direct flights to both.
How do I get from El Nido airport to town?
By tricycle, 15 to 20 minutes for the 4 km from Lio. 2026 guides quote ₱150 to ₱300 for the tricycle.
How do I get from Busuanga airport to Coron town?
By shared van, 30 to 45 minutes, listed at ₱150 to ₱200 a seat in 2026. The vans leave when full, so a private van, or a pickup arranged by your hotel, is quicker if you land alone.
How far is Puerto Princesa airport from the city?
About 3 km, a short tricycle ride. Agree the fare before you get in.
How long is Puerto Princesa to El Nido by bus?
About five to six hours on Cherry Bus or a shared van. Cherry Bus leaves Puerto Princesa at 07:00, 09:00, 11:00 and 21:30.
Does the El Nido to Coron ferry sail every day?
Not in the low season. The crossing takes about three and a half hours; in late September 2026 Montenegro sailed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. From 1 October Jomalia is back almost every day and Montenegro on most weekdays.
Is Coron on the same island as El Nido?
No. Coron is on Busuanga, reached by boat or plane, not by road from the Palawan mainland.