Quetzaltenango: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Quetzaltenango is a city of 180,706 people in Guatemala, 2,351 m (7,713 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Retalhuleu Airport (RER), 41 km (25 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Open Quetzaltenango in Google Maps
Daylight in Quetzaltenango runs from about 11 h 17 min a day in late December to 13 h 3 min in late June (computed for 14.84° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Quetzaltenango is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Retalhuleu Airport (RER), 41 km (25 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 5,065 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Tapachula International Airport (TAP, 91 km).
Flights to Quetzaltenango: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Quetzaltenango · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Guatemala City, 111 km — buses · car rental · tours
- San Pedro Sula, 382 km (Honduras) — flights
- Villa Nueva, 107 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Tuxtla, 272 km (Mexico) — buses · car rental · tours
- San Salvador, 283 km (El Salvador) — tours
- Mixco, 101 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Tapachula, 79 km (Mexico) — buses · car rental · tours
- Villahermosa, 381 km (Mexico) — buses · car rental
- Soyapango, 286 km (El Salvador)
- San Miguel, 391 km (El Salvador)
Common questions
Which airport serves Quetzaltenango?
Retalhuleu Airport (RER), 41 km (25 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Quetzaltenango?
About 180,706 people live in Quetzaltenango (GeoNames).
What time zone is Quetzaltenango in?
America/Guatemala, currently UTC-6.
What currency is used in Quetzaltenango?
The Quetzal (GTQ). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Quetzaltenango?
Guatemala City (111 km), San Pedro Sula (382 km), Villa Nueva (107 km), Tuxtla (272 km), San Salvador (283 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.