ROUTE 53 · CONDADO

Route 53 AMA: San Juan – Condado – Airport

Route 53 links San Juan with Luis Muñoz Marín Airport, running through Condado along Avenida Ashford. It also calls at the Convention Center and Calle Loíza: it is the airport route that crosses the tourist districts.

Route
San Juan ⇄ Airportvia Condado
Type
Touristhotel districts
Frequency
67 min55 min weekends
Days
Mon-Satand holidays · no Sundays
💚 Service is currently free of charge. Fare collection on AMA buses and the Tren Urbano has been suspended since March 2024. You do not need to pay or carry a card to ride Route 53.

Route and stops

Route 53 crosses the tourist districts of northern San Juan on its way to the airport. This is the official ATI itinerary in the San Juan → Airport direction:

  • San Juan
  • Train exclusive lane
  • Convention Center
  • Ave. Condado
  • Ave. Magdalena
  • Ave. Ashford — the heart of Condado
  • Ave. Mc Leary
  • Último Trolley
  • Calle Loíza
  • Ave. Isla Verde
  • Luis Muñoz Marín Airport

Itinerary as published by ATI. Check the official route map or the Transit app for real-time detail.

Schedule and frequency

Route 53 runs Monday to Saturday and on public holidays. These are the official ATI times:

Direction Days First trip Last trip
San Juan → Airport Every day 6:00 a.m. 8:11 p.m. (Mon-Fri) · 8:00 p.m. (Sat and hols)
Airport → San Juan Monday to Friday 6:46 a.m. 8:09 p.m.
Airport → San Juan Saturdays 6:42 a.m. 8:45 p.m.
Airport → San Juan Holidays 6:40 a.m. 7:45 p.m.

Frequency: every 67 minutes Monday to Friday, and every 55 minutes on Saturdays and public holidays.

⚠️ Frequency is low: over an hour between buses on weekdays. If you are catching a flight, this is not the safest option: route 40 comes every 30 minutes and route 5 every 20. Bear in mind too that service starts at 6:00 a.m. and ends around 8:00 p.m., so it does not cover early-morning or late-night flights.

AMA schedules may change and are not always met exactly. Check the actual arrival time in the official Transit app before you set off.

Fare

Right now travel is free because fare collection is suspended. When ATI reinstates fares, the price of Route 53 will be:

General fare
$0.75
Student
$0.60
Half fare
$0.35

Payment will be made on boarding, with exact change or with the travel card sold at Tren Urbano stations. The card allows free transfers between train and bus within a 2-hour window.

The three airport routes: which one suits you

Luis Muñoz Marín Airport is served by three AMA routes. None is better in every respect, so the choice depends on where you are starting from and what matters most:

Route Departs from Frequency Days Advantage
5 Iturregui 20 min Mon-Sat and holidays The most frequent
40 Piñero Station 30 min Every day, ★ Sundays included Connects with the train and runs on Sundays
53 (this one) San Juan 67 min Mon-Sat and holidays Calls at Condado and the Convention Center

Put simply:

  • If you are arriving on the Tren Urbano, Route 40 from Piñero Station is the natural choice, and the only one running on Sundays
  • If you are staying in Condado or Isla Verde, Route 53 picks you up near your hotel with no transfers
  • If you want the highest frequency, Route 5 comes every 20 minutes
⚠️ None of the three runs overnight. For a very early flight or one landing at night, public transport is not an option: you will need a taxi or a ride-hailing app. See the detail in our airport to Urban Train guide.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Route 53 cost right now?
Nothing. Fare collection on AMA buses and the Tren Urbano has been suspended since March 2024, so riding Route 53 is free. When collection resumes, the general fare will be $0.75.
What days does Route 53 operate?
Monday to Saturday and on public holidays. There is no Sunday service. The first trip from San Juan leaves at 6:00 a.m. and the last at around 8:00 p.m.
How often does Route 53 run?
Every 67 minutes Monday to Friday and every 55 minutes on Saturdays and holidays. It is one of the lowest frequencies among the airport routes.
Which is the best route to the airport?
It depends. Route 40 from Piñero Station is the only one running on Sundays and the one that connects with the Tren Urbano. Route 5 is the most frequent, every 20 minutes. And this Route 53 is the one to take if you are staying in Condado or Isla Verde, because it runs along Avenida Ashford.
Does Route 53 stop at the Convention Center?
Yes, it is one of its stops on the way to Condado. Along with Route 21 and Route 35, it is one of the three routes serving the venue, although none of them runs on Sundays.

Keep exploring

Route 40Piñero to the airport, Sundays tooRoute 21Old San Juan, Condado and PlazaAirport to the trainAll the options