Galápagos Entry Guide 2026: TCT, Park Fee, Biosecurity, and Baltra Arrival

A Galápagos trip starts before the flight leaves mainland Ecuador. The practical sequence is official and easy to miss: Transit Control Card, biosecurity inspection, protected-area entry fee, and then island transport.

This guide focuses on the parts that affect arrival day. It does not replace Ecuador immigration rules; it explains the Galápagos-specific controls that travelers meet at Quito or Guayaquil and again at Baltra or San Cristóbal.

What to know first

• The Transit Control Card (TCT) is required for tourists and must be kept until departure from Galápagos.
• The TCT fee is USD 20, paid before boarding at Quito or Guayaquil according to the official arrival guidance.
• Tourists may stay up to 60 non-extendable days in the year under the visitor category described by the Governing Council.
• From August 1, 2024, the protected-area entrance fee is USD 200 for foreign visitors over 12 and USD 100 for foreign visitors under 12.
• At Baltra, the official route to Puerto Ayora is airport bus, Itabaca Channel barge, then bus or taxi on Santa Cruz.

*Image source: Wikimedia Commons / kuhnmi*

Follow the official sequence

Handle the TCT before airline check-in, not after landing. The Governing Council FAQ lists passport or national ID, a round-trip air ticket to and from Galápagos that stays within the allowed period, the USD 20 TCT payment, and available tourist days.

After the TCT, the biosecurity inspection matters because Galápagos treats luggage as a conservation risk. ABG asks travelers to check the official list of prohibited, restricted, and permitted products and to allow inspectors to review bags.

Reduce the on-the-ground friction

On arrival at Baltra or San Cristóbal, travelers present the TCT and pay the protected-area entrance fee. The official fee table separates foreign visitors, CAN/Mercosur visitors, Ecuador residents, students, transit categories, and children under 2.

For Baltra to Puerto Ayora, the park guidance describes a free airport bus to the Itabaca Channel of about 10 minutes, a USD 1 barge crossing of about 10 minutes, then a bus to Puerto Ayora for about USD 2 and about 45 minutes, or a white pickup taxi for about USD 25 per vehicle.

What to double-check before you go

• Confirm whether your flight leaves from Quito or Guayaquil and arrive early enough for TCT and biosecurity before airline check-in.
• Carry cash or an accepted payment method for the USD 20 TCT and the protected-area entrance fee, and keep receipts and the TCT until departure.
• Check the official prohibited, restricted, and permitted product list before packing food, seeds, plant material, shells, rocks, or animal products.
• Check the official page again for same-day notices, closures, and reservation rules.
• Leave time for payment, ID, or ticket-office requirements that may differ by day.
• If weather or security controls close part of the route, cut the plan instead of forcing it.

Sources

• Galápagos National Park - Arrival information
• Galápagos Governing Council - TCT FAQ
• Galápagos Governing Council - National Park entrance fee
• Galápagos Biosecurity Agency - Entry biosecurity standards