Shuttles are available from nearly all tourist agencies in Antigua on market days, Thursdays and Sundays. Expect to pay between $8 and $10. Shuttles leave early, at 7am, and arrive in Chichi around 10am. Shuttles return to Antigua in the afternoon around 2 or 2:30pm. The drive to Chichi and back is about 2.5 hours through the Guatemala Highlands.
I took the shuttle bus from I.R.C. Travel, located at 6a Avenida Norte No.39 in Antigua, north of the yellow and white La Merced church. The shuttle bus was late picking me up, which was okay since my alarm (which hadn't failed before or since!) did not go off that morning.
Admittedly, I slept through most of the drive there and only woke up once we hit the traffic coming into Chichicastenango. Traffic is a huge problem getting to the market. The popularity of the Sunday markets has caused a multitude of vehicles to literally cram themselves into Chichi's tiny streets, vying to get to the city center. It eats up a lot of time and causes a lot of stress on drivers and passengers alike.
I.R.C.'s shuttle was 2 hours late picking us up. The tardiness, that time, was not so okay with me. I stood there on the corner with strangers, hoping we weren't abandoned in the city, which by the way, was still jammed-packed with vehicles, their tense drivers, and blaring horns. Eventually we were swept away, and we arrived back in Antigua in time for dinner. I.R.C redeemed itself, because, even though I left my fleece, my precious "chumpa," I.R.C. got it back to me within 2 days even though the shuttle had since been all over Guatemala (albeit, I had to pester them about it...).
On my next trip to Guatemala in March 2005, I plan to return to Chichi for another Sunday market and will update this journal with my new experiences.