Bus travel in Centro America offers a diverse range of options, from the iconic ‘chicken buses‘ to modern, long-distance coaches. Chicken buses, repurposed and vibrantly painted former U.S. school buses, serve as the backbone of local transportation in many Centro American countries. These colorful vehicles, known for their crowded interiors and frequent stops, provide an affordable and authentic travel experience, connecting rural areas to urban centers. In contrast, companies like Tica Bus offer more comfortable, long-distance travel options with air-conditioned coaches. These modern buses typically operate between major, providing a more convenient and faster alternative for travelers covering longer distances.
We used a part of the Tica Bus line going from San José (Costa Rica) to Managua (Nicaragua); the section from Liberia (Costa Rica) to Granada (Nicaragua). Booking online was hassle-free, but finding the right position of the bus stop was a pain. The buses don’t stop on their way at bus terminals, they stop sometime at ordinary bus stops and sometimes at defined locations without an official bus stop. In Liberia, the provided information was even wrong as the location has been shifted in the past but the ticketing system hasn’t been adopted. Good that locals are willing to help and that fellow travelers publish helpful information on the Internet. At Liberia the bus doesn’t stop at the Hotel Boyeros, but at the Rotunda Corazón de Jesús, at Granada it stops near the intersection of Calle La Libertad and Calle Elena Arellano (find the placemarks easily on Google Maps).
They require you to be at the bus stop at least 45 minutes prior to departure time, but the buses are often delayed by an hour and therefore locals don’t take this rule serious. Using this bus line also requires to pass the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Apart from having your passport ready you should also know about the different procedures and the costs – have sufficient money with you in USD (and better a bit more, regulations might change unnoticed and there is at this point in time no chance to exchange or withdraw money at the border).
- Costa Rican side of the border: You can leave your luggage in the bus. Just take your valuables and walk to the immigration desk. Currently the fee is 8 USD and you can pay by credit card at a terminal. The Tica Bus employees will offer you to pay the fee upfront by a terminal in the bus, but they’ll charge you 10 USD per person.
- Nicaraguan side of the border: You need to take your entire luggage as your bags will undergo an easy security scanning. At the entrance you’ll need to pay 1 USD per person local tax, after getting through the typically long queue you’ll need to pay 10 USD for the tourist card (when entering the country) and 3 USD immigration tax.
That sums up to 24 USD per person in worst case. And bear in mind: if you’re entering Costa Rica you need to have proof (another bus or plane ticket) when you will leave the country again. No entrance without that, no negotiations possible.
Tica Bus
Liberia – Granada
Costa Rica – Nicaragua
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