Nicaragua is a beautiful country in Central America that borders Costa Rica. If you are planning a trip to Costa Rica or live there already, getting to Nicaragua is fairly easy. Make sure your passport is valid and that you keep all of the receipts for your entrance and exit taxes to enjoy both of these dazzling countries one after the other.
StepsPart 1Part 1 of 3:Getting to the Border at Penas Blancas
1Travel by car if you can leave your car at the border. Rental companies won’t allow you to take their cars across the border. Either return your car before you head out or leave it at the border and pay a small fee of $3 to $5 per day to have border patrol look after it.XIf you do plan on leaving your car at the border, take all of your valuables with you before you go.
2Book a taxi for a personal driver. If you want to avoid taking public transportation, book a ride with a taxi to drive you to the border. The benefits of a private driver mean that you’ll get to the border quickly, but you may have to pay a hefty fee depending on where you are coming from.XThe taxi cannot drive you across the border, they can only drop you off.If you are coming from the Guanacaste beaches, the fee for a taxi can cost as much as $150 to get to the border.
3Take a public bus for the cheapest option. Public buses run from 5 am to 6:30 pm starting in Liberia and from 3:20 am to 7 pm starting from San Jose. They usually come every 45 minutes or every hour. Tickets only cost $1 to $2 depending on where you start from.XBuses will drop you off at the border so that you can cross on foot.
Tip: These buses get packed and can turn into standing room only. Get to your bus stop early to ensure you get a seat.
4Purchase a TicaBus ticket for a more comfortable option. TicaBuses are private buses that have assigned seats and an on-board restroom. These are particularly helpful if you are traveling a long way to the border. These buses can cross the border from Costa Rica to Nicaragua and will help you with most of the paperwork required.XYou can purchase TicaBus tickets ahead of time by visiting https://www.ticabus.com/ReservationTicaBuses stop in Rivas, Granada, Managua, and San Jose.
5Fly across the border if you are in San Jose. If you’d like to skip the extra travel and depart from the San Jose airport straight to Nicaragua, book a flight across the border. These flights usually take around 3 hours and can vary in cost from $100 to $300.XCheck flights from the San Jose airport by visiting https://sjoairport.com/enPart 2Part 2 of 3:Exiting Costa Rica
1Exchange your currency before you cross the border. Costa Rica uses colones while Nicaragua uses córdobas. Ask a licensed currency exchanger at the border to switch out your money to make it easier to pay the taxes to get into Nicaragua.XAlways count your money after you exchange it to make sure you have been given the full amount.
Tip: Download the app XE Currency Exchange for current exchange rates to make sure you are getting the right amount of money back.
2Fill out the form from the border patrol officers. Before you cross the border, you must fill out a form stating who you are, where you are going, and how long you are staying. Grab a form from one of the people working at the border and fill it out before you cross.XIt may be helpful to carry a pen with you to fill out this form.
3Pay the exit fee and get your receipt. Wait in line at the Exit Office and pay your small exit fee of $8 to $9 per person. This can be paid in US dollars or Costa Rican colones. Make sure you keep your receipt so that you can prove you paid the tax.XLook for a sign that says “Departure Taxes Here” to find the Exit Office.If you are crossing the border by foot, there is usually little to no line.There is a public restroom outside of the Exit Office that you can use for free.
4Submit your exit receipt and valid passport to the border patrol officer. Hand your exit receipt, form, and passport to the guard before you leave. Answer any questions the guard may have for you. Usually they will ask you where you are coming from and where you plan on going. Make sure the guard gives you a Costa Rica exit stamp on your passport.X
5Purchase a tourist card for $10 if you are required to. Citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, or the EU do not need a visa nor a tourist card. If you are not from any of these countries, buy a travel card that is good for a 90-day stay in Nicaragua.XIf you plan on staying longer than 90 days in Nicaragua, contact your embassy to find out how you can get a visa.Part 3Part 3 of 3:Entering Nicaragua
1Show your stamped passport to the Nicaraguan office. Walk about 200 metres (660 ft) away from the Costa Rican border to reach the Nicaraguan office, a small stand with an officer inside. Show your stamped passport and answer any questions that they may have.X
Tip: Don’t worry if you aren’t fluent in Spanish. The most important part is to show them your passport.
2Pay a $12 tax and get your passport stamped at the Nicaraguan immigration office. Follow the signs pointing towards the immigration office and enter the building. Stand in line and pay your tax in US dollars to the border patrol officer. Make sure they give you an entrance stamp on your passport.XThe immigration office is air-conditioned and can be a nice reprieve from the hot weather.
3Put your luggage and belongings through an x-ray machine. Send any luggage through the x-ray machine past the guard. There are restrictions on how much uncanned meat, food, and dairy you can bring into the country. You must have a license for your firearm if you plan to bring it into the country.XThe restrictions vary year by year and you may have to ask the border patrol guard if you can bring a certain food item in with you.
4Take a bus or taxi to your destination. Directly outside of the immigration office is a bus schedule and a taxi port. Buses run from 6:30 am to 9:30 am to Rivas and Managua. Getting to San Juan del Sur takes about 30 minutes by taxi and costs around $25.X
