Last updated on November 26th, 2023 at 07:00 pm
How To Get From San Jose to Leon Best Way – You can go by bus, shuttle bus and private transfer.
What Is The Distance From San Jose to Leon?
The distance from San Jose to Leon is 509 kilometers. Click here to book online Costa Rica activities and day trips
The travel time by car from San Jose to Leon is around 9 hours. You will have to cross the border but it’s a really fast and easy process. Read here how to get from San Jose to Rivas
What Is The Best Way From San Jose to Leon?
The best way from San Jose to Leon is by bus for $48 USD you can book online and the bus travel time is around 10 hours with the waiting time included.
Read here how to get from San Jose to Managua, San Jose to San Juan del Sur, Liberia to San Juan del Sur, La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur, Monteverde to San Juan del Sur and Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur
What Is The Cheapest Way From San Jose to Leon?
The cheapest way from San Jose to Leon is by local buses for $23 USD. The bus travel time will be around 15 hours with the transfers and the waiting time included.
How Much Is The Crossing Border Taxes Between Costa Rica And Nicaragua For Foreigners?
The Crossing Border Taxes between Costa Rica and Nicaragua for foreigners is $9 USD when leaving Costa Rica and $14 USD when entering Nicaragua.
Read here best sim card in Nicaragua, Nicaragua eSim and best breakfast in Nicaragua
SIM CARD AT COSTA RICA AIRPORT
I wouldn’t recommend you buy a sim card at San Jose Costa Rica or Liberia airport. If you wish comfort you can buy eSim online and if you aren’t in a hurry just go around phone shops in the city and compare prices to buy the cheapest sim card in San Jose Costa Rica. Read here Costa Rica eSim and best Costa Rica Sim card for tourist
WHERE TO STAY IN LEON
The average price of a dorm bed in Nicaragua is around $15 USD depending on the season can be more or less of that price. If you’re going for a mid-budget accommodation for $30-50 USD and if you prefer luxury accommodation starting from $70 USD.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION WITH BOOKING
BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
You can read Heymondo Vs Safetwing cheapest travel Insurance. You can get for $135 USD your Heymondo Travel Insurance with Heymondo discount code valid for 90 days. Read our full Heymondo Travel Insurance Review
You can get Safetywing Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads valid for 28 days Safetywing for $50 USD per month with kids until 10 years old included
HOW TO GET FROM SAN JOSE TO LEON
BY BUS FROM SAN JOSE TO LEON (BEST WAY)
The Bus from San Jose to Leon is the best way for travelers you can book online. There is one daily direct bus going from San Jose Costa Rica to Leon in Nicaragua.
BUS SCHEDULE FROM SAN JOSE TO LEON
The bus from San Jose to Leon schedule is leaving at 6 am from San Jose 7-10 Bus Terminal (check here the exact location in Google Maps) and gets to Leon at 3 30 pm at Leon Bus Terminal (check the exact location in Google Maps) 5 minutes walk distance to city center.
The bus fare from San Jose to Leon is $48 USD you can book online and the travel time by bus is around 10 hours.
PUBLIC BUS FROM SAN JOSE TO LEON (CHEAPEST WAY)
The cheapest way from San Jose to Leon is by local bus. There are no direct public buses going from San Jose to Leon only shared vans or shuttle buses for tourists (you can book online).
You will have to take a few buses. First a bus from San Jose to Liberia. From Liberia to Penas Blancas and cross the border. Once you cross the border a bus goes to Rivas and from Rivas to Managua. Once in Mangua, the bus from Managua to Leon.
BUS SCHEDULE FROM SAN JOSE TO LIBERIA
The bus schedule from San Jose to Liberia is running every 1-2 hours starting from 6 am to 8 pm leaving from San Jose city center at Pulmitan De Liberia Bus Terminal located in La Merced just 5 minutes walking distance from the local market.
The bus fare from San Jose to Liberia is around $10 USD. The travel time from San Jose to Liberia is around 4-5 hours. Check here to check schedule and route!
Once in Liberia, you will have to get the bus from Liberia to Penas Blancas. The bus from Liberia to Penas Blancas will take 1 hour and 30 minutes. The bus fare from Liberia to Penas Blancas is around $4-5 USD.
You will have to do the border crossing and get a bus from the border to Rivas for around 1 hour of travel time and the bus fare from the border in Penas Blancas to Rivas is around $2 USD.
Once in Rivas, there are local buses leaving every 20-30 minutes to Managua. The bus fare is around $2 USD and it will take around 2 hours. Once in Managua, the bus will take 3 hours to get to Leon and around $4-5 USD.
The total bus fare from San Jose to Leon is around $23 USD. The total travel time from San Jose to Leon by local buses is around 15 hours with the transfers and waiting time. You will have to leave San Jose early morning at 6 am to get to around 9 pm to Leon.
CAR RENTAL IN SAN JOSE
There are many options for renting a car in San Jose. But for this time with a border crossing between Costa Rica and Nicaragua, I wouldn’t recommend renting a car and I would choose a shared van or a bus if you are on a budget. Or a private transfer if you wish for more comfort.
Click here to get the best deals renting a car in Costa Rica!
BEST WAY FROM SAN JOSE TO LEON NICA BUS VS PUBLIC BUS
The best way from San Jose to Leon is by bus for $48 USD you can book online and it will take around 10 hours.
The best way from San Jose to Leonis is by local buses for $23 USD if you go on a tight budget and it will take around 10-12 hours or even longer depending on the transfer and waiting time.
The Crossing Border Taxes between Costa Rica and Nicaragua for foreigners is $9 USD when leaving Costa Rica and $14 USD when entering to Nicaragua.
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Happy Travels!
About the Author: Ruben, co-founder of Gamintraveler.com since 2014, is a seasoned traveler from Spain who has explored over 100 countries since 2009. Known for his extensive travel adventures across South America, Europe, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and Africa, Ruben combines his passion for adventurous yet sustainable living with his love for cycling, highlighted by his remarkable 5-month bicycle journey from Spain to Norway. He currently resides in Spain, where he continues to share his travel experiences alongside his partner, Rachel, and their son, Han.