How To Get From La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur – You can go by van, bus, taxi and private transfer.
What Is The Distance From La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur?
The distance from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is 252 kilometers. Click here to book online Costa Rica activities and day trips
The travel time by car from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is around 6 hours. You will have to cross the border but it’s a really fast and easy process. Read here how to get from San Juan del Sur to La Fortuna the reverse way.
What Is The Best Way From La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur?
The best way from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is by shared van for $68 USD you can book online. The shared van travel time from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur will be around 6 hours with the waiting time included.
What Is The Cheapest Way From La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur?
The cheapest way from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is by local buses for $20 USD. The bus travel time from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur will be around 12-13 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 to Nicaragua.
Read here how to get from Liberia to San Juan del Sur, Monteverde to San Juan del Sur, Tamarindo to San Juan del Sur and San Jose to San Juan del Sur
WHERE TO STAY IN SAN JUAN DEL SUR
The average price of a dorm bed in Nicaragua is around $20 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.
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BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
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HOW TO GET FROM LA FORTUNA TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR
BUS FROM LA FORTUNA TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR (CHEAPEST)
The cheapest way from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is by local bus. There are no direct buses going from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur only shared vans or shuttle buses for tourists.
You will have to get a few buses from La Fortuna to Liberia. From La Fortuna to Tilaran, from Tilaran to Cañas and from Cañas to Liberia
Once in Liberia a bus going from Liberia to Penas Blancas and cross the border. Once you cross the border a bus from the border to Rivas. Once in Rivas a bus going from Rivas to San Juan del Sur.
BUS SCHEDULE FROM LA FORTUNA TO TILARAN
The bus schedule from La Fortuna to Tilaran is starting at 7 30 am, 12 30 pm and 5 pm. The bus travel time from La Fortuna to Tilaran is 2 hours.
The bus fare from La Fortuna to Tilaran is $5 USD. There are only 3 buses so make sure you get the first one if you are planning to get to Liberia in the same day.
BUS SCHEDULE FROM TILARAN TO CAÑAS
Once in Tilaran you will have to ride the bus from Tilaran to Cañas. The bus schedule from Tilaran to Cañas is leaving every hour starting from 5 am to 7 30 pm. The bus travel time from Tilaran to Cañas is less than an hour and the bus fare is $1 USD.
BUS SCHEDULE FROM CAÑAS TO LIBERIA
Once in Cañas you will have to ride the bus from Cañas to Liberia. The bus schedule from Cañas to Liberia is leaving every hour starting from 5 am to 7 30 pm.
The bus travel time from Cañas to Liberia is around 1 hour and the bus fare is $3 USD. You will arrive to Liberia city center where you will have to get a local bus going to Penas Blancas.
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 and from Rivas to San Juan del Sur.
BUS FROM RIVAS TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR
The buses will take 1 hour to get to Rivas and 1 more one hour from Rivas to San Juan del Sur. The bus fare for the tow buses will be around $5 USD ($2.5 USD for each bus) and they are running every 20-30 minutes. The bus will drop you in San Juan del Sur city center since there is no Bus Terminal at San Juan del Sur.
The total travel time from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur by local buses is around 12-13 hours with the transfers and waiting time. The total bus fare from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is around $20 USD.
BUS/SHARED VAN FROM LA FORTUNA TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR (BEST WAY)
The best way from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is by bus or shared van for $68 USD you can book online. You will have to cross the border but everything will be easy just follow the instructions from the driver to put the stamps and pay the taxes leaving Costa Rica and entering Nicaragua.
VAN SCHEDULE FROM LA FORTUNA TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR
The bus schedule from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is leaving at 6 am and gets to San Juan del Sur at noon. The van fare from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is around $68 USD you can book online. The travel time from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is around 6 hours.
CAR RENTAL IN LA FORTUNA
There are many options for renting a car in La Fortuna. 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.
BEST WAY FROM LA FORTUNA TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR
The cheapest way from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is by local buses for $20 USD if you go on a budget. The bus travel time from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur will be around 12-13 hours with the transfers and the waiting time included.
The best way from La Fortuna to San Juan del Sur is by bus and shared van for $68 USD you can book online for a total of 6 hours of travel time and they will drop you at the hostel area in San Juan del Sur.
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.
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.