How To Get From San Jose to San Juan del Sur Best Way – You can go by van, bus, taxi and private transfer.
What Is The Distance From San Jose to San Juan del Sur?
The distance from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is 330 kilometers. Click here to book online Costa Rica activities and day trips
The travel time by car from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is around 7 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 San Jose.
What Is The Best Way From San Jose to San Juan del Sur?
The best way from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is by bus for $30 USD you can book online and it will be around 7 hours with the waiting time included.
Read here how to get from San Jose to Leon, 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 San Juan del Sur?
The cheapest way from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is by local buses for $20-25 USD. The bus travel time from San Jose to San Juan del Sur will be around 8-10 hours with the transfers and the waiting time included. You can book online a direct bus from San Jose to Rivas for $29 USD!
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 City Tours in San Jose
Read here best sim card in Nicaragua and best Costa Rica Sim card for tourist
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.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION WITH BOOKING
BOOK YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE
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HOW TO GET FROM SAN JOSE TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR
BUS FROM SAN JOSE TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR (CHEAPEST WAY)
The cheapest way from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is by local bus. There are no direct buses going from San Jose to San Juan del Sur only shared vans or shuttle buses for tourists.
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 a bus going from Rivas to San Juan del Sur.
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 buses from San Jose to Liberia airport are going to Playas De Coco as the final destination.
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 and 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 total bus fare from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is around $20 USD. The total travel time from San Jose to San Juan del Sur by local buses is around 10 hours with the transfers and waiting time. You will have to leave San Jose at 6 am to get around 4 pm to San Juan del Sur.
BUS/SHARED VAN FROM SAN JOSE TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR (BEST WAY)
The best way from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is by shared van for $74 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.
SHARED VAN SCHEDULE FROM SAN JOSE TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR (BEST WAY)
The shared van schedule from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is leaving at 5 am and getting at noon to San Juan del Sur. The shared van fare from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is around $74 USD you can book online. The travel time from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is around 7 hours.
The shared van option from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is the only one that will go directly from your hotel in San Jose and will drop you at the hotel and not in Rivas like the bus. (Only Available in High Season)
TICA BUS FROM SAN JOSE TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR (MOST POPULAR)
TICA Bus from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is the most popular way for travelers. The TICA Bus from San Jose to San Juan del Sur will stop at San Juan del Sur. (book online a direct bus for $30 USD)
The TICA Bus fare from San Jose to Rivas is $30 USD. The first bus is leaving at 4 30 am and they are running a few buses during the day. The travel time is around 7-8 hours by TICA Bus.
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.
BEST WAY FROM SAN JOSE TO SAN JUAN DEL SUR SHARED VAN VS TICA BUS VS PUBLIC BUSES
The best way from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is by bus and shared van for $74 USD you can book online for a total of 7 hours of travel time and they will drop you at the hostel area in San Juan del Sur.
The best way from San Jose to San Juan del Sur is by local buses for $20-25 USD if you go on a tight budget and it will take around 10 hours or even longer depending on the transfer and waiting time. You can book online a direct bus from San Jose to San Juan del Sur for $30 USD!
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.