If you’re travelling from Nicaragua to Costa Rica, the likelihood is you’ll cross over at Peñas Blancas.
Across two trips to Central America, we’ve done the crossing about eight times: sometimes it was planned, sometimes it was to refresh our CA-4 visa, sometimes it was to return to a cheaper country, and sometimes it was simply because travel plans changed.
Although some may opt for the Ticabus or Transnica bus options - which will take you from one country to the other and hold your hand over the border - this border crossing is relatively simple to do on your own for a fraction of the price and takes less than a day if setting off from Isla de Ometepe, San Juan Del Sur, Playa Maderas, or Granada.
In this short guide, we’ve shared everything you need to know on the transport, the fees, the paperwork, the scams and the onward travel options for those heading south from Nicaragua to Costa Rica.
If you’re reading this but actually going in the other direction, then go read this post instead: The Costa Rica to Nicaragua Border Crossing.
We depend on travellers like you to let us know in the comments when fees, entry requirements or bus prices change. If you notice a shift, please let us know down below or via email so we can keep the post as relevant and useful for other travellers!
STEP ONE | PREPARE FOR THE COSTA RICA ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Costa Rica is not part of the CA-4 visa agreement of Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. The country also has the most onerous requirements on travellers backpacking long-term across the region, with no fixed flights or return date.
At time of writing, there are also additional covid-related conditions of entry.
Therefore, before getting anywhere near Peñas Blancas, you need to review the requirements:
· Eligibility | Check your nationality’s entry criteria and / or requirements for Costa Rica.
· Proof of Onward Travel | Officially, you need to have proof of onward travel to enter Costa Rica i.e. evidence that you will be leaving Costa Rica within 90 days. This can also be described as a ‘travel continuity ticket’ or ‘return to the country of origin’.
On our first crossing, we were simply asked how long we planned to be in the country, but on the second had to show international bus tickets.
Although this rule is not always strictly enforced, we strongly recommend that you prepare for it as though it will be asked and strictly enforced in order to save stress and complications on the crossing.
If you already know when you plan to leave Costa Rica and how, then it makes sense to purchase tickets in advance so you have proof at the border. Once you’ve got your proof, it’s good practice to have a printout of the details as well as any digital PDF copy.
Alternatively, in close proximity to the immigration office are a number of international bus companies, where it is possible to buy an onward ticket at the border. The only snag with this is that you may waste $30 on a ticket out of Costa Rica in three months that you have no plans on using. So, instead, you might want to make use of our guide to generating proof of onward travel and buying 24-hour refundable flights tickets here.
A final alternative - if you know you're only going to be in country for only 7-14 days - is to state the date you're leaving and ask for a visa up until that time. They may not grant this to everyone, but it is possible.
· The Costa Rica Health Pass | At time of writing, you have to complete the Costa Rica health pass prior to arrival by land, sea, or air. You can fill in this government form in about five minutes on the official website here, and make sure to have your QR code available for the border crossing.
· Covid | At time of writing, there is no requirement to have or show proof of vaccination to enter Costa Rica. Additionally, as of April 2022, it is no longer required to complete the health pass.
As this is quickly changing area, we recommend verifying entry requirements prior to your border crossing. Let us know in the comments as well, as this helps us keep the post updated for travellers like you!
· Sort your money out | Spend any excess cordoba you won’t need for the bus journey to the border, but keep some back in order to exchange on the other side. It’s always a good idea to carry emergency US dollars with you on your travels in Central America, and it’s the best currency to pay your Nicaragua exit fees. Small bills are best as change often won’t be given, and you can also exchange these for Costa Rican colones on the other side for your onward journey.
· Know the exchange rate | This is something we do for every border crossing to reduce confusion over prices and make sure we get a decent rate on any money we change - take a screenshot or make a note before you travel. Check the notes and amount you’re given by any money exchange guy before handing over your own, and don’t trust their calculator all the time.
· Accommodation reservation | Not mandatory but you’re often asked where you’re staying by the border official, so it’s sensible to know a place and hostel, even if you haven’t reserved.
· Yellow Fever | Costa Rica is pretty specific on the application of this, namely a vaccination certificate is required for travellers aged over 9 months arriving from countries with a risk of transmission, and then a bunch of exceptions and additions for Central/South America tourist hotspots (find out more here). Not something most of you will have to worry about, but a reason we got our Yellow Fever jabs years ago.
STEP TWO | TRAVEL TO RIVAS
Rivas bus station (Google Maps) is somewhere every backpacker in Nicaragua will have to pass through at least a handful of times, and we’ve got quite a comic love/hate relationship since our first visits in back in 2014 and then when we returned in 2022. We explain more in 23 Things To Know Before You Visit Nicaragua (published soon) why it’s a place to tolerate and get out of quickly but, in short, here are a lot of organised liars and scammers specifically targeting travellers.
As the main transport hub for the south of the country though, it’s where most of you need to start your border crossing day.
It’s pretty easy to reach by chicken bus from San Juan Del Sur (45 minutes) and Granada (2 hours), and from Ometepe it’s just a 10-minute colectivo taxi from the ferry dock in San Jorge - we’ve shared more speciifc advice on these routes and costs in the destination-specific guides.
From San Juan Del Sur ($25) and San Jorge ($15), you can also grab a taxi to drive you direct to the border.
From Managua (3-4 hours) or León (5-6 hours), it requires an earlier start and more advance planning. Transport is also more likely to be a nippy little minivan colectivo rather than a chicken bus, and may involve a connection to increase your departures options.
The small, busy bus terminal is by the busy market, and we’ve been through this station so many times that we feel confident in forewarning you that the taxi-drivers here are extremely untrustworthy, so don't believe any of them if they say there is no bus to the border.
If you want some cheap Flor de Caña or other goodies, then there is a Pali supermarket a five minute walk away; this Nicaraguan rum is 3-4 times more expensive in Costa Rica and so are a number of other items, so this is a good chance to stock up.
STEP THREE | TRAVEL FROM RIVAS TO THE BORDER
Ask for Peñas Blancas or La Frontera, but there will usually be a guy bellowing out ‘la fronteraaaaa’.
Buses leaves every 30 minutes or so and should cost about 25 córdoba per person, though they may try and charge upward of 50 cords. Travel time is 20-25 minutes, and if you sit on the left there’s a stunning view of Volcan Concepcion (the summit hike which ruined our thighs).
When travelling from the border to Rivas, there are people on this chicken bus who look to steal from your daypack, so keep everything valuable on your lap.
STEP FOUR | EXIT NICARAGUA
The bus will drop you off right next to the entrance. Ignore the guys offering you the departure forms (these are free at the proper office) and make your way through the gate for your first passport check.
You have to pay a $1 USD fee at a small kiosk to enter the offices (this is not a departure tax, but is for entry into the border zone - although clearly a money-making levy, it is apparently official).
Once you've completed your departure form, present this, along with your passport to the immigration officer, where you will also need to pay a $3 USD Nicaragua exit fee. On one occasion, the border official refused to accept córdoba for this, but on another crossing there was no issue. If paying in cords, they'll probably stiff you over the exchange rate too.
Update | readers have let us know that the refusal to accept córdoba is still quite common, unless you have a large note for which no change will be given!
Get your exit stamp, head out the door and walk five minutes or so onward to Costa Rica; there’s usually a check or two of your documents along the way, and no money should change hands. Ignore any tricycle drivers who tell you it’s too far to walk, but feel free to make use of their service if you need it.
STEP FIVE | ENTER COSTA RICA
It’s a good idea to have all your Costa Rica entry requirement paperwork organised and ready for checks to make the process as straightforward as possible. At time of writing there are no entry fees for Costa Rica when entering by land.
Your tourist visa for Costa Rica is usually valid for 90 days.
If you haven’t already done so, now’s the time to change enough money for onward bus journeys and any ancillary costs along the way, until you get to an ATM in your final destination. Remember, the money exchange guys won’t give you the pure exchange rate you see on XE or other sites, and they need to make money on every transaction to make a living, so anything within 5-10% of the interbank exchange rate is a good deal.
STEP SIX | ONWARD TRAVEL TO LIBERIA
From here, the easiest next step for onward travel to San José, Santa Elena (Monteverde), and most of the popular north coast Pacific tourist towns and resorts is the regular 90-minute bus from the border to Liberia. This can feel like a luxury if you've been travelling on Nicaragua's chicken buses and packed colectivos for the past few weeks, but they’re far less interesting.
Tickets cost ₡3,300 (about $5 USD), paying the driver on board in local currency.
Update November 2022 | Readers have mentioned this bus now costs $10 USD - let us know your experience in the comments.
Liberia is a small city and has onward connections to all the places noted above, as well as no shortage of taxi drivers happy to take you to your final coastal destination. Although there are some direct buses running from the border, you’ll usually be quicker and cheaper to head to Liberia first and transfer there. Note that you’ll be dropped off at the main bus terminal (maps) which has services to Tamarindo, Nicoya, Puntarenas, and Playa Flamingo, but the fancier Pulitman terminal a five-minute walk away (maps) may be best for San José (4-5 hours) and others.
If you can’t find a connection at one, make your way to the other before paying for a taxi or panicking!
If you arrive later and miss your connections, then don’t worry! There are several hostels a short walk from the bus terminal which travellers often stay at on their way to/from Nicaragua (we did!). Hospedaje Dodero and Hostel Pura Vida are the best options, but we had to stay in nearby Hospedaje JJJ (acceptable for one night but not recommend) as the others were both full when we turned up on the day.
Lastly, if you’re hungry, you can pick up some snacks in the bus station, but the best bet for lunch is across the road at the market.
Way back in 2014, we made the mistake of trying to go straight from the border to Santa Elena, the town that you stay in for Monteverde and ziplines. It involved the bus to Liberia and then a lot of confusion, with the guidebook and locals unable to provide answers. This meant an overnight stay in a place called Canas and an early rise in the morning to catch two buses to Monteverde.
This was our mistake for not doing enough research. Attempting to get to Monteverde from Nicaragua in one day, without passing through San José, is possible - providing you have a very early start. If you can reach the La Irma or Sardinal junction by late afternoon, you may make the connection (more information and map here), but these connections are not very frequent.
In hindsight, a less convoluted option would have been to catch a bus from the border to San José, spend the night there and catch the morning bus direct to Monteverde. This will take more time, but has more certainty and far fewer bus connections. Alternatively, just spending the night in Liberia, working out routes, and setting off early the next morning!
Overview | Nicaragua to Costa Rica Border Crossing
· Bus from Rivas to Peñas Blancas / La Frontera | 30 minutes | C$ 25 per person
· Exit Nicaragua | 30 minutes | $4 USD per person
· Cross the border | 10 minutes | No cost
· Enter Costa Rica | 30 minutes | No cost
· Bus from Costa Rica border to Liberia | 90 minutes | ₡3,300
· Stay in Liberia, onward travel to San José (4-5 hours), Monteverde (4-5 hours), or various locations on the coast (30 minutes - 2 hours)
We hope this helps make your border crossing stress-free and straightforward! We’re in the middle of writing lots more Costa Rica guides after our 2022 trip, so come back over the next few weeks for more information + inspiration. In the meantime, feel free to follow us on Instagram (@alongdustyroads)
