This route comes to you from an awesome intrepid traveller from Canada. Have a read through her advice:
Be sure to read more about the buses on each page for San Juan del Sur, Peñas Blancas, Liberia for Cañas schedule, Tilaran, La Fortuna
“San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua to La Fortuna, Costa Rica route info (way easier than it sounds). We left San Juan del Sur at around 7:30am in a collective (50C) and asked him to drop us off at the crossroads. From there we grabbed a chicken bus to the border (20C). From the Peñas Blancas border, we had missed the direct bus to La Fortuna (leaves at 6:30am or 2pm), so we made our own route. (Editors note: another traveller has told us there is no direct bus at 2pm, but one that goes to San Carlos at 2:30pm and wont get you all the way to La Fortuna, the better option to do is to go from Peñas Blancas to Cañas and then on to Tilaran -> La Fortuna).
Here is another from a helpful gal named Vianney: (Feb 2018)
– From San Juan del sur I caught a bus at 8:45 a.m to Rivas, 40 cordobas if you have a bag. 45min
– Rivas bus 10 a.m to Penas Blancas, 30 cordobas if you have a bag. 1 hour.
– At the Nicaragua boarder I caught a Ticabus to Canas for 8$, he left at 12:00 from the Costa Rica immigration.
I arrived at 13:45 in Canas.
– Then i walked to the bus terminal, 15min, i caught a bus at 2 p.m for Tilaran. 600 colones, 45min.
– Tilaran to Fortuna, bus at 3:30 p.m (the last one !!) 2765 colones, i arrived at la Fortuna at 5:15 p.m
So be sure to catch the last bus !!
You have to leave before 2:30 p.m from Canas or you’ll miss the last bus in Tilaran.
Cheers. Vianney. 39 countries.
Another traveller wrote this about Cañas to La Fortuna:
“We took the first bus to Liberia leaving around 9am ($3), from Liberia straight on to the bus to Cañas ($3), from Cañas straight on the bus to Tilaran at 12pm (~$1.50), from Tilaran straight on the bus to La Fortuna at 12:30pm ($4) and arrive around 2pm. (We missed the direct connection in Tilaran because we were getting food, so we got the next one at 3:30 and arrived around 5).”
If you have done this route and have any extra information to add, scroll down to the comment section below and add your 2 cents!
See more advice below in the comments!
SJDL to La Fortuna
Bit of a bumpy journey for me!!
9am-9.20am SJDL to La Virgen 20C
9.40am – 10.10am La Virgen to Peñas Blancas 30C
Border crossing took more time than I thought. I missed the option for a direct bus to La Fortuna and the bus to Cañas. Think I should’ve waited for the 2.30pm El Tanque bus from the border! But alas,
11.50am – 1.45pm Peñas Blancas to Liberia
This bus took a long time. Police stops etc.
From Liberia I was going to try get to Upala then to El Tanque, because I knew I wouldn’t make it to Tilaran in time.
I know a decent amount of Spanish but no one could give me a straight answer. So being a solo female traveller I’m cautious about arriving to destinations in the dark – have heard some things about Costa Rica at night. I paid a taxi to get me to Tilaran to catch the last bus. 20,000 colones was a sting but better safe than sorry!
Arrived to Tilaran 3pm, the last bus now leaves at 4pm for La Fortuna 3500 colones.