Directly across from the Airport is a Best Western Hotel and there is a group of taxi drivers standing right at the gates. Depending on which driver you talk to you will get a different price. Most are honest and will quote you close to what the fare should be. But as always, there are those who want to try to get double. The cost of a taxi from the Airport to the Mercado Roberto Huembes should cost you around 100C$.
You can take a local bus to the Airport. You need to get on a bus headed to Tipitapa. This bus will pass the airport. Read more about this below.
Metrocentro or Mercado Roberto Huembes to the Airport
One of your fellow travellers wrote us to tell us how to do this: You can take a city bus #110 from the metrocentro to the Mercado Roberto Huembes. This costs 5C$ and takes 20 minutes. From the Mercado Roberto Huembes you grab the bus to Tipitapa. This bus passes right in front of the airport. Cost 5C$. Easy and saves a lot of money!
Tony, a super helpful fellow bus travellers shared this information with you about this trip :
I did this trip this morning back and forth to pick up a friend. It took me 1.5 hours. 15 minutes waiting for the 110 at Metrocentro, 35 minutes from Metrocentro to Mercado Huembes, and another 35 minutes from the Terminal Mercado Roberto Huembes to the Airport. The bus driver to Tipitapa charged me C$50. Probably because asked for the price instead of just handing him a small note. If this happens to you, keep in mind that inside the bus, on top of the windshield, there is a list of prices. The full fare from Huembes to Tipitapa is C$12.00, so they are not supposed to charge you more than that.
Also, I learned there is an alternative way to reach the airport without going to Mercado Roberto Huembes: from the bus stop at UCA, take bus 114 headed to Metrocentro. Remain on it until you reach the Panamerican Highway, and get off at the bus stop in front of El Nuevo Diario (images of the bus stop can be found on Google Maps). Switch here to bus 169 or 266. These ones will stop in front of the airport too. You can do the same on your way back. All urban routes cost C$5.00 (or half that if you have the pass). Just in case, here is a useful link for further reference about urban routes in Managua: http://rutas.mapanica.net/
Another traveller, Berto did this trip from UCA to Airport in Nov 2017 :
“I arrived at the UCA-microbus-“terminal” (coming from Léon for 61 Cordobas, heavy traffic in Managua, took 2 hours). Then cross the street and flag down the 114 bus (passing Metrocentro) I just waited a few seconds. If you don’t have the pass (tarjeta) look for an ” uso mixto ” not a ” solo tarjeta ” – bus. The fair is 2,5 cordobas (8c us)! Then get off opposite ” nuevo diario ” – building, 1 minute later the bus 266 arrived, again 2,5 cordobas. Approximately 15 minutes later: Right hand side the airport, at your left you’ll see the Best Western Hotel. Et voilà have a good flight! (as described earlier, the 169 should work as well)”
Granada to the Managua airport
One traveller, Maciej, left a comment below about her trip from Granada to the Airport. Check it out below.
Help your fellow traveller
If you have taken any of the buses on this page, please drop us a comment below about how the trip went, what time you left, how long it took and what it cost. And, definitely let us know if we have anything wrong.
Lets help each other in our travels!
Dec, 2022: Took the local bus from the Airport to UCA terminal. Each ride is C$2.50 no matter how far you ride.
Be careful where you get off depending the bus you take from the airport. With 266 you can get off at Best Brand Pacas/El Nuevo Diario and then take 114 to UCA.
But with 169 from the airport, you should get off at La Subasta as the bus turns left from the highway and does not go to El Nuevo Diario.
On the way back from UCA, I took 105 and got off as soon as the bus reached Pan American Hwy(possibly near La Subasta) and then took 266 to the airport.
How can I get to San Juan del Sur from the airport? Also this will be at 2am…