The main bus stop is in front of the Market (see map and photos) and leaves basically every hour. There are several different buses that do the loop to Rivas and back and some are nicer than others.
Rivas to San Juan del Sur
5am, 5:45am, 6:30am, 7am, 8am, 8:25am, 9am, 9:30am, 10am, 10:45, 11:30am, 12:10pm, 1pm, 2:20pm, 3:20pm, 5pm, 30C$, about 45minutes
Rivas to San Juan del Sur: Every half hour. Takes about 45mins and costs 30C$. Last one 5:30pm.
Peñas Blancas to San Juan del Sur
From Peñas Blancas, grab one of the many buses heading to Rivas and ask to be let off in La Virgin, this used to cost 30$C (Dec 2018). From here you can get another bus for 20C$ to San Juan del Sur. This is a very common spot for both travellers and locals to get off. You then need to cross the street and walk about 50meters down the road that branches off of the highway. You will come across a nice covered bus stop. Wait there for your bus to San Juan del Sur. (see photos) If you don’t want to get off in La Virgin, you can go all the way to Rivas, and switch to the SJDS bus.
San Juan del Sur to Peñas Blancas
If you are heading to Peñas Blancas you can get off at the highway junction mentioned above and then wait for the bus heading to the border. The only drawback to waiting on the highway, as opposed to heading all the way to Rivas and taking the bus from there, is that by the time in reaches you on the highway you may not get a seat. But, fear not, the trip is only about 25minutes from this spot.
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!
Hi! I was wondering if there is any way to get to the Managua Airport from San Juan Del Sur? Is there any direct buses going there?
Thank you!
Hi, Alice. No direct buses to the airport, sorry.
San Juan del Sur to Santa Teresa:
6:30 am chicken bus from SJDL to Rivas. They will probably charge you double the price ifyou have luaggage. The guy also tried to charge a couple who wanted to go to Managua 300 instead of 160. I had to pay 60 instead of 30, and he tried to not give me a ticket.
Bus had 30 min delay and left after 7. In Rivas I went across the street and 100 m back to catch the bus to the border. Again was charged the double price. No arguing and he tried to also cheat me with my change. So if you have some extra cash I would suggest sharing a taxi from SJDS to the borderas this was the most annoying and time consuming part.
Arrived short before 9 at border. Ignore everyone trying to sell you something. Bring exact change for the 1 and 2 dollar charges at border.
To Costa Rica was no line but they asked everyone for onward ticket so be prepared. The bus to Liberia was already waiting outside and cost me around 1.800 colones or something like that. It took 90 min to Liberia. Right on time to catch the 10:30 bus from Liberia to Puntarenas. Fare is 2800 but got charged 1500 more for luaggage. Bus arrived at 1:30 pm close to ferry. Took a taxi for 1.000 to ferry terminal. 810 for ferry at 2pm. On the other side the bus was waiting to Cobano. Around 1.400 and then Cobano to Santa Teresa for 1000.
Arrived in Santa Teresa by sunset.
Thanks, Marion!
From San Juan del Sur to southern beaches: take the bus to El Ostional at the bus stop opposite of Casa Oro. There is at least one at 1pm.
We did a half day trip to Playa El Coco which took 1 hour each way and costs 40 Cordoba pp. The bus returns from Playa El Coco around 4pm.
40 cordobas pp each way that is, so 80 for a return trip
San Juan Del Sur to La Virgin costs now 20 cordobas. (Jan 18). From La Virgin to Peñas Blancas was 30 cordobas but I think they just overcharged me…
Locals pay 18 cordobas from San Juan del Sur to Rivas .
They just tired to charge me 40 cordobas because of my pack back. I negotiated to 30 cordobas.
Well, that’s annoying. Somehow in the last year or so Nicaraguan bus drivers/helpers turned onto the idea of making more money by charging tourists for baggage. One of my last bus trips had me paying more for my surfboard than my seat. This stuff used to only happen in Costa Rica. Sad to see it’s becoming a Nicaraguan thing too! Thanks for sharing.
Last bus from Granada to Rivas on Thursday is at 1:30pm. Did not stick around to know if their was one at 3pm
Thanks, Samuel. When I was in Granada last month the guy working at the station had said there wasn’t a 3:10pm bus on Thursdays or Sundays. Thanks for confirming the 1:30pm. I have 1:10pm written but usually anything within 20 minutes of the departure time is pretty much on time! 😀
Greetings:) I give thanks for all your information as it is soooo helpful!!! Let me ask if I would like to get my passport stamped. Would I get off at La Virgin?
Thank you, Kristine
Hi Kris, so happy to hear this site has been helpful to you in your travels. To answer your question, the only place that will stamp you in/out of a country is at the border. If you are heading to Costa Rica, you go to Peñas Blancas and cross there. They will stamp you out of Nicaragua on one side of the border and then into Costa Rica on the other side of the border.
La Virgen is just one option of where you can wait for the bus heading to the Border (Peñas Blancas), if you are coming from San Juan del Sur. You can get off in La Virgin and wait on the highway instead of going all the way to Rivas to get the bus to the Border. Have a great trip!
Grade A stuff. I’m unlqisteonabuy in your debt.
Thanks, Bert! Glad we could help. 🙂