Buses from Rivas
Schedules, fares and terminals for every bus leaving Rivas, plus the ones arriving.
Rivas department
The essentials
Where to catch the bus
- Terminal de Buses de Rivas (Mercado Municipal)
Buses to Managua, San Juan del Sur, Peñas Blancas (Costa Rica border), San Jorge (Ometepe ferry), Granada, Jinotepe and Tola. The hub for the whole south-west.
Directions
Buses to Managua, Peñas Blancas (Costa Rica border), Popoyo (surf beach) and San Jorge (Ometepe ferry) pass through Rivas. Catch them at the roadside stop.
Going to Managua
Direct express from Terminal, about 1 h 45 min
See times and optionsComing from Managua
Direct express from Huembes, about 1 h 45 min
See times and optionsFirst and last bus
The first leaves at 3:30 AM (to Managua) and the last at 6:30 PM (to San Jorge (Ometepe ferry)).
Getting around Rivas
Rivas has no city buses: people get around town by taxi, mototaxi, bicycle taxi (the «pepanos») or horse carriage.
Things to do in Rivas
Places worth seeing when you arrive.
- Culture
Rivas museum
An anthropology and history museum in an old hacienda house.
Do you run a restaurant, guesthouse or tour in Rivas?
Show up here, right where travellers plan their arrival.
Express buses from Rivas
Direct buses between major cities with few stops. Faster and slightly pricier.
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Local buses from Rivas
The famous “chicken buses”: they stop in every town along the way. Cheapest and slowest.
Leaves from Terminal
Managua
Local bus2 h 30 minEvery ~30 min, 3:30 AM–5:00 PM
C$65 – C$75 (≈ US$1.78–2.05)
See timesLeaves from Terminal
San Juan del Sur
Local bus1 h 10 minEvery ~60 min, 5:00 AM–5:30 PM
C$30 – C$40 (≈ US$0.82–1.09)
See timesLeaves from Terminal
Peñas Blancas (Costa Rica border)
Local bus45 minEvery ~30 min, 5:00 AM–6:30 PM
C$40 – C$50 (≈ US$1.09–1.37)
See timesLeaves from Terminal
San Jorge (Ometepe ferry)
Local bus15 minEvery ~30 min, 5:30 AM–6:30 PM
C$20 (≈ US$0.55)
See timesLeaves from Terminal
Granada
Local bus1 h 50 minEvery ~60 min, 5:00 AM–4:30 PM
C$37 – C$40 (≈ US$1.01–1.09)
See timesLeaves from Terminal
Tola
Local bus45 minEvery ~60 min, 5:30 AM–5:00 PM
C$25 – C$30 (≈ US$0.68–0.82)
See timesLeaves from Terminal
Popoyo (surf beach)
Local bus1 h 10 min7 departures, 5:30 AM–4:50 PM
C$50 (≈ US$1.37)
See timesLeaves from Terminal
Jinotepe
Local bus1 h 30 minEvery ~60 min, 5:30 AM–4:30 PM
C$50 – C$55 (≈ US$1.37–1.50)
See times
Buses arriving in Rivas
Handy for planning the way back.
Leaves from Managua, Huembes
Rivas
Express1 h 45 minEvery ~40 min, 4:30 AM–6:30 PM
C$90 – C$100 (≈ US$2.46–2.73)
See timesLeaves from Managua, Huembes
Rivas
Local bus2 h 30 minEvery ~30 min, 4:00 AM–6:00 PM
C$65 – C$75 (≈ US$1.78–2.05)
See timesLeaves from Granada, Mercado
Rivas
Local bus2 h8 departures, 5:40 AM–3:10 PM
C$50 (≈ US$1.37)
See timesLeaves from Jinotepe, Terminal
Rivas
Local bus1 h 30 minEvery ~60 min, 5:30 AM–5:00 PM
C$50 – C$55 (≈ US$1.37–1.50)
See timesLeaves from Popoyo (surf beach), Parada
Rivas
Local bus2 hEvery ~90 min, 5:30 AM–4:30 PM
C$40 – C$50 (≈ US$1.09–1.37)
See timesLeaves from San Juan del Sur, Mercado
Rivas
Local bus1 h 5 minEvery ~40 min, 5:00 AM–5:30 PM
C$30 (≈ US$0.82)
See times
Guides for Rivas
How to get to San Juan del Sur by bus
San Juan del Sur is 2 h 30 from Managua. There are direct express buses from Huembes mid-morning and in the afternoon; at any other time, go to Rivas and change buses.
Nicaragua → Costa Rica by bus: direct coach or the Peñas Blancas border
You can take a direct international coach from Managua to San José (Tica Bus or TransNica, about 9 hours) or, cheaper, local buses to the Peñas Blancas border and Costa Rican buses onward.
How to get to Popoyo by bus
Popoyo, Tola's surf beach, has a single direct afternoon bus from Managua. At any other time, get to Rivas and take the Las Salinas bus, about 3 h 30 in total.
Missing a route from Rivas?
Tell us where it goes and when it leaves, and we will add it.
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