Vacation Guide concerning Nicaragua and Costa Rica

With the Covid-19 limitations

What you want to know about the distinctive prerequisites, limitations, and options for traveling between Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

By Cindy Regidor / Katherine Estrada  (Confidencial)

HAVANA Situations – The pandemic has diminished the relieve of traveling from a person place to yet another. There are much less border limits now than when the pandemic 1st commenced in March 2020. Nonetheless, individuals wanting to travel nevertheless face lots of restrictions.

Amongst Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the condition is no diverse. Transportation selections lessened for the countless numbers of Nicaraguans in Costa Rica utilized to shuttling freely between countries. Matters have also developed a lot more challenging for the loved ones members that go to them, and for Nicaraguan and Costa Rican visitors. Also afflicted are all those traveling on business. The problems extend to tourists from other nations around the world, readers who beforehand crossed borders easily, in buses or planes.

The airways and vacation businesses have been reactivating minimal by small, adapting by themselves to the new truth. At the exact same time, the amount of travelers in search of to go from 1 region to one more has gradually started developing. In response, Confidencial has elaborated a information for journey amongst Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Regardless of their variations, these two countries share powerful ties, and keep on being socially and economically interdependent.

Who can enter Costa Rica?

Costa Rica sealed its borders fully, beginning in March of 2020. For a range of months, only citizens and lawful inhabitants could enter the region. These returning had to satisfy the polices indicated by the well being ministry.  Legal inhabitants inside the nation can not go away, underneath penalty of forfeiting their immigration status.

In August 2020, the state began slowly reopening its air and sea borders to specified nations around the world.  In November, these borders reopened to all, together with Nicaraguans. Holidaymakers, inhabitants, and citizens can all enter the country by ship or aircraft.

The land borders with Nicaragua and Panama remain closed to travelers till at the very least February 1, 2021. Having said that, Costa Rican citizens, and non permanent or long term inhabitants can now enter by land.  Also permitted are those people who get the job done on intercontinental service provider vessels or cargo transport. In addition, controls allow for chosen Nicaraguan agricultural staff to enter.  An arrangement signed in December recognized processes for the entrance of these migrant laborers.

Professional and charter flights

Presently, only a person international airline – Avianca – has resumed common flights from Nicaragua to Costa Rica. The airline connects Managua and San Jose, with a prevent in San Salvador. Currently, the airline verified, there are a few flights a week: Monday and Friday afternoons, and Tuesday mornings.

Price and availability of these flights are topic to transform, in accordance to the day of invest in. Price ranges range in accordance to demand, and to how significantly in advance the ticket is bought.  An on the net study of selling prices for distinct dates in February and March yielded a round-excursion ticket cost amongst US $500-$700 dollars.

Constitution flights are a further selection presented by journey organizations and tour operators. The businesses hire an plane for earning the trip and then provide tickets to their consumers. The dates and fares are announced on social media, and change from just one company to the other. According to a survey the roundtrip alternatives, tickets for a January constitution flight started at US $455 dollars.

Overland travel to Costa Rica for citizens or legal residents

After several months of closures, some bus journey corporations have resumed their trips. Nevertheless, they are functioning on a considerably minimized agenda, in contrast to the pre-pandemic frequency. Right before the pandemic, bus firms averaged two or more departures daily.

  • Ticabus is charging US $29 for a just one-way ticket from Nicaragua to Costa Rica, $58 spherical journey. The excursion frequency has however not been decided. Instead, they’re scheduling particular dates in the month.
  • Nicabus leaves Nicaragua 2 times a 7 days for Costa Rica. Roundtrip tickets are US $57.50 for Managua departures and $80.50 for individuals traveling from Chinandega.
  • Transnica is charging US $29.50 for a 1-way ticket to Costa Rica, and US $59 round vacation.
  • In the Central Line, the cost of a ticket is US $25 one particular way and $50 spherical vacation. The buses depart Nicaragua for Costa Rica 2 times a 7 days, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Needs for entering Costa Rica

The new entry needs for Costa Rica are part of the country’s preventive steps for the duration of the pandemic. They include things like an on the web overall health pass that have to be completed 48 several hours right before travel.

Peñas Blancas border put up for coming into Costa Rica by land from Nicaragua. Photograph: Cindy Regidor / Archives

People arriving in Costa Rica by air never need to current a unfavorable Covid-19 examination. This prerequisite was discontinued on Oct 26, 2020. On the other hand, they ought to display evidence of latest professional medical insurance coverage.

Visitors need to be all set to document their enrollment in countrywide or global insurance policy options. The options need to be equipped to cover the bills of lodging and cure if they ended up infected with the virus. For the uninsured, Costa Rica delivers short-term local coverage that can be procured. The price tag varies according to the variety of times the particular person is staying.

Inhabitants are asked to display that they are up to day with their payments to the Costa Rican Social Protection Registry (CCSS). If not, they ought to purchase short term nearby insurance policy for a 22-day interval. They are then issued a observe to capture up with the CCSS payments they owe.

For travellers, there are various alternatives for getting short-term coverage procedures. Organizations accredited by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute consist of the Costa Rican Nationwide Insurance policies Institute and “Sagicor” vacationer insurance coverage. The value for non permanent health and fitness insurance commences at about US $11.30 a working day.

Quarantine and other requirements for land arrivals

These who occur to Costa Rica by air are not requested to quarantine. Even so, those getting into by land will have to isolate for 14 times.

Proof of current health insurance and the wellness move talked about are other demands for people arriving by land. In addition, Costa Rica maintains its standard requirements for entering the state. These fluctuate in accordance to the traveler’s nationality, but need to be reviewed and complied with.

Vacation from Costa Rica to Nicaragua

Everyone can enter Nicaragua from Costa Rica, given that Nicaragua never ever formally closed its borders for the pandemic. Vacationers – be they foreigners, Nicaraguan inhabitants or citizens – can enter from Costa Rica or any other country,

A bus full of passengers from Nicaragua enters Costa Rica through the “Peñas Blancas” border station. Picture: Cindy Regidor / Archives

What routes can be applied to enter Nicaragua?

Nicaragua can be arrived at by air, sea or land routes. At this time the only accessible industrial option for air journey is Avianca airlines. They are creating a few flights a 7 days, with a stop in El Salvador.

In addition, there are charter flights made available by way of journey businesses and tour corporations. A survey of on the internet data reveals a single of them giving a roundtrip ticket for US $455. There are only two dates in January for these flights.

  • In Ticabus: A a single-way ticket to Nicaragua from Costa Rica prices US $28.75. The return vacation to Costa Rica is truly worth $25 bucks additional, for a total of US $53.75. The enterprise posts certain dates in the thirty day period when they’ll be traveling, normally twice a 7 days.
  • Nicabus leaves Costa Rica for Nicaragua twice a 7 days, on Saturdays and Sundays. A a person-way ticket to Managua expenditures $28.75 a ticket to Chinandega prices $35.
  • Transnica presents tickets for US $29.50 every single way, $59 round excursion. They have established only 5 departure dates in January.
  • Central Line tickets charge US $25 each and every way, $50 round trip. They go away Costa Rica for Nicaragua twice a 7 days, on Thursdays and Sundays.

Buses demand masks and hand washing

All of the bus organizations must comply with the protocols of the Costa Rican Health Ministry. These contain sporting a mask all through the total excursion, washing hands and using hand sanitizer.

Prior to the pandemic, there were people today who produced the journey to Nicaragua by altering buses at the border. That is, they would acquire a neighborhood bus from San Jose to Peñas Blancas,. Then they would cross the border on foot, and continue their journey by flagging a neighborhood bus in Nicaragua. The Deldu company, which operates buses to the Costa Rican border, have resumed this route. The value of this part of the trip is 5030 Costa Rican colones, truly worth about US $8.23.

It’s vital to recall that foreigners without residency or other Costa Rican immigration standing can’t return by land, if they go away Costa Rica. The place is still not allowing foreigners to enter as vacationers, apart from by air.

Negative COVID-19 test required to enter Nicaragua

All travellers, which includes kids, who travel to Nicaragua ought to current evidence of a existing, detrimental COVID-19 test. This applies to all ports of entry, be it air, land or sea. Those wishing to enter will have to clearly show proof of adverse outcomes on a PCR COVID-19 test, taken inside 72 several hours. No just one can enter the region without having this.

For individuals flying with Avianca, the under connection presents the demands and treatments for sending the take a look at outcomes:  https://www.avianca.com/us/en/about-us/news-center/avianca-news/prerequisites-travelers-nicaragua/

In the situation of the bus companies, travellers should post a printed duplicate of the effects of a COVID-19 take a look at. This need to be revealed ahead of boarding any bus to the border. Staff will confirm the negative outcome and the check day and time.  The examination ought to have been administered inside of 72 hours of the instant the bus crosses into Nicaragua.

At the position of exit from Costa Rica, authorities there will also demand to see the unfavorable Covid take a look at end result. This is only a requirement if the traveler is heading to Nicaragua.

Value of the test

In distinction to Nicaragua, the place the government alone conducts and processes all Coronavirus exams, there are personal laboratories in Costa Rica. These labs can administer and procedure the typical PCR Covid-19 exam. These are provided at diverse charges. Some of the bus companies have partnered with the laboratories to offer discounted assessments. In these kinds of conditions, passengers would be questioned to existing their bus ticket to the laboratory to qualify for a specific rate.

The normal cost of the check operates from 41,600 colones [US $68] up to 59,000 colones [US $96.58].

Other needs for moving into Nicaragua include visas and tourist entry service fees that change according to the traveler’s nationality.  Foreigners are also requested to fill out a form seven times prior to the trip.

Study a lot more from Nicaragua below on Havana Periods.