Transportation & Roads

Going to be in SJDS from Sept, 27 to Oct, 26 and looking for 4x4 to rent. I know I can get one from Dollar or Alimo in town, just looking for other options. Thanks!

I wanted to let the group know about a taxi driver (taxista) I have been using for about 10 months now. I originally met him as one of the recommended taxis from Hotel Camino Real Managua. He is based out of Managua but has driven me as far north as Esteli, and as far south as Montelimar. He has picked me up in these places for return to Managua as well.

Does anybody have any good recommendations for GPS in Nicaragua? Budget Car Rental is now offering GPS rentals for $9.95 per day, but I would like to find an option I can buy and keep.

I found a company on the internet selling a downloadable Nicaragua map for Garmin GPS units for $49.95. Has anyone tried this service? http://www.gpstravelmaps.com/nicaragua.php

Also, has anyone tried using Google Maps on an Android phone? Is it useful or worthless...? (I am getting an unlocked Android phone soon to use in Nicaragua... and plan to try this.)

Any feedback would be appreciated...

Greetings NLers:

Just a quick question for those in the Rivas/Popoyo areas...hows the road from the Puente Ochomogo to Las Salinas right now?

Thanks!

-webtrainer

Hi, anybody out there know what road conditions are like these days between Esteli and Jinotega/Matagalpa? Thanks.

In Nicaragua, there are two types of inter-city bus service. One is called espreso, the other ordinario or rutado. This post is an explanation of the difference.

The routes are close to the same. An ordinario may go through towns that an expreso does not but these will not take you significantly off the route an expreso would take. For example, between Managua and Somoto, you will probably go through Ciudad Dario, a one-block diversion in Sébaco, a short diversion through Condega and a few kilometer diversion through Palagüina. Not much for a 200 kilometer trip.

Hello all,

Anyone know if the road from SJDS to Ostional will be improved within the next few years?

If you have been in Managua recently you probably have seen some of the new buses replacing the old US school buses on local routes. There were some issues with the new buses but it appears they have been addressed and the conversion continues.

An article in School Transport News offers a good look inside what is happening and how it is being financed.

While the comments attached to this video are dumb, the video itself is proof that buses really do go everywhere in Nicaragua. This is not "a school bus" as stated in the comments. This was a US school bus but it now a typical transit bus in Nicaragua.

The final statistics have been gathered and although accident numbers increased in 2010 (19,793 compared to 18,781 in 2009) the Policía Nacional figures show that there were less people injured: 5,074 in 2010 versus 5,524 in 2009 (an 8.14% decrease) and less people killed; 562 in 2010 compared to 601 in 2009 (a 6.48% decrease).

The Deputy Chief of the National Traffic Directorate, Higher Commissioner Guillermo Delgado told the press that alcohol intake, reckless driving and speeding continue to be the main causes of accidents.

would anyone know if there is a limited crossing schedule xmas and boxing day to the island? nothing pops up on an internet search. thanks, K

Higher Commissioner Roberto González, the head of the country’s Traffic Division or ‘Tránsito Nacional’ has reported that so far this year there have been less death and injuries on the roads but accidents are up over last year.

The latest figures (up to December 10th) show that accidents resulted in 500 deaths (35 less than 2009) and 4,200 injured (600 less than last year).

A total of 21,000 accidents were reported, up from 20,200 last year (2009).

Hello,

is there anybody who have had experience with Armadillo Car Rental at Granada? Please only real experiences, not like .."I have heard from a friend, and the friend of him...", you know what I mean! The website of this car rental is: www.armadillo-nicaragua.com

Thanks for all answers, Arambigua

Hi everyone,

I'll be staying for a week or two in La Concha (San Juan de Concepcion), Masaya, and would like some advice about the best way to travel back and forth between there and Masaya National Park-downtown Masaya. Do buses travel from Jinotepe through La Concha-SJdC to the Carretera Managua-Masaya, and then I'll have to transfer to another bus heading south on the carretera to complete the trip to Masaya, or can I grab a bus in La Concha-SJdC coming from Jinotepe that goes directly to Masaya? And, how late do buses return to Jinotepe from Masaya?