Taking the bus from San José to the Nicaraguan border became more expensive today.The fare from San José to Peñas Blancas increased from ₡5,820 to ₡7,430. That is an increase of ₡1,610, or almost 28%. The fare between San José and La Cruz also went up. Passengers now pay ₡6,960 instead of ₡5,450, an increase of ₡1,510.
People taking shorter trips along the same route will also pay more. Fares between Peñas Blancas and places such as La Angostura, La Irma, Cañas and Bagaces increased by between ₡170 and ₡1,160, depending on the stop. The new prices became official after they were published in La Gaceta, the government newspaper where Costa Rica publishes new rules and official decisions.
The bus service is known as Route 505 and is run by Transportes Deldú S.A. It travels from San José through Guanacaste before reaching Peñas Blancas, Costa Rica’s main land border crossing with Nicaragua. The route is used by people who live in northern Guanacaste, travelers heading to La Cruz and passengers crossing the border into Nicaragua.
Transportes Deldú originally asked to raise the San José–Peñas Blancas fare to ₡7,620 and the San José–La Cruz fare to ₡7,135. ARESEP, the government agency that sets public transportation prices, approved slightly lower fares after reviewing the company’s costs and the number of people using the route.
A public meeting about the proposed increase was held in La Cruz in July. People could also join the meeting online. Passengers should check the price for their exact stop before traveling because the route has several different fares depending on where they get on and off.
