Transportation in Nicaragua

The chicken bus is Nicaragua's lifeline. Repurposed yellow school buses connect every city and town for next to nothing. They roll between Managua, León, and Granada all day. They run on their own schedule. Frequent stops are part of the deal. For more comfort and speed, express minibuses cover the main intercity corridors. Prices stay modest. They sit between bone-rattling chicken buses and pricey private transfers. When roads turn to water, ferries and water taxis take over. The Caribbean coast and Ometepe Island rely on them. The ferry from San Jorge to Ometepe is essential, not scenic. In Managua, street taxis swarm. None have meters. Negotiate the fare before you sit down. Agree at the door. Bags in trunk means use lost. Ride-hailing apps now work in the capital. They fix prices. No haggling needed. They cost a bit more than street taxis. Still cheaper than private airport transfers. Ignore drivers inside Augusto C. Sandino International Airport. Walk past them. Use the official taxi zone outside. First-timer note: Nicaragua has no urban rail. No metro. Every Managua trip is taxi, ride-share, or local bus. Local buses cost almost nothing. Navigating them without Spanish is hard. Short trip? Skip the hassle. Save the effort for intercity chicken buses. The destination is painted on the windscreen. Routes are simple.