Given the relative size of the country and the difficulty of some ground travel routes, internal flights are worth considering. La Costeña and Atlantic Airlines cover a wide range of internal routes.
Note: Managua International Airport charges an airport management fee of US$1.50 or local equivalent for travelers on domestic routes.
A twice-weekly boat service runs between Bluefields and the Corn Islands. It is also possible to visit the 300 or so islands on Lake Nicaragua, which are very beautiful.
There is no passenger rail service at present.
Lack of road safety is probably the biggest single hazard to travelers in Nicaragua. There is a network of 18,447km (11,463 miles) of roads of which 1749km (1087 miles) are paved. Traffic drives on the right. Bus: There is a service to most large towns. Booking seats in Managua in advance is advisable. Taxi: Available at the airport or in Managua. Prices should be agreed before departure. A map of each area in the city determines taxi prices. Car hire: Available in Managua or at the airport. This is often the best way of traveling, as public transport is slow and overcrowded. Documentation: National licenses are only valid for 30 days.
The bus and minibus services in Managua are cheap, but they can be both crowded and confusing.
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Managua to other major cities/towns in Nicaragua (ROAD).
- Granada 1 Hr
- Esteli 2.15 Hr
- Matagalpa 1.45 Hr
- Rivas 1.30 Hr
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Service - Internal travel 
