Latin America Collection

Taxis operate in all major cities and towns of Nicaragua, and are
the easiest and safest way to travel.
All inner city taxis ­ regardless of the city ­ are collective, so they
will stop and pick other people up even if you are in the cab
going somewhere. People are dropped off in order of pickup
though, so even if the taxi driver stops to let someone else in,
you'll get dropped off first. On the same token, if you're in a rush
to get somewhere, keep in mind that you are going for a bit of a
ride before you get to your destination, if you jump in a cab that
is already carrying several other passengers.


Nicaraguan taxis do not have meters. Taxi fares, especially in
Managua, should be negotiated before getting in the car. It will
take a while to get used to how much you should pay for a taxi
in Managua, but never pay more than 30-córdobas, about $2, for
an inner-city cab.
In towns like Granada, Masaya and San Juan del Sur, the inner-
city fare is 6 córdobas, about $.30. The prices go up slightly,
about $.10 more, after dark.
If you are traveling in a taxi at night from one city to the other,
the cab driver will first take the taxi torre off the top of his cab
(taxis are not allowed to pick up fares in other cities). When the
cab driver does this, it usually means he will not pick up other
people staggering along the side of the road. But, if he slows
down to pick someone up in the dark, tell him "que no me montes
nadie
" (don't pick anyone else up). The driver has already agreed
to take you from one city to the next, don't let him pick up
someone else; it could lead to trouble.
Taxis are plentifuland inexpensive in Nicaragua.


Don't EVER slam the door of a taxi. Note to US Americans, you
have a disposition to slamming doors, whether or not your
realize it. Be mindful and close doors gently. Many times the taxi
driver will reach for the door you are attempting to close,
because he knows you have a disposition to slamming doors.
Most taxis are poorly built Korean cars; the doors will fall off if
you slam them too many times.
Before getting in a cab, make sure you have complete directions
to where you are going. Even if the directions don't make sense
to you, the taxi driver will need all the details to get you where
you are going, especially if you are going to a destination
unknown to the taxi driver, such as someone's house. The
directions ­ in Spanish ­ should be something like Desde (tal
landmark) 150 varas al lago, 50 varas sur, 25 varas al lago (see
section on directions).
Taxis are available everywhere, on street corners, in front of the
park and at the airport. Many foreigners who have been living in
Nicaragua for a while can also recommend trustworthy taxi
drivers to take you to the airport, drive you to the beach, or pick
up a friend.
There are more than 20 taxi companies in the phone book. Most
cab drivers don't have radios, so you can't call them unless you
know their personal cell phone number. Several companies in
Managua do offer dispatch service, however:
Servicio de Taxi 24 Horas ......................268-7669, 888-0301
Cooperativa de Taxi 25 de Febrero.........222-4728, 222-5218
Cooperativa 2 de Agosto .......................263-1512, 263-1839