San Juan del Sur to Granada: Shuttle, Bus via Rivas or Private

In this guide

San Juan del Sur to Granada is 98 km, about 1 hour 45 minutes by private car. As of November 3, 2026, shared shuttles cost US$18 to US$40 per seat, a private car starts at US$87, and the bus through Rivas costs a few dollars. To see Granada and come back the same day, Monkeys Travels & Tours runs a 9-hour private tour from US$45 per person.

First decide which trip you are making. Moving your base to Granada with luggage is a one-way transfer. Seeing Granada and sleeping again in San Juan del Sur is a day trip, and that changes the best option.

The route in numbers

Private car: 98 km and 1 hour 44 minutes (Daytrip). Masaya is 103 km and 1 hour 48 minutes from San Juan del Sur on the same page.
Shared shuttle: 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on how many stops the van makes (Bookaway).
Public bus: about 2 hours of riding with the change in Rivas, per Getting Stamped, plus waiting time.

Comparison table, as of November 3, 2026

Option	Price	Time	Best for	Downsides
Bus via Rivas	about 95 to 105 córdobas in April 2020; the Rivas leg alone was 40 córdobas in April 2025	about 2 hours plus waits	Light travelers, daytime	Two vehicles, waits in Rivas, extra luggage charges reported
Shared shuttle (Bookaway listings)	US$18 to US$40 per seat	1.5 to 3 hours	Solo travelers and couples moving with bags	Fixed times, other passengers' stops
Private car (Daytrip)	from US$87 per vehicle	1 hour 44 minutes	Moving with a group, optional stops	Platform booking
Private taxi	US$50 to US$60 per vehicle, in an Along Dusty Roads post with no year shown	similar to a private car	Last-minute rides	Old figure, negotiate before leaving
Monkeys Granada + Masaya day tour	from US$45 per person (groups of 4 to 6); US$80 solo	9 hours door to door, return included	Seeing Granada and Masaya and sleeping in San Juan del Sur	A tour, not a one-way move

By bus through Rivas, step by step

San Juan del Sur to Rivas. Buses leave from near the market. Destinationless Travel reported 40 córdobas and about an hour in April 2025. Getting Stamped described a shared taxi, or colectivo, from the same area at 50 córdobas per person and about 30 minutes in 2020, sometimes waiting up to 10 minutes to fill.
Change at the Rivas terminal. Look for a bus marked Rivas/Granada. Getting Stamped paid 30 córdobas for about 1.5 hours in 2020 and suggested arriving 30 minutes early to get a seat.
Direct or via Nandaime. Along Dusty Roads, writing in the other direction, found direct buses less regular than expected and fares between 50 and 100 córdobas, and describes a second route with a change in Nandaime. It also reports extra luggage charges.
Into Granada. From the bus stop, a taxi to your hotel was no more than 15 córdobas per person in 2020, after comparing a few drivers.

Córdoba fares in these posts are from 2020 and 2025, so expect them to be higher now. Carry small bills. Our guide to money in Nicaragua explains cash and exchange.

Shuttles and private cars

Bookaway lists several shuttle operators on the route, from US$18 to US$40 per seat, with departures between 05:00 and 20:00. Ask each operator whether pickup is at your hotel or at a set point, and where in Granada it drops you. Shuttles suit one or two travelers with bags.

Silver double-cab pickup parked in front of Guadalupe church in Granada under a blue sky — In front of Guadalupe church, Granada · Photo: Monkeys Travels & Tours

Daytrip lists a private car from US$87 per vehicle, 98 km and 1 hour 44 minutes. Its route page offers three optional stops: the Cristo de la Misericordia above San Juan del Sur, the Mirador de Catarina and El Coyotepe fortress. With four travelers, US$87 works out to under US$22 each, below most shuttle seats on the route.

Moving to Granada with Monkeys is possible as part of a custom private trip. Our Custom Private Package is quoted on request: tell us your dates, hotels and group size and we send the price in writing.

Seeing Granada and coming back the same day

If you want to see Granada and sleep again by the Pacific, a one-way shuttle does not help. Our Granada + Masaya Volcano tour lasts 9 hours door to door from San Juan del Sur or Rivas. It covers the colonial center on foot, a boat through the Isletas, the Masaya artisan market and the Santiago crater. The full itinerary, with park hours and fees, is in our guide Granada and Masaya in one day.

Yellow facade of Granada cathedral with red domes, beside a colonial house with a tiled roof — Granada cathedral · Photo: Monkeys Travels & Tours

Travelers	Per person
1	US$80
2 to 3	US$60
4 to 6	US$45
7 to 10	US$38
11 to 15	US$32
16 or more	Quote

For a shorter visit, the Granada Isletas Boat Tour lasts 2 to 3 hours, from US$35 per person (groups of 4 to 6); US$60 solo. More on the islets in our guide to the Isletas de Granada boat tour.

Which option to choose

Moving alone or as a couple with bags: a shuttle at US$18 to US$40 per seat.
Moving as a group of four or more: a private car from US$87 per vehicle, or a custom package with us.
On a tight budget and traveling light in daylight: the bus through Rivas.
Seeing Granada and Masaya and coming back the same day: the 9-hour Monkeys tour, from US$45 per person (groups of 4 to 6).
Arriving from the airport first: see Managua airport to San Juan del Sur.

To book, send us on WhatsApp at +505 8506 1173 the date, the number of people and the name of your hotel in San Juan del Sur or Rivas.

What Monkeys does

Monkeys Travels & Tours is a private tour operator based in Rivas, founded in 2018 by Everth Palma, who was born and raised in Rivas.

Private tours, only your group, never mixed with other travelers.
Bilingual bilingual guides born in Rivas, in a private vehicle.
Day departures from San Juan del Sur or Rivas, with hotel pickup and drop-off.
Price and inclusions confirmed in writing. Free cancellation up to 48 hours before.
WhatsApp +505 8506 1173, every day from 7:00 to 20:00, replies in under 1 hour.
Not included: meals, tips and travel insurance.

Questions we get every week

How long does it take from San Juan del Sur to Granada?

About 1 hour 45 minutes by private car for 98 km, according to Daytrip. Shared shuttles list 1.5 to 3 hours depending on stops. By public bus it is about 2 hours of riding plus the wait for the change in Rivas.

How much is the shuttle from San Juan del Sur to Granada?

As of November 3, 2026, Bookaway listed shuttles from US$18 to US$40 per seat, with departures between 05:00 and 20:00. Daytrip listed a private car from US$87 for the whole vehicle.

Can I take the bus from San Juan del Sur to Granada?

Yes, with a change in Rivas. Take the bus or a shared taxi from the San Juan del Sur market to the Rivas terminal, then a bus marked Rivas/Granada. Getting Stamped (April 2020) put the whole trip at about 2 hours and 95 to 105 córdobas; fares have risen since, the Rivas leg was 40 córdobas in April 2025.

Can I visit Granada as a day trip from San Juan del Sur?

Yes. The Monkeys Granada + Masaya Volcano tour lasts 9 hours door to door from San Juan del Sur or Rivas, with Granada on foot, the Isletas by boat, the Masaya market and the crater, from US$45 per person (groups of 4 to 6); US$80 solo.

Sources

Every figure in this guide comes from one of these pages, checked on the date shown above.