Granada to Somoto

[agreentree]

Hello, I need to get from Granada to somoto on a Wednesday and am not sure the best way to go or what the bus schedules are like.

I am thinking either:

Take an expresso to Masaya then get another expresso to Estali then get a bus Estali to Somoto

Or

Take an expresso from Granada to Managua, traverse managua (probably by cab?) to the other bus station and then take an expresso directly to Somoto.

Anyone have any ideas which is better and or safer - I have not yet braved the wilds of Managua and am a little nerviouso do to do so. I am carrying some school supplies for a project up north so I have a fairly sizable backpack and only basic Spanish. I have been to the massay bus station and am confident I could navigate that fairly effectively.

Also, how would I find out about bus schedules - would there be multiple express busses on all of these routes?

any advice would be great.

muchas gracias!

ps- are they going to make me put my pack on the roof - is there any way around this?

[Joshua Berman]

Not sure about Masaya-Esteli direct buses. Your best bet is to take an express interlocal from Granada to the UCA in Managua. Then a taxi to Mercado Israel, across town -- probably cost a couple of dollars. You can always befriend someone on the bus from Granada and ask them to help you negotiate for the taxi. Once in Israel, ask about express buses to esteli. they are regular. Bus schedule: http://www.vianica.com/busschedule.php

[Megan]

I think there are just two buses from Masaya to Esteli- at 5:30 am and 6:30 am-- so tough to make if you are going by bus from Granada though not impossible.