Nicaragua: Getting There and Transport
How do you get to Nicaragua?
With a few exceptions, the easiest and fastest way to get to the country is by plane. Nicaragua’s Aéropuerto Internacional Augusto César Sandino in Managua is the country’s only international airport. It is located about 13 km east of the capital. There are no direct flights to Nicaragua from Germany. Iberia, Continental Airlines and American Airlines fly to Nicaragua, among others. The best way to get to the center of the city is by taxi.
Travel in the country
Air connections
In Nicaragua there are two different airlines; La Costeña and the Atlantic flights line that flies to all major locations in the country.
Bus
Nicaragua has a well-developed bus system. The intercity buses are mostly discarded school buses from the USA. These are inexpensive but inconvenient. In addition to these buses, there are also shuttle vans in good condition that go to all important points.
Rail
Nicaragua does not have a rail network.
Roads
Most roads in Nicaragua are not always in good condition and many of them are not paved. At night, attention must be paid to unlit cattle transports and pedestrians. Information and information can be obtained from:
Nicaraguan Institute of Tourism (INTUR)
Hotel Crowne Plaza, 1 c Sur, 1 c Oeste
Managua
Tel: 00505- 254 51 91
Email: [email protected]
www.intur.gob.ni
Emergencies ( Managua)
Police: 118
Red Cross: 115
Fire Brigade: 119
The telephone numbers differ from place to place.
Rental
cars Rental cars can be rented at Managua Airport and in the city itself, for example. Unleaded gasoline is sold in gallons nationwide. The national driving license is valid for up to 30 days.
Ferry connections
There are regular ferry connections on the Caribbean coast (including from Rama to Bluefields, from Bluefields to Isla de Maíz, to Laguna de Perlas and other places on the coast). There is regular boat traffic in Lake Nicaragua to the island of Ometepe and Isla Zapatera. Public boats operate on the Río San Juan from San Carlos to El Castillo.
Traffic rules
It is well known that traffic in Nicaragua is on the right. In order to avoid trouble with the police or even the courts, one should strictly adhere to the traffic rules applicable in the country. The maximum speeds shown can of course be reduced or increased by traffic signs. Regardless of the information provided here, it is advisable to obtain detailed information from the ADAC, the AvD, prior to departure.
Maximum speeds
In addition to the general speed limits shown, the speed limits indicated by signs must be strictly observed.
- Urban: in built-up areas there is a speed limit of 50 km/h
- Country roads: there is a speed limit of 80 km/h on country roads
- Expressways: some special expressways have a speed limit of 90 km/h
- Motorways: there is a speed limit of 100 km/h on motorways
International license plate
According to Abbreviationfinder, the international license plate of Nicaragua is:
| NIC |
Nicaragua: Embassies, Consulates and Tourist Office
Visit Countryaah for a full list of Nicaragua embassies and consulates in each country around the world.
Representations of Nicaragua in Germany
The embassy of Nicaragua is located in a new building on Joachim-Karnatz-Allee, next to the building with the embassies of El Salvador and Gutemala. The building is part of a whole new housing estate that was built for the members of the German Bundestag, among others. Incidentally, the official seat of the Federal President, the “Bellevue Palace”, is located nearby. A few meters from the embassy there is a bus stop for the 187 bus. The illustration shows the embassy building from the rear.
Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua in Berlin
Joachim-Karnatz-Allee 45
10557 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 206 43 80
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 22 48 78 91
Email: [email protected]
Honorary Consulate Nicaragua in Frankfurt/Main
Bertha von Suttner-Ring 20
60598 Frankfurt/Main
Tel: 0049 – (0) 69 – 68 60 89 31
Fax: 0049 – (0) 69 – 68 60 89 32
Honorary Consulate Nicaragua in Munich
Osterwaldstrasse 95
80805 Munich
Tel: 0049 – (0) 89 – 25 54 25 30
Fax: 0049 – (0) 89 – 25 54 25 40
Web: www.nicaraguaportal.de
German representations in Nicaragua
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Managua
Bolonia, de la Rotonda El Güegüense 1 1/2 c.
Managua
Tel: 00505 – 266 39 17/-18
Fax: 00505 – 266 76 67
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.managua.diplo.de
Austrian representations in Nicaragua
Embassy
The embassy in Mexico is responsible (see here >>>).
Representations of Nicaragua in Austria
Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua in Vienna
Ebendorferstrasse 10/3/12,
1010 Vienna
Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 403 18 38
Fax: 0043 – (0) 1 – 403 27 52
Email: [email protected]
Swiss representations in Nicaragua
Embassy
The embassy in Costa Rica is responsible (see here >>>).
Representations of Nicaragua in Switzerland
Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua in Geneva
Rue de Vermont 37/39
1202 Geneva
Tel: 0041 – (0) 022 – 740 51 60
Fax: 0041 – (0) 022 – 734 65 85
Email: [email protected]
Consulat du Nicaragua in Lugano
CP 5434
6901 Lugano
Tel: 0041 – 091/921 28 12
Fax: 0041 – 091/921 28 15
Email: [email protected]
Tourist office
Instituto Nicaragüense de Turismo
Hotel Crowne Plaza, 1c Sur, 1c. Oeste. Managua
Nicaragua. Aptdo. Postal No. 5088
Tel: 00505 – 22 54 51 91
Fax: 00505 – 22 22 66 10
Web: www.visitanicaragua.com
Tourist Office Central America in Germany
Severinstr. 10-12
50678 Cologne
Tel: 0049 – (0) 221 – 93 11 09 3
Fax: 0049 – (0) 221 – 31 01 84 3
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.centralamerica-tourism.com
Nicaragua: entry and exit regulations
Formalities and visas
A passport that is still valid for six months is required to enter the country. Germans and Swiss can stay in Nicaragua for 90 days without a visa, Austrians 30 days. A tourist card costs $ 5 and is available at the border.
Issuing of visas in Germany
Embassy of the Republic of Nicaragua
Joachim-Karnatz-Allee 45
10557 Berlin
Tel: 0049 – (0) – 30 – 206 43 80
Fax: 0049 – (0) – 30 – 22 48 78 91
emb[email protected] Issuing visas in Austria and Switzerland See under Representations of Nicaragua in Austria and Representations of Nicaragua in Switzerland. Import and export of foreign currency
- Local currencyThe import and export of local currency is possible within a reasonable range, whatever that means. It is therefore advisable to inquire on site
- Foreign currenciesThe import and export of foreign currencies is permitted without restriction.
Departure fee
In many countries, a fee must be paid when leaving the country. A $ 25 departure tax is required at the airport. Import and export of
goods
The import and export of weapons, ammunition or explosives is strictly prohibited. In addition, the import and export of plants and animals protected under the Washington Species Protection Act is prohibited. Violation can result in severe penalties.
Duty-free
The following articles can be imported into Nicaragua duty-free:
- 200 cigarettes or 500 g tobacco
- 3 liters of alcoholic beverages
- one large bottle or three small bottles of perfume.
Import ban on
canned meat, fresh meat, dairy products. An import permit is required for firearms.
Export ban on
archaeological excavations, gold and gold coins and antiques
Entry with pets
To enter Nicaragua, the animal owner needs an import and export permit from the Nicaraguan quarantine office. To do this, an application must be submitted to the embassy. A health certificate for the animal must be enclosed with this application. Any animal to be imported into Nicaragua must be over three months old. Every pet must be vaccinated against rabies to enter Nicaragua. The rabies vaccination must have been given at least 15 days before entry. Dogs must also be vaccinated against parvivirus.
Nicaragua: Travel Medicine, Vaccinations, and Warnings
Infectious Diseases
In Nicaragua, the following infectious diseases are to be expected in Germany and Central and Northern Europe:
- Malaria, with the exception of the capital, there is a risk of infection with malaria all year round and nationwide. About 10% of the infections occur with the very dangerous malaria tropica, the rest with malaria tertiana.
- Amoebic dysentery
- Bacterial agitation
- Chagas disease
- Cholera, an infection risk only exists for travelers who can come into contact with contaminated water or contaminated food
- Dengue fever disease
- Intestinal infections caused by contaminated food or water, including amoebas, lamblia, salmonella, shigella, worm infestation and all kinds of viruses and bacteria
- Hepatitis A and B, an infection with hepatitis B, is only to be expected in people who can come into contact with blood or in those who seek sexual contact.
- Kala Azar disease
- Leishmaniasis Disease
- tetanus
- rabies
- Typhoid fever, an infection risk only exists for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
Recommended vaccinations
when traveling to Nicaragua, the following vaccinations recommended:
- Cholera, but only among travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
- Diphtheria, a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist in your home country.
- Hepatitis A and B, vaccination against hepatitis A and B should always exist, also in the home country.
- Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus should always exist in the home country.
- Rabies, but only in high-risk travelers who can come into contact with the vector animals
- Typhoid, but only in travelers who may come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
Compulsory vaccination
There is a compulsory vaccination against an illness with yellow fever for all persons older than one year and arriving from a yellow fever infection area designated by the WHO.
Yellow fever vaccination for children
In most countries where a yellow fever vaccination is mandatory, this also applies to children over 1 year of age, in some countries even from 6 months. It should be noted that vaccination against yellow fever had a number of side effects, such as encephalitis. Around two thirds of those affected were children under 6 months. Therefore, children under this age are not allowed under any circumstancesbe vaccinated. But children under one year of age should also not be vaccinated if possible. If in doubt, yellow fever infection areas must then be avoided. Any vaccination against yellow fever may only be carried out in specially authorized yellow fever vaccination centers!
Malaria prophylaxis
When traveling in the country, it is advisable to undergo malaria prophylaxis. However, if the side effects appear questionable to you, you should at least have a “stand-by product” with you.
Who pays for vaccinations in Germany?
Most people in Germany and many other countries are vaccinated against a number of infectious diseases in early childhood. However, the vaccination protection only lasts up to 10 years, in some cases even shorter. Therefore, before traveling abroad, you should carefully consider against which infectious diseases a vaccination is necessary or useful in the country concerned and whether the vaccination protection, if applicable, was not too long ago.
Most statutory health insurances have been reimbursing the costs for the following vaccinations since June 2007. There is even no 10 € practice fee – but the insured usually have to pay the statutory co-payment, which is 10% of the vaccine price – that is at least 5 € and a maximum of 10 €. Under these conditions, the following vaccinations are free of charge:
- cholera
- diphtheria
- Early summer meningoencephalitis (TBE)
- Yellow fever
- Hepatitis A and B
- Meningococcal meningitis
- Pneumococci
- Polyo (polio)
- Tetanus (tetanus)
- rabies
- typhus
Some health insurance companies also reimburse the cost of malaria prophylaxis. As a rule, private health insurance companies (inquire beforehand) also cover the costs mentioned.
Current warnings
Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany
Citizens’ Service
Phone: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000
Fax: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 51000
www.auswaertiges-amt.de
Nicaragua: Currency, Shopping, and Exchange Rate
The national currency of Nicaragua is the
Córdoba Ora = 100 Centavos
The following banknotes are valid and in circulation in the country:
- 100
- 50
- 20 and
- 10 Cordoba
Exchange rate
You can find a currency converter here: www3.forium.de
Bank opening hours
- Monday to Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m./5:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Shop
Shop opening times
- Monday to Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., in smaller shops the opening times may differ, especially since many shops are closed during lunchtime.
Cheap or country-specific goods, souvenirs
In Nicaragua you can buy very nice hand-made souvenirs. In Masaya, in the immediate vicinity of Managua, there is the country’s largest market, where you can buy beautiful hammocks, wood carvings, leather work such as shoes, belts and saddles, and pretty colorful textiles.
