Guides · Days by corridor and what changes them

Transit times: ranges, not promises.

How long a dry van takes from Costa Rica to Guatemala depends less on the truck than on the border crossings, customs hours and bans. Here are the days that truckers’ associations and operators state, and what stretches them.

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Corridors from Costa Rica

Open the route planner →

San JoséManaguaSan SalvadorGuatemalaPanamaTegucigalpaSan Pedro Sula

City Border crossingOutlines: Natural Earth · Routes: © OpenStreetMap contributors

2–6 daysOne way, from Costa Rica (indicative)

8 corridorsWith days stated by truckers’ associations or operators

4 border crossingsThe corridor that crosses the most: San José – Ciudad de Guatemala

19.4 km/hPacific Corridor, 2016–2020 average, from customs office to customs office

Days by corridor: one way and as a range

These are the travel days that truckers’ associations and operators state for each corridor. They are good for planning a load; they are not good for promising your customer a date.

How to read these figures.They are one-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations (JICA, 2017) or published by an operator (DSV, 2026). They are not a commitment by GoTruck: the time of your shipment is estimated when you request a quote, with the route and the loading date.

From Costa Ricaindicative

San José – Managua

2days

440 km, 1 border crossing

San José – Tegucigalpa

2–4days

790 km, 2 border crossings

San José – San Pedro Sula

3days

1,000 km, 2 border crossings

San José – San Salvador

3–6days

920 km, 3 border crossings

San José – Ciudad de Guatemala

4days

1,210 km, 4 border crossings

San José – Panama City

2–3days

850 km, 1 border crossing

Between Guatemala and its neighborsindicative

Corridors that do not touch Costa Rica. They are here as a reference for anyone putting together a full regional route.

Ciudad de Guatemala – San Salvador

3days

285 km, 1 border crossing

Ciudad de Guatemala – San Pedro Sula

On request

No publishable statement410 km, 1 border crossing

Ciudad de Guatemala – Managua

4days

790 km, 3 border crossings

Last reviewed: September 2026. Approximate distance along the main freight route, calculated on open mapping data (OSRM/OpenStreetMap, queried on September 30, 2026); rounded to 5 or 10 km; not an official figure from any road authority. The days are one-way travel days, stated by truckers’ associations or operators: an indicative range, not a delivery commitment. Confirm your route and your transit time with your GoTruck contact before scheduling the load. View the 12 sources (some in Spanish)

OSRM on OpenStreetMap, route calculation (queried on Sep 30, 2026); JICA (2017), Informe Final vol. 1, Table 3.8: travel days stated by truckers’ associations; JICA (2017), Informe Final vol. 2: alignment of the Pacific Corridor and the Canal Seco; DSV Costa Rica, Costa Rica–Guatemala overland service (current as of Sep 30, 2026); DSV Panama, overland freight transport (current as of Sep 30, 2026); IDB (2026), terms of reference CR-T1310, Peñas Blancas border crossing; JICA (2017), Informe Final vol. 1, section 3: border crossings and statements by truckers’ associations; JICA (2017), Informe Final vol. 2, References 3 and 4: measurements of procedures at border crossings; SIECA/JICA (2023), Plan Maestro Regional Indicativo de Movilidad y Logística, apéndices (archivo 2), secciones 9.3 y 9.5.2; JICA (2017), Informe Final vol. 1, Tables 3.8 and 3.9: travel days stated by truckers’ associations; SIECA/JICA (2023), Plan Maestro Regional Indicativo de Movilidad y Logística: corredor Puerto Quetzal – Ciudad de Guatemala – San Pedro Sula; SIECA (2021), Metodología de medición de velocidades en el Corredor Pacífico.

Countries, border crossings and distance of each corridor, with its link to the route planner

From Costa Rica

Road corridors from San José: stated one-way travel days, approximate distance and the border crossings the cargo goes through. Indicative ranges; confirm them before dispatching.
Corridor	Days one way	Distance (approx.)	Border crossings
San José – ManaguaCosta Rica · NicaraguaSee in the route planner	2 daysindicative	440 km	1Peñas Blancas
San José – TegucigalpaCosta Rica · Nicaragua · HondurasSee in the route planner	2–4 daysindicative	790 km	2Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule
San José – San Pedro SulaCosta Rica · Nicaragua · HondurasSee in the route planner	3 daysindicative	1,000 km	2Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule
San José – San SalvadorCosta Rica · Nicaragua · Honduras · El SalvadorSee in the route planner	3–6 daysindicative	920 km	3Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule, El Amatillo
San José – Ciudad de GuatemalaCosta Rica · Nicaragua · Honduras · El Salvador · GuatemalaSee in the route planner	4 daysindicative	1,210 km	4Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule, El Amatillo, La Hachadura / Pedro de Alvarado
San José – Panama CityCosta Rica · PanamaSee in the route planner	2–3 daysindicative	850 km	1Paso Canoas

Between Guatemala and its neighbors

Road corridors between Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua: stated one-way travel days, approximate distance and border crossings. Indicative ranges; confirm them before dispatching.
Corridor	Days one way	Distance (approx.)	Border crossings
Ciudad de Guatemala – San SalvadorGuatemala · El SalvadorSee in the route planner	3 daysindicative	285 km	1La Hachadura / Pedro de Alvarado
Ciudad de Guatemala – San Pedro SulaGuatemala · HondurasSee in the route planner	On requestNo publishable statement	410 km	1El Florido
Ciudad de Guatemala – ManaguaGuatemala · El Salvador · Honduras · NicaraguaSee in the route planner	4 daysindicative	790 km	3La Hachadura / Pedro de Alvarado, El Amatillo, El Guasaule

Who states each range: associations and one operator, not a measurement

No range is a measurement: each one is what an association or an operator said its one-way trip takes.

Origin of the travel days stated for each corridor: which association or operator states them, in which direction and in which year.
Corridor	Who states it
San José – Managua2 days	One-way travel days stated by the Costa Rican truckers’ association CANATRAC for a truck with a 40’ container (JICA, 2017). It is an association statement, not a service commitment.
San José – Tegucigalpa2–4 days	One-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations (JICA, 2017): CANATRAC, 2 days from San José; Honduran associations (Catrachos and CATT), 4 days from Tegucigalpa. It is not a service commitment.
San José – San Pedro Sula3 days	One-way travel days stated by the Costa Rican truckers’ association CANATRAC from San José (JICA, 2017). It is an association statement, not a service commitment.
San José – San Salvador3–6 days	One-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations (JICA, 2017): CANATRAC, 3 days from San José; Salvadoran associations (ASTIC, ASETCA and ACOSETCA), 6 days from San Salvador. It is not a service commitment.
San José – Ciudad de Guatemala4 days	One-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations (JICA, 2017): CANATRAC from San José and FECATRANS/ATI from Ciudad de Guatemala, 4 days in both directions; DSV publishes 4 days for its consolidated Costa Rica–Guatemala service (2026). It is not a service commitment.
San José – Panama City2–3 days	One-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations (JICA, 2017): CANATRAC, 2 days from San José; PANATRUCK, 3 days from Panama City (48’ trailer). DSV publishes 2 days from Panama (2026). It is not a service commitment.
Ciudad de Guatemala – San Salvador3 days	One-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations (JICA, 2017): FECATRANS/ATI from Ciudad de Guatemala and Salvadoran associations from San Salvador, 3 days in both directions. It is not a service commitment.
Ciudad de Guatemala – Managua4 days	One-way travel days stated by the Guatemalan truckers’ associations FECATRANS/ATI from Ciudad de Guatemala (JICA, 2017). It is an association statement, not a service commitment.

Last reviewed: September 2026. Statements as they appear in each source. They are not a service commitment or a measured time. View the 3 sources

JICA (2017), Informe Final vol. 1, Table 3.8: travel days stated by truckers’ associations; DSV Costa Rica, Costa Rica–Guatemala overland service (current as of Sep 30, 2026); DSV Panama, overland freight transport (current as of Sep 30, 2026).

Why it is a range and not a number: the caveats in the sources

The association statements date from 2017, before the DUCA (2019), and appear to be rounded up.
The associations do not use the same definition of a travel day: hence the difference between one direction and the other.
San José – Ciudad de Guatemala: the DSV time is for a single operator and for consolidated cargo with a weekly departure.
San José – Panama City: the DSV time is for a single operator, with weekly departures from Panama.
Each corridor has its own variables: they are in what changes the time, corridor by corridor.

Why a trip of approx. 1,210 km takes days: the clock does not stop at the border

From San José to Ciudad de Guatemala there are approx. 1,210 km by road and 4 border crossings. Distance alone does not explain the days. The official measurement of the Pacific Corridor, made by SIECA with customs transit records, shows it.

19.4km/h

Pacific Corridor, 2016–2020 average

Overall average, customs office to customs office, includes the border; 675,410 transits analyzed (TIM and DUCA-T).

That figure is not the speed of the truck on the road. It is the distance between two customs offices divided by all the time that passes from one to the other, border processing included. It shows on which sections the time goes; it is not for calculating a trip.

How to read these tables.Official historical data, 2016–2020, from customs office to customs office; it includes time at the border. It is not the current time or a door-to-door time. The sections are not added up to estimate a trip: each average comes from different operations.

By section, from customs office to customs office: time and speed in each direction

North to south: average time and speed of customs transit by section of the Pacific Corridor, from customs office to customs office.
North to south	Time	Speed
Tecún Umán → La HachaduraCrossing Guatemala.	27.7 h	15.4 km/h
La Hachadura → El AmatilloCrossing El Salvador. Fastest section in this direction.	16.3 h	24.4 km/h
El Amatillo → El GuasauleCrossing southern Honduras.	9.5 h	17.9 km/h
El Guasaule → Peñas BlancasCrossing Nicaragua.	21.9 h	16.5 km/h
Peñas Blancas → Paso CanoasCrossing Costa Rica. Slowest section in this direction.	43.1 h	14.5 km/h

South to north: average time and speed of customs transit by section of the Pacific Corridor, from customs office to customs office.
South to north	Time	Speed
Colón Free Zone → Paso CanoasThe run within Panama. Fastest section in this direction.	23.1 h	26.8 km/h
Paso Canoas → Peñas BlancasCrossing Costa Rica. Slowest section in this direction.	34.4 h	17.0 km/h
Peñas Blancas → El GuasauleCrossing Nicaragua.	18.4 h	19.2 km/h
El Guasaule → El AmatilloCrossing southern Honduras.	9.9 h	18.4 km/h
El Amatillo → Pedro de AlvaradoCrossing El Salvador.	19.3 h	22.2 km/h

Last reviewed: September 2026. Official historical data, 2016–2020, from customs office to customs office; it includes time at the border. It is not the current time or a door-to-door time. View the source (cataloged in Spanish)

SIECA (2021), Metodología de medición de velocidades para el tránsito terrestre de mercancías en el Corredor Pacífico de Centroamérica (datos 2016–2020).

The full corridor: average speed by year and by direction

Average speed of overland customs transit on the full Pacific Corridor, by year and by direction, from customs office to customs office.
Indicator	Average speed
Pacific Corridor, 2016–2020 averageOverall average, customs office to customs office, includes the border; 675,410 transits analyzed (TIM and DUCA-T).	19.4 km/h
Pacific Corridor, 2016Average for the year, customs office to customs office, includes the border.	21.1 km/h
Pacific Corridor, 2018Average for the year, customs office to customs office, includes the border.	20.0 km/h
Pacific Corridor, 2020Average for the year, customs office to customs office, includes the border.	17.4 km/h
Pacific Corridor, north–south2016–2020 average, customs office to customs office, includes the border.	18.9 km/h
Pacific Corridor, south–north2016–2020 average, customs office to customs office, includes the border.	19.7 km/h
Colón Free Zone – Paso Canoas, 20202020 only, customs office to customs office, includes the border. Pair of customs offices with the highest speed.	22.9 km/h
Peñas Blancas – Paso Canoas, 20202020 only, customs office to customs office, includes the border. Pair of customs offices with the lowest speed.	13.7 km/h

SIECA (2021), Metodología de medición de velocidades para el tránsito terrestre de mercancías en el Corredor Pacífico de Centroamérica (datos 2016–2020).

What changes the time: it is almost never the truck

The truck does its part on the road. The rest of the time comes from customs, schedules and the calendar.

Every border crossing is a procedure

From Costa Rica, a corridor goes through between 1 and 4 border crossings. At each one, the customs office en route checks the unit’s data and the customs seal (marchamo) and notifies the previous customs office electronically that the cargo arrived, and other authorities can ask for an inspection. In international transit, in addition, the customs office of departure sets the route and the time limit for the trip.

Customs keeps hours

An open border crossing is not always clearing cargo, and a truck that arrives outside the window waits for the next one. At El Amatillo, for example: “Open 24 hours does not mean clearance 24 hours: physical inspection is done from 06:00 to 24:00; the other services keep their own hours”. The hours are further down and, in full, in Central America border crossings.

Not everyone drives at night

Some companies do not allow night driving for security, and Guatemala’s truckers’ associations state that their operation is limited to daytime (JICA, 2017). It is each company’s practice, not a rule. A truck that stops at nightfall covers fewer kilometers per day.

Rush hours and bans

In some cities heavy trucks cannot enter at rush hour, and on some holidays they do not circulate at all. This page gathers 11 restrictions from 4 countries: 6 apply year-round and 5 are seasonal.

Rain and road closures

The region’s road network is vulnerable to the rainy season and to hurricanes (SIECA/JICA Master Plan, 2023). A closure means waiting or detouring by a longer route.

Documents that do not match

An incomplete document, a missing sanitary permit, a damaged customs seal or excess weight leave the truck held at customs or at a weigh station. What is needed and who issues it is in Documents: DUCA-T, waybill.

Corridor by corridor: what changes the time on each one and its alternate route

Variables that change the transit time on each corridor from Costa Rica, with the alternate route for cargo where there is one.
Corridor	What changes the time
San José – Managua2 days · approx. 440 km	Customs processing and cargo service hours at Peñas Blancas. Volume at Peñas Blancas, which handles most of Costa Rica’s overland trade. Time-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles in Costa Rica’s Greater San José area (GAM). Rain and road closures.
San José – Tegucigalpa2–4 days · approx. 790 km	Two border crossings: Peñas Blancas and El Guasaule. Crossing chosen between Nicaragua and Honduras (El Guasaule or Las Manos). Time-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles in Costa Rica’s Greater San José area (GAM). Daytime-only operation that some companies apply for security. Rain and road closures. Alternate route. Via Las Manos instead of El Guasaule (CA-6 through Danlí): approx. 780 km.
San José – San Pedro Sula3 days · approx. 1,000 km	Two border crossings: Peñas Blancas and El Guasaule. Route chosen in Honduras: Canal Seco or Tegucigalpa on the CA-5. Time-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles in Costa Rica’s Greater San José area (GAM). Daytime-only operation that some companies apply for security. Rain and road closures. Alternate route. Via Las Manos and Tegucigalpa (CA-6 and CA-5): approx. 1,030 km.
San José – San Salvador3–6 days · approx. 920 km	Three border crossings: Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule and El Amatillo. Rush-hour restriction on heavy trucks on the approaches to San Salvador. Time-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles in Costa Rica’s Greater San José area (GAM). Daytime-only operation that some companies apply for security. Rain and road closures.
San José – Ciudad de Guatemala4 days · approx. 1,210 km	Four border crossings: Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule, El Amatillo and La Hachadura. Guatemala’s bans on heavy trucks during Holy Week and at year-end. Rush-hour restrictions on the approaches to San Salvador and in Ciudad de Guatemala. Crossing chosen between El Salvador and Guatemala (La Hachadura or San Cristóbal). Daytime-only operation that some companies apply for security. Alternate route. Via San Cristóbal (CA-1) instead of La Hachadura: approx. 1,200 km.
San José – Panama City2–3 days · approx. 850 km	Customs processing at Paso Canoas, with long delays in the available measurements (2016–2017). Route chosen in Costa Rica: Costanera Sur or Cerro de la Muerte. Time-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles in Costa Rica’s Greater San José area (GAM). Panama’s rules for oversize cargo during Holy Week. Rain and road closures. Alternate route. Via the full Route 2 (Cerro de la Muerte) instead of the Costanera Sur: approx. 840 km.

Last reviewed: September 2026. Variables identified in the research on each corridor. Not all of them weigh the same on every trip: confirm the ones on your route with your GoTruck contact. View the 9 sources (some in Spanish)

Customs hours for cargo at the 6 border crossings on these corridors

These are the hours for cargo shown in the source for each post. The rows marked as indicative are backed only by press reports or secondary sources: confirm them before dispatching.

Cargo service hours at the border crossings on the corridors of this page, with the date of the source and the verification status.
Border crossing	Hours for cargo and date of the source
Peñas BlancasCosta Rica – Nicaraguaofficial source	Costa Rica customs, cargo: 24 hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 06:00–24:00 Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday; on the Nicaraguan side there is no record of overnight serviceCOMEX, in effect since November 28, 2024; reconfirmed in a 2026 IDB (BID) document
El GuasauleNicaragua – Hondurasindicative	Honduran immigration: cargo 24 hours in the Holy Week 2026 schedule; Nicaraguan immigration: 24 hours (indicative; confirm before dispatching)Honduras’s INM via the press, March 29, 2026; Nicaragua’s Ministry of the Interior via the press, March 11, 2026
El AmatilloHonduras – El Salvadorofficial source	Integrated border post: 24 hours, seven days a week; physical inspections of goods by Salvadoran customs: every day, 06:00–24:00SIECA report 2020–2023 (Resolución IM-UA 110-2023); notice from El Salvador’s DGA, in effect since July 20, 2026
La Hachadura / Pedro de AlvaradoEl Salvador – Guatemalaofficial source	El Salvador customs, physical inspections of goods: every day, 06:00–24:00Notice from El Salvador’s DGA; in effect since July 20, 2026
Paso CanoasCosta Rica – Panamaofficial source	Costa Rica customs (CCI): general service hours, 06:00–21:00 Costa Rica timeCosta Rica’s Ministry of Finance; in effect since June 25, 2024
El FloridoHonduras – Guatemalaindicative	Integrated customs office (Guatemala’s SAT): every day, 06:00–18:00 in the administrative and operations areas (indicative; confirm before dispatching)SAT directory via secondary transcription, read on September 24, 2026

Last reviewed: September 2026. Hours change on holidays and by notice from each customs office. Confirm the hours for the day of crossing before dispatching. View the 39 sources (cataloged in Spanish)

COMEX, comunicado CP-3007: ampliación de horarios en Peñas Blancas (nov-2024); La Prensa (Honduras), horarios de Migración en puntos fronterizos, Semana Santa 2026 (29-mar-2026); SIECA, informe de evaluación del Proceso de Integración Profunda 2020–2023; Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador, ampliación de horarios para revisiones físicas (rige 20-jul-2026); Ministerio de Hacienda de Costa Rica, comunicado sobre el CCI de Paso Canoas (jun-2024); Living in Guatemala, fronteras Guatemala–Honduras (transcribe el directorio de la SAT; leído el 24-set-2026); COMEX, tabla de horarios por institución en Peñas Blancas (27-nov-2024); La Prensa (Honduras), fronteras en vacaciones agostinas (2-ago-2026); Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador, aviso de ampliación de horarios (imagen oficial, jul-2026); Dirección General de Aduanas de El Salvador, ubicaciones; Ministerio de Hacienda de Costa Rica, aviso de horario de aduanas del 15-set-2026; BID, términos de referencia CR-T1310 (2026); La Prensa (Nicaragua), horarios de puestos fronterizos en Navidad y Año Nuevo (25-nov-2025); elsalvador.com, horarios de fronteras en vacaciones agostinas (31-jul-2026); SIECA, documento de movilidad y logística regional (sin fecha); Ministerio de Hacienda de Costa Rica, aviso de horario de aduanas del 1-may-2026; COMEX, programa PIF de puestos fronterizos (consultado el 30-set-2026); La Prensa (Nicaragua), horarios de puestos fronterizos en Semana Santa (11-mar-2026); PMA, ficha logística del paso El Amatillo (Honduras); Living in Guatemala, fronteras Guatemala–El Salvador (transcribe el directorio de la SAT; leído el 24-set-2026); Ministerio de Hacienda de Costa Rica, horario de aduanas de fin de año 2025; Ministerio de Hacienda de Costa Rica, aviso de horario de aduanas del 15-ago-2026; Aduanas Honduras, comunicado del 5-feb-2025 sobre Las Manos (publicado por SIECA); Aduana News, acciones de Guatemala para agilizar el flujo en la frontera con El Salvador (10-mar-2023); IANA, base de datos de husos horarios (consultada el 30-set-2026); PMA, ficha logística de El Guasaule (nodo 6080); Diario El Mundo, rutas alternas por cierre en La Hachadura (1-mar-2025); MEF de Panamá, supervisión del proyecto de modernización aduanera en Paso Canoas (jun-2025); PMA, ficha logística de El Guasaule (nodo 6100); Prensa Libre, puesto fronterizo integrado Anguiatú (17-jun-2025); BID, inauguración del paso fronterizo de Paso Canoas; Aduana News, gira SIECA–UE–BID 2025 por el Corredor Pacífico; Prensa Libre, puente binacional con El Salvador sigue sin operar (12-jun-2026); COMEX, información del puesto fronterizo Paso Canoas (feb-2023); Infobae, puente binacional José Manuel Arce (5-feb-2026); Telemetro, horario de la aduana panameña en Paso Canoas (vigente desde el 1-set-2021); La Estrella de Panamá, control aduanero de Paso Canoas (7-set-2026); Panamá América, avances de los proyectos de Paso Canoas, Río Sereno y Guabito (27-feb-2026); Infobae, procesos fronterizos en Paso Canoas (26-feb-2026).

The hours on the other side of each post, the alternate crossings and the operating notes are in Central America border crossings.

Traffic restrictions: each country sets its own

What each country restricts for heavy trucks, according to the latest published rule. Open each restriction to see the rule and its validity. The seasonal ones point to the ban calendar, where the dates are.

Costa Rica

Time-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles in the Greater San José area (GAM) Year-round indicative

Executive Decree 38238-MOPT restricts cargo vehicles over 6 t, Monday to Friday, at the hours and on the routes set in its table; the technical study covered Routes 1, 2, 3, 27 and 32. There are exemptions, perishables among them, and the decree provides for prohibiting entry into San José on holidays and special dates. The minister can suspend it, as happened in October 2022 because of route closures. Confirm the current hours and road sections.

Validity. Decree published in La Gaceta 80 of April 28, 2014; amended in La Gaceta 196 of October 14, 2022. Hours, road sections and enforcement in 2026 not verified.

Romería pilgrimage to Cartago (August 1 and 2) Seasonal indicativeDates, hours and exemptions of the latest published year: see in the ban calendar.

El Salvador

Rush hours on the approaches to the San Salvador metropolitan area Year-round official source

Resolución DGTC-RCTC-0008-2020 (Aug 19, 2020): cargo vehicles of 15 t or more do not circulate Monday to Saturday, from 05:30 to 08:30 and from 16:30 to 19:00, on Bulevar del Ejército (from the San Bartolo customs office), Bulevar Constitución (from the Integración roundabout), the Los Chorros highway (from km 25–27 coming from Sonsonate, and from Santa Tecla), Troncal del Norte (from km 16, the Tonacatepeque turnoff) and the Comalapa highway (from km 11). On Saturdays the restriction ends at 14:00; Sundays and public holidays are excluded.

Validity. Indefinite since August 19, 2020, according to the official VMT table updated as of Oct 28, 2024. Validity in 2026: reconfirm with the VMT.

Los Chorros highway (CA-1) Year-round official source

Resolución DGTC-CRVA-UTTC-08-09-2023 (Sep 18, 2023): cargo vehicles of 8 t or more do not circulate, every day, from 04:00 to 09:00 and from 16:30 to 20:30, between the Batallón de Apoyo Logístico and the Las Delicias neighborhood. The official table also mentions a 24-hour prohibition whose scope could not be verified.

Validity. Since September 18, 2023, according to the official VMT table updated as of Oct 28, 2024. Validity in 2026: reconfirm with the VMT.

Litoral highway (CA-2): weekends and public holidays Year-round official source

Resolución DGTC-RCTC-01-01-2021 (Mar 17, 2021): cargo of 10 t or more does not circulate on weekends and official public holidays, from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00, on the Litoral highway between Río Mar beach (km 41) and Las Flores beach (km 58½). It is a local restriction in La Libertad, not a national one.

Validity. Indefinite since March 17, 2021, according to the official VMT table updated as of Oct 28, 2024. Validity in 2026: reconfirm with the VMT.

Litoral highway and the road to Puerto de La Libertad: vacation periods Seasonal indicativeDates, hours and exemptions of the latest published year: see in the ban calendar.

Guatemala

Rush hours in Ciudad de Guatemala Year-round indicative

There is a rush-hour restriction on cargo transport in Ciudad de Guatemala and neighboring municipalities. Confirm the current hours before scheduling the load.

Validity. Existence confirmed in the SIECA/JICA Master Plan (August 2023); hours not verified.

Las Chinamas / Valle Nuevo: crossing not suitable for loaded trucks Year-round official source

The bridge on the Guatemalan side cannot carry heavy trucks: loaded trucks cross between El Salvador and Guatemala through San Cristóbal (CA-1) or through Pedro de Alvarado / La Hachadura (CA-2).

Validity. According to official reports from March 2017 and August 2023; situation in 2026 not verified.

Holy Week ban on heavy trucks Seasonal indicativeDates, hours and exemptions of the latest published year: see in the ban calendar.
Year-end ban on heavy trucks Seasonal official sourceDates, hours and exemptions of the latest published year: see in the ban calendar.

Panama

Holy Week: oversize cargo Seasonal indicativeDates, hours and exemptions of the latest published year: see in the ban calendar.

Last reviewed: September 2026. Rules according to the latest published rule or resolution; the validity of each one goes with its rule. Confirm hours and road section before scheduling the load. View the 9 sources (cataloged in Spanish)

SIECA/JICA (2023), Plan Maestro Regional Indicativo de Movilidad y Logística, apéndices (archivo 1); JICA (2017), Informe Final vol. 1, sección 3; Viceministerio de Transporte de El Salvador, cuadro resumen de resoluciones de restricción (actualizado al 28-oct-2024); El Salvador Times (26-set-2023); MOPT Costa Rica, Decreto Ejecutivo 38238-MOPT (La Gaceta 80, 28-abr-2014); SIECA/JICA (2023), Plan Maestro Regional Indicativo de Movilidad y Logística, apéndices (archivo 2), Apéndice 9, sección 9.3; MOP El Salvador, verificación de horarios de circulación del transporte de carga (22-may-2023); MOPT Costa Rica, Decreto 43735, reforma al artículo 5 (La Gaceta 196, 14-oct-2022); MOPT Costa Rica, Resolución 2022-001349 (La Gaceta 201, 21-oct-2022).

Nicaragua and Honduras: no verified data.No source was found on bans or restrictions on heavy trucks in those countries. It does not mean there are none: confirm with your GoTruck contact before scheduling the load.

Ban calendar: three times of year when cargo stops

Holiday bans are decreed every year, a few weeks ahead. Below is the latest published one of each: it tells you what to expect, not what next year’s dates will be.

March or April · Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama

Holy Week

Check it in March

Guatemala: Holy Week ban on heavy trucks indicative

Acuerdo Ministerial 239-2026 (CIV): heavy trucks over 3.5 t are barred from the road from Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 12:00 to Sunday, April 5, 2026 at 23:59. Exempt: food, perishables, beverages, fuels, tow trucks and audiovisual equipment for authorized events. Authorized routes to ports: from km 290 of CA-9 Norte toward Puerto Barrios and Santo Tomás de Castilla, and from km 80 of CA-9 Sur “A” toward Puerto Quetzal. Validation by QR code at validacion.dgt.gob.gt.

Validity. Holy Week 2026 (agreement published on March 16, 2026). A new agreement is issued every year, a few weeks ahead; in 2025 Acuerdo 538-2025 applied, with the same pattern. Agreement number, dates and exemptions: official source; hours, weight threshold and routes to ports: press reports, consistent with the official 2025 agreements.

El Salvador: Litoral highway and the road to Puerto de La Libertad: vacation periods indicative

During vacation periods the VMT issues a special resolution for cargo over 10 t: the Litoral restriction applies with extended hours, from 05:00 to 22:00, and includes the road to Puerto de La Libertad (from the Utila roundabout to the Surf City roundabout). In 2026 it applied in Holy Week (March 28 to April 6) and during the August holidays (August 1 to 9). Confirm the dates of each period.

Validity. One resolution per vacation period. Official pattern from 2023 and 2024 (VMT table); the 2026 dates come from press reports, because the resolution could not be consulted.

Panama: Holy Week: oversize cargo indicative

In Holy Week 2022 the ATTT restricted permits for oversize cargo; cargo of normal dimensions kept circulating. For 2026 no general ban on cargo was verified: the ATTT announced the suspension of road works and lane closures on the Panamericana, from La Chorrera to Paso Canoas. Confirm the measure in force.

Validity. ATTT statement of April 11, 2022; press report of March 31, 2026. No verified measure for 2026.

Romería pilgrimage and August vacation · El Salvador, Costa Rica

August

Check it in July

El Salvador: Litoral highway and the road to Puerto de La Libertad: vacation periods indicative

It is the same resolution that applies during Holy Week: see the full rule.

Costa Rica: Romería pilgrimage to Cartago (August 1 and 2) indicative

During the pilgrimage, the MOPT closes the Florencio del Castillo highway (Route 2), from Hacienda Vieja to the La Lima junction, to heavy vehicles and to vehicles carrying hazardous materials. In 2026 it applied on August 1 and 2. Confirm the dates and hours each year.

Validity. Annual measure; latest MOPT announcement: July 29, 2026. Hours to be confirmed in each year’s announcement.

December · Guatemala

Christmas and year-end

Check it in December

Guatemala: Year-end ban on heavy trucks official source

Acuerdo Ministerial 2031-2025: vehicles with a gross weight over 3.5 t are barred from the road from December 24, 2025 at 12:00 to December 25 at 24:00, and from December 31, 2025 at 12:00 to January 1, 2026 at 24:00. Same exemptions and authorized routes to ports as in Holy Week.

Validity. Year-end 2025 (agreement published on December 17, 2025). A new agreement is issued every year, a few weeks ahead.

Last reviewed: September 2026. Dates of the latest published agreement or resolution. A new one is issued every year, a few weeks ahead: confirm the dates before scheduling the load. View the 13 sources (cataloged in Spanish)

DGT Guatemala, Acuerdo Ministerial 239-2026 (16-mar-2026); DGT Guatemala, Acuerdo Ministerial 2031-2025 (17-dic-2025); Viceministerio de Transporte de El Salvador, cuadro resumen de resoluciones de restricción (actualizado al 28-oct-2024); MOPT Costa Rica, noticia del 29-jul-2026; SerTV / ATTT, comunicado de Semana Santa (11-abr-2022); DGT Guatemala, Acuerdo Ministerial 538-2025 (8-abr-2025); elsalvador.com (27-mar-2026); Panamá América (31-mar-2026); La Red 106.1 (16-mar-2026); El Diario de Hoy (2-abr-2026); Centra News (16-mar-2026); La Noticia SV (31-jul-2026); Infobae (17-mar-2026).

On those dates the border crossings change too.

Peñas Blancas. Hours are reduced on public holidays. Examples from 2026: on August 15, cargo 06:00–18:00; on September 15 (a Tuesday), cargo 06:00–24:00 and not 24 hours.
Paso Canoas. Costa Rican public holidays: transit 06:00–18:00 and no physical inspections of imports or exports, unless requested by email before noon the day before. On December 25 and January 1: 08:00–18:00.
El Amatillo. Seasons with congestion or changes in hours: Holy Week, the August holidays (vacaciones agostinas), the Morazán holiday (October) and year-end.

How to shorten transit: what does depend on you

Nobody shortens a line at the border. What you can do is reach it with everything ready, on the right day and at the right time.

Complete documents before loading
A legible commercial invoice, the number of the DUCA-F or of the export declaration and the data for the waybill (carta de porte), with no differences between one document and another, plus the sanitary permits if the goods require them. With that the carrier issues the waybill and transmits the DUCA-T (the Central American single transit declaration) before leaving, and at El Amatillo and La Hachadura / Pedro de Alvarado the advance declaration is mandatory. The list is in Documents: DUCA-T, waybill.
Schedule the departure around each border crossing’s hours
Not all customs offices clear cargo at all hours, or the same way every day. At Peñas Blancas, for example: “Costa Rica customs, cargo: 24 hours Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 06:00–24:00 Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday; on the Nicaraguan side there is no record of overnight service”. On holidays the hours change: check the hours for the day of crossing in Central America border crossings and confirm with your GoTruck contact before dispatching.
Avoid the ban dates
If the cargo has to arrive before Holy Week or year-end, dispatch it with days to spare. During a ban the truck does not circulate, and in those seasons some border crossings get congested. The dates are in the ban calendar.
Declare the real weight
An overweight truck does not continue its trip until the excess is corrected. Each country’s limits are in Weights and dimensions by country, and the Load calculator tells you how much fits by equipment.
Have the dock ready at destination
Transit ends when the cargo is unloaded. Follow the truck with the tracking link and have staff and space ready for when it arrives: a truck waiting at the gate is lost time and, once the agreed free time is over, truck detention. Who charges what is in Detention and demurrage.

Build your route: kilometers, border crossings and days on one screen

The route planner takes an origin and a destination and returns the road distance, the border crossings in order, the legal weight for the trip and the documents that are needed. Start with a corridor:

San José – Managua San José – Tegucigalpa San José – San Pedro Sula San José – San Salvador San José – Ciudad de Guatemala San José – Panama City

Open the route planner Calculate the load See all routes

Before you promise your customer a date: read this

Reference, not advice.General reference information, checked against official sources on September 30, 2026. It is not legal, customs or commercial advice and does not replace the text of the regulations or the terms of each contract. The rules change: confirm your case with your GoTruck contact and with your customs broker before shipping.

How long does a dry van take from Costa Rica to Guatemala?

As a reference, 4 days of one-way travel between San José and Ciudad de Guatemala: approx. 1,210 km by road and 4 border crossings (Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule, El Amatillo and La Hachadura / Pedro de Alvarado). One-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations (JICA, 2017): CANATRAC from San José and FECATRANS/ATI from Ciudad de Guatemala, 4 days in both directions; DSV publishes 4 days for its consolidated Costa Rica–Guatemala service (2026). It is not a service commitment. The time of each shipment depends on border processing, customs hours and bans: ask for the time for your cargo when you request a quote.

And to Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador or Panama?

San José – Managua: 2 days (approx. 440 km, 1 border crossing); San José – Tegucigalpa: 2–4 days (approx. 790 km, 2 border crossings); San José – San Pedro Sula: 3 days (approx. 1,000 km, 2 border crossings); San José – San Salvador: 3–6 days (approx. 920 km, 3 border crossings); San José – Panama City: 2–3 days (approx. 850 km, 1 border crossing). These are one-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations or operators: an indicative range, not a delivery commitment. The detail of each corridor is in the table of days by corridor.

How is transit time estimated?

It starts with the distance and the route, plus the time that does not depend on the truck: appointments and queues at the port, processing at each border crossing, the hours of customs and other authorities, and traffic restrictions. In international transit, the customs office of departure sets the route and the deadline the carrier must meet. That is why every transit time is an indicative range, not a guarantee: ask for the one for your route when you get a quote.

What can delay a shipment?

As a general reference, these can delay it: incomplete documents or documents that do not match, missing sanitary permits, physical inspection at customs, a damaged customs seal, overweight, no appointment or a missed cut-off at the port, a late vessel, customs system outages, and road closures, weather or force majeure. In Costa Rica and Guatemala, the Commercial Code makes the shipper liable for damages caused by missing or incorrect documents. Check them before shipping.

Can cargo move during Holy Week and at year-end?

It depends on the country: Guatemala suspends, by ministerial agreement, the circulation of heavy trucks during Holy Week and at Christmas and year-end, with exemptions such as food, perishables, beverages and fuels. El Salvador restricts the Litoral highway and the road to Puerto de La Libertad during vacation periods, and Costa Rica closes a section of the Florencio del Castillo highway to heavy trucks during the August pilgrimage (romería). The dates are published every year, a few weeks ahead: the latest are in the ban calendar; for Nicaragua and Honduras there is no verified data.

Does GoTruck commit to a delivery time?

We do not publish a guaranteed time, because a good part of the trip does not depend on the truck: border crossings, customs hours and bans. The time of your shipment is estimated when you request a quote, based on the route and the loading date. During the trip you receive a tracking link with the truck on the map and the milestones of the route.

Do you have a delivery date? Tell us.

Tell us the origin, the destination and when it has to arrive. We reply with the route, the border crossings and the estimated time for your cargo.

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