Costa Rica – El Salvador: three border crossings, one carrier.
Regional dry van from San José to San Salvador, with a waybill (carta de porte) and customs transit (in-bond): approx. 920 km and three border crossings. Below are the route leg by leg, the hours at each crossing, the weight limit that governs and the documents to have ready.
3 border crossingsPeñas Blancas, El Guasaule and El Amatillo
3–6 daysTravel days, indicative: not a promise
37,000 kgGross weight that governs, in T3-S2
The route, leg by leg: approx. 920 km
On the map above, in blue, the main freight route from San José (GAM) to San Salvador; in light blue, the rest of the road network.
San José – San Salvador · approx. 920 kmindicative
San José (GAM)Departure · Costa RicaDeparture
Peñas BlancasBorder crossing Costa Rica – Nicaragua+ 293 km
El GuasauleBorder crossing Nicaragua – Honduras+ 309 km
CholutecaEn route · Honduras+ 45 km
El AmatilloBorder crossing Honduras – El Salvador+ 86 km
San SalvadorDestination · El Salvador+ 193 km
Reference route: Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule, the stretch across southern Honduras (130 km), El Amatillo and CA-1 through San Miguel.
Kilometers by country and notes on the route
Approximate breakdown: Costa Rica 293 km, Nicaragua 309 km, Honduras 130 km, El Salvador 193 km.
The kilometers of each leg are rounded: their sum may differ by one or two from the route total.
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. It may vary with the exact loading and delivery points, the border crossing and the detours in force. View the source (cataloged in Spanish)
The days below are one-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations or by an operator. They are not times measured by GoTruck or a delivery commitment: they are for orientation. The time for your shipment is confirmed with the quote.
3–6days
San José – San Salvador indicative
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.
What changes the transit time on this route
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.
How to read those days: two caveats from the sources
The associations do not use the same definition of a travel day: hence the difference between one direction and the other.
The association statements date from 2017, before the DUCA (2019), and appear to be rounded up.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Indicative ranges, never a delivery commitment. They depend on customs processing, border hours, traffic restrictions and the weather. View the 2 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
Need a delivery date? Get a quote for this route with the loading date and we will reply with the trip plan. Each country’s bans are further down, in Bans and restrictions.
The truck does not decide how long a crossing takes: the customs office’s hours, the physical inspection and the side that closes first do. Below is what is on record, with its source, for each crossing on this route, in travel order. Where the data comes only from the press or from immigration, it carries the label indicative.
Crossing 1 of 3 · Costa Rica – Nicaragua
Peñas Blancas
Handles cargo
Costa Rica Peñas Blancas
Nicaragua Peña Blanca (Rivas)
Hours 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 serviceSource of the hours: COMEX, in effect since November 28, 2024; reconfirmed in a 2026 IDB (BID) document.
Highway: Pan-American Highway (Pacific Corridor).
Before crossing: three notes
Nicaraguan side (Peña Blanca): immigration 06:00–24:00 (06:00–23:59 in the March 2026 announcement), according to press reports citing Nicaragua’s Ministry of the Interior. There is no record of overnight service on the days Costa Rica opens 24 hours, and there are no verified current customs hours (indicative).
On the 24-hour days: Customs, Immigration (carrier service windows) and the SENASA spray arch operate 24 hours; SFE and SENASA service windows and inspection, 06:00–24:00; SFE pest laboratory, 08:00–20:00; CNP sampling and analysis, 07:00–24:00.
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.
Hours indicativeHonduran immigration: cargo 24 hours in the Holy Week 2026 schedule; Nicaraguan immigration: 24 hours (indicative; confirm before dispatching)Source of the hours: Honduras’s INM via the press, March 29, 2026; Nicaragua’s Ministry of the Interior via the press, March 11, 2026.
Highway: Pacific Corridor (CA designation not verified).
Before crossing: three notes
No official customs hours read on either side: the data are immigration data and come through the press. The Honduran cargo hours are the extended Holy Week 2026 schedule, not confirmed ordinary hours.
Honduran immigration office for travelers: 06:00–21:00 as ordinary hours as of August 2026 (press; indicative).
Peripheral customs office of the Guatemala–Honduras customs union, enabled since October 1, 2020, with no import or export operations under that framework during 2023 (SIECA).
Hours Integrated border post: 24 hours, seven days a week; physical inspections of goods by Salvadoran customs: every day, 06:00–24:00Source of the hours: SIECA report 2020–2023 (Resolución IM-UA 110-2023); notice from El Salvador’s DGA, in effect since July 20, 2026.
Highway: Pan-American Highway, international bridge (Pacific Corridor).
Before crossing: three notes
Honduras–El Salvador integrated border post (PFI), on Salvadoran territory, in operation since December 7, 2023; in its first stage, only for Control Center operations. It has ten toll-booth-style lanes, scales, a scanner and physical inspection docks.
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.
Advance declaration mandatory since October 17, 2023.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Border hours change without notice because of holidays, pilot plans, blockades or customs and immigration notices. Open 24 hours does not mean cargo clearance 24 hours: the real crossing window is that of the side that closes first. Confirm with your GoTruck contact before scheduling a crossing. View the 21 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
Weight and dimensions that govern: the strictest country
A dry van that runs through four countries has to fit the rules of all of them. That is why it is loaded to the lowest limit on the route, not to that of the country of departure.
37,000kg
Gross weight T3-S2 · All except Costa Rica
41,000kg
Gross weight T3-S3 · All except Costa Rica
21.00m
Length · Set by Costa Rica
2.60m
Width · Same along the whole route
4.15m
Height · Same along the whole route
Maximum gross vehicle weight (kg) and maximum dimensions (m) of the articulated vehicle in the countries on the route. In bold, the strictest value.
Country
T3-S2 (kg)
T3-S3 (kg)
Length (m)
Width (m)
Height (m)
Costa Rica
39,000
45,500
21.00
2.60
4.15
Nicaragua indicative
37,000
41,000
22.40
2.60
4.15
Honduras indicative
37,000
41,000
22.40
2.60
4.15
El Salvador indicative
37,000
41,000
22.40
2.60
4.15
T3-S2 is a 3-axle tractor with a 2-axle dry van; T3-S3, a 3-axle tractor with a 3-axle dry van. Gross weight includes the tractor, the dry van and the cargo. Rows labeled indicative have at least one figure for which no official regulation was read: confirm them before dispatch.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Reference values. Confirm with your GoTruck contact before loading. View the 14 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
If it goes in a 53’ dry van, read this first.There are two regulation notes about that dry van on this route: Costa Rica and the Central American Agreement.
Read the two notes
Costa Rica. 53’ dry van: the actual length of the tractor and dry van combination must be measured against the 21.00 m maximum; it was not verified.
Central American Agreement. Height: a High Cube container on a chassis or a 53’ dry van (≈4.11 m) sits a few centimeters below the 4.15 m maximum; it is advisable to measure the actual combination (our own estimate).
Estimated payload in a 53’ dry van indicative
Maximum gross weight minus the tare of the tractor and the dry van, in the T3-S2 configuration. On the route, the lowest estimate governs.
18,900 to 23,900kg
Limit applied: Central American Agreement · governs on the route
20,900 to 25,900kg
Limit applied: Costa Rica
How it was calculated: tares and assumptions
Limit applied: Central American Agreement. 37,000 kg − tractor − dry van 6,060 kg (one manufacturer’s spec sheet). The range corresponds to tractors of 12,000 kg and of 7,000 kg; with one of 8,500 kg it gives ≈22,400 kg. In Guatemala the total length of the combination must be checked against 22.00 m (according to the DGC, 2012). Applies to Guatemala (international cargo), El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. Indicative estimate, not a legal limit: the limit of each axle group governs, and it is usually reached before the gross total; the total assumes the front axle loaded to its maximum, which rarely happens. It is confirmed with the actual tare of the equipment.
Limit applied: Costa Rica. 39,000 kg − tractor − dry van 6,060 kg (one manufacturer’s spec sheet). The range corresponds to tractors of 12,000 kg and of 7,000 kg; with one of 8,500 kg it gives ≈24,400 kg. The total length of the combination must be checked against 21.00 m. Indicative estimate, not a legal limit: the limit of each axle group governs, and it is usually reached before the gross total; the total assumes the front axle loaded to its maximum, which rarely happens. It is confirmed with the actual tare of the equipment.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Our own estimate, not a legal limit or a figure for the GoTruck fleet. The actual tare is confirmed with the assigned equipment. View the 10 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
Want to know how many pallets fit and whether the weight is within the limit? Use the load calculator. The full table by country, with axles, tolerances and permits, is in Weights and dimensions by country.
Bans and restrictions: when heavy trucks do not run
The restrictions on record, country by country and in travel order, each with the validity of the data. Those labeled indicative do not have their hours verified in an official source: confirm them before dispatch.
Costa Rica: two restrictionsTime-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles in the Greater San José area (GAM) · Romería pilgrimage to Cartago (August 1 and 2)
Time-of-day restriction on heavy vehicles in the Greater San José area (GAM).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 of the data: 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).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 of the data: Annual measure; latest MOPT announcement: July 29, 2026. Hours to be confirmed in each year’s announcement.
El Salvador: four restrictionsRush hours on the approaches to the San Salvador metropolitan area · Los Chorros highway (CA-1) · Litoral highway (CA-2): weekends and public holidays · Litoral highway and the road to Puerto de La Libertad: vacation periods
Rush hours on the approaches to the San Salvador metropolitan area. 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 of the data: 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). 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 of the data: 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. 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 of the data: 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.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 of the data: 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.
Last reviewed: September 2026. Bans and restrictions on heavy trucks change every year. Confirm the measure in force before scheduling the load. View the 10 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
For Nicaragua and Honduras no source was found on bans on heavy trucks. That does not mean there are none: confirm with your GoTruck contact.
Documents: who issues what and what you hand over
A dry van between two countries in the region travels with a waybill (carta de porte) and under a transit declaration. These are the documents that support the trip and who issues each one.
Main documents of a regional dry van: who issues each one and when it is needed.
Document
Who issues it
When it is needed
Waybill (carta de porte)
The carrier, with the data provided by the shipper.
Always in overland transport: it is the transport document that supports the declarations and is attached to the DUCA-T.
DUCA-TCentral American single transit declaration
The authorized overland carrier, in SIECA’s regional portal, with the user account issued by the customs authority of its country. Nicaragua operates with its own system.
In every overland move under customs control that crosses at least one Central American border. It is transmitted before the unit arrives at the customs office of departure, with the commercial invoice, the transport document and permits where they apply.
DUCA-FCentral American single declaration for originating goods
The exporter or its customs broker, through the national system or the single window; SIECA transmits it to the destination country. Indicative: Resolution 471-2022 set a SIECA charge of US$3 for each DUCA-F transmitted through its platforms from April 1, 2023, with annual review; the amount in force in 2026 was not confirmed.
When exporting or importing originating products under free trade within the region. As a customs form it is valid for 30 business days from its issue, only in the country of export.
DUCA-DCentral American single declaration for trade with third countries
Importers and exporters, according to SIECA. How it is transmitted in each country is confirmed with the customs broker.
When the goods originate in third countries or do not qualify as originating in Central America.
Checklist to give the carrier before loading: 12 items
Commercial invoice as a legible PDF (maximum 1 MB per file).
Number of the DUCA-F already transmitted (originating goods), or of the export declaration or DUCA-D (non-originating goods), with the exporter’s tax ID.
Data for the waybill (carta de porte): shipper, consignee, loading place, delivery place and description of the cargo.
Importer: name or company name, tax address, and the type, number and country of the ID document. Exporter: name and tax address, and its ID if it is domiciled in Central America.
For each line of goods: tariff classification, description, number and type of packages, gross weight in kg and country of origin.
Values: transaction value, freight and other costs; insurance is optional.
Customs office of destination and, where it applies, the bonded warehouse, free trade zone or company of destination (it must be an authorized location).
Phytosanitary or zoosanitary certificates and other permits, if the cargo is of quarantine interest or regulated.
Overseas cargo: bill of lading. Consolidated cargo for several consignees: data for the manifest and for each consignee’s declarations and transport documents.
Packing list: recommended; it is not a mandatory document under the regional regulation.
Confirm with the carrier the country where the cargo is loaded: Panama prohibits carriers with CR, NI and HN codes from loading there (Memorandum 021-2025-DG of March 12, 2025, a measure subject to change), and Costa Rica does not allow foreign units to do domestic transport. indicative
Route through Peñas Blancas: confirm that the unit carries an RFID tag, mandatory since November 2025 according to a notice from Panama’s customs authority dated September 30, 2025 (not confirmed in a Costa Rican source). indicative
Last reviewed: September 2026. Reference list for a full dry van between two countries in the region. The lines labeled indicative depend on measures that may change: confirm them before dispatch. View the 11 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
Last reviewed: September 2026. Typical dimensions from manufacturer spec sheets; the assigned equipment may differ. View the 12 sources (cataloged in Spanish)
Before asking for a 53’.The length, width and height notes that apply to this dry van on the route are in Weight and dimensions.
What each trip includes is in Regional dry van; the dimensions of each trailer, in Dry vans, flatbeds and chassis. Owned or subcontracted, every unit meets the same standard: 22-point inspection, verified driver and GPS. The protocol is in Security, and with every shipment you get a tracking link.
Before loading for El Salvador: days, weight and El Amatillo
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 many days does a dry van take from Costa Rica to El Salvador?
As an indicative reference: San José – San Salvador, 3–6 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. The time for your shipment is confirmed with the quote.
Which border crossings does the cargo use on the way to El Salvador?
Peñas Blancas (Costa Rica – Nicaragua), El Guasaule (Nicaragua – Honduras) and El Amatillo (Honduras – El Salvador), in that order. The hours of each crossing change on holidays and in peak seasons: check them on this page and in Central America border crossings before dispatch.
How much weight can a dry van carry from Costa Rica to El Salvador?
The strictest limit among the countries the route crosses governs: 37,000 kg gross weight for a 3-axle tractor with a 2-axle dry van (T3-S2) and 41,000 kg for a 3-axle tractor with a 3-axle dry van (T3-S3). That is the weight of the whole combination: tractor, dry van and cargo. As an indicative estimate, the payload of a 53’ dry van in T3-S2 ranges from 18,900 to 23,900 kg, depending on the tractor’s tare. Run the numbers with your pallets in the load calculator.
Which documents do I have to hand over before loading?
The commercial invoice, the number of the DUCA-F or of the export declaration, and the data for the waybill (carta de porte): shipper, consignee, loading place, delivery place and description of the cargo. If the goods are regulated, the sanitary permits as well. The full list is further up and in Documents: DUCA-T, waybill.
Are there days when heavy trucks cannot run on this route?
There are six restrictions on record in Costa Rica and El Salvador. Dates and hours change every year: they are in the list of bans on this page, with the validity of the data. For Nicaragua and Honduras there is no record, which does not mean there are none.
Does El Amatillo clear cargo 24 hours a day?
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. Advance declaration mandatory since October 17, 2023. The details are in the El Amatillo entry.
Cargo for El Salvador? Get a quote.
Tell us what you are moving, where it leaves from and when it loads. We reply with equipment, route and price.