Cross-border trucking from Costa Rica: your dry van crosses under our own carrier code.

Where the days come from. 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.

What changes the time on this corridor

• 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.

Route notes

• Reference route: Route 27, Route 23 and Route 1 (Interamericana Norte) to Peñas Blancas; NIC-2 through Rivas to Managua.
• Approximate breakdown: Costa Rica 293 km, Nicaragua 149 km.
• There is only one time statement for this pair, in the San José → Managua direction.
• The association statements date from 2017, before the DUCA (2019), and appear to be rounded up.

See the Costa Rica – Nicaragua route · Open it in the route planner · Get a quote for this destination

Where the days come from. 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.

Alternate route. Via Las Manos instead of El Guasaule (CA-6 through Danlí): approx. 780 km.

What changes the time on this corridor

• 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.

Route notes

• Reference route: Peñas Blancas, NIC-2 and NIC-28 through Chinandega, El Guasaule, CA-3 through Choluteca, CA-1 and CA-5.
• Approximate breakdown: Costa Rica 293 km, Nicaragua 309 km, Honduras 185 km.
• The associations do not use the same definition of a travel day: hence the difference between one direction and the other.
• The condition of the CA-6 (the route via Las Manos) for heavy trucks in 2026 is not verified.
• The association statements date from 2017, before the DUCA (2019), and appear to be rounded up.

See the Costa Rica – Honduras route · Open it in the route planner · Get a quote for this destination

Where the days come from. 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.

Alternate route. Via Las Manos and Tegucigalpa (CA-6 and CA-5): approx. 1,030 km.

What changes the time on this corridor

• 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.

Route notes

• Reference route: Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule, CA-1, Canal Seco (Goascorán – Villa de San Antonio) and CA-5; it does not go through Tegucigalpa.
• The identification of the Canal Seco relies on JICA (2017); there is no official confirmation that it is the road authorized for international transit.
• Approximate breakdown: Costa Rica 293 km, Nicaragua 309 km, Honduras 402 km.
• The same association states 3 days from San José to Puerto Cortés.
• The association statements date from 2017, before the DUCA (2019), and appear to be rounded up.

See the Costa Rica – Honduras route · Open it in the route planner · Get a quote for this destination

Where the days come from. 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 time on this corridor

• 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.

Route notes

• Reference route: Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule, the stretch across southern Honduras (130 km), El Amatillo and CA-1 through San Miguel.
• Approximate breakdown: Costa Rica 293 km, Nicaragua 309 km, Honduras 130 km, El Salvador 193 km.
• 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.

See the Costa Rica – El Salvador route · Open it in the route planner · Get a quote for this destination

Where the days come from. 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.

Alternate route. Via San Cristóbal (CA-1) instead of La Hachadura: approx. 1,200 km.

What changes the time on this corridor

• 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.

Route notes

• Reference route: the same as San José – San Salvador; then Sonsonate, La Hachadura / Pedro de Alvarado, CA-2 Oriente, Escuintla and CA-9 Sur.
• Approximate breakdown: Costa Rica 293 km, Nicaragua 309 km, Honduras 130 km, El Salvador 314 km, Guatemala 163 km.
• Las Chinamas / Valle Nuevo does not take loaded trucks (JICA 2017; SIECA/JICA Master Plan 2023); cargo crosses at La Hachadura or at San Cristóbal.
• The DSV time is for a single operator and for consolidated cargo with a weekly departure.
• The association statements date from 2017, before the DUCA (2019), and appear to be rounded up.

See the Costa Rica – Guatemala route · Open it in the route planner · Get a quote for this destination

Where the days come from. 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.

Alternate route. Via the full Route 2 (Cerro de la Muerte) instead of the Costanera Sur: approx. 840 km.

What changes the time on this corridor

• 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.

Route notes

• Reference route: Route 27, Costanera Sur (Route 34), Route 2, Paso Canoas and the Panamericana through David and Santiago.
• Approximate breakdown: Costa Rica 358 km, Panama 492 km.
• The DSV time is for a single operator, with weekly departures from Panama.
• The association statements date from 2017, before the DUCA (2019), and appear to be rounded up.

See the Costa Rica – Panama route · Open it in the route planner · Get a quote for this destination

• 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.
• El Guasaule. 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.
• El Amatillo. 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.
• La Hachadura / Pedro de Alvarado. Advance declaration mandatory since August 24, 2022.
• Paso Canoas. Time difference: Panama (UTC−5) is one hour ahead of Costa Rica (UTC−6) all year.
• Las Manos. The condition of the CA-6 (the route via Las Manos) for heavy trucks in 2026 is not verified.
• San Cristóbal. Advance declaration mandatory since August 22, 2023.

Closed semitrailer with an exterior length of 53’ (16.15 m): the equipment with the most volume, loaded and unloaded through the rear door.

Ideal for

• Bulky dry cargo: ≈ 115 m³, versus ≈ 76 m³ in the 40’ HC
• Palletized cargo: 26 US pallets, not stacked
• Loading and unloading through the rear door at a dock

Not for

• Temperature-controlled cargo
• Cargo loaded from above or from the side

Spec sheet notes

• Typical specifications from manufacturers and leasing companies in the US and Canada; the equipment assigned may differ.
• Design gross weight (GVWR) of 68,000 lb (≈ 30,844 kg) at Hyundai Translead, Wabash and Premier; Utility publishes 65,000 lb (≈ 29,484 kg) and is the only spec sheet with a load capacity: 55,000 lb (≈ 24,948 kg). The gross weight (GVWR) and the load capacities are design values under US standards; they are not legal limits in Central America.
• Dimensions with swing doors; the figure published is the low end across spec sheets (interior width of 2.54 to 2.58 m; height of 2.79 to 2.83 m). The volume is the one from Hyundai Translead, the only spec sheet that publishes it.
• With a roll-up door: 15.89 m of interior length, an opening of 2.37 × 2.67 m and a tare of 14,200 lb (≈ 6,441 kg).
• Exterior of 16.15 × 2.60 × 4.11 m: it uses the full maximum width of the Central American Agreement (2.60 m) and stands about 4 cm below the maximum height of the Central American Agreement (4.15 m). The length of the tractor plus dry van combination was not verified against the 22.40 m maximum.
• Pallets: figure from a US secondary source (Freightquote), not stacked. The same source cites up to 30 per full truckload, which is only possible with the pallets turned.

Closed semitrailer with a nominal exterior length of 48’ (14.63 m), loaded and unloaded through the rear door.

Ideal for

• Dry cargo, palletized or loose
• Shipments that do not need the length of a 53’ dry van

Not for

• Temperature-controlled cargo
• Cargo loaded from above or from the side

Spec sheet notes

• Partial data: only the nominal exterior length was verified (secondary source), and that manufacturers and leasing companies in the US offer it.
• Interior dimensions, volume, tare and pallet positions: no manufacturer spec sheet was found; they are confirmed with the equipment assigned.

Closed, insulated 53’ semitrailer with a refrigeration unit. The insulation takes away width, height and volume compared with the dry van.

Ideal for

• Palletized temperature-controlled cargo
• Perishable cargo in volume

Not for

• Dry cargo: 9 to 11% less volume than the 53’ dry van
• Cargo loaded from above or from the side

Spec sheet notes

• Typical specifications from manufacturers and leasing companies in the US and Canada; the equipment assigned may differ.
• Design gross weight (GVWR) of 68,000 lb (≈ 30,844 kg) at Hyundai Translead and Premier; Utility publishes 65,000 lb (≈ 29,484 kg) and is the only spec sheet with a load capacity: 55,000 lb (≈ 24,948 kg). The gross weight (GVWR) and the load capacities are design values under US standards; they are not legal limits in Central America.
• Tare: the low end (5,420 kg) is the factory weight without the refrigeration unit (Hyundai Translead; Great Dane publishes a base weight of 5,443 kg). For planning, the leasing company’s spec sheet is used: 6,641 kg ±3%, or 15,540 lb (≈ 7,049 kg) with a roll-up door.
• Dimensions with swing doors; the figure published is the low end across spec sheets (interior 15.90 × 2.47–2.48 × 2.63–2.68 m; volume 102.4 to 105.4 m³). With a roll-up door: 15.85 m of interior length and an opening of 2.35 × 2.43 m.
• Compared with the 53’ dry van it loses 9 to 10 cm of width, 11 to 17 cm of height and 9 to 11% of volume.
• Temperature range and pallet positions: no verified data. There is no verified data for the 48’ reefer trailer either.

Flat-deck semitrailer, with no walls or roof, 14.63 m long and 2.59 m wide.

Ideal for

• Cargo loaded from the side or from above
• Long or irregularly shaped cargo

Not for

• Cargo that needs protection from the weather
• High Cube container: it exceeds the maximum height
• Tall cargo: that calls for a lowboy

Spec sheet notes

• Typical specifications from manufacturers and leasing companies in the US and Canada; the equipment assigned may differ.
• Deck of 14.63 × 2.59 m, ≈ 1.51 m off the ground at the front (Utility). The spec sheet does not publish tare or load capacity.
• Design gross weight (GVWR) of 73,000 lb (≈ 33,112 kg) and a beam with a structural capacity of 80,000 lb (≈ 36,287 kg) of uniformly spread load (Utility). The gross weight (GVWR) and the load capacities are design values under US standards; they are not legal limits in Central America.
• Height on the road (indicative calculation): a High Cube container on a standard flatbed stands at ≈ 4.41 m and exceeds the 4.15 m maximum of the Central American Agreement; an 8’6” one stands at ≈ 4.10 m.
• Step deck (drop deck) variant: front deck of 3.35 m and rear deck ≈ 1.02 m off the ground (Utility).
• Design concentrated load on Hyundai Translead flatbeds of 32’ to 53’: 60,000 lb (≈ 27,216 kg) over 3.05 m and 55,000 lb (≈ 24,948 kg) over 1.22 m.

• Central American Agreement, T3-S2. 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.
• Guatemala (domestic dry cargo), T3-S2. 37,960 kg (domestic limit according to the DGC, 2012; indicative figure) − tractor 8,500 kg − dry van 6,060 kg. Low confidence. The total length of the combination must be checked against 22.00 m (according to the DGC, 2012).
• Costa Rica, T3-S2. 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.

• 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.
• Guatemala. Length of 22.00 m according to the DGC (2012): it is lower than that of the Central American Agreement and is shown as a prudent value; with a 53’ dry van the actual combination must be measured. Width and height match the Agreement.
• Panama. A 53’ dry van measures ≈2.60 m in exterior width and 16.15 m in length without the tractor: it exceeds the 2.50 m width and, with the tractor, the 16.70 m length, so it would require a Permiso Especial de Operación (our own calculation from a manufacturer’s spec sheet).
• 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).

What it is. Declaration for trade in goods originating in Central America. It includes the producer’s declaration of origin and the exporter’s certification (boxes 61 and 62).

Who issues it. 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 it is needed. 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.

What it is. Document that contains the overland transport contract: it describes the goods and the conditions of transport and names the consignee.

Who issues it. The carrier, with the data provided by the shipper.

When it is needed. Always in overland transport: it is the transport document that supports the declarations and is attached to the DUCA-T.

What it is. International overland customs transit declaration: it states what is on the truck, which customs office it leaves from, where it passes through and which one it arrives at. It covers the cargo of a single means of transport and serves as the manifest, except for overseas or consolidated cargo.

Who issues it. 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.

When it is needed. 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.

What it is. List the carrier presents on arrival or departure of the means of transport: transport documents, packages, weights, containers, consignees and hazardous cargo.

Who issues it. The carrier.

When it is needed. On entry and exit of means of transport; it can be transmitted in advance. In international overland transit the DUCA-T replaces it, except for overseas or consolidated cargo.

What it is. Security devices that close the unit during transit: seals, mechanical or electronic customs seals (marchamos) and customs stamps. They carry the ISO code of the country and a unique number, and are single-use, except for reusable electronic ones.

Who issues it. They are acquired and distributed by customs or by whoever customs authorizes; the cost is paid by the interested party. In Costa Rica the electronic seal can be supplied by approved private companies.

When it is needed. In customs transit (in-bond): the seal of the customs office of departure is valid in the other countries for the whole route, and only customs can break it or authorize breaking it. The regional regulation does not impose a mandatory electronic seal; in Costa Rica, transfers and transits use an electronic seal as determined by Costa Rica’s Directorate General of Customs (Ley General de Aduanas, art. 141 bis).

More kilometers mean more fuel and more driver days. From San José to Managua it is approx. 440 km; to Ciudad de Guatemala, approx. 1,210 km.

What helps: Check the kilometers and the border crossings on the route in the route planner before asking for a price.

Each crossing adds paperwork and a line: there are four on the way to Ciudad de Guatemala. A physical inspection or reduced holiday hours can leave the dry van stopped for hours or days.

What helps: Check the hours of each crossing in the border crossings table and avoid arriving on a holiday.

A detail that does not match the invoice or the waybill forces a correction of the transit declaration. While it is sorted out, the dry van waits.

What helps: Send the document list, complete and legible, before loading.

The load is planned to the limit of the strictest country on the route. A heavy load may call for a 3-axle dry van, and an overweight unit cannot continue until the excess is removed.

What helps: Declare the real weight in the request and test it in the load calculator.

A dry van held up while loading, unloading or at customs cannot make another trip. Once the agreed free time is over, the wait is charged as truck detention.

What helps: Have the cargo, the dock and the documents ready at the agreed time. Who charges what is in the detention and demurrage guide.

If the dry van comes back without cargo, that leg is also part of the trip. It matters more on the Panama route: at present that country does not let carriers with a Costa Rican code load on the way back (a measure subject to change).

What helps: Tell us if there is return cargo or flexibility on the date.

During Holy Week and at year-end Guatemala suspends heavy truck traffic and border crossings change their hours. A dry van held up by a ban adds days to the trip.

What helps: Book ahead and check the dates that stop trucks.

A reefer trailer or a flatbed does not cost the same as a dry van. And a combination that exceeds a country’s dimensions needs a special permit to travel.

What helps: Ask for the equipment the cargo needs. Dimensions are in the dry vans, flatbeds and chassis guide and limits in the weights and dimensions guide.

From San José to Ciudad de Guatemala it is approx. 1,210 km by road and four border crossings: Peñas Blancas, El Guasaule, El Amatillo and La Hachadura / Pedro de Alvarado. The public reference is 4 days one way, as stated by truckers’ associations and by one operator: an indicative range, not a delivery commitment. What changes it is the processing at each border, Guatemala’s holiday bans and the rush hours of San Salvador and Ciudad de Guatemala; the detail is on the Costa Rica – Guatemala route page.

Managua: approx. 440 km and 2 days; Tegucigalpa: approx. 790 km and 2–4 days; San Pedro Sula: approx. 1,000 km and 3 days; San Salvador: approx. 920 km and 3–6 days; Panama City: approx. 850 km and 2–3 days. These are one-way travel days stated by truckers’ associations or by one operator: an indicative range, not a promise. The destinations table lists the border crossings on each route, and the transit times guide explains what changes the days.

By space: 115.2 m³ and 26 US pallets, not stacked, according to manufacturer spec sheets. By weight, the road governs, not the trailer: under the Central American Agreement the whole combination (tractor, dry van and cargo) cannot exceed 37,000 kg with a 2-axle dry van, which leaves an estimated payload of 18,900–23,900 kg depending on what the tractor weighs. These are indicative values, confirmed with the actual tare of the unit: test your load in the load calculator.

The basics: the commercial invoice, the number of the DUCA-F already transmitted if the goods originate in Central America (or of the export declaration if they do not), the data for the waybill (carta de porte) and the sanitary permits if the product is regulated. With those, the DUCA-T, the transit declaration, is prepared. The complete document checklist is on this page, and every document is explained in the documents guide.

They are two different procedures, and only the transit belongs to the carrier. GoTruck is a licensed customs carrier (code CR02343) and the dry van travels with a waybill (carta de porte) and under international customs transit. The export in Costa Rica and the import in the destination country are declarations of the exporter and the importer, who file them with their customs broker; how the paperwork is split is on the customs transit page.

The transit declaration (DUCA-T) covers the cargo of a single means of transport, from the customs office of departure to the customs office of destination, and the seal of the customs office of departure is valid in the other countries on the route. The regional regulation only allows a transshipment on request and under the control of the nearest customs office, with a new seal; changing only the tractor is not a transshipment, but it has to be justified at the next customs office on the route.

It depends on 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. In the rest of the region, the transit regulation does not treat picking up export cargo as cabotage: tell us the origin, the destination and the goods and we will tell you how that trip is handled.

Cargo insurance is arranged per shipment and quoted together with the freight. Ask for it in your request and we will tell you the coverage and the cost for that trip.