Editing Transport in Nicaragua (section)

==Road transport==

The road infrastructure is very well spread across the Pacific side, while the Atlantic side has less infrastructure. As of 2009, from a total of 19,137&nbsp;km 2,033&nbsp;km are paved and 17,104&nbsp;km are unpaved.<ref name=cia-factbook/>

===Public transport===

[[Public transport]] in [[Nicaragua]] is mostly served by [[buses]] on both short and wide range distances. There are five different types, based on the size of the [[vehicle]], [[target group]], frequency of stops and distance.<ref name=gestern-heute-öffentlicher-verkehr>{{cite web |url=https://nico.dorfbrunnen.eu/de/posts/2018/gestern-heute-verkehr-nicaragua/ |title=Gestern und heute: Öffentlicher Verkehr in Nicaragua |last=Gütschow |first=Mikolai-Alexander |date=July 7, 2018 |publisher=Nico Alt |access-date=July 11, 2018}}</ref>

====Urban buses====

[[File:Urban bus at Ferrecalle, Estelí.jpg|thumb|Former school bus at Ferrecalle in [[Estelí]] used as urban bus on the line from Hospital to Oscar Gamez.]]

[[File:Urban bus at Hospital, Estelí.jpg|thumb|Former school bus at Hospital in [[Estelí]] used as urban bus on the line from Hospital to Villa Cuba.]]

[[Transit bus|Urban buses]] (''Urbanos'') can be found in [[Managua]], [[Estelí]], [[León, Nicaragua|León]], [[Chinandega]], [[Matagalpa]] and [[Bluefields]]. In most cases, [[passengers]] have to pay for each ride on a bus, with the need to pay again when switching to another. The costs differ from 2.50 C$ in [[Managua]] to 10 C$ in [[Bluefields]].<ref name=gestern-heute-öffentlicher-verkehr/>

An urban bus in Nicaragua takes the same road multiple times per day, following a more or less strict [[Public transport timetable|schedule]]. The organization of the buses in different towns differs heavily as every town is organizing it on their own behalf. In Estelí, every bus driver is assisted by mostly two persons helping them (''Ayudantes''). Bus drivers in Managua have to manage their jobs on their own.<ref name=gestern-heute-öffentlicher-verkehr/>

Another fact that heavily differs is the vehicles used in the different cities. In Managua mostly urban buses sponsored by [[Russia]] are used, in Estelí former school buses from the [[United States]], in Bluefields [[Japan]]ese [[Light commercial vehicle|light commercial]] [[van]]s and in León [[pickup trucks]] that got extended with seats and a roof.<ref name=gestern-heute-öffentlicher-verkehr/>

[[File:Bus stop sign in Estelí.jpg|thumb|Bus stop sign in [[Estelí]]]]

The quality of [[bus stops]] also heavily differs. In the center of Managua many proper bus stops exist with roofs or at least signs, in other areas there often isn't any indication of a bus stop. Nevertheless, buses serve a network of established stops with common names known by bus assistants. Passengers need to know or ask where and when which bus stops.<ref name=gestern-heute-öffentlicher-verkehr/>

To improve the accessibility of public transport, in 2016 the [[OpenStreetMap]] group in Nicaragua [https://www.mapanica.net/comunidad.html MapaNica] [[Crowdsourcing|crowdsourced]] with the help of more than 150 citizens of Managua the first bus [[transit map]] in the whole of [[Central America]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://confidencial.com.ni/the-true-geographers-take-the-buses/ |title=The true geographers take the bus |last=Delattre |first=Felix |date=February 2, 2016 |publisher=Confidencial |access-date=July 23, 2018 |quote="But two years ago, a group inhabitants of Managua by own initiative decided to take the feat and create the first bus network map in whole Central America. [...] This way more than 150 citizens collaborated in this gigantic task to map all routes and bus stops of the two cities. [...] The map is handed over today at 9am at one of the main and most central bus stops (UCA)."}}</ref> Later in 2018, they made this data machine-accessible, serving it today in different apps on several platforms.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.mapanica.net/presentation-casa-vinculos-esteli/ |title=OpenStreetMap and the Buses in Nicaragua – Presentation in Casa Vínculos, Estelí |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=March 8, 2018 |publisher=MapaNica |access-date=July 23, 2018 |quote="Six months later, the two groups started working together to improve the dates and to bring the project to the next level which they presented in this talk: the first mobile application to navigate through the public transport in Managua, Estelí and some national routes."}}</ref>

Urban buses in Managua will be use Brazilian [[dual-mode bus]] and [[hybrid electric bus]] that are currently in evaluation process.

====Suburban buses====

Suburban buses (''Suburbanos'') connect larger cities with communities in outer areas. They only stop a few times inside the city, later nearly everywhere where passengers request to get off. Like with urban buses, a team serves a route several times per day and the service is organized by the local government. Prices can vary depending on the distance.<ref name=gestern-heute-öffentlicher-verkehr/>

====Ruteados====

[[File:Ruteado in COTRAN Sur, Estelí, Nicaragua.jpg|thumb|Ruteado at COTRAN Sur, [[Estelí]]]]

Connecting two or more cities, Ruteados (also called ''Servicio Ordinario'') are the biggest part of bus services in Nicaragua.<ref name=gestern-heute-öffentlicher-verkehr/>

====Express buses====

[[File:Express long-distance bus in Nicaragua.jpg|thumb|Express bus in Nicaragua]]

[[Express bus service|Express buses]] (''Expresos'') connect, like Ruteados and share taxis, two or more cities, but with less stops, resulting in a faster travel time.<ref name=gestern-heute-öffentlicher-verkehr/>

====Share taxis====

[[File:Interlocal at COTRAN Norte, Estelí, Nicaragua.jpg|thumb|Share taxi at COTRAN Norte, [[Estelí]]]]

[[Share taxis]] are called ''Interlocales'' in Nicaragua and also connect two or more cities, like Ruteados and express buses, with the main difference that they depart from the bus station once they are filled either mostly or completely with passengers. Like express buses, they nearly don't stop between start and destination.<ref name=gestern-heute-öffentlicher-verkehr/>