Hi
in March 2010 i wanna travel from Mexico City to Guanacaste in Costa Rica. My question is how i can travel this way cheap and fast. I think i prefer traveling with bus because i wanna see the smaller countries between Mexico and Costa Rica, too but i have only 4 weeks for the journey. The Ticabus for example don't starts in Mexico City but in Tapachula. Anyway i wanna make the journey from MC to CR in one ride and visit the smaller countries on the way back. Does anybody know a apropriate busline? How much will it cost and can i buy the busticket immediately before the ride? And how do i find cheap hostels in central america, where i can stay without booking? Has anybody here experience and good tips to such a journey?

Thank You for your helps!!!

Have you tried googling:

bus from Mexico City to San Jose Costa Rica
hostels in central america

The only thing I can tell you is that it takes a long time by bus and there are several overnights. Maybe you should fly one way and then take the bus back.

There is no single bus company that makes that trip. You could get from Mexico City to Tapachula, in the state of Chiapas, in one trip, about 18 hours. Then you'd use Ticabus the rest of the way. Even Ticabus would not go striaght through; it would stop for the night in Guatemala City, Tegucigalpa, and Managua. Any of those tickets, I would buy at least a day in advance.

I think a good guidebook to Central America would answer a lot of your questions about places to stay.

Besides a decent guidebook (Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Moon Handbook) check the forum similar to this one called The Thorn Tree, over at www.lonelyplanet.com

There are more backpacking, hoste-staying, bus-riding type travelers who post there than only a few here at Fodor's.