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Bus
Terminals Bursting At Capacity
Just about every bus terminals
in San José is at maximum
capacity. And today, Wednesday,
will be the worst when anyone
with plans to leave San José for
the next several days will be
amassing on the various bus
stations.
With bags in hand, sunglasses,
sun screen, sandwiches, bottled
drinks and in some cases gifts
for family members are what
travellers are carrying, as they
head for anywhere but San José.
The increase if the number of
travellers will be exponential
with every passing hour as those
who have had to work this week
will be heading straight for a
bus soon after quitting time.
Those who haven't bought a
ticket will have to wait in hope
that someone doesn't make it or
face having to spend the next
several days in San José.
Immigration officials have
reinforced manpower at the
border control points, epecially
at Peñas Blancas, the northern
control point with Nicaragua,
where more than 40.000
Nicaraguans are expected to
cross into Nicaragua today and
tomorrow and then back to Costa
Rica on Sunday and Monday.
Border control hours have been
extended and the number of
officials handling the crowds
will be on hand.
Bus operators to the beaches and
mountains have added more buses
to handle the heavy traffic over
the holiday. For example,
Autotransportes Jacó is
operating 20 buses carrying some
1.100 persons daily during this
week. Pirate taxis and bus
operators are also on hand to
carry passengers who could not
get a seat on the regular bus
and will face paying anywhere
from ¢5.000 to ¢7.500 each.
At the other side of town, the
Caribeños - the bus to and from
Limón - said it is operating 110
buses on the route and expects
to transport some 15.000 people
a day to and from the Caribbean
coast and San José. Tracopa,
that operates to the zona sur -
Golfito, etc. - says it more
than doubled its number of buses
from 15 to 32, carrying some
2.000 people a day.
Of course, while many head out
of San José, there are a number
that staying behind on purpose,
taking advantage of the
abandoned homes. The Fuerza
Pública advises that Semana
Santa they usually experience an
increase in crime, especially
break-ins. Pick pocketing and
stealing of unattended bags is
another common crime at bus
terminals, and police are asking
for people to be extra aware of
their surroundings and denounce
any unusual activity.
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