Migrants can get a bus from the Darién Gap across Panama, Costa Rica on their journey north

Following an influx of migrants in 2023, the governments of Panama and Costa Rica partnered to create a system of chartered buses to take migrants north. The system runs from the Darien region of Panama through Costa Rica to Nicaragua. Most migrants using the system hope to reach the United States. The Costa Rican government charges $30 per person for a ride to the Nicaraguan border. Some who can’t afford it are given a “humanitarian” waiver, but they are often placed on buses without air conditioning. Migrants without sufficient funds and who don’t receive a humanitarian pass often work odd jobs in Costa Rica to save up for the bus fare.