Want a “free ride”? The train from Pavas to San Pedro will begin official operations today, and for today only it’s free! Beginning Monday the ride will cost 300 colones and will last 60 minutes. The line runs from Tropigás, in Pavas to La Universidad Latina, in San Pedro. The current schedule:

Morning
Begins at Estación del Pacífico(center) 5:08 a.m. arrives Tropigás 5:40 a.m.
Leaves Tropigás 5:44 a.m. arrives Estación del Pacífico 6:16 a.m.
Leaves Estación al Pacífico 6:18 a.m. arrives Tropigás 6:50 a.m.
Leaves Tropigás 6:54 a.m. arrives Universidad Latina 7:55 a.m.
Leaves Universidad Latina 8:05 a.m. arrives Estación del Pacífico 8:32 a.m.

Afternoon
Leaves Tropigás 2:15 p.m. arrives Estación del Pacífico 2:47 p.m.
Leaves Estación del Pacífico 4:31 p.m. arrives Universidad Latina 4:58 p.m.
Leaves Universidad Latina 5:10 p.m. arrives Tropigás 6:11 p.m.
Leaves Tropigás 6:15 p.m. arrives Estación del Pacífico 6:47 p.m.

Tired of unfulfilled promises, the mayors of towns in Guanacaste met Tuesday and agreed to issue an ultimatum to the Ministry of Transport and Public Works (MOPT). The “Nicoya Pact” gives President Pacheco 8 days to act or the municipal governments will march on San José with their machinery and workers. The pact is signed by the mayors of Nicoya, Hojancha, Nandayure, Liberia, Bagaces, Cañas, Carrillo, Abangares and Santa Cruz.

The protest is over the terrible state of the roads in the area, which the mayors say are the responsibility of MOPT.

More rain is forecast for the Pacific Coast through Thursday, thanks to Hurricane Stan. The BBC reports that the number killed across Central America by Tropical Storm Stan is at least 230. In Costa Rica “only” 2 fatalities were reported, Josué Caravaca, a 10 year old, who fell into the Sardinal river, and Mauren Arroyo Bolaños, 36, who was buried by a mud slide. Neighbors testified that irregularities in the development, particularly the earthworks for lots, had been deteced since 1997 and that this lot had been approved for construction in 2003 despite warnings from knowlegeable people that the lot was at risk.

On Wednesday RiTeVe announced changes to the documents it will provide for vehicles that pass the technical inspection. The changes are necessary because of a strong black market in counterfeit inspection papers.

Currently every vehicle that passes the inspection receives a windshield sticker and 2 other papers, with the changes only a single document will be given out. The old documentation will still be valid until the vehicles next inspection.

The new documents have several features that make them much more difficult to counterfeit including holographic seals, invisible fibers and watermarks.

43 flights arriving after 4: 30 pm on Wednesday and Thursday were rerouted due to heavy fog at the Juan Santamaria International Airport. Flights were diverted to Liberia, Panama and Nicaragua, depending on the airline.

According to meteorologists the situation is due to low pressure in the Caribbean combined with winds from the Pacific that bring high humidity to the Central Valley. These conditions will prevail through the weekend and similar delays are a real possibility.