If you’re planning to visit Montezuma, Tambor, Santa Teresa, Malpaís, Paquera or any beach on the Nicoya Peninsula from San Jose, taking the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera is one of the best ways to get there.
In this article, you will learn exactly how to take this ferry. We’ll give step by step instructions for buying tickets, how to cross with a car or by foot and how long the ferry is.
There is also an instructional video at this end of this post. We will also show you how to take the ferry to Naranjo which is almost exactly the same as the ferry to Paquera from Puntarenas.
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Taking the Ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera
The ferry takes you through Gulf of Nicoya so you get a nice scenic cruise. You’ll pass by a few islands along the way.
Puntarenas Ferry Location
The Puntarenas ferry is at the very end of “Paseo de los Turistas.” This is the main road that goes parallel along the coast. If you’re driving from San Jose, the drive is very easy on the highway, taking around 1 hour and 45 minutes without traffic.
DO expect traffic however, so we highly recommend to leave one hour earlier as there is usually traffic and congestion from downtown.
You can put in Google Maps “Ferry El Carmen Puntarenas” as your destination for the ferry. If you use Waze, you can enter “Atracadero Ferry Paquera – Naranjo” as your destination.
Puntarenas Paquera Ferry Schedule
Here is the schedule for the ferry from Puntarena to Paquera.
Puntarenas – Paquera: 4 AM, 630 AM, 9 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM, 6 PM, 8 PM and 10 PM.
Paquera – Puntarenas: 4 AM, 630 AM, 9 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM, 6 PM, 8 PM and 10 PM.
Purchasing Ferry Tickets Online
You can purchase your ferry ticket online on the Quickpay CR website. *Please note that we are not associated or are affiliated with them. We cannot fix website problems or purchase tickets for you. Contact them if you have any questions.*
They only sell a certain number of tickets online. Once those are sold out, you will then have to buy tickets in person.
Step 1: Choose Your Destination
Choose if you’re going from Puntarenas to Paquera or Paquera to Puntarenas. Then select your date. Then the hours will pop up, select which ferry time you want.
Click “Siguiente” which means next.
Step 2: Choose your ticket
Now, it’ll ask if you have a rental car or if you are a foot passenger. If you have a rental car, choose “Vehiculo.” Then it will pop up a list of various vehicles. Choose “Vehiculo Liviano Automovil/SUV” which is for all cars like sedans and SUVs.
If you are driving a pick up truck that has a red license plate, then you need to choose “Vehiculo Carga Liviana Placa CL.” (Do not select “Con Remolque” which means with a trailer…unless you are bringing a trailer).
If you do not have a rental car, then you choose “Persona(s)” which means you are buying foot passenger tickets.
Then you need to select the number of adults, kids and seniors in your group. This is for everyone in your party. If you have a rental car and two adults, then you purchase one ticket for your car and then two adult passenger tickets.
Step 3: General Information
In this last step before entering credit card details, you need to enter your license plate number if you are coming with a car, your full name, your phone number and a working email which will have the tickets emailed to.
For rental cars, normally agencies do not assign cars until the day before or day of, so if you’re renting a car, enter any 6 digit number or put in RENTALCAR. You do not need to select “Datos para factura” unless you need a Costa Rican invoice.
Accept terms and conditions and click “Comprar” which means buy.
Step 4: Payment
A small box will pop up to confirm your information is correct, then a new browser tab will appear for you to click “Confirmar Compra” and enter your credit card details.
Once you purchase the tickets, they’ll email you the receipt and confirmation.
Tickets are non refundable. You can take a screenshot of your emailed ticket.
If you don’t see any tickets available for your date/time slot, it could be that they are already sold out. They may only have in-person tickets available. If you are not able to buy them online, you will have to buy them in person.
Purchasing Ferry Tickets in Person
To purchase your ticket in person, you need to go to the ticket office across the street from the ferry dock. It’s on the right hand side with a large blue sign that says “BOLETERIA.”
**If you are traveling on a weekend or during the months of December through April and need to buy tickets in person, make sure to arrive at least 1.5-2 hours early to purchase tickets in person as those are busy tourism season months. If you are traveling during Christmas, New Years or Easter, I would arrive 2-3 hours early if you can’t purchase tickets beforehand*
When we took the 2 pm ferry, the ticket office didn’t open until 12:45 PM since the workers were on lunch. For our next trips, we always purchased tickets online the night before.
When buying tickets in person, tell the cashier how many adults and children and if you have a car. I bought tickets for me, Yeison and our car so I told the lady “Dos adultos y un carro liviano por favor.”
Taking the Ferry With a Car
*You should arrive to the dock at least 1 hour before your ferry time if you already purchased tickets during high season (January – March).*
If you have a car, you will need to drive onto the car loading area by the dock. There is an officer wearing a yellow vest that will tell you where to go to wait in line.
There is also a sign that says “Fila de Ferry – Line to Ferry) when you are close. Follow it and there will be a line to the Naranjo and Paquera ferry on your left hand side. Make sure you get in the right ferry line!
Once you park in the waiting area, the ferry attendant will ask you for your tickets. If you purchased them online, you can show it to him on your phone.
When driving onto the dock, everyone except the driver must get out and board the boat by foot. Make sure all the foot passengers have their physical ticket with the. They will have to show it t the agent to board the ferry.
The loading time starts about 1 hour before departure. There is a loud speaker that will announce when it’s time to load the ferry and it is in English and Spanish.
If you’re renting a car, make sure to check out our special Costa Rica car rental discount and extra benefits!
If You are a Foot Passenger
For those traveling without a car, the process is the same. If you’re arriving by bus, you will get off the bus right at the ferry ticket office.
While you wait to board the ferry, there is a waiting area under a large white tarp in the dock loading area.
When they start loading the ferry, you will follow the foot passenger line to board the ferry. You’ll show the ticket to the ferry attendant and then board the boat.
The Ferry
The ferry has bathrooms and a cafeteria selling snacks, food, water, coffee and drinks. There are outside seating areas as well as an inside air conditioned cabin with televisions. You can sit anywhere you want. There is an open free Wifi network that requires you to sign up to use.
The ferry is also pet friendly. There is a specific area for pets on the bottom level with the cars. It’s called “area para mascotas” and they must be on a leash.
As soon as it’s time to leave, they will make an announcement over the loud speaker in English and Spanish.
The ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera takes around an hour. You will cruise through the Gulf of Nicoya and the views are beautiful. You’ll see a few islands and the Nicoya Penninsula coastline.
Getting off the ferry
When the ferry is close to Paquera, you will hear an announcement for drivers to get into their cars. Once the ferry is docked, foot passengers will get off first and then cars.
Once you get off, you can take a taxi, take the bus or drive to your next destination. There are buses from Paquera to Cobano, Montezuma and Santa Teresa.
I asked for the price of a taxi from Paquera ferry dock to Santa Teresa and the driver I asked told me it is around 30,000 CRC (~$60 USD).
Please note this is just what that particular driver told me that day, the price may change depending on the time of year and how that taxi driver feels that day.
Puntarenas Paquera Ferry Video
Watch a video of us taking the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera below. You’ll see where the ticket office is, what the ferry is like and how the roads are.
As you can see, taking the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera is super easy and fun!
Naranjo Ferry
If you are taking the Puntarenas ferry to Naranjo, the process is the same (same location) to board. The Naranjo ferry has a separate line for cars.
You can buy tickets online but it is on a different website: Coonatramar. It is similar to the Paquera ferry site and will ask for how many adults, kids and seniors there are. They also have prices for bicycles, motorcycles, cars, etc.
To buy tickets in person, their ticket office is a bit down the street from the Paquera ferry and the loading area is right next to the Paquera dock.
The ferry leaves Puntarenas to Playa Naranjo at 330 AM, 530 AM, 730 AM, 930 AM, 1130 AM, 130 PM, 330 PM, 530 PM, 730 PM and 930 PM.
The ferry returns to Puntarenas from Playa Naranjo at the same times.
The Naranjo ferry is the best option if you want to go to Samara.
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Tyler says
Hi,
Thank you for all the information. We plan to arrive SJO at 11:30, Easter weekend. We have no checked bags, but do have a surf board bag. We have to pick up our rental car, then plan to head to the ferry. Do you think we’ll be able to make the 3pm ferry, or should we get the 6pm ticket? And if we buy the 3pm ticket, is there a way to switch it, if we don’t make it in time?
Thank you!
Sammi says
I’d pick the 6 PM, Easter weekend is usually crazy busy for traffic as lots of city Costa Ricans will be going in and out. I am not 100% sure, but I don’t believe you can switch tickets if you pre-buy the 3 PM and need another time slot, they usually do not give refunds so you’d have to buy another ticket. I’d recommend the later time as not to rush or be stressed on the road, and then you can have time to get some lunch without rushing
Tyler says
That’s what I was thinking. Thanks for confirming!
Steve says
For the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry, is there parking available at the Puntarenas ferry terminal to leave your car for a day trip?
Sammi says
The ferry terminal does not provide parking but there are some local houses that offer private parking, there was a close by one called Cabinas Frank.
Franchesca says
Hi there 🙂
I just purchased our ticket for our rental vehicle and 4 passengers for early January.
I received this (*** in place of numbers for privacy)
Hello Franchesca
The transaction in Naviera Tambor – Website for a value of ₡17,052.87 has been APPROVED
Date 2024-12-18 21:03:15 GMT-06:00
Reference *****
Worth ₡17 052,87
Description *****
Payment method Visa
Card *******
Authorization *****
Receipt *******
———————–
No where does the receipt say the date/time we are traveling or the number of passengers.
Do I just trust that everything went through properly or am I missing a step here.
Thank you so much for your amazing blog!
Sammi says
That’s exactly the receipt they sent us as well, but they will have it in their system.
Mia Johansen says
Hi
How long in advance can you book the ferry? Just tried it today and it looks like you can only book in October and November – we need tickets at the end of December.
Thanks for all the guides.
yeison says
Hello Mia,
It seems they haven’t opened the spaces for December yet. I would recommend checking back again by the end of the month. We will add this information to the post.
December is one of the busiest months, so make sure to set a reminder.
Thank you for reading Mytanfeet. Feel free to contact us if you have any other questions.
Tony says
Hello, thank you for this detailed step by step instruction. I’m hiring a driver to the ferry, then another at the other end. Is there somewhere on the ferry to store luggage during the trip? If not, can i stay in the area para mascotas on the lower level? I will have a lot of heavy bags, and won’t be able to lug them up the stairs to the upper deck. Thank you for all your tips and tricks!
Sammi says
Hi Tony, I am not sure of luggage storage, I don’t recall seeing any and most people had their luggage with them. In case you have a lot and can’t make it up the upper level, you can go to the mascostas area on the lower level.
peter Vandermey says
Hi, Fantastic blog BTW. really helping us plan our 2 months in CR.
I will be taking the ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera in order to get to Montezuma. How do I get from Montezuma to Santa Teresa? And from Santa Teresa, how do I get to Nosara? should i take the ferry back from paqura to Puntarenas? (I am driving from Santa Teresa to Tamarando.) Thanks for your input!!
Sammi says
Hi Peter, I’m glad the blog is helpful. From Montezuma to Santa Teresa, if you have a car, you can easily drive and then also from Santa Teresa to Nosara, we recommend to drive up the peninsula past Paquera and Naranjo, to NIcoya city and then go down to Nosara as that’s a fully paved road.
ron m sapp says
going to playa coyote which ferry to take
Sammi says
Depending on where you are coming from, you may not need to take the ferry if you’ll be coming from Liberia. Or you can take the Naranjo ferry and go up the Nicoya Peninsula and down the 162
Sri says
Hi! Thanks so much for your blog and it was really great to see you on the Mark Wiens video
I have two questions
1) Where exactly is Playa naranjo ferry terminal ? (Paquera ferry landing seems straightforward to locate) i cant seem to find the right naranjo ferry landing
2) I am planning to get down Paquera ferry landing-> drive to Nosara->Samara->La Fortuna in May second week (I will avoid Route 160, I dont want to do the river crossings). Is there any specific precautions I got to take in terms of road safety as a solo traveler first time in costa rica. please suggest!
thanks so much!
Sammi says
Naranjo ferry terminal is the same place as the one to Paquera in Puntarenas, they’re literally right next to each other but you buy tickets from different companies for Naranjo and Paquera. To go to Nosara, I’d take the Naranjo ferry from Puntarenas, it’s a bit closer
Ben says
Hi. Thanks for your very helpful site! I’m trying to buy ferry tickets online but I’m not sure which ticket to buy. We’ll be driving an SUV. Should I get a ticket for a “vehiculo liviano” or for a “carga liviana?” Thanks for your help!
Sammi says
Vehiculo liviano, carga liviana is for pick up trucks (red license plates). SUV is a vehiculo liviano (like a normal car)
Ben says
Thank you!!
Kajal Patel says
Hello, your blogs & videos really helped us plan our trip. We need to take ferry to Santa Teresa in couple days. Which one should I book online? We’ve a car & 2 passengers. Thank you so much
Sammi says
You will have to book the tickets for the Naranjo ferry now
Shani says
Hi there! Trying to purchase a ticket on Coonatramar and there is a spot on registration page that asks for identification. What exactly do they want here? Going to see if I can get an advance ticket. If not we will change our plans since now only 1 ferry! Thank you!
Sammi says
That means ID number, Costa Ricans all each have an ID number but you can put your passport number
Jessica Burris says
With only one ferry operating, would you suggest we drive the long way around from Arenal to Santa Teresa? We are making this drive on a Saturday, no idea if that makes a difference? How far in advance do you recommend purchasing ferry tickets with how they’re currently operating? Thank you so much for this website and all of your responses!
Sammi says
I’d say drive to avoid the hassle with the ferry and getting tickets since it’s a bit of a mess with one ferry going out and the time difference is not much, it may even be faster to drive since you don’t need to arrive early to buy tickets or figure out the situation with the ferry. I read that if you take the Naranjo ferry, it’s working normally with no changes but it’s working 24 hours, and beyond the normal schedules, they will go whenever the ferry is full.
Scott says
Do you know if there is wi-fi on the ferry?
Sammi says
There is an open network that you have to sign up to, to use the wifi
Kristy says
Hi there. I just purchased a ticket for a car, 2 adults and 2 children. Sorry if this sounds silly but received one ticket confirmation for the car and passengers. Will this suffice for everyone getting on? I read that the driver has to stay with the car but the passengers board separately. Can we do this with that one ticket?
Thank you.
Sammi says
Yes the driver will need to present the ticket to the agent who comes up to your car, all foot passengers must get off after that to get on the boat, the driver needs to drive the car onto the boat
Denis Dutrisac says
I have one car and 3 tickets for Adultos (free). When we arrive, do we still have to go in line with people waiting to buy tickets even if we bought tickets before or is there a « skip the line » procedure for those who have electronic tickets?
Sammi says
Just drive straight to the line on the boat dock for the cars, an attendant will point you which line to go to and ask for your tickets
Kay says
How long is the drive from San Jose to Montezuma?
Sammi says
If you’re driving, around 4.5-5 hours without traffic
Susan says
We are traveling on the ferry with one car and 4 people. We already bought our tickets online so how do we prove that the foot passengers have a ticket when we have to separate for the car and driver to board? Thanks for your help!
Sammi says
The car ticket is for the one car and driver, you should buy the foot passengers tickets at the office or if you buy it online, they should send a receipt
Susan says
Hi there, Thank you so much for such a great website. I’ve used it and recommended it to a bunch of people. I’m travelling Montezuma- Santa Barbara de Heredia. Taking the taxi boat from Jaco there but the departure back to Jaco is too early. Debating flying Green Airways or the drive-ferry-drive with a driver route you describe here Are the ferries reliable? I worry flights will get cancelled and then I am stuck but the driving seems long 5-6 hours. And also would you recommend keeping the same car and driver the whole time so I don’t have to fuss with luggage on the ferry? Thanks!
Sammi says
Ferries are very reliable, they are always running.
Susan says
Thank you!
Geri Gibbs says
Do you know if you can travel on the ferry with a leased pet?
Sammi says
Yes I am pretty sure you can and they have a specific section you have to go to with your pet on the second floor
Taylor says
Hi! Thanks for the tips, but just to update you do indeed need your rental car license plate to get on the ferry!
Sammi says
Yes you can also put in RENTALCAR in the box
Kenny says
Hi – thanks for this post. It helped a ton!
I was able to navigate the quickpay site. I received an email confirmation that says “La transacción en Naviera Tambor – Sitio Web por un valor de ₡901,53 ha sido APROBADA”. (I know this means the payment was approved) however…
Is this the only confirmation I should expect or should I expect a separate email with a formal ticket?
My guess is that I show this confirmation at the in-person ticket area and they give me a ticket. Is that right?
Sammi says
Yes show them the receipt and ticket and you need to show that to them
Sarah Kiley says
Hi, I absolutely love this blog! It was so helpful when we planned our first trip to CR last summer. Well it’s that time again… planning our next trip for this summer. We will be renting a car again through you and I’m thinking of starting in Jaco/Manuel Antonio area then making the trek to Tamarindo. Do you suggest we take the ferry to cross to Nicoya peninsula and then drive north?
Sammi says
You can do it that way if you want to experience the ferry, or just drive.
Jack Pitzer says
Hello,
I am trying to purchase a ticket for Nov 18 from Paquera at 6 am but I keep getting “No vehicle available”
Does this mean it’s sold out? Or do I have to purchase just before the ferry?
Regards,
Jack
Sammi says
You may need to turn off the translate if you used Google Translate on the website and purchase it in the original website, try again in a few days to see if there are tickets available. Their site is kind of wonky and I find they don’t maintain it so sometimes it runs into problems
Jim says
Hello. Your response to Jack answered 1 of my questions. I hope that you can help with another one…when purchasing a ticket online through QuickpayCR, the last screen has required fields for name, phone number, e mail address, and document number. What document number are they referring to? I can’t complete the purchase without whatever number they are looking for.
I am trying to reserve 2 adult tickets (no vehicle) from Puntarenas to Paquera for February 9, 2023. First time using the ferry and trying to avoid last minute ticket purchase (and possibility of being sold out) on the day of travel.
Thank you………………..Jim
Sammi says
It means like your ID/passport number
K says
Hello! I want to travel from Paquera to Puntarenas around Christmas! But the online website has no availability for the entire months of December and January! I will be in Paquera for 2 days. Could I purchase tickets in person the day before? Or do I need to show up 2-3 hrs before on the day I want to leave? Thank you for your time!
Sammi says
They will probably open the tickets up the closer to the dates
Lennert says
If you use Google Translate on the Ferry online service (quickpay) it won’t work.
Thanks Sammy for your great, helpful website. We are looking forward to our visit to Costa Rica in march.
Alisha Parmerlee says
I was there yesterday afternoon and the ticket booth was not open! Having to fill out the form and buy the online ticket was not easy but we managed
Olegario says
I’m going from San Jose to Samara and you guys suggested taking the ferry to Naranjo. Is that still the best option and how do I get to Samara from there? I can’t find the directions online for some reason?
Sammi says
You don’t have to take the ferry, you can drive there
Selina says
Thank you so much for all your advice. Your blogs aré so informative, clear and straight to the point. My time in costa rica has been Made so much easier because of all your posts. I usually never leave comments on blogs but i couldnt help but say a huge muchas gracias.
Sammi says
Thank you for the comment Selina and we’re glad the blog is helpful for your trip planning.
Carolina says
Hi, I’ll be driving alone with my 3 kids on January 1 from Santa Elena in Monteverde Area to Playa Santa Teresa. Is the road taking route 18 very bad? I would rather avoid the Ferry. Thanks
Sammi says
No Route 18 is a paved main highway, and then when you get to Nicoya, you’ll need to follow along Route 21 and continue around the Peninsula to Santa Teresa – do not go through the Peninsula or cut in the middle, as that is just like cow roads and bad roads.
Suzanne Kocher says
Having problems accessing the ferry site. Leaving Monteverde, Sunday, December 10, to travel to Montezuma. Thinking it would just be easier (less stressful) to drive. If the above route directions still best? Thanks so much.
Sammi says
There is a possibility tickets are sold out, you can definitely drive around the peninsula
Ange Nelson says
Hi guys – your website/blog has been SO helpful as we are planning our first trip to costa rica in February 2022. Bringing all 9 of our family, and so excited! We only have 1 week there, so trying to plan accordingly to make the most use of our time. I think we’re loving the idea of Arenol and the things up there….. but then jaco/Antonio Manuel, or the Tamarindo area….how on earth do you decide where to go??? Flying into San Jose – which doesn’t necessarily seem convenient to either of those places. And kind of a side question…..Is Monteverde worth the extra drive? Last question….We’ll be renting a car. But there’s 9 of us, so most likely we’ll need 2 cars. Is it difficult to find parking anywhere, or would that not be an issue? Thank you again so much for your awesome content!
Sammi says
Hi, you can read our post Best places in Costa Rica to get more information on places to visit and details on which one is best for you
Kathleen says
Hi, my daughter and I are looking to take the ferry from Paquera to Puntarenas and back for a short day trip/to experience the ferry. Is there a place to park our car at the Paquera ferry dock?
Thank you,
Kathleen
Sammi says
There isn’t parking besides street parking but you can bring your car on the ferry
Thomas W Chesney says
Hello
We are traveling by car from Los Suenos Marriott Resort in Herradura to the El Mangroove Hotel in Papagayo. Would you recommend taking the ferry?
Sammi says
Driving is more straightforward and is a very easy drive (going via Route 1)
Thomas W Chesney says
Thank you
Kathryn says
I am traveling solo this Friday (10/8/21) to Jaco Beach from SJO Airport. I really want to rent a car and be free to explore the country and not pay the hotel $250. for a round trip pick up. Are the roads paved between SJO and Jaco Beach? After I settle in, should I drive around on my own or is it better to take the bus? Also, I would like to visit Limon’. What’s the best way to get there and things to do there? Thanks so much!!
Sammi says
Yes, San Jose to Jaco is on a highway the whole time.
Liomn is very far from Jaco… if you go to Limon province, the tourism hub in the province is Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
aaron z says
I’ve heard the roads are really bad on the Nicoya peninnsula , do you know how it is on the way to Naranja on Route 21 from Mansion? We’re heading there in March ’22 and planning the route, From San Juanillo down to Manuel Antonio area in a day, I’m figuring 4-5 hours.
Sammi says
In March it’ll be the peak of dry season so the river will be dry and roads won’t be as bad as rainy season but you will still need a 4wd/4×4 for that area (San Juanillo/NOsara). San Juanillo to Manuel Antonio is more like 6 hours one way.
Kathleen says
Hi, I’m the odd one since I will not be driving at all. I need to find a way from my retreat in Playa Blanca, Paquera to Montezuma. It’s been very difficult finding a straight answer & makes me nervous since I’ll be a woman traveling solo. I don’t want to take a private shuttle because of high costs. My retreat will drop off everyone at the ferry. Is there a bus station at the ferry to take straight to Montezuma?
Sammi says
There are buses from Paquera ferry to Montezuma (Cobano) right at the ferry dock when you get off on the Paquera side.
Jack Holuba says
We are traveling from Tamarindo to Jaco. Would you recommend taking the ferry across or driving the entire way?
Sammi says
I would drive, it will take a lot longer to drive to Puntarenas, take the ferry and then drive from Paquera/Naranjo to Tamarindo.
Azar Jindal says
Can we take dogs on ferry?
Sammi says
Yes, there is a dedicated section for them so you must stay in that area with your dog, they cannot go inside or upstairs.
Jim Clement says
Which beach has more services like restaurants and hotels either Moctezuma or Tambor? Thank You
Sammi says
Montezuma, Costa Rica as it has an actual town, make sure to stop by the Soda Las Palmeras, it’s one of our favorites.
NORMAN ABBOTT says
We are planning of taking the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry on Friday April 7th 2023.
What are the charges for senior passengers? What is the age requirement for any senior charges?
The ferry website requests a document name and number, is a US passport number ok to use?
What about a license plate number for a rental car?
Thanks in advance for your help. Norm
Sammi says
You can type in rental car for the license plate and passport number is fine
Jan Layton says
We are in Carrillo and want to take the ferry to Puntarenas would you suggest the Naranjo ferry or the Paquera ferry?
Sammi says
Naranjo is better if coming from the Samara area
Craig says
Hi Sammi,
I plan to take the ferry on New Year’s day (January 1st), but the official website does not say whether or not they operate on holidays. Would you happen to know? Thanks!
Sammi says
I am not 100% but I would assume so! You can try to contact them on their website.
Karen says
Hi Sammi, We are thinking of going roundtrip (one day) from Punta Arenas to Paquera and back. Are the rates shown roundtrip or do we have to buy tickets in Paquera to return. Can seniors ride for free on the ferry? That’s what it looks like! Can we just stay on the ferry for the return trip? We like riding ferries as passengers, so we won’t have our car on the ferry. Any specific parking lots in Punta Arenas that you can recommend where we can leave our car?
Sammi says
Hi Karen, rates are one way, seniors don’t have a charge and you will need to get off and purchase tickets for going back but you can ask the ticket office in Puntarenas to see if you can purchase the way back since you just want to ride in one day.
For parking, we recommend to park at Cabinas Frank, it’s an official parking lot and they charge 6000 colones for a day over 5 hours. You can find them on Google Maps.
karen says
Thanks a million!!!! Looking forward to our trip!
Karen says
Hi Sammi, Your advice was “spot on”!!!!!! Cabinas Frank was easy to find and the parking was perfect – and they were really nice!!!! Just a hop, skip and a jump and we were on the ferry. The ride over and back was great!!!!
Thanks for being such a big help – we had a great time in Costa Rica thanks to you!!!
Mel says
I took Paquera-Puntarenas ferry with car. Always come 1hr early. Buying tickets online was available charged my card but did not work. Ferry is 1.5 hr. It is worth it.
Herb says
how long will it take to drive from Pacquera to Playa del Coco
Sammi says
3 hours: https://goo.gl/maps/f51CQ8QnG7mTRE8Q9
Guilherme says
Hei, the car tickets to take the ferry from Naranjo to Puntarenas are still not sold online? Tks
Sammi says
Not that we know of so far, only Paquera – Puntarenas
Jesus says
Is there parking at the ferry just in case I decide not to take the rental car.
Sammi says
Hi Jesus, not one from the ferry company itself. There are some small hotels and houses that have private parking lots in Puntarenas for around $5-10 a day.
Patrick says
Just to make sure, tickets to take the ferry to Naranjo are still not sold online – therefore we have to buy them at the location, correct? We are traveling from Jaco to Tamarindo and wanted to take the scenic ferry. Is your recommended timeframe of getting there one hour early still a good reference for a Saturday (the 19th)? Lastly, what is the crossing time for this ferry? Thank you so much!
Sammi says
Hi Patrick, the Naranjo tickets aren’t available to purchase online, I’d get there an hour early to purchase them. I posted a schedule of the Naranjo ferry at the end of the post 🙂
Michael says
We tried to purchase tickets today 31.12.18 for a ferry on 03.01.19 and it is not available. Does that mean it is sold out, or if we arrive one hour early can we still get our car on?
Sammi says
Hi Michael, that is supposed to mean it’s sold out, but I would contact the Ferry company to be sure because they just put up their online system so I would definitely reconfirm with them directly.
Carmel Hiebert says
Hi Sam, I’m trying to purchase the tickets online and the options for a vehicle are lightweight or two axle (liviano, carga liviano and 2 ejes)
I rented a Tucson from adobe, would this be considered lightweight or 2 axle?
Sammi says
Hi Carmel, that is liviano (lightweight) heavy is for like trailer trucks.
Ryan says
This is great info! Is it recommended to buy tickets online? I don’t seem to be able to because I can’t enter a plate number. I’m worried I will arrive (by 3pm) planning to take the 5pm ferry west and be stuck. I wonder if it would be better to just plan to drive up and around?
Sammi says
Hi Ryan, it depends on when you will be traveling. If you can arrive at least a couple hours before, generally it’s OK but if you’re traveling over the Christmas or New Years holiday, it’s pretty busy and it seems that New Years Day and Christmas is already sold out. If you were traveling during that time of year, I would just enter a random license plate number (they usually aren’t very strict on this, they don’t even ask you this when you buy tickets at the office in person) to secure your spots.
Lorette says
Thank you, this is great information! I’ve taken the ferry once before (2017), however will be traveling by rental car to Santa Teresa next week with my son for surf.
I heard from another travel blog that the ferry is scheduled to CLOSE on 11/23 for 2 weeks for maintenance :O
Can you tell me if this is correct?
Maybe only 1 boat will be use and the other in maintenance? H-E-L-P
thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Lorette, yes the Puntarenas – Paquera will be closed for 2 weeks, the Naranjo ferry is still open though. You can get more info on the Naviera Tambor ferry website: http://navieratambor.com/horarios-y-tarifas
Lynn Baumeister says
thank you, incredibly helpful!!!
Sammi says
You’re welcome 🙂
Liz Forgione says
My husband and daughter need to get from Montezuma to San Jose airport on August 10th for a 2 pm flight. Is it feasible to think that they could leave Montezuma that morning, drive to the ferry – take ferry across and drive to SJO in time for flight?
Sammi says
Hi Liz, they’ll have to be at the airport by 12 PM. I recommend taking the earliest ferry from Paquera (530) AM to make sure they get there in time and account for traffic, getting food and returning the car.
Wedge says
This is excellent!
Sure could have used this in 1989!
Pip says
This is just brilliant! You are SO HELPFUL and I love the way you put information together with photos and explanations. We own a B&B (Casitas Tenorio B&B) and we have just used this to helps some of our guests wit their planning! THANKS!!!!
Sammi says
Thanks Pip! Glad it’s helpful! 🙂
Tara says
Hi Sammi! I’ll be in Puntarenas for one day and one night, with a rental car. Is there anything worth taking the ferry over to check out for the day? Or should we just enjoy our day in Puntarenas? Thank you for creating such a great blog with so much information!
Sammi says
Hi Tara! If you take the earliest ferry, you could check out the Curu Wildlife Refuge that’s a bit past the Paquera ferry dock. I’ve heard it’s a really nice place to see animals or you could drive to Montezuma and check out the beach town there. Just make sure on your way back to get to the ferry and buy tickets at least 30 minutes before. I’m glad you enjoy the blog and thanks for reading!
Sammi says
Hi Kim, make sure you take the route through Nicoya, that is the good road and it’ll be only a couple of hours, the route that goes along the beach is on a very not nice road and will take a lot longer. There’s not too much to see for the first half once you get to Puntarenas back up to Guanacaste, you can stop by the Catarata Llanos de Cortes near Bagaces: Catarata Llanos de Cortes. In PUntarenas, you can stop and get a churchill (a famous ice cream treat from Puntarenas).
Kim says
We are currently staying in Playa Hermosa and looking at driving to Playa Naranjo and taking the ferry to Puntarenas and driving back up the Interamericana back to Playa Hermosa. Do you have any suggestions or hints about this route? Love your blogs!
lisa says
Hello,
We are a group of 8 adults. We are on a cruise with a 12-hour stop in Puntarenas.
We looked into going into Jaco, but are also considering taking the ferry.
What sort of things are there to do/see if we do take ferry to Paquero? Are their taxis available?
Any suggestions for a day trip from Puntarenas?
Sammi says
The ferry ride is very nice but there’s nothing really to do on the other side unless you go to one of the nearby beach towns like Montezuma. Since you have only 12 hours, I would recommend not taking it because the ferry also only has set times and I’m not sure when you land/leave Puntarenas. If you guys rent a car or hire a shuttle, you can go to Jaco and go surfing, you can even take a short walk through Carara National Park which is nearby.
phuong mai says
Hi Sammi,
Would it save us a lot of time if we take a ferry from Monte Verde to Santa Teresa? Even though, we have to come early, wait in line to get in, buying ticket…Please let me know your thought.
Sammi says
It wouldn’t be hours of time saved and it doesn’t take too long to load the ferry and get off if you’re not coming in holiday or peak season. Driving would take around 5-6 hours and the ferry is way more fun in my opinion.
Sylvie Watteny says
Hey Sammi & Yeison,
We’re coming to Costa Rica in some months and your blog and IG-feed have been helpful for planning, thanks for that! 😉
I’ve got a question, we’d be driving from our hotel in La Fortuna to Montezuma, would you recommend taking the ferry in Puntarenas or is Route 18 also doable if we leave early in La Fortuna?
Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Sylvie! Personally if you can, I do recommend taking the ferry. It’s such a nice ferry ride with some great views and it’s a nice break from the drive which is super long. You can drive it if you leave early as it’ll take around 6 hours driving but I do really enjoy the ferry ride and recommend it 🙂
Ellen Saling says
This is awesome!! I am so grateful for people like you who do stuff like this for people like me. Pura Vida and Muchisimo Gracias!
Ellen
Sammi says
You’re welcome and thanks for reading Ellen!
Niall says
Hi, we’re planning on getting the ferry and then public bus to montezuma, do you know if we’d have to book in advance or just pay after leaving the ferry? Thanks
yeison says
Hi! you do not need to pay in advance if you are taking public transportation, and the buses are usually very big.
Murray Hurst says
Are dogs allowed on the ferry from Puntarenas and can they be taken outside of the car on a leash while the ferry is traveling ?
Sammi says
Hi Murray, I’m pretty sure I remember seeing a couple dogs on the ferry. I’m pretty sure dogs are allowed as long as they are on a leash and always with a human. There is an area for the dogs under the passenger deck that they must stay during the whole ferry ride and there’s seating for humans.
Poppy says
How much did it cost for the car on the ferry?
Sammi says
On the ferry website, it says vehiculos livianos (lightweight vehicule) is 11,400 colones which is about $23
Mina says
Thanks for the tips, do you know how long the ferry trip lasts from Puntarenas to Paquera? Im taking local buses, so need to know when I have to take the ferry to reach the bus on the other side 🙂
Sammi says
I would say about an hour 🙂
Emilya Tal says
The ferry ride is about 75 minutes. The bus to Cobano/Montezuma will be waiting for the ferry (except the last ferry of the day, when there is no bus). You can switch buses to Santa Teresa in Cobano.
There are 2 direct buses from San Jose to Santa Teresa. One leaves San Jose at 6am and takes the 9am ferry. The other leaves at 2pm and takes the 5pm ferry. If you are on one of those, you can take the direct bus from Paquera to Santa Teresa.
Lucy says
Do/ you know if there is a Holiday Ferry Schedule? We are planning to take the ferry on New Year’s Day.
Sammi says
Hi Lucy, not sure but don’t think so. Didn’t see any signs or notes about a holiday schedule (but not 100% sure)
Daniela says
Awesome. Great advice. I am wondering how you got from Paquera to Playa Carmen. Are there shuttles available once you land in Paquera? I am asking bc we would like to rent a car once we get there….only place to do so is in Tambor. What would be the best way to get there?
Sammi says
We had rented a car already so we drove straight from Paquera to Mal Pais. Once you get off the ferry in Paquera, there should be a public bus that goes to Montezuma which drops you off in Tambor. Should be about a 30 minute ride or so.
Mandy Thomson says
Hello there,
I was wondering if you knew of a place to leave our car in Puntaneras while we go to Montezuma for three days? My sense is that the roads are quite tricky from Pacquera to Montezuma.
Thank you
Mandy
Sammi says
Hi Mandy, actually from Pacquera to Montezuma is very straightforward on the main road around Nicoya Peninsula. Don’t go the shortcut routes or the backroads but if you go on the main paved highway around the peninsula from the ferry, it is almost all paved. I recommend keeping your car in Montezuma since it’s a small town and you’ll be able to visit nearby places like Mal Pais/Santa Teresa or the Curu Wildlife Refuge. The public transportation down there is not great.