Getting around Costa Rica is a big concern for travelers especially for those who are here for a short period of time and on a budget.
In this article I’m going to outline the different ways and their cost and efficiency to help you figure out how to get around Costa Rica for your vacation.
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How to Get Around Costa Rica: Driving, the Most Flexible Way
Driving is the best way to get around Costa Rica to explore the country. It gives you the flexibility and freedom that you can’t get with any other method of transportation.
Leave when you want, go where you want. Simply stated, having a car is the best way to explore Costa Rica.
There are tradeoffs to driving however.
You have the extra responsibility of driving and car rentals are not very cheap in Costa Rica.
If you want to rent a car in Costa Rica, check out our Costa Rica car rental discount to save money on your car rental and get our extra benefits.
For more details, check out our tips for renting a car in Costa Rica post and our tips for driving in Costa Rica post. Learn about the costs of rental cars, insurance, type of cars and much more.
Three important things if you are renting a car and driving in Costa Rica
First, check your destinations to see if you require a 4wd/high clearance car or if a 2wd car is fine. The price of renting a sedan or 2wd SUV vs a 4×4 can be fairly drastic.
The second is to reserve your car rental well in advance if you are visiting during high season, Christmas, New Years or Easter week. This is due to extremely limited availability and high demand.
Thirdly, research what exactly is included in the rate. Some companies do not include all taxes, fees and insurances until you actually pick up the car.
This is why you will read some online reviews that a company is a “scam.”
The local car rental agency we work with utilizes all-inclusive upfront pricing so you know EXACTLY how much you are paying and what you are paying for. No tricks!
Shared and Private Transportation in Costa Rica: Shuttles
Taking a shuttle is an excellent Costa Rica transportation method for those who don’t want to drive.
It’s faster than taking the bus, they offer door to door hotel service and you don’t have to stress out about driving in a foreign country.
There are two different types of shuttle services in Costa Rica: private and shared.
You can read our detailed Costa Rica shuttles post for more information.
Shared Shuttles
Shared shuttles usually carry up to 10-15 passengers. They have set schedules, usually 1-2 per route. One in the morning, one in the afternoon.
Shared shuttles require a minimum number of passengers, usually 2 people. This is extremely important to check if you are a solo traveler visiting during low season.
Shared shuttles offer door to door hotel service only. No Airbnbs, no airports, vacation rentals or normal houses.
Hotels outside their routes aren’t included, so they’ll drop you off at the nearest destination and then you will need to figure out how to get to your place of accommodation.
Prices range from $59-78 USD per adult depending on the route.
For shared shuttles, get 10% off your Interbus shared shuttle here!
Private Shuttles
Private shuttles can pick you up directly at the airport and they can pick up and drop off at vacation rentals. Only your group will be in the shuttle.
They include one stop along the way for bathroom, supermarket, bank, view points or food. Then if you want to stop somewhere for a longer visit, this is available for an extra fee.
Read our tips for taking shuttles in Costa Rica and contact us for a private shuttle quote.
Tour Interconnections
Want to know how to make a boring transfer more fun? Take a tour and book an interconnection!
Here’s how it works.
You will book a tour like normal. Everything is exactly the same except your pick up and drop off locations.
So you get to skip sitting on a bus or shuttle all day and instead, you get to go on a fun adventure.
For example, the Pacuare River 1 day rafting tour offers an interconnection. The tour operator will pick up and drop off from San Jose, La Fortuna or Puerto Viejo.
So if you aren’t renting a car, this is a great way to get around. If you are landing in San Jose and your next destination is Puerto Viejo, you can do the rafting as a way to get to Puerto Viejo.
Or if you’re in Puerto Viejo and are going to La Fortuna next, you can do this rafting trip for your interconnection. Sooo much better than taking a 6 hour bus ride!
Want to do this 1 day tour and book the interconnection? Get $5 USD off with our Pacuare white water rafting discount.
Related: Read our 13 day Costa Rica itinerary (no car required) that includes the Pacuare white water rafting tour interconnection
Flying around Costa Rica with Local Airlines
Taking a domestic flight is the quickest way to get around Costa Rica. What would take you 4-5 hours driving will take 30 minutes flying!
There are two domestic airlines in Costa Rica: Sansa Air and Green Airways.
Sansa Air has the most flights from San Jose International Airport and Guanacaste Airport to places like La Fortuna, Nosara, Quepos, Tortuguero, Golfito, Cobano, Puerto Jimenez, Drake Bay and Tamarindo.
It is much more expensive to fly around Costa Rica and the high tourism season has more expensive rates.
Flights can range anywhere from $50 USD to $190 USD one way per person.
Furthermore, there are limited schedules. There may only be 1-2 flights for your route, no flights for your routes or just 1 in high season.
Likewise, for many routes, you will have to fly back to San Jose and then catch a second flight to your final destination as San Jose has the most departure flights.
For flying, it really comes down to time vs money. You spend more by flying but you save an incredible amount of time and erase the stresses of driving. What’s even better is that you get amazing views from the plane!
Planning tip: A lot of people will fly to their destinations and then rent a car for the days they are there. However, you will need to pick destinations that have a local airstrip.
Costa Rica Public Transportation
Taking the public bus is the cheapest way to get around Costa Rica.
Costa Rica public transportation is actually very good if you’re going to popular tourist destinations and major areas. It’s a great way to save money on your trip to Costa Rica!
From San Jose, there are direct routes to nearly every main tourist destination and main local town.
You can read our article on taking the bus in Costa Rica for more information.
The downside is that the bus takes much longer, especially if you don’t take the “direct” route. We once took the Tamarindo – San Jose bus via Liberia non-direct and it took us 8 hours without traffic since it made a million stops.
Another downside is you cannot stop when you need to as they have limited bathroom breaks.
Additionally, it can be difficult to get around for many routes.
An example is Tamarindo to La Fortuna. This route requires 3 buses and takes around 7 hours (driving is around 4). La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio requires 4 buses, around 9 hours (driving is around 5).
With limited schedules, you can’t miss your bus. If you miss your cross country bus, there is a huge likelihood that the next one is not until the next day.
When You Shouldn’t Take the Public Bus
We don’t recommend taking the bus if you’re with a large family of young kids/babies/seniors with mobility issues, going to more remote/rural destinations or here for a short trip.
But if you have the time, are keen on a bit of adventure or are on a budget, the public bus is an excellent option for major destinations.
Always be alert, ask the locals if you’re not sure where to go and always keep your belongings with you at all times.
Taxis
Taxis are good for short trips like from the supermarket to the hotel, especially if it’s raining, it’s late out or you’re carrying a lot of stuff. However, it’s best to book a shuttle for long trips instead of taxis.
Read more tips for taking taxis in Costa Rica.
Uber
Uber works in Costa Rica in almost all the tourist destinations.
You can find Uber in the cities like San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela and Cartago. There are now some in major touristic places such as Jaco, Quepos, La Fortuna, Tamarindo and Liberia.
Uber is generally cheaper than taxis. However, we don’t recommend relying on only Uber to get around.
Even for short rides, it may take awhile to call an Uber or the app may accept rides when there aren’t any Ubers around.
Although there are a lot of Ubers in San Jose and around San Jose International Airport, you can’t really call an Uber from Guanacaste Airport.
The police are always looking for Ubers and will gladly stop and ticket the driver if they think they are an Uber.
Didi, another ride share app is in San Jose. Lyft is not in Costa Rica.
Read our tips to using Uber in Costa Rica.
Ferry or Boat Rides
There are a few ferry routes you can take in Costa Rica.
If you’re planning on going to Montezuma or Santa Teresa from San Jose or Puntarenas, the ferry is a fun option.
The ferry takes cars so you can drive from the airport, take the ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya and then drive to your final destination.
Check out our tips for taking the Puntarenas Paquera ferry.
These boat rides are for foot passengers only: taxi-boat-taxi from Arenal to Monteverde across Lake Arenal, a boat from Sierpe to Drake Bay, Jaco to Montezuma boat, boat from La Pavona and Moin to Tortuguero and Golfito to Puerto Jimenez.
Which Costa Rica Transportation Method is Right For You?
To help answer your question of “How to get around Costa Rica?” you will need to figure out what your priorities are and what you’re willing to spend in terms of both aspects.
Costa Rica transportation methods summary
- Most comfort and flexibility: renting a car.
- On a budget: the bus.
- In between car and bus: shared shuttles.
- For big groups: private shuttles or renting a car.
- With kids: private shuttles or renting a car.
- No tight budget & short trip to main tourist destinations: flying.
- Solo travelers: shared shuttles or bus. Rent a car if not on a budget.
Many people combine transportation methods, you do not have to pick just one. Many people will fly or book a private shuttle to avoid driving the long routes.
Here are some examples.
San Jose – Puerto Viejo
This drive can take around 5-6 hours so instead of driving, people will take a private shuttle or the rafting tour from San Jose to Puerto Viejo.
Then rent a car for their days in Puerto Viejo. Or they fly to Limon Airport and then grab their rental car or book a shuttle to Puerto Viejo or Cahuita.
Drake Bay
A lot of people will rent a car for their whole itinerary but leave Drake Bay as their last destination.
They return the car in Sierpe, take the boat to Drake Bay and then fly to San Jose for their departure flight home.
Check out our Costa Rica 1 month itinerary that includes Drake Bay!
Learn more about driving to Drake Bay and how to get to Drake Bay.
Quepos – San Jose
Many people fly or take a shuttle/bus to Quepos, rent a car while they’re in Quepos/Manuel Antonio and then fly to San Jose for their departure flight out.
Destinations
If you’re going to major touristic destinations in Costa Rica like La Fortuna, Tamarindo, Puerto Viejo, San Jose, Manuel Antonio, Puerto Jimenez, Samara, Tambor, Santa Teresa, Montezuma, Jaco, and Monteverde, you can get there via car, bus and shuttle.
For Tortuguero, it is boat or plane access only. You can fly directly there or take the boat from La Pavona or Moin dock to Tortuguero. You can read about how to get to Tortuguero here.
If you are going to non-touristy places like Atenas, Grecia, San Ramon, Boca de Tapada, San Isidro de Perez Zeledon, San Vito, San Gerardo de Dota, Santa Cruz, La Cruz, Nicoya or any remote beach, then a car would be the best way.
You can also get there via bus but then it will very difficult to get around once you are there.
How to Get Around Articles
We wrote articles on how to get to certain destinations which you can read below.
How to get to Playas del Coco/Gulf of Papagayo
How to get to Tamarindo from Liberia Airport
More Costa Rica travel tips below!
Costa Rica Vacation Checklist
- First time to Costa Rica? Read our First Time in Costa Rica guide.
- Click the link to get our detailed Costa Rica Packing List so you know what essential items to bring.
- Check our Costa Rica destinations map and Costa Rica restaurant map
- Do not forget to purchase Travel Insurance for your trip to Costa Rica.
- Stay connected by purchasing a prepaid SIM Card in Costa Rica.
- Save money with Mytanfeet Deals for tours and hotels and our Costa Rica Car Rental Discount.
Don says
Hi – Have enjoyed reading all your information. Is it possible to rent a car in Samara and drop it off at Liberia airport? Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi, yes it is possible with our partner Adobe Rent a Car, however since they do not have an office in Samara, they will charge a fee to deliver the car to Samara and a fee to return it at LIR Airport.
K Manning says
I’m a solo traveler, and will be flying into Liberia, then traveling to La Fortuna for 2 days, then Monteverde for 2 days using the Taxi – Boat – Taxi. From Monetverde (or La Fortuna), then traveling to Nosara for a week to meet friends. Would you recommend a bus or Shared shuttle to get from Liberia to La Fortuna? From Monteverde, does it make sense to travel back to La Fortuna with the Taxi – Boat -Taxi, and then take a bus, or shared shuttle to Nosara? Thanks
Sammi says
I’d go for the shared shuttle from Liberia to La Fortuna because the public bus is tricky – it requires three transfers (airport – Liberia – Caรฑas – Tilaran – La Fortuna). Shared shuttle will pick you up from your hotel in Liberia directly to your hotel in la Fortuna. You would just need to call a taxi to get from the LIR Airport to your LIberia hotel when you land, because most likely, you’ll need to stay a night. I *think* the shared shuttle companies have one early morning and one early afternoon, and they do not pick up directly from Guanacaste AIrport.
Cathy says
Good morning!
My husband and I are staying in Tamarindo (actually Barrio Refundores) and have been walking into town to the beach etc. We would love to explore a bit more and expand our adventures, is it possible to take a bus from Tamarindo to Playa Flamingo for example. Iโm finding it difficult to research bus schedules and routes.
Any suggestions is appreciated.
Thank You
Sammi says
Yes but its not very straightforward nor fast, better just to call a taxi or uber
Cathy says
Thank you
Donna says
Hello!
My husband and I are in our 70s and deciding how to get from Playa Flamingo in Guanacaste to Manuel Antonio. Is there a private shuttle that would go that far? If we rent a car, I’m not sure we feel great about driving that all in one day. Where would be a good stopping point overnight?
Thanks for all the incredibly helpful advice on your site!
Sammi says
Hi Donna, yes for sure, there are private shuttles who provide that service. It is a more costly transfer due to the long distance, you could drive it if you want and stop along the way to not rush and make it a full day trip. Or if you want to stay somewhere in between, there isn’t a really big town/city that’s right off the route but you could detour a bit to stay near Puntarenas (there is an all inclusive Fiesta Resort that is on the way), or look for an Airbnb in Miramar, Canas or Bagaces.
Donna says
Thanks so much for the really helpful replies! I look forward to working with you all on transportation – you have a terrific site!
Sammi says
You are very welcome!
Wim says
Hi,
My iternaty begins at Easter Sunday on 31/03/2024.
We would like to travel from hotel San Jose with Uber to busstation and take the bus to Sierpe. Is it possible to make this trip at Easter Sunday and also on time to make the boat trip at 4pm to Drake Bay?
This would be my first time in Costa Rica but have traveled with busses in Vietnam in the past.
Thanks for the effort for reading this.
Greetings,
Wim
Sammi says
Yes the buses should be running on Easter Sunday
Rachel Barker says
Hello there,
A friend recommended a 10-day itinerary that looks like this: fly into SJO, shuttle to Arenal for 2 days, then head to Uvita (fly to Quepos area from Fortuna) and rent a car for about 3-4 days there, then drive to Manuel Antonio and drop off the car there and hang for three more days before heading back to SJO to fly out. However, we are finding out that the flight option to get us to Uvita (via Quepos)are quite expensive (as you mentioned in one of your posts)–I’m trying to figure out what our best options are, while also saving time… do we book a shuttle and get driven from Fortuna to Uvita? Do we change our itinerary? I’ve already booked our places in each location and it’s been such a headache due to it being high season… but, if we should change it up, I’m open to it. This itinerary feels very back and forth if we’re not flying…what do you suggest? Thanks so much!
Sammi says
Hi Rachel, I can’t even find flights for La Fortuna to Quepos with Sansa Air so I’m not sure how much it costs, but just to give you an idea, a private shuttle for that route is approximately $325 USD total (usually for 1-6 passengers). You can opt to take a shared shuttle instead which is around $59 USD per adult
Rachel says
thanks so much! if we did decide to rent a car and drive from Arenal to Uvita, are there stops along the way you recommend, or a place we should stay in between? I’ve seen you mention the corocodile bridge as well as jaco beach. Google maps shows three different routes also–is there one you recommend? Thanks so very much! Your articles and website is amazing and we’ve gleaned so much from it!
Sammi says
Thats quite a long drive in one day but if you want to break it up and stop somewhere in between there’s the small towns like San Ramon, Atenas, Orotina along the way. Then you can stop at the Crocodile bride and jaco on your way down to Uvita. I’d go the Route 702 through San Ramon, the 3 and Route 34 (the fastest one recommended by Google Maps). In case you’d like to rent a car, check out our Costa Rica car rental tips and Costa Rica car rental discount here. Just note if you plan to pick up your car in La Fortuna and return it to SJO, there will incur a fee between the different offices with our partner Adobe
Rachel says
Ok. Thank you. Is there actually an Adobe car rental office in La Fortuna? When I type in pick up locations on Adobe, it doesn’t come up, and on google maps, it says temporarily closed… maybe it’s listed under a different city I don’t know about? Also, I read on your blog that if we’re renting a car in high season we should book 3-4 months out. Eek! Our trip is Jan 17! Are we going to be paying way higher rates at this point? I imagine so, huh.
Sammi says
There isn’t but the closest one is in Ciudad Quesada and Adobe will deliver your car to La Fortuna so choose in the drop down for pick up, Ciudad Quesada and in the comment section, write the name of your hotel in La Fortuna and the time you’d like the car delivered (hours of the service is 9 AM to 4 PM), there is a $5 USD fee for the delivery. You should definitely book your car asap to secure a vehicle
Matt says
Post Covid- Going to be staying at a resort by the gulf of papagayo- How are Ubers getting back into the Liberia area? Or Taxis? Looking to get into Liberia area for a day and check out the 2 breweries.
Sammi says
No ubers at the papagayo resorts really, the best option is to ask your resort to arrange a taxi/transportation for you to Liberia and then get taxis around Liberia. There are just like a few Ubers in Liberia, not really that many but there are lots of red taxis.
omenseeker says
hello:
is is wiser/easier to take the bus or a taxi from the san jose airport to downtown?
thank you!
Sammi says
You can take the public bus or grab an Uber – I don’t personally recommend the airport taxis
Jessica says
Hi, I am arriving to Costa Rica in December with my spouse and havent decided if to rent a car or do shared-shuttle to drive to La Fortuna and spend a couple of days there. Is the gas expensive there, how much do you think I would be spending money in gas for 5 days
Sammi says
Hi Jessica, you can read more about gas in Costa Rica but my advice is if you’re visiting in December to make a decision soon as availability is going super fast for December. If you are traveling solo, just note that shared shuttles always require a minimum number of people to run, over the peak season there will probably be all the routes available but you should book your spaces very soon.
Heather says
Hi Sammi & Yeison,
Thank you for such an amazing, comprehensive site! I have learned and discovered so much reading your blog.
I have a transportation challenge that I would love your input on. We will be in the country June 1-10, 2021. On June 6, we need to travel from Puerto Viejo to Jaco. What are the options here? What would be best, most economical, quickest, (not necessarily all of these at once), etc.? We’re open to all options at this point.
We are a party of 3; two adults and a very capable, adult sized 16 year old.
Thank you so much for any advice you can offer!
Cheers,
Heather
Sammi says
Hi Heather, best option if you’re taking public transportation is to take the bus from Puerto Viejo to San Jose and then San Jose to Jaco. Public bus is the most economical but the slowest.
Heather says
Hi Sammi,
Thank you for your reply! After spending more time on your blog, I think we’ve settled on renting a car. It may not be the cheapest option, but it is the most flexible and time-saving.
Thanks again for all the great info!
Cheers,
Heather
Haleigh Bevins says
Hello,
Are there specific shared shuttle companies you would recommend? I was researching and found many, but want to make sure they are safe, reasonably priced, and reliable.
Sammi says
Interbus, Ride CR, Caribe Shuttle and Easy Ride are very well known ones in Costa Rica
Pat says
I plan to be in CR for a month. San Jose, Arenal, Jaco. Car rentals seem cheap advertising $1-5 + about $15 for the insurance per day. Are these prices accurate? Seems like the way to go.
Sammi says
Hi Pat, we sent you an email with more information but basically these rentals don’t include everything…. it’s important you ask for the total cost and the deposit before you book so you know exactly what you’re paying for. You can also read more in this link: Costa Rica car rental insurance
David Conrad says
We are planning a 2 week trip flying into San Jose airport. We would then like to fly to Drake Bay and hopefully rent a car to drive up the coast & ferry over to Nicoya Penn/Santa Teresa (do we need 4WD?). Where is the best place to drop the car off (would prefer to avoid driving into San Jose) and does this sound like a do-able itinerary? Thanks!
Sammi says
It is highly recommended to get a 4wd for Santa Teresa as roads there are not paved and many hotels and lodgings are up in the mountains. Where you return your car will depend on what agency you rent with because not all car rental agencies have an office in Santa Teresa so they will have to charge an extra hefty fee to collect the car from there. I would see what agencies are available in Santa Teresa.
Dave says
My family and I start our Costa Rica vacation Monday 7/8 and can’t wait. We are renting an SUV, spending 3 nights in La Fortuna, and 3 nights in Quepos. For the long drive from La Fortuna to Quepos, any suggestions on where we should stop for a quick excursion or something we shouldn’t miss out on? Google Maps says it’s about a 5 hour trip. Is that fairly accurate? Your website has been incredibly helpful for us to get a feel for our first trip to Costa Rica!
Sammi says
5 hours is around the drive time (without stops). A popular stop is the Tarcoles crocodile bridge and you can drive through Jaco to check it out or have lunch there since there are some nice restaurants. Have a nice time!
michelle says
Hi there,
We are flying into San Jose and renting a car, driving to La Fortuna then to Tamarindo. What type of insurance is recommended for renting a car? What are some stops we MUST make along the drive? We would love to hike to waterfalls.
Sammi says
Hi, the type of insurance you get varies depending on the company but there is a mandatory insurance in Costa Rica. You can read more about Costa Rica car rental insurance in this post and Costa Rica car rental tips.
You can read about driving San Jose to Arenal and Driving Guanacaste to Arenal here.
Glenda Belnap says
I was so frightened to rent a car after reading all the comments in this blog and others. People described the roads (especially from La Fortuna to Monteverde) as being treacherous, risky, etc. We rented a car and hoped for the best. The roads aren’t paved like you are use to in the USA, but the driving is extremely doable. Follow your GPS. Know your routes before you leave. Drive during the daytime. We didn’t run into anything I would describe as difficult. It was bumpy, rocky and had lots of dust and pot holes. We didn’t feel unsafe. And…the suggested times were longer than we took to get to our locations by about 1 hr on every route. Don’t worry.
Sammi says
Hi Vanessa! Driving in Costa Rica can be stressful but it’s really only in the city. Many tourists in Costa Rica rent a car and drive for their trip and you just need to be a defensive driver, use common sense and use Waze the Gps app!
Vanessa Talley says
We rented a car for our upcoming trip, but someone just told us that driving in Costa Rica is very dangerous and we will likely get lost or coupd end up in a bad area.
Sammi says
Hi Jill, I wrote a post on taking shuttles in Costa Rica.
It will depend on which hotel you’re staying at in Puntarenas but most of them can provide a shuttle for you for an extra charge. For shared shuttles to other destinations, shared shuttle companies should have their schedule on their website.
Jill Smart says
My husband and I will be flying into San Jose Costa Rica and then making our way to our hotel near Punta Arenes. I am very interested in taking a shuttle from the airport to our hotel. I am also very interested in figuring out if we can get a shuttle from our hotel to various popular tourist destinations. I am, however, finding the shuttle websites difficult to understand. It is not clear to me if I can get shuttle service from my hotel or hotel area. How does one determine shuttle schedules? I don’t need to have a private shuttle but wonder if this is my only options. Any pointers are appreciated.
Sammi says
Hi Desaree, private shuttles can pick up and drop off at the airport, shared shuttles can’t pick up at the airport, they normally have to ask passengers to go to another location since they can’t wait at the airport in case of delay or for passengers to get out of immigration/customs since they have other passengers to pick up as well. You can read more tips for taking shuttles here: Costa Rica shuttles
Desaree says
Hi. Do most shuttle services offer pick ups and drop offs to and from the SJO airport? I’m traveling with 3 friends and we need a shuttle service that will get us from the SJO airport to our hotel in arenal and another shuttle from playa flamingo to the SJO airport.
Rob@Kenyamigration says
You have a great guide here for Costa Rica especially on how to get around the country. I must say I would really like a bus ride in that double Decker bus. it looks awesome.
Sammi says
Thanks Rob
Soลa says
Hello,
Firstly, I really appreciate your all helpful information indicated on your blog, thank you very much for that.
I am going to visit Costa Rica as a solo traveller in May and I will be accomodated in Playa del Coco (M&M Hotel) and due to saving my costs, I would like to visit close beaches (Tamarindo, Flamingo) by public buses from Playa del Coco. I canยดt speak Spanish at all yet, but I hope I will learn some basis.
Having said that, could you please advise if it is easy to travel by bus to those beaches and can I find a bus stop at Playa del Coco easy? I have already receive a recommendation for the following bus schedules.
Thank you very much in advance and have a nice day. Soลa
Sammi says
There is a bus station in Coco which is for the longer routes, and there is a bus stop by Tico’s bakery which goes to Liberia. To get to Tamarindo, the easiest (but longer) way is to take the bus to Liberia than Liberia to Tamarindo. There is also another way which requires getting off at Sardinal, and then catching the next bus to Tamarindo from there but you will need to know where to get off at Sardinal so it may be a little bit more complicated for travelers.
Sammi says
The app uses information from the official Costa Rica bus schedule from the transportation ministry but always arrive at least 20 minutes early because buses are not known for being very punctual for the more non-common routes. You can download the schedule in this post: Public transportation in Costa Rica
Alyssa says
Awesome blog and posts! Im headed to Costa tonight, and flying into Liberia. I’m planning on taking the public bus to playa Samara via nicoya and have had a heck of a time locating consistent bus info. I did download the app you reccomended however the info on the app conflicts with other info. Anyfurther suggestions? Essentially trying to confirm it is a daily* and frequent* service. Thanks!
Sammi says
I’d recommend flying to Drake Bay, the bus is not easy to take since there is no straight bus to Drake, you need to get off at a point on the route to Puerto Jimenez and wait for a colectivo – which doesn’t always come at the right time and there is only 1 so if you miss it, your travel plans will get messed up, not to mention you’ll be stuck and need to find a way back to Puerto Jimenez. Flying is more secure and efficient, though expensive but it’ll be worth saving 10 hours on the bus. Then you can pick up your car in San Jose and drive to Fortuna.
Another option is to take the bus from San Jose to Palmar Norte, then to Sierpe and take the from Sierpe to Drake. We wrote a post about it here: Boat Sierpe to Drake Bay
kristen says
Hi!
Love your helpful posts! My boyfriend and I will be traveling to Costa Rica the middle of April and I’m curious if you have any advice on our below travel itinerary. We’re still trying to figure out transportation which is proving to be rather challenging.
April 13 — Land in San Jose at night, spend the night
April 14 — Travel to Drake Bay
April 15-18 — Explore Corcovado and surrounding areas
April 18 — Travel back to San Jose and then La Fortuna
April 19-21 — Explore La Fortuna and Arenal
April 21 — Travel to Santa Teresa and Mal Pais
April 21-April 28 — Spend time working from Santa Teresa/Mal Pais
April 28 — Travel back to San Jose
April 29 — Fly home
We planned on renting a car the entire time as I’ve driven in Costa Rica before and found it incredibly beautiful, however, we’re not sure whether it makes sense to drive to Drake Bay from San Jose and then all the way to La Fortuna. Would you recommend flying or taking the bus from San Jose to Drake Bay and back, then picking up our rental car to drive to La Fortuna? We’d like to be efficient with our travels but are also quite budget conscious.
Thank you in advance!
Sammi says
Hi Jolyn, you can do either. If you don’t want to drive or worry about getting lost, book a shuttle. If you don’t mind driving and would like to have the car to explore and have more flexibility, book a car. The driving times between those destinations are pretty long, San Jose to Fortuna is about 3.5 hours, Fortuna to Manuel Antonio is like 5-6 so it’s going to be long travel days. If you don’t want to drive that long of a distance, shuttles are the way to go. We do offer a car rental discount you can check out here: Costa Rica car rental discount.
Jolynn says
Your site is so helpful. Thank you. There will be 8 of us traveling ranging in age from 11 to 60. We will be there in late July and plan to fly into San Jose. Then spend 3 days in La Fortunate and 3 days near Manuel Antonio. Would we be better with a shuttle or car?
Khim says
What are the options from La Fortuna to Golfito? Direct shuttle would be awesome ๐
yeison says
Hello Khim,
I don’t know if any company that goes from La Fortuna to Golfito that is a long drive. Maybe once you are in La Fortuna you can ask to some local companies butI really doubt it that there is a share shuttle from La Fortuna to Golfito. Maybe you can find something from La Fortuna to Quepos and then take the bus that goes down from Quepos (close to Manuel Antonio) to Golfito, I think that will work better.
Josh says
I’d like to get from Liberia to Drake Bay by public bus, I know there would be a bus change in Puntarenas but which bus would head south from there?
Sammi says
From Puntarenas, you can probably grab a bus to Quepos, Quepos to Dominical, then Dominical to Puerto Jimenez where you need to get off at the La Palma (Osa) stop to grab the collective bus to Drake at 4:45 PM. I recommend breaking up the bus ride because there’s no way you can get to La Palma by 4:45 PM (and I have heard that that collective bus isn’t very punctual and sometimes comes, sometimes doesn’t).
yeison says
Hello Kelsey!
Regarding the rent a car question, maybe 95% of the people that rent a car here don’t speak any Spanish so I think you will be fine. We also have a deal for all our readers that want to rent a car: Costa Rica car rental discount
Please let us know if you have any questions ๐
Kelsey says
Hi – My friend and I are traveling to Costa Rica for about a week, flying into Liberia and out of San Jose. We are looking to do some exploring around La Fortuna/Arenal but also spending some time in San Jose and hopefully a day or two at the beach. Do you have any good shuttle services that you would recommend we look into?
If we were considering renting a car, do you think that it is reliable / safe for people who don’t speak Spanish?
thanks!
Sammi says
I would honestly rent one especially since you have a 6 year old with you. Taking the bus for all those routes and having to deal with all that luggage for 7 people will be really uncomfortable. If you rent a car, it will be wayyyyy more comfortable, you can stop to see the sights on the way and also in Dominical, the bus system is not efficient at all and they don’t stop at any of the points of interests, it just goes straight down the Costanera Sur highway. In fact, most people hitchhike in the Dominical area because of this. There also isn’t a bus all the way to Rincon de la Vieja, so you’ll have to get a large taxi to fit 7 people which will be really expensive or book a shuttle. If your vacation home in Dominical is not in Dominical town, it’ll be hard to get around if you want to visit Uvita, Nauyaca waterfalls and other points of interests, even restaurants. I highly recommend getting a car to make your time more enjoyable and not dependent on the bus system which is not very efficient in Dominical. You can read more about renting a car here and get our discount ๐ Costa Rica car rental tips
Dawn says
Family of seven (including six year old). Liberia RT, arriving in late May, for ten days:
Liberia > Rincon de la Vieja (one full day), back to Liberia hotel for the night > Puntarenas ( 1 night) > Dominical vacation home (5 nights) > back to Liberia area (one night) > fly home.
We were planning on not renting a car, but would not completely rule out renting one. What would your recommendation(s) be? Thank you ~
jennie says
Have booked a car from San jose, planning to drive our self to Flamingo( first stop ) we are a family of 2 adult 2 kids, Do you Think we manage driving to Flamingo first day in CR? Never been there before or should we take a shuttle to Flamingo and than rent a car ๐ is it 5 hour driving? Is it trafic-jam i San Jose?
yeison says
Hello Jennie, it all depends at what time you land if you land before 12 PM you will be ok it’s a long drive just you said (around 5 hours) and once you are in Guanacaste there are lots of signs on the side of the road that will take you to Flamingo. You will not need to go to San Jose downtown if you driving from the airport so no worries about San Jose downtown traffic. I hope you enjoy your vacations and please let me know if you any questions
Sammi says
It’s 2 hours, you can read our full guide here: San Jose bus to Playa Jaco
Dee says
How long a bus ride from San Jose to Jaco?
Sammi says
It is 4 hours, you can find the times and the bus station info here: La Fortuna
indira says
How long is the bus ride from San Jose to La fortuna?
Shelby says
This is super helpful! how would you suggest getting from Tamarindo to La Fortuna? Would local buses operate a trip of that length?
yeison says
You will have to take the bus from Tamarindo to Liberia, then to Canas, then Tilaran and then to La Fortuna. You need to be in Liberia by 9 AM to make sure you can get the last bus from Tilaran to La Fortuna in time.