Uber officially made its way to Costa Rica in 2015 and has made getting around Costa Rica much easier. Though technically not 100% legal, Uber has now become one of the normal transportation options for both locals and tourists.
Uber in Costa Rica is exactly the same as other countries but there are a few things to know. In this post, you will read our tips for taking Uber in Costa Rica.
In this guide, you’ll find out everything you need to know about using Uber in Costa Rica. (Lyft does not exist in Costa Rica).
Uber Costa Rica Information
Despite a rocky start in Costa Rica with protests from taxi drivers, Uber in Costa Rica is up and running and has expanded to several other place besides San Jose.
You can still take taxis in Costa Rica but for us, Uber is quick, cheaper and more comfortable. Taxi drivers in Costa Rica have an unfortunate bad reputation for overcharging and being pushy, especially to tourists.
In San Jose
Uber readily exists in the San Jose metropolitan area covering San Jose, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago. There are also some Ubers in Jaco, Quepos, Liberia (city, not airport), Tamarindo, La Fortuna, Grecia and Manuel Antonio.
The number of Uber drivers in different places in Costa Rica has increased greatly. We see more Uber drivers in Tamarindo, Manuel Antonio, Quepos, La Fortuna and Playas del Coco. However, we don’t recommend to count on them as your ONLY method to get around Costa Rica as not all destinations have Ubers and if they do have Ubers, it may take a long time to get a ride due to limited availability (or they may not have any early mornings/late nights).
Cost of Uber in Costa Rica
How much does Uber cost in Costa Rica? You can estimate a fare from San Jose to another destination on the Uber website if you’re curious as to how much your ride will cost. This is a very handy tool. You can also use it to get an idea of how much a taxi or shuttle would cost (add a little bit more as Ubers tend to be cheaper).
You Can Use Uber at San Jose International Airport
Airport taxis are known to be expensive so to have Uber as an alternative option is awesome. You can call an Uber to drop you off and pick you up at San Jose International Airport. Here is what you need to know about using Uber at San Jose Airport.
Liberia International Airport (Guanacaste Airport)
We do not recommend to use Uber at the Liberia International Airport (Guanacaste Airport) airport code LIR. This is because the police are very diligently watching for Ubers and they will pull over drivers, give them a ticket and remove their license plates.
You should book a private shuttle or take one of the official airport taxis.
Pick up at San Airport
When you have arrived at San Jose Airport, finished immigration and customs and exited the airport, open the app. You do need Internet to use the app in the moment, there is free Wi-Fi in the departures area of San Jose Airport. You can also purchase a Costa Rican SIM card at baggage claim at San Jose Airport and have data on your phone with the card.
Put your pick up location at San Jose Airport at the arrivals. In the Uber app, you have the option to call your driver so I would let them know you are at the arrivals area. San Jose Airport doesn’t have a designated ride share area unfortunately. This is because Uber drivers and taxi drivers are at odds and Uber is still technically not “legal” in Costa Rica.
Therefore, it’s best to avoid any crossing of paths as much as possible. So the moment you walk outside the airport and leave customs, you will see a huge crowd of people waiting, most of them taxi drivers. Ignore them!
Likewise, if anyone asks you if you need a ride, do not say you’re going to call an Uber. Just say that you already have a ride.
The Uber app will tell you to go to the bus stop at the west end on the main road outside the airport, so head right when you exit the airport and walk down that way. (Sometimes this meeting point changes so check the app as it will tell you where to go. Usually the meeting point is the bus stop). When you get in your Uber, your driver will most likely ask you to sit up front to make it less obvious that they are an Uber.
You can also use it at the Pavas International Airport and the San Jose Domestic Terminal. I used it when I landed at the San Jose Domestic Terminal and from my hotel Adventure Inn to the terminal. Very easy and they pick you up and drop you off right in front of the terminal. In the app, look for San Jose Domestic Terminal or Domestic Terminal San Jose. Get 10% off using the promo code “mytanfeet” on their booking page!
Departures
The Uber driver can drop you off directly at departures.
Requirements to Use Uber
A registered account, a payment method and Internet on your phone to use Uber. Uber does allow you to schedule rides up to 30 days in advance in the app. We have never used this tool so I can’t say how reliable it is but you can see if it works.
If you don’t already have an Uber account and you plan to use it in Costa Rica, I would create your account when you are at home so you have everything ready when you arrive.
Select a Nearby Landmark for Your Destination
Since addresses don’t exactly exist in Costa Rica, but you can enter the name of your hotel or place you are going as your destination. For houses, Airbnbs or vacation rentals, it is best to use a landmark or business. When we stayed at our Airbnb in San Jose, we set it to the Universal store across the street. Our Airbnb didn’t have a name or was on the map so it was easier to find the closest business.
Pretty much everyone uses Waze in Costa Rica so once you get in the car, you can tell the driver the closest landmark to your destination and have them drop you off where you need to go.
Useful Spanish Phrases
It will be extremely helpful to know some Spanish phrases. A lot of city Costa Ricans know a degree of English but not all. Here are some useful phrases and words:
Voy a X: I’m going to X (hotel, restaurant, etc.).
Donde esta?: Where are you?
Aqui esta bien: Here is fine.
Gracias: Thank you.
Mi hotel es cerca de X: My hotel is close to X.
There are Uber Drivers in the Wee Hours of the Morning
We’ve needed to call Uber for early morning flights and had no problem getting one at 4 AM in San Jose. So don’t worry too much if it’s late in the night or super early in the morning, we’ve never had a problem calling an Uber at 11 PM or 4 AM.
Surge Pricing During Rush Hour
Surge pricing is annoying and unfortunately it is also in Costa Rica. San Jose, notorious for horrible traffic, impatient drivers and long ignored pot holes, is a mess during rush hour and surge pricing may be necessary to get a ride.
However, if you’re not in a rush, you can wait 10 minutes and see if other drivers are nearby. You can also select the carpool option for a cheaper ride.
Wait Times Aren’t That Accurate
Because of San Jose’s traffic, you should give or take at least 10 minutes. We’ve had to cancel Uber requests a few times even though the driver was just a couple blocks away but they were stuck in traffic. Instead we picked a different driver that was coming from the side of no traffic.
Estimate Your Fare Online
The Uber website has a fare estimate which is helpful to know around how much you’ll pay for both UberX and UberXL. We were surprised at how much cheaper it was. Normally, we pay around $15 USD for a 15 kilometer taxi ride from Heredia to the San Jose airport. With Uber, we paid a little less than $10.
Don’t Need to Tip
When it comes to tipping in Costa Rica, it is not mandatory to tip Uber drivers in Costa Rica but they have the option now. Rather than tipping in the app, you can also give your driver some cash if you want (local Costa Rica currency is best).
Vikas Chauhan says
can you get an uber from Jaco Beach to the Airport?
Sammi says
There are only a couple of Ubers in Jaco, you will need to check if there are any available.
Mea says
About how many USD might you pay in Uber POOL to/from SJO to Tracopa station around 11:30am?
Sammi says
Hi Mea, you can actually get a fare estimate on the Uber website!
Larry Sy says
For Uber in San Jose, do we need to pay the driver in cash in colones or will Uber deduct the fare from the credit card attached to the app automatically? Thanks.
Sammi says
Uber in Costa Rica works exactly the same as anywhere else, it takes the money via the app and whatever payment method you attach (paypal/credit card/bank)
Carmine Bova says
If I have UBER app & make A pick up time @ SJO Airport to go to hotel downtown before I leave the USA will that be ok & pay PayPal or usd $ as my iPhone 4 can’t get the unber app but iPhone 5 can but can’t use it in CR & make reservations 24 hrs before thank you
Sammi says
You can schedule a ride with Uber through UberX only, you can find more information about it on the Uber website
Carmine says
Uber from Sjo to down town hotel Vs CR taxi in $
Sammi says
Hi Jen! You can try for Uber XL and on the Uber San Jose site, you can get a fare quote. However, since San Gerardo de Dota is fairly far and usually requires a 4×4, you may not be able to get one since the driver has to accept it. It may be safer to get a shuttle. I have talked to many UBer drivers who will go to Jaco or Manuel Antonio but those are all on good roads. Dota, depending on where you’re staying may require a 4×4. The safer option would be to book a shuttle but you can try Uber XL if you like. The price will probably end up being the same though because it will definitely be much more with a 4×4 and long drive.
JAMES POOLE says
You can get Uber all over Costa Rica. Ride on Uber from Herradura to Jaco is 2300 colones, taxi 5400 colones
Sammi says
Thanks for the notice! There are still no Ubers in many parts of the country though like Guanacaste and Osa Peninsula.
Jen says
Hi Sammi,
Thanks for the great article! We are arriving in SJO next month and taking the mountain road, to the cloud forest , staying in a hotel in San Gerardo de Dota – it’s a stop-over night, before arriving at our rental house in Dominical.
The hotel told us we could use Uber XL for pick-up, but after doing some internet research it seems like it’s not a sure thing? Has your info/opinion on Uber for 2hour+ rides (on HWY 2 no less) out of the city changed since you’ve written the original blog? Think it’s better to go shuttle?
Thanks in advance!
Jen
Frank says
Hola,
Thank you so much for this blog. Really great information.
I just used Uber today from SJO to San Francisco de Heredia. Picked up right outside the Malinche Restaurant. Ignore the mobs of cabbies and continue to the tables. My ride was only 5200 CRC even though it took 40 minutes in heavy traffic. Totally legit.
PRO TIP: Know enough basic spanish to get by. It can be more essential than you may think.
Sammi says
Hi Frank, glad to hear it worked out! We love using Uber, so much more friendly and cost efficient than taxis and yes, great tip. Super helpful to know some Spanish to coordinate pick up and drop off!
MsFox says
Hi, I’m traveling to San Jose area in mid February and I was wondering if the use of uber has spread to the Uvita/Dominical or San Isidro area yet? Any info is appreciated. Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi, no not yet. It is only in San Jose and honestly, it will probably stay that way for awhile since most of the country’s population is in San Jose.
Jane OSullivan says
Sammi,
Can we get an Uber from San Jose to Jaco? I understand we will have to shuttle back. Thanks!
Jane
Sammi says
Hi Jane, you can request it and see if the Uber driver will accept it and yes, there aren’t any Ubers in Jaco so you will need to bus/shuttle back.
Carmine says
Thank you for the reply so fast if I download your app when should I call Text email u as AA is most on time in Sjo
& that is only me & driver in the car what’s the fare in $ to downtown hotel thank you
Sammi says
Hi Carmine, you will need to figure it out with the Uber driver when you call him as Uber isn’t our app (though that would be cool) and you can do a fare estimate on the Uber website