One element of travel that never fails to provide a range of experiences is finding transport around a foreign country once you’re in it. More developed countries will boast affordable flight options, whereas other countries may have countless fleets of luxury (or VIP if you’re in South East Asia) buses. Before traveling anywhere one should have some idea about the typical modes of transport in their chosen destination.
Costa Rica, although relatively small at around the same size as West Virginia, is packed with sites to see, rainforests to explore, and countless beaches which can’t be missed. Although getting from your Costa Rican beach front resort to see the sites shouldn’t require an expensive personal taxi service. Costa Rica has a few options when it comes to traveling both near and far.
Arrival
Your arrival in Costa Rica could have been through a number of ports. The most common being the two international airports:
Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría which is located 10.5 miles northwest of San Jose, in a town called Alajuela.
Aeropuerto Internacional Daniel Oduber Quirós in Liberia, which is 134 miles northwest of San Jose.
Other than arriving by air, some travelers may arrive via the land borders from neighboring countries. There are several land borders, some offering longer opening hours but also longer wait times due to traffic. Be sure to do plenty of research if you’re planning on crossing by land to get into Costa Rica.
Getting Around San Jose
As this will likely be your first destination before you go to your Costa Rican beach front resort, it’s important to know how to get around. There are a few options, including buses, taxis, and rental cars, although I highly recommend the buses as they are nominal and adventurous.
To read more about catching buses in San Jose, the strange road rules in the city, or why you should always ask the taxi driver to turn the meter on, read here.
From Resort to Ruins
Finally you’ve arrived at your Costa Rican beach front resort, and the first people you meet just got back from seeing ruins on the other side of the country. So now it’s time to figure out how to get all the way over there without having to hire a private plane or catch a series of confusing local buses.
Cross Country via Domestic Flights
For those who are limited on time, it is recommended that you take advantage of the inexpensive domestic flights which run between San Jose and Puerto Jiménez, Quepos and Tortuguero. Once in these destinations it often isn’t hard to find transport to local sites via tourist shuttles or local buses.
Cross Country via Regional Buses
Although San Jose is the transportation center for the country, there is no central bus terminal. Instead each bus company has their own office located somewhere in the city, with larger companies offering the ability to buy tickets in advance, and smaller companies relying on a single unmarked bus stop.
The right option for you will depend on your budget, your Spanish ability, and how adventurous you’re feeling. There are generally two kinds of regional buses, aptly named directo and colectivo.
Directo buses should go from one destination to the next with minimal stops.
Colectivo buses will make many stops throughout the journey and hence is slow-going and perhaps more suited to leisurely backpackers.
These buses will almost always be full, with very little regard being given to the maximum capacity of the vehicle. If this seems like an issue for you, you may want to spend a bit more and book shuttles or domestic flights to cut back on necessary bus time.
For planning your bus journeys Yo Viajo (I travel) (https://yoviajocr.com/) is a great service to see current bus schedules, although expect there to be discrepancies between the given time and actual departure times.
Cross Country via Shuttles
Tourist shuttle buses, which are essentially just vans, are usually an intermediate option between domestic flights and regional buses. Unlike the buses, they do have passenger limits and more insurance of things like the safety of your luggage or the expected arrival time. Although this usually comes at a much higher cost than local and regional buses.
Carve your Own Path
If you have the financial freedom, and love your physical freedom, then chartering a private plane or renting a car may be the best option. There are multiple charter plane companies and rental service companies available, and it is recommended you do plenty of research beforehand.
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