Travelling in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is not that big of a country, and it is easy to get around by car or bus, but take your time. Road conditions are not always optimal due to rain, traffic and mountains. Bus routes and schedules not always have the best connection between touristic destinations, and it might take some time to get from A to B. This section gives you a lot of useful information for travelling around Costa Rica.
Explore travelling in Costa Rica
Travelling by Car
Traveling by car can be an exciting and rewarding experience, offering the freedom to explore the at your own pace. Costa Rica is an ideal country to drive around by yourself. The main roads are in good condition and will get you to most touristic areas without issues. However, planning ahead and being prepared is important because driving in Costa Rica can be challenging at times, with secondary gravel roads, windy mountain roads, and unpredictable weather conditions. Visit the Travelling by Car page to learn more about driving in Costa Rica.
Travelling by Bus
Traveling by bus is an affordable way to explore the country. Costa Rica has an extensive network of bus routes that connect almost every corner of the country, making it possible to get to most places without renting a car or relying on expensive alternatives. Traveling by bus is a great way to see the country on a budget. However, it’s recommended to do some homework. Once you have an idea about your itinerary, check for bus connections between the places you want to visit, don’t travel by bus uninformed. Visit the Travelling by Bus page to learn more about using public buses and bus schedules in Costa Rica.
Travelling by Taxi
The primary public transportation in Costa Rica is by bus or taxi. Official taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the door. The yellow triangle contains the license number and the region the taxi is allowed to do business in. Red taxi’s usually have a meter running. Avoid using so-called pirate taxi’s as they are unlicensed and therefore not allowed to operate as a taxi. If you do (have) to use a pirate taxi, negotiate a price beforehand. Since they are unofficial, they can charge you whatever they want. Official orange taxis run the airports. These can be booked and paid for inside the airport. You pay a fixed price to get to your destination. Uber, although prohibited in Costa Rica, is available mainly in the urban area's.
Travelling by Tourist Shuttle
In addition to public transport, there are also options for tourist transport. These shuttle services are often operated with smaller vans between tourist destinations and often need to be booked in advance. This option is of course more expensive than public transport, but you will travel more comfortably, and you will often reach your destination faster.
Interbus operates shuttles throughout the country.
Caribe shuttle has its focus on the Caribbean and La Fortuna.
Zuma Tours has its focus on connecting the Nicoya Peninsula with the central and south Pacific and Guanacaste.
Easyhop La Fortuna is a convenient hop on hop off service between La Fortuna and the touristic attractions in the Arenal area.
In addition to this kind of shared tourist shuttles, private shuttles and private drivers are also an option. If you are not with a large group, the price per person can be quite high.
Travelling by Airplane
Domestic flights in Costa Rica are another convenient way to travel between different parts of the country, especially if you don't want to deal with the challenges of driving. The planes used for domestic flights in Costa Rica are typically small, with seating for 10–20 passengers, but are considered safe and comfortable. Domestic flights are operated by Sansa, to many popular tourist destinations across the country, including Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero and the Osa Peninsula. These flights are relatively affordable and can save you time compared to traveling by bus or car if you're traveling to remote areas. However, for short distance flights might not save you time considering you have to travel to and from the nearest airport, board and off board, etc. It's important to note that flights can be subject to weather-related delays or cancellations. Also note that not every domestic airport has a direct connecting flight, although you can contact Sansa for private and charter flight options. The following airports are operated (Q1, 2023):
Drake Bay – (DRK) – South Pacific
Golfito – (GLF) – South Pacific
La Fortuna – (FON) – Northern Zone
Liberia – (LIR) – Guanacaste
Nosara – (NOB) – The Nicoya Peninsula
Puerto Jimenez – (PJM) – South Pacific
Puerto Limon – (LIO) – South Caribbean
Quepos – (XQP) – Central Pacific
San José – (SJO) – Central Valley
Tamarindo – (TNO) – Guanacaste
Tambor – (TMU) – The Nicoya Peninsula
Tortuguero – (TTQ) – North Caribbean
Itineraries
Planning your itinerary might be overwhelming with so many interesting places to visit, and the routes between destinations are not always as straight forward. A specific order of the different places might be wise to get the most out of your trip. Visit the Itineraries page for tips and a couple of generic itinerary suggestions.
eSIM - Stay Connected
If you want to stay connected while travelling in Costa Rica, you are able to buy a Kolbi or Clara sim card upon arrival. There are also eSIM options like Airalo that allow you to purchase a data plan through a mobile app at any moment, making it possible to arrange your connectivity before arrival. Check out more details about using Airalo on the Packing List page.
