Transportation Options
My last entry was about getting around Costa Rica. Here is a Quick List of the different Transportation Options.
Public Bus -
All buses in Costa Rica are privately owned. There is no government run bus system, so figuring out where a certain bus goes or even where it stops can be confusing. In San Jose and other main cities, you will find bus stations for a group of bus companies or for just one, if it is a large enough. In smaller towns, there are usually just bus stops on the side of the road. When trying to find the correct bus, ask for the place you are going to instead of the company. If you are going to San Jose, you will want to ask where the San Jose bus stop or station is.
There are two general types of public buses and they are Regional (Indirecto) and National (Directo). Indirectos are buses that go to the surrounding towns and minor cities in a given geographical area. They are cheap and they stop a lot of places, so they can take a long time to go a short distance. This is how most Costa Ricans commute on a daily basis. Fares are between $.40 and $2 per way.
The Directos are between main cities and some important tourist destinations. They are large and relatively new buses. They usually stop at least once during the transit for about 20 minutes for a bathroom and food break. Some have wifi available, but none have bathrooms on board. Fares are between $6 and $12 per way.
Taxis -
All cities and main towns in Costa Rica have licensed taxi cabs. They are almost all university painted red and they operate in a specific city or area. They have fare calculation machines called ‘Marias’ and fares start around a $1 and then go up from there depending how long or far your trip ends up being. These taxis are mandated to be in good working condition and pass all safety and emission checks.
In small towns and at the beach, there are no ‘Red’ Taxis but there always are Pirate or Collectivo taxis. In both cases these drivers are NOT licensed by the government and the quality of the vehicles, in most cases, are very poor. There are two main ways that they operate. In most towns there will be one or two main locations where the taxis drivers congregate and try and get fares. They will call out “Taxi!” or have a small sign, so they are hard to miss. These are generally considered to be the Pirate or "Pirata" cabs.
The Collectives or "Collectivos" are taxis that have no markers or insignia and drive continuously between two neighboring towns. They will stop anywhere on the side of the road for anyone who waves them down. They are usually small, old model Hyundais that fit up to four passengers in the car. If they have a seat available they will stop and pick you up. If they are full, they will keep on going. There is usually a fixed rate for a given distance or between towns. They do not have fare machines, so until you understand the local rates, you will need to negotiate with them.
Uber & Lyft -
Just as Pirate and Collectivo taxis are illegal in Costa Rica, so are Uber & Lyft. This, of course, does not mean that they do not have them. The majority are Ubers and they are mostly found in the area in and around San Jose. Many local Costa Ricans in the Central Valley do use them, but for tourists, it is much more difficult. Additionally, the Transitos (transit police) are much more likely to hassle an Uber driver than a pirate taxi driver.
Private Shuttle -
There are about half a dozen main companies that provide private daily shuttles for tourists to different parts of Costa Rica. The largest two are Interbus and Grayline and they go to and from all main tourist destinations and San Jose. They do not normally offer airport pick up services and mostly pick up and drop off only at hotels. The price for a one-way adult ticket is about $55. Half price for a child 11 or under.
Private Driver -
A Private driver is the most convenient and easy way to get around Costa Rica, but it is also the most expensive. Some of the benefits are: you get to leave when you want or need, stop as many times as necessary for food or bathroom breaks and you don’t have to worry about directions or how to get where you are going. There are a number of companies who provide this service as well as independent operators. An all-around great company, that provides all sorts of transportation options, is Desafio. For example, the price for a private driver to pick you up at the airport in San Jose (SJO) and take you to your hotel in Arenal is $175 for up to 3 people.
Rental Car -
Renting a car is a very popular options for tourists in Costa Rica. There are plenty of International and National rental companies and the main roads and highways are in pretty good condition. However, there are definitely some issues you should consider before you decide that this is your best option.
Probably the most frustrating part of renting a car in Costa Rica is their insurance requirements. You must and I mean MUST take out basic insurance. There is NO way around this. It does not matter what credit card you have or what you were told by the online booking site or travel agency. So, unless this charge is already in your rental invoice, when you get to the place where you rent the car, they will add on at least $15/day to your rental price. On top of this you will be made to fill out an open credit card voucher for up to $1500 that they will use in the event that you have an accident or damage the car. There are also all sorts of exceptions to the coverage, even if you take out the full coverage, they will not cover cracked windshields or damage caused by a break-in. You absolutely must check every part of the car for existing damage and make sure that it is noted on the check out report.
Getting around and figuring out the best rout can also be very frustrating. While the signage is much better than it used to be, it can be very confusing and in some cases contradictory. The absolute best way to get around is by using the phone app Waze. Download it and use it. You will need to have a data plan on your phone, so check with your carrier to find out the international plan options. With Waze, you will get where you are going with a minimal amount of difficulties and it will tell you when you are coming up on a transito. They like to hide at the side of the road and pull over tourist. You do not want to have this experience if you can avoid it.
You also need to be aware that driving in Costa Rica can seem crazy to a first-timer. This is not just limited to the craziness that is San Jose and the Central Valley, which is a special kind of crazy. You will need to get use to how the locals drive. For example, a stop sign is more of a suggestion than a mandatory stop. Turn signals are rarely used or used correctly. Speed limits are never followed. You will have drivers who are going 40 kilometers over the posted limit and other going 40 kilometers under. Buses will pass on blind curves in the mountains. Pedestrians are almost always in the road, as there are very few sidewalks. You can come up on a herd of cattle on a main highway walking between pastures. There are also wild animals that use the roads and you need to keep an eye out for them. These are just some of the things to be aware of while driving.
Reginal Airline -
There is one government owned Inter-Costa Rican airline, Sansa. It is based out of the San Jose Airport (SJO) and flies to 14 different destinations throughout the country. They also fly out of the smaller Pavas Airport near downtown. Their planes are mostly single prop 12 seaters and most destinations have one or two flights a day. They also have low season (May-Nov) and high season (Dec-April) schedules.
During the rainy season it is not uncommon for flights to be cancelled due to inclement weather conditions. This is especially true of afternoon flights. It is important to keep this in mind if you are connecting to an international flight.
Pricing can vary greatly depending on time of year, from $74 up to $141 per/passenger, but it still can be relatively cheap and convenient, if booked in advance. You are allowed 14 kilos or 30 Lbs of checked bags and 4.5 kilos or 10 Lbs of carry-ons per ticket. You will literally be put on a large scale with your carry on, to log your weight for the flight. Anything over these limits is charged at $1/lb. There are additional fees on items such as surf boards and golf bags as well as small pets.
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