The best transportation in Costa Rica depends on three things: how many people are traveling, how much luggage you carry, and how remote your next stop is. Most visitors combine two or three options on one trip, for example a private airport transfer on arrival, shared shuttles between the main towns, and a boat or small plane for the places roads do not reach.

Transportation in Costa Rica by traveler type

If you would rather drive yourself, read Car Rentals in Costa Rica: The Definitive Guide for Foreigners before you decide.

Shared shuttles are the most popular transportation in Costa Rica for travelers who do not want to drive. Air conditioned vans run fixed daily routes between the airports and the main tourist towns, such as La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Jacó, Tamarindo, Santa Teresa, and Puerto Viejo.

How Shared Shuttles Work

• You book a seat for a fixed departure, usually one or two per day on each route.
• The driver picks up passengers at hotels in town, so allow extra time at the start and the end of the trip.
• Some routes connect through a transfer point, where you change vans to reach your final stop.
• Prices are per person, which makes shared shuttles the cheapest door to hotel option for one or two travelers.

Limits to Know

Schedules are fixed, stops for photos are rare, and luggage space is limited per passenger, so surfboards, bikes, and extra bags usually need to be declared or paid for in advance. Demand for transportation in Costa Rica peaks in the high season (December to April), when seats on busy routes sell out, so book a few days ahead.

A private shuttle is a vehicle and driver for your group only, on your schedule. It is the most comfortable transportation in Costa Rica for families, groups, and travelers arriving on a long flight.

Why Travelers Choose Private Shuttles

• Door to door service at the time you choose, including early flights and late arrivals.
• Stops along the way for meals, photos, or a quick visit to a waterfall or viewpoint.
• Room for luggage, surfboards, and strollers, plus child car seats when requested.
• A fixed price per vehicle, which often costs about the same as several shared seats for a group.

Airport Transfers

Airport transfers are the first transportation in Costa Rica most visitors book. Private drivers meet travelers at both international airports, Juan Santamaría (SJO) near San José and Guanacaste Airport (LIR) near Liberia. The driver waits outside the arrivals exit with a sign showing your name and tracks your flight, so a delay does not leave you stranded. Book your transfer before you land, and share your flight number when you book.

Adventure Connections

Some private and shared routes combine the transfer with an activity, such as the jeep, boat, and jeep route across Lake Arenal between La Fortuna and Monteverde, or a stop at a hanging bridges park on the way. They turn a travel day into part of the vacation. Browse tours and experiences for ideas.

Taxis are a practical form of transportation in Costa Rica for short trips inside towns and cities, especially in San José and the Central Valley.

Official Taxis

• Red taxis are the licensed city taxis. They carry a yellow triangle on the door and should use the meter, known locally as “la maría.” Ask the driver to turn it on before you leave.
• Orange airport taxis are the official taxis at Juan Santamaría International Airport, with a stand right outside the arrivals exit.
• In beach and mountain towns, taxis often charge fixed prices for common routes. Agree on the price before the ride starts.

Uber, DiDi, and Other Ride Apps

Ride apps such as Uber and DiDi are widely used in the Central Valley and in some tourist areas, but as of 2026 a law to formally regulate them was still moving through the Legislative Assembly. Coverage outside the cities is patchy, drivers may be scarce at night or in small towns, and pickups at airports can be restricted. For airport arrivals, a prebooked private transfer or an official airport taxi is the more reliable choice.

Public buses are the cheapest transportation in Costa Rica and reach almost every town in the country. They are a good option for budget travelers with light luggage and flexible plans.

• Long distance buses leave from terminals in San José to the beaches, mountains, and borders. Buy tickets at the terminal window or from the driver, and carry colones in cash.
• City and suburban buses in the Greater Metropolitan Area increasingly accept contactless payment. The Central Bank’s SINPE TP system lets you tap a contactless debit or credit card, a phone, or a watch on buses that display the payment reader, and on the urban train.
• Travel times are long. Buses stop often, and some routes need a connection in a regional town.
• Keep your bags close. Keep valuables on your lap rather than in the overhead rack, especially at busy terminals.

Small planes connect San José with airstrips across the country, turning a full day of driving into a short flight. Domestic flights are the fastest transportation in Costa Rica to remote areas like the Osa Peninsula, where the drive from San José to Puerto Jiménez takes around seven hours.

Where Domestic Flights Help Most

• Drake Bay and Puerto Jiménez on the Osa Peninsula, gateways to Corcovado National Park.
• Tortuguero on the northern Caribbean coast, which has no road access.
• Tambor, the airstrip for Santa Teresa, Montezuma, and Mal País.
• Quepos, Tamarindo, Nosara, and La Fortuna, where flying is a time saver rather than a necessity.

What to Know Before You Fly

SANSA runs the largest scheduled network for air transportation in Costa Rica, and a few smaller airlines and charter companies fly selected routes. Most scheduled flights start or end at San José. The planes are small, so luggage allowances are strict, schedules can change with the weather, and many airstrips are a short taxi or shuttle ride from town. Arrange ground transportation at the other end before you take off.

Some of the country’s most famous places are reached by water, so boats are an essential part of transportation in Costa Rica.

• Tortuguero: there is no road. Travelers reach the village by boat through jungle canals, usually from La Pavona, or by small plane.
• Drake Bay: boats leave from Sierpe and cross the Sierpe River mangroves to the ocean. The road route exists but can be impassable in the rainy season.
• Gulf of Nicoya ferries: car and passenger ferries cross from Puntarenas to Paquera and Playa Naranjo, the fastest way from the Central Pacific to Santa Teresa, Montezuma, and the southern Nicoya Peninsula.
• Jacó to Montezuma water taxi: a fast boat across the gulf that saves hours of driving.
• Jeep, boat, and jeep: the classic route between La Fortuna and Monteverde, with a boat ride across Lake Arenal in the middle.

Water transportation in Costa Rica depends on weather and sea conditions, and small boats may get wet. Pack a dry bag, keep passports and phones protected, and allow buffer time when a boat connects with a flight.

These are the most common problems foreigners run into with transportation in Costa Rica, and every one of them is avoidable.

1. Trusting map app travel times. Mountain roads, trucks, and weather make trips longer than they look.
2. Booking a shuttle too close to a flight. Leave a generous buffer for traffic around San José and for hotel pickups.
3. Waiting until arrival to find a ride. Airport transfers and high season shuttles sell out.
4. Assuming ride apps work everywhere. Outside the cities, drivers can be scarce, especially at night.
5. Taking unofficial taxis. Use red taxis with a meter, orange airport taxis, or a prebooked driver.
6. Bringing more luggage than the vehicle allows. Shared shuttles and small planes have strict limits.
7. Forgetting car seats. Request child seats when you book a private shuttle.
8. Carrying no cash. Long distance buses, small taxis, and some boats still work best with colones.

Typical drive times from San José

Your Booking Checklist

Use this checklist to plan transportation in Costa Rica for every leg of your trip.

1. Map your route and mark which legs need a boat, a flight, or a 4×4.
2. Choose shared or private for each leg based on group size and luggage.
3. Book airport transfers and high season shuttles before you travel.
4. Share flight numbers with your driver, and confirm pickup points in writing.
5. Request child car seats and declare surfboards or extra bags.
6. Keep some colones in cash for buses, taxis, and tips.

Our team connects travelers with verified local shuttle and transfer providers across the country. Use the search at the top of this page to compare transportation in Costa Rica by route, and for longer stays see Long Term Rentals in Costa Rica: The Definitive Guide for Foreigners.

Book your transportation

The rules below apply to every foreign visitor using transportation in Costa Rica, whatever the route or the budget.

Book Airport Transfers in Advance

A driver waiting with your name at SJO or LIR is the simplest way to start a trip, especially after a late arrival.

Red and Orange Are the Official Taxi Colors

Red taxis serve the cities and should use the meter; orange taxis are the official airport service at Juan Santamaría.

Ride Apps Are Widely Used but Still Unregulated

Uber and DiDi operate mainly in the Central Valley, while a law to regulate them was still in the Legislative Assembly in 2026.

Shared Shuttles Run on Fixed Schedules

Shared shuttles leave at set times, pick up at several hotels, and limit luggage per passenger.

Private Shuttles Are Priced per Vehicle

For families and groups, a private shuttle often costs about the same per person as shared seats, with far more comfort.

Some Destinations Have No Roads

Tortuguero is reached only by boat or small plane, and Drake Bay is easiest by boat from Sierpe or by air.

Small Planes Have Strict Luggage Limits

Domestic flights restrict baggage weight, so pack light or ship extra bags ahead with a shuttle.

Carry Some Colones

Cards work in many places, but buses, rural taxis, boats, and tips still run on cash.