Questions about the Costa Rica bus system?

Question

I'm planning a trip to Costa Rica and I have some questions about the bus system. First off, does one usually get tickets ON the bus or at the bus station Before boarding? If before, how much earlier should one get them? Must tickets be bought the same day or can tickets be purchased online weeks in advance? Finally, is it possible to get a direct bus ticket from San Jose International airport to Quepos (Manuel Antonio)? I don't mind paying a bit more. Thanks!!!

FYI: I'm going for a week in March and am going to Manuel Antonio, Fortuna, and Monetverde.

Answer 1

Bus routes are generally referred to by their origination and destination rather than the route number.

*It is advisable to call ahead and make sure the bus is running normally, and to get tickets in advance (credit cards not accepted, so this usually means a trip to the departure station).

*If you have oversize luggage (surfboard, bicycle, diving gear, a crate of papayas etc.) there may be an excess baggage fee, and it is a good idea to arrive early, and tip the porter/conductor well.

*For international callers the phone number should be preceded by the country code (506)



200(A,B) Alajuela / Airport From San José - Departures every day every 5 Mins. A.2, C.10/14 From 4:00 To 22:00; Returns From 4:30 To 22:00hrs; 17 Km; 30 Minutes. Tuasa Company, Tel. [phone]

433 Barva Volcano From Heredia - Departures Mon.-Fri. From Central Market At 6:30, 11:00, 16:00; Returns 7:30, 13:00, 17:00. Sat. 6:30, 11:00, 16:00. Sun. 11:00, 16:00; Returns 1 Hour Later. Walk 6km To The Park Entrance, Then 4km To The Lagoon.

725 Bribri From Limón - Departures everyDay From Radio Casino At 5:00, 8:00, 10:00, 13:00, 16:00, 18:00, Returns 6:15, 9:00, 11:15,12:30, 14:15, 16:15; 2hrs $US 1.35 . Auto-Transportes Mepe S.A. Company. Tel. [phone]

725 Bribri From San José - Departures everyDay From Terminal Caribe At 6:00, 10:00, 13:30, 15:30 Returns 6:00, 8:30, 10:30, 15:30 Auto-Transportes Mepe S.A. Company. Tel. [phone]

223 Butterfly Farm From Guacima Abajo In Alajuela - Departures every day 1 Block South, 1 Block West From Tikal Supermarket At 6:20, 9:00, 11:00, 13:00; Returns 9:45, 11:45, 13:45, 15:45, 17:45; 22 Km; 0:40 hours;

750 Cahuita (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From Terminal Caribe At 10:00, 13:30, 15:30; Returns 7:30, 9:30, 11:00, 16:00; 195 Km; 4:00 hours; You Can Buy Tickets In Advance. $US 6.00 Auto-Transportes Mepe S.A. Company. Tel. [phone]

725 Cahuita From Limón - Departures every day From Radio Casino At 5:00, 8:00; 10:00, 13:00, 14:30, 16:00, 18:00; Returns every day 6:30, 7:30, 9:15, 11:00, 13:00, 16:00, 18:00, 18:15, 19:00; 1hr. $US 0.75 Auto-Transportes Mepe S.A. Company. Tel [phone]

501 Cañas (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From Just Outside Terminal Coca Cola At 8:30, 10:20, 12:20, 13:20, 14:30, 16:45; Fri & Sun Also At 18:15; Returns 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, 9:15, 12:15, 13:50 (Sun Also 15:00 And 17:15); 188 Km; 3:30 hours;

300 Cartago (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day, every 0:10 From Terminal Cartago From 5:00 To 24:00; Returns From 4:45 To 23:00; 22 Km; 0:45 hours; On Fri/Sat Buses Also From 24:00 To 5:00 every hour After 20:30 The Bus Leaves In Front Of Grand Hotel Costa Rica (Ave 2, Calle 3/5). SACSA Company. Tel. [phone]

205 Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos) (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day, every hour From Terminal Atlántico Norte From 5:00 To 19:30; Returns From 5:00 To 18:15; 110 Km; 2:15 hours; Atuo-Transportes San José-San Carlos Company. 255-4318

500 Coco Beach (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From A.1/3,C.14 At 8:00, 14:00; Returns Same; 251 Km; 5:00 hours; You Can Also Take The Bus From Liberia To Coco Beach every day: Departures 5:30, 12:30 (14:00) 16:30; Returns 7:00 (9:15) 14:00. $US 4.50 Pulmita-Liberia Company. Tel. [phone]

610 Dominical From San Isidro - Departures every day At 7:00, 9:00, 13:30, 16:00; Returns 7:00, 7:15, 14:45, 15:30 Pulmita-Liberia Company. Tel. [phone]

610 Dominical - San Isidro From Quepos - Departures every day From Mercado Municipal At 5:00, 13:30; Returns 7:00, 13:30; 80 Km; 3:30 hours; Transportes Morales Company. Tel. [phone]

599 Flamingo, Brasilito And Potrero (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From ½ Block West Of Terminal Coca Cola At 8:00, 10:00; Returns 9:00, 14:00; 320 Km; 6:00 hours; $US 8.39 TRALAPA Company. Tel. [phone]

516 Flamingo, Brasilito And Potrero From Santa Cruz - Departures every day At 6:30, 15:00; Returns 9:00, 17:00; Potrero 64 Km TRALAPA Company. Tel. [phone]

211 Fortuna (Arenal Volcano) From San José - Departures every day From Terminal Atlántico Norte At 6:15, 8:40, 11:30; Returns 12:45; 14:45, 130 Km; 4:30 hours; $US 3.76 Auto-Transportes San José-San Carlos Company. Tel. [phone]

286 Fortuna From Ciudad Quesada - Departures every day From Parada Municipal At 6:00, 10:30, 13:00, 15:30, 17:15, 18:00; RET 5:00, 8:00, 12:15, 15:30. There Are 4 Different Routes And We Recommend Chachagua At Departures 6:00 And 10:30 And RET 8:00, 12:15. Ask For Details At The Station. 40 Kms, 1hr. $US 0.95 Auto-Transportes San José-San Carlos Company. Tel. [phone]

1202 Fortuna From Tilarán - Departures every day At 7:00, 12:30; Returns 8:30, 17:30; 101 Km; 4:00 hours; $US 2 Auto-Transportes Tilarán Company. Tel. [phone]

612 Golfito (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From Terminal Alfaro / TRACOPA At 7:00, 15:00; Returns 5:00, 13:00; 339 Km; 8 hours; $US 5.70 TRACOPA Company. Tel [phone]

Guapiles And Braulio Carrillo National Park From San José - Departures Mon. To Fri. From Terminal Atlántico Norte From 5:30 To 21:45 (every 0:30 hour) Sat./Sun. From 6:00 To 21:00; Returns 5:30 To 19:00; 75km; 1:20 hours; For Braulio Carillo, Get Off At The Zurquí Or Quebrada González Station. Wait On Highway For Bus To Come Back. $US 1.36 Atlántico Norte Company. 256-8963

400B Heredia From San José - Departures every day, every 0:10 From Terminal Heredia From 5:00 To 24:15 And At Night From 24:15 To 4:00 A.M. every 0:30; Returns From 5:00 To 23:00; 11 Km; 30 Minutes. You Can Also Take A Minibus (400A) On A.2,C.10/12 every 0:15 From 6:00 To 20:00.

307 Irazu Volcano (Express Bus From San José) - Departures Sat. And Sun. From A.2,C.1/3 Opposite Gran Hotel Costa Rica At 8:00; Returns 12:15; 54 Km; 1:30 hours; You Can Also Take This Bus At Cartago Ruins At 8:30.

655 Jaco Beach And Carara Biological Station (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From Terminal Coca Cola At 7:30, 10:30, 15:30; Returns 5:00, 11:00, 15:00; 102 Km; 2:30 hours; $US 2.11 Transportes Morales S.A. Company. Tel. [phone]

232 Laguna De Fraijanes From Alajuela - Departures Mon.-Fri. 3 Blocks West Of Central Market At 9:00, 13:00, 16:15, 18:15; Returns 6:00, 10:00, 14:00, 17:00; 15 Km; 0:50 hours; Sat. 6:30, 8:00, Sun. 7:00, 17:15. Fraijanes Opens Tue.-Sun. 9:00-15:30.

336 Lankester Gardens (Bus To Paraíso, From Cartago) - Departures every day, every 0:30 From South Side Of Central Park Cartago From 5:00 To 22:30; Returns Same; 8 Km; 0:15 hours; Get Off At The Entrance Of The Gardens (In Front Of Campo Ayala) And Walk ½ Mile; Open every day 8:00-15:00.

500 Liberia (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From A.1/3,C.14 At 6:00, 7:00, 9:00, 10:00, 11:30, 13:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:00, 20:00; Returns 4:00, 5:00, 6:00, 7:00, 8:00, 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00; 217 Km; 4:00 hours; The 15:00 And 17:00 Departing Buses Are Direct; The 4:00 And 5:00 Return Buses Are Also Direct. $US 3.76 Pulmita-Liberia Company. Tel. [phone]

703 Limon (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day, every hour From Terminal Caribe From 5:00, 5:30, 6:45, From 7:30, To 18:30 every Hr; Returns 5:00, 5:30, 6:45, From 7:30, To 19:00 every Hr ; 162 Km; 2:30 hours; $US 2.86 Auto-Transportes Caribeños Company. Tel. [phone]

1229 Los Chiles Y Caño ***** (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From Terminal Atlántico Norte At 5:30, 15:30; Returns 5:00, 15:00; 217 Km; 5:00 hours; Call The Park Administration to Reserve Lodging, Tel. [phone]; Boat To The Park At 7:30 Tue. And Thu. Atlántico Norte Company. Tel. [phone]

750 Manzanillo (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From Terminal Caribe At 16:00; Returns 6:30. You Can Buy Tickets In Advance. $US 5.37 Auto-Transportes Mepe S.A. Company. Tel. [phone]

725 Manzanillo From Limón - Departures every day 6:00, 14:30; Returns 8:30, 17:00. 1:30 hours; $US 1.56

675 Monteverde (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From Terminal Atlántico Norte At 6:30, 14:30; Returns 6:30, 14:30; 167 Km; 4.5 hours; $US 4.56 Transmonteverde. Tel. [phone]

625 Monteverde (Santa Elena) From Puntarenas - Departures every day From Terminal Empresarios Unidos At 14:15, Leaves Monteverde For Puntarenas At 6:00 Am. Transmonteverde. Tel. [phone]

Ferry Montezuma And Malpais Beaches (Cabo Blanco Natl. Park) From Puntarenas Docks By Boat -Departures every day At 6:00, 11:00, 15:15; Returns 7:30, 12:00, 17:00; 1:30 hours; Take The Bus Paquera-Montezuma That Is Waiting For The Boat; Returns 5:30, 10:00, 14:00. $US 1.79 ; To Malpaís From Cobano Departures 10:30, 14:30; Returns 7:00, 12:00.

503 Nicoya (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From Terminal Alfaro At 6:30, 8:00, 10:00, 13:30, 14:00, 15:00, 17:00; Returns 5:00, 7:30, 9:00, 12:00, 14:30, 17:00; 296 Km; 6:00 hours; Buses From Liberia To Nicoya: every hour, From 5:00 To 19:00; Returns Same. Buses From Santa Cruz To Nicoya Departures every hour From 6:30 To 21:30; Returns Same. $US 5.20 Alfaro Bus Company. 222-2666

550 Nicoya From Liberia - Departures every day At 6:00, 8:00, 11:00, 16:00; Returns 4:30, 5:30, 9:30, 14:30.

503 Nosara From San José - Departures every day Terminal Alfaro At 6:00; Returns 12:45; 361 Km; 6:00 hours; Alfaro Bus Company. Tel. [phone]

548 Nosara, Garza And Guiones From Nicoya - Departures every day From Main Station At 13:00; Returns 6:00; Nosara 65 Km.

339 Orosi Valley From Cartago - Departures Mon. To Sat. every Hour From South-West Corner Of The Church Ruins At Cartago From 8:00 To 22:00; Microbus 13:30, 15:30; Returns Same; 18 Km; 0:40 hours; Sun every 45 minutes From 8:00 Onwards. This Bus Will Stop In Front Of The Orosi Look-Out Point.

601 Palmar Norte (Express Bus From San José) - Departures every day From Term

Answer 2

Bus system is excellent in Costa Rica the busses are new and confortable ..from the airport you dont need a tickett .busses from the airport to manuel antonio is about every 45 min every time a bus is full it takes off .you are going to have a ball everyone is going to help you get around so have fun in your adventure ....

Answer 3

It depends. There are many kinds of buses. You have the main city buses (San Jose, Heredia, Alajuela and the main metropolitan area) and they have specific routes. For this kind you don't need a ticket in advance. You just pay when you get in it (make sure you have close to the right amount though, they don't like to give extra change back).

Then you have the buses that go further distances. For example to the beach (Manuel Antonio, Quepos, Jaco, etc). For this kind of bus (non-stop) you have to board at particular bus station and you can buy your ticket right before you board (in the station). Worst case scenario, you might have to wait another bus because the first one was full.

Be very careful with your belongings. I mean this part. I'll say it again: be extra careful with your belongings. Costa Rica is beautiful and an excellent place, but you can also find lots of thieves. They target Americans with little understanding of the culture. How to be extra careful? There is a nice article with good recommendations at:

http://sanjose.usembassy.gov/uscitizen.h... and http://www.costaricahotels.tv/frequent-a...

But bottom line:

1. Never leave your bags unattended.

2. Never go out wearing something you might not be willing to give away.

3. Use safety deposit boxes for your passport and important documents.