Transportation in Costa Rica:

Geolocation tools are the easiest way to get directions to Monteverde. All you need to do is open an app such as Google Maps or Waze (which is the most commonly used one in Costa Rica) and look up the location of “Puntarenas Province, Monteverde”. To find the best route to Selvatura Park, you can type in “Selvatura Park Monteverde, Puntarenas Province, Monteverde”, and you will find the exact address.

It’s important to note that if you don’t have a data plan that works in Costa Rica, you can use Google Maps to download the maps you’ll need, in order to access them while offline.

Here below we will share our location:

Our clients also think about the transportation options available in Costa Rica. We will mention four of them, but the best choice for you will depend on what else you want to do in the “Pura Vida” country.

1. Costa Rica car rental

If you will be traveling with children or elderly people, you may prefer to use the most comfortable transportation option from the airport to your destinations. If that’s the case, renting a vehicle is one of the best choices.

In Costa Rica, you can find excellent car rental, services throughout the country, but especially in Liberia and San José. They can help you decide what kind of vehicle to rent based on the places you wish to visit. Some of the most prestigious companies include:

1. Toyota Rent a Car

2. Budget Costa Rica

3. Alamo Costa Rica

The main advantage of choosing this kind of transportation is the flexibility that you will have to travel around the country, as you won’t be bound by service schedules. However, there can be some disadvantages if you don’t have experience driving in Costa Rica and you don’t have a driver.

For more information about this, you may want to read about driving laws in Costa Rica.

2. Public transportation in Costa Rica

You might enjoy using public transportation to get to know cities better, and to have more contact with Costa Ricans. You may have also heard about the country’s train service, but it’s important to note that it only runs between Alajuela and Cartago, so it won’t work for you if you want to visit tourist attractions like La Fortuna and Monteverde.

With that in mind, you will likely want information about bus schedules and stations. Here, we will share a document created by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute that will help you plan your routes. Download here.

The advantage of public transportation in Costa Rica is that it’s the most affordable way to get around the country, but before setting out on your adventure you should consider the following:

1. It’s very difficult to find direct public transportation between one tourist attraction and another, because bus services are centralized in San Jose. So, to travel from one place to another, you almost always have to stop over in the capital city.
2. You may have to travel standing up, as some companies sell more tickets than there are seats available. It’s common for several passengers to have to travel without sitting down on both long and short trips.
3. Trips are very slow on public transportation in Costa Rica, due to traffic and all the stops buses make along the way. If you’re only going to be in the country for a short time, this wouldn’t be the best option.

3. Tourism transportation in Costa Rica

This might be one of the best options for you. When it comes to traveling comfortably in Costa Rica, tourism transportation is a safe bet. The company that comes most highly recommended by nationals and visitors alike is Interbus, and they guarantee great prices to various destinations.

It’s also important to note the differences between shared and private shuttle services. The former is the more affordable choice (at around $54 USD per person), and it’s certainly more comfortable than public transportation. The latter is much pricier (at around $232 USD).

4. Uber Costa Rica

Lastly, you have the option of using Uber in Costa Rica. This service is especially useful for getting around San Jose. However, there are parts of the country that don’t have Uber yet, or where it’s just starting up, which is why it’s not always accessible. Also, if you’re planning to travel many kilometers away from where you’re staying, this might not be the most affordable option.

Learning about how to get to Monteverde while enjoying the ride can be very beneficial to your next trip. If you want to enjoy yourself on your way to the best adventures at our park, you can take advantage of routes that show off the natural and urban beauty of our country. Here, we will share three routes that will allow you to enjoy every second in the “Pura Vida” country to the fullest.

1. From Liberia (Daniel Oduber International Airport)

Take the Carretera Interamericana Norte to Ruta 145 in La Irma, and continue on for about 40 kilometres until you arrive in Monteverde.

This route is full of places to stop and see impressive views of the lowlands as you make your way up the mountain. If you go this way, you will feel the wind blowing through delicate clouds. This gravel road up the mountain provides you with lots of time to enjoy beautiful landscapes, as well as stunning sunsets and views of the Gulf of Nicoya.

You may also want to read some advice about driving in Costa Rica.

2. Are you flying into the Juan Santamaria International Airport? You can travel from San Jose to Monteverde, with a stop in La Fortuna

This is the best route if you want to stop in La Fortuna before arriving to Monteverde. La Fortuna is one of the most visited destinations by nationals and visitors alike, so it shouldn’t be hard to find the best route to La Fortuna from San Jose. Once you get to La Fortuna, it’s best to take advantage of the tourist attractions there and stay overnight, to leave for Monteverde the next day.

From La Fortuna, take Ruta 142 to Tilaran and from there, drive along Ruta 145 until you arrive in Dos de Tilaran, and lastly take Ruta 606 which will get you to Monteverde.

This route takes between 3 and 4 hours. You will travel around the Arenal Lake, which is the largest lake in Costa Rica. You will also go through the Tilaran countryside, where you can see wind farms as well as dairy farms. On a sunny day, you can enjoy beautiful views of the plains of Guanacaste. We recommend setting out on this trip early, as it’s a long one.

3. By Jeep-Boat-Jeep

This is the most popular way for visitors to get between the Arenal Volcano and Monteverde. It’s a practical means of transportation that also allows you to enjoy one of the area’s main attractions, the Arenal Lake.

From La Fortuna, a minibus will take you to the Arenal Lake, where you’ll take a slow boat ride, lasting about an hour, to the shore on the other side. For there, you’ll take another minibus which will drop you off at your destination in Monteverde. This trip takes about 3 hours, and you can book it with Casa Batsu.

If you come to our adventure park in Monteverde, you can use our transportation service. It’s free when you’ve booked a zipline or canopy tour, or a hanging bridges hike. Otherwise, it costs $7.50 per person.

We’ll pick you up from Monteverde’s main hotels located within approximately 3 kilometres from downtown. We’ll also travel through the town of Santa Elena with its tourist attractions, restaurants, cafés, and malls.

Transportation service

Location	Times
Area near the Cloud Forest Biological Reserve (Southwest area)	7:30, 10:00, 12:00, 13:30
Cerro Plano gas station	7:45, 10:15, 12:15, 13:45
Cerro Plano public school	7:50, 10:20, 12:20, 13:50
Bank of Costa Rica and Los Llanos area	7:55, 10:25, 12:25, 13:55
Downtown, and nearby hotels	8:00, 10:30, 12:30, 14:00
Sports plaza and road to Cañitas (Northwest area)	8:10, 10:00, 12:40, 14:10