When planning your trip to Costa Rica, use a Costa Rica shuttle instead of a rental car. Most tourists take a similar route, so it might be easier to sit back and let someone else drive. In addition, renting a car in Costa Rica can be difficult because not all of their roads are paved; they also come with high deposits, and it’s common to get scammed. You can avoid all of this hassle by relying on Costa Rica shuttle services that run throughout the country. Keep reading to learn more about how you can get around Costa Rica without a car!
Why You Should Use a Costa Rica Shuttle
During my trip to Costa Rica, I visited three regions: The Guanacaste region, known for its beaches; La Fortuna, home to some of the most beautiful jungles in the world; and finally, San Jose, where I flew home. Most people visit all three of these destinations, so it makes sense that there are shuttles with routes all over to take you where you need to go. Costa Rica also has a bus system, but I don’t recommend it as it can be unreliable.
The options for transportation in Costa Rica are as follows:
- Private Shuttles: Great for groups or for people who want a personalized experience
- Shared Shuttles: Great for solo travelers to get around affordably without the hassle
- Uber: Great for everyone, however severely limited in availability (more on this later)
- Rental Cars: Great for everyone but requires a skilled driver for unpaved roads and high deposit fees.
How I Got Around In the Guanacaste Region
I decided to use the first three options and skip the rental car. I flew into the Liberia airport (LIR) and arranged a private shuttle to my hotel; it was efficient as my hotel was in a remote area. I spent most of my time at the resort and did not venture to the other beaches in the area. If you want to beach-hop around the Guanacaste region, Uber is not available here, so make sure to hire a driver with your hotel.
When it was time to leave the Guanacaste area I booked a one way ticket on the San Jose to Guanacaste shuttle route in reverse. I hailed a taxi to get to the bus station and used Interbus to go to La Fortuna in a shared shuttle for $52. The ride took 3.5 hours, with a short restroom break. Uber is available in La Fortuna; however, it did take about 15 minutes for me to be connected with a driver. Drivers are limited because the rates are low (most rides cost about $2-5 USD), so be aware of that if you plan on going out at night. My excursions included roundtrip transportation, so it was easy to get around the town.
La Fortuna to San Jose Airport Transportation
My last stop was to the San Jose Airport to head home, so I opted to take the San Jose to La Fortuna shuttle in reverse. This drive was the reason I wanted to avoid having a rental car because it is over three hours without traffic. I also noticed there were times when we lost cell signal, and I”d hate having to be behind the wheel. I used Tropical Tours this time because the schedule aligned with my flight departure time. For $62, I was picked up from my hotel and dropped off at the airport in less than 4 hours; you can’t beat that!
As you can see, an efficient way to get around Costa Rica is using a combination of shuttle services and Uber. It was great to see all I wanted to without having to worry about a car; it also was cost-effective and allowed me to relax. Let me know if you have any questions, and have a safe trip!
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