Getting There By Air:Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
Tel: 437 2626.
Juan Santamaría Airport is located 17km (10.5 miles) northwest of the city center just outside the city of Alajuela. As Costa Rica’s principal gateway, Juan Santamaría is serviced by a number of international carriers, and serves as the hub for domestic flights on
Sansa Airlines.
Airport facilities: These include conference and banqueting facilities, a business center, shops, restaurants, bars, banks, ATMs, bureaux de change,
tourist information and car hire from
Avis, Budget, Hertz and several others
.
Transport to the city: The all-red
Tuasa bus runs frequently from the airport to the city center, journey time is less than 45 minutes. Taxis also serve the terminals.
Getting There By Road:San José lies at the geographical center of Costa Rica, and is served well by road connections. With that said, roads are poorly marked, and driving the city’s crowded streets is not for the faint of heart. Parking is widely available throughout the city center, though it’s recommended that you only use guarded lots as car theft and vandalism is a major problem. If you’re not a road warrior, there is an extensive network of public and private bus lines that radiates from San José.
Grayline’s Fantasy Bus (tel: 220 2126; website:
www.graylinecostarica.com) operates intercity scheduled coach services to and from San José. Although there is no main terminal, the company schedules pick-ups from major hotels across the city.
Getting There By Rail:There is no railway system in Costa Rica.
Getting Around:Public TransportSan José has an extensive network of public
buses, though unfortunately it’s confusing and at times daunting if you don’t speak Spanish. As a result, most visitors prefer to take taxis, or even huff it on foot around the city center. However, if you feel like braving the public buses, destinations and prices are posted on the front windshield. Although there are few formal bus stops in the city, do as the locals do and queue up along major routes.
The most useful line is the bus that runs from Parque La Sabana to San Juan de Dios Hospital along Paseo Colón and then Avenida 2. Buses heading to Los Yoses and San Pedro also run along Avenida 2 and then Avenida Central.
Special tickets and
passes are not available for visitors, though this isn’t a problem as bus fare is extremely cheap. Public transport generally operates between 0500-2200. However, it is safer to take a taxi during early morning and late night hours.
TaxisTaxis can be hailed on the street, or you can go to the stands at either the Parque Nacional, Parque Central or near the Teatro Nacional. Although not using a meter is illegal, drivers will often leave it off in an attempt to charge you more. Generally speaking, cab fare is cheap, so be firm and don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Note that there is a 20% surcharge after 2200.
Car HireHire cars are available from
Avis (tel: 293 2222; website:
www.avis.co.cr),
Budget (tel: 436 2000; website:
www.budget.co.cr) and
Hertz (tel: 221 1818; website:
www.costaricarentacar.net).
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Costa Rica Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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