Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
In normal traffic, an official taxi from the airport to downtown San José should cost
between US$25 and US$30, as measured on the meter. You can reserve a pickup with
Taxi
Aeropuerto
(
2221-6865)
. Plan on spending extra for wait time during periods of heavy
traffic.
Interbus
runs shuttles in both directions between the airport and San José hotels (US$15
per adult, US$7.50 per child under 12), good value if you're traveling alone.
Even cheaper are the public buses (US$1.10) operated by
Tuasa
and
Station Wagon
,
which pick up passengers at a stop on the main road in front of the airport. Make sure to
verify the destination before boarding, as some buses from this stop go to Alajuela, others
to San José. On the return trip, board at the Tuasa or Station Wagon terminal in downtown
San José (both opposite Iglesia de La Merced near the corner of Av 2 and Calle 12) and be
sure to tell the driver that you are getting off at the airport (
Voy al aeropuerto, por favor
).
Most hotels can also arrange for private airport pickup at reasonable rates.
From downtown, the drive to the airport can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour
(more if you take the bus) - and vice versa. Plan accordingly.
BUS
Local buses are useful to get you into the suburbs and surrounding villages, or to the air-
port. Most buses run between 5am and 10pm and cost between US$0.40 and US$1.10.
To catch a bus heading west from San José towards
La Sabana
(US$0.40), head for the
convenient downtown stop at the southeast corner of Av 3 and Calle 3. Buses returning
from Parque La Sabana to downtown follow Paseo Colón, then go over to Av 2 at the San
Juan de Dios hospital. They then go three different ways through town before eventually
heading back to La Sabana. Buses are marked Sabana-Estadio, Sabana-Cementerio or Ce-
menterio-Estadio. These buses are a good bet for a cheap city tour.
Catch eastbound buses to
Los Yoses and San Pedro
(US$0.50) from the northeast
corner of Calle Central and Av 9. These buses run east along Av 2 and then switch over to
Av Central at Calle 29. (Many are easily identifiable by the big sign that says 'Mall San
Pedro' on the front window.)
Buses southwest to
Escazú
(US$0.65 to US$0.80, 15 to 25 minutes) leave from two dif-
ferent locations: Av 6 between Calles 14 and 16 (south of the Hospital San Juan de Dios),
and Calle 16 between Avs 1 and 3 (near the Coca-Cola terminal). Buses labeled 'San An-
tonio de Escazú' climb the hill south of Escazú and end near the Iglesia San Antonio de
Escazú; those labeled 'Escazú Centro' end in Escazú's main plaza; others, labeled 'Gua-
