HELP: airport to destination

New Jersey
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HELP: airport to destination
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I am landing at the Juan Santamaria Intl airport, San Jose, CR a few days before new years eve, I need to get to Tamarindo (cheapest way possible) FROM THE AIRPORT. The bus schedules and pick up areas are confusing. Does anyone know the best way to do this?

Punta Uva, Costa...
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1. Re: HELP: airport to destination
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Take taxi to la Radial terminal, 5 minutes from SJO, bus to Tamarindo.

New Jersey
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How much does it cost? is it direct? what service is it? do i need to book or can i just buy a ticket on the spot and hop on?

Punta Uva, Costa...
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Taxi from SJO about $5, bus to Tamarindo around $10, not direct. For direct you need to go into San Jose. Check out http://thebusschedule.com/cr/

Costa Rica
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4. Re: HELP: airport to destination
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You can get the bus to Tamarindo at the La Radial bus station in Alajuela. No need to go into San Jose. It is the bus that comes from San Jose and stops at the bus station in Alajuela.

You can check the bus schedule web site to see if it is direct. Look for San Jose to Tamarindo.

You cannot book it, you will pay the driver in colones.

There are other options that are more frequent. You can get one of the buses going to Liberia - they leave about every hour - and then change to the bus for Tamarindo there. Very simple - same bus station in Liberia, get off one bus.... walk over to the other one. Buses leave from Liberia to Tamarindo frequently.

New Jersey
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how much colones are the busses usually? what do you think is better: getting a bus from SJO airport to liberia than to tamarinda, or just going into alajuela and going to tamarindo

Chicago, Illinois
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Bus fares typically $10 or less but be sure and change dollars to colones. The bus drivers will not take US dollars in payment.

I think you are misreading the great advice above. You can not get a bus from SJO to Liberia. You need to take a taxi from the airport to the bus station in Alajuela. Whether you take the direct bus to Tamarindo or catch a bus to Liberia and then transfer to Tamarindo is all a function of what time you make it to the bus station. Good luck planning.

New Jersey
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7. Re: HELP: airport to destination
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Got it, so instead of going into san jose and back tracking, just go in to la Radial terminal alajuela, and take a bus to tamarindo or liberia and connect to tamarindo from there?

Punta Uva, Costa...
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That the way to do it!

Madison
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Definitely go to Alajuela Station. The San Jose station is crazy and has crime issues. We took a directivo bus and it was like 9.00 american and it was very safe and comfortable drive. Just keep an eye on your bag at each stop.

Have a great time

MadmanWI

New Jersey
5 posts
10. Re: HELP: airport to destination
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im just trying to get a feel for the bus system, these are my plans in landing at SJO at 11PM, i was just going to chill in the airport convert some money and just kill time until the morning. the transportation i need is respectively: the airport to alajuela, than i need to get to tamarindo, after a week i need to get from tamarindo to montezuma, after a few days there i need to go from montezuma to playa del coco guanacasye, after my trip is over i obviously have to get back to SJO

1: Airport to Tamarindo

2: Tamarindo to Montezuma

3 Montezuma to Playa del Coco

4: Playa del Coco back to SJO

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