Costa Rica Info
Joined: 14 Nov 2006
Posts: 17
Home Country: costarica
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 Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 10:45 pm Post subject: GETTING AROUND IN COSTA RICA / COSTA RICA TRANSPORT GUIDE |
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GETTING AROUND IN COSTA RICA
AIR
Flying is one of the best ways to get around Costa Rica. Because the country is quite small, flights are short and not too expensive. The domestic airlines of Costa Rica are Sansa (tel. 221-9414; www.flysansa.com), which offers a free shuttle bus from its downtown office to the airport, and Nature Air (tel. 299-6000; www.natureair.com).
Nature Air is recommended. Sansa has an unfriendly and unwieldy reservation system, it frequently overbooks flights, and it has been known to change schedules with little notice. The one thing Sansa has going for it is that it flies out of the main airport, so it is possible, albeit risky, to make same-day connections with international flights. Flight times are generally between 20 minutes and a little over an hour. Sansa operates from a separate terminal at San José's Juan Santamaría International Airport, while Nature Air operates from Tobías Bolaños International Airport in Pavas, 6.4km (4 miles) from San José. The ride from downtown to Pavas takes about 10 minutes, and a metered taxi fare should cost US$6 to US$8. The ride from the airport to downtown is a different story: Most taxis refuse to use their meter, and the standard fee is set at double the metered rate, around US$10 to US$12. In the last few years, Nature Air has begun having some of its return flights stop first at the Juan Santamaría International Airport, enabling folks to make an outgoing connection on an international flight.
In the high season (late Nov to late Apr), be sure to book reservations well in advance. For Sansa flights, you don't have to call Costa Rica to make reservations; you can book flights through their online system. You can book flights on Nature Air via the Web or e-mail. If you plan to return to San José, buy a round-trip ticket -- it's always nice to have a confirmed seat.
Sansa also offers an in-country "air pass" at US$199 for 1 week and US$249 for 2 weeks. Theoretically, these allow for unlimited flights inside Costa Rica, although limited seating, overbooking, and preference given to full-price ticket buyers might make these air passes a slightly less appealing bargain.
BUS
This is by far the most economical way to get around Costa Rica. Buses are inexpensive and relatively well maintained, and they go nearly everywhere. There are two types: Local buses are the cheapest and slowest; they stop frequently and are generally a bit dilapidated. Express buses run between San José and most beach towns and major cities; these tend to be newer units and more comfortable, although very few are so new or modern as to have bathroom facilities, and they sometimes operate only on weekends and holidays.
Two companies run regular, fixed schedule departures in passenger vans and small buses to most of the major tourist destinations in the country. Gray Line (tel. 220-2126; www.graylinecostarica.com), run by Fantasy Tours, charges between US$21 and US$38, depending on your final destination. They have about 10 departures leaving San José each morning and heading or connecting to Jacó, Manuel Antonio, Liberia, Playa Hermosa, La Fortuna, Tamarindo, and playas Conchal and Flamingo. There are return trips to San José every day from these destinations and a variety of interconnecting routes. A similar service, Interbus (tel. 283-5573; www.costaricapass.com), runs a sliding scale according to destination, with fares between US$17 and US$38, but with a slightly more extensive route map and more connections. Beware: Both of these companies offer pickup and drop-off at a wide range of hotels. This means that if you are the first picked up or last dropped off, you might have to sit through a long period of subsequent stops before finally hitting the road or reaching your destination.
CAR RENTAL
Renting a car in Costa Rica is no idle proposition. The roads are riddled with potholes, most rural intersections are unmarked, and, for some reason, sitting behind the wheel of a car seems to turn peaceful Ticos into homicidal maniacs. But unless you want to see the country from the window of a bus (inconvenient) or pay exorbitant amounts for private transfers (expensive), renting a car is still your best option for independent exploring. Four-wheel-drives are particularly useful in the rainy season (May to mid-Nov) and for navigating the bumpy, poorly paved roads year-round.
Be forewarned, however: Although rental cars no longer bear special license plates, they are still readily identifiable to thieves and are frequently targeted. (Nothing is ever safe in a car in Costa Rica, although parking in guarded parking lots helps.) Transit police also seem to target tourists. Never pay money directly to a police officer who stops you for any traffic violation.
Before driving off with a rental car, be sure that you inspect the exterior and point out to the rental-company representative every tiny scratch, dent, tear, or any other damage. It's a common practice with many Costa Rican car-rental companies to claim that you owe payment for minor dings and dents that the company finds when you return the car. Also, if you get into an accident, be sure that the rental company doesn't try to bill you for a higher amount than the deductible on your rental contract.
These caveats aren't meant to scare you off from driving in Costa Rica. Thousands of tourists rent cars here every year, and the large majority of them encounter no problems. Just keep your wits about you.
Note: It's sometimes cheaper to reserve a car in your home country rather than book when you arrive in Costa Rica. If you know you'll be renting a car, it's always wise to reserve it well in advance for the high season because the rental fleet still can't match demand.
Among the agencies operating in Costa Rica are: Alamo (tel. 272-7733; www.alamocostarica.com), Avis (tel. 293-2222 in Costa Rica; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 441-4444; www.budget.co.cr), Hertz (tel. 441-0097; www.hertz.com), National (tel. 440-0085; www.natcar.com), Payless (tel. 443-5286; www.paylesscr.com), and Thrifty (tel. 442-8585; www.thrifty.com).
FERRY
Three different ferries operate across the Gulf of Nicoya. Two are car ferries: one from Puntarenas to Playa Naranjo, and one from Puntarenas to Paquera. The third is a passenger ferry that runs between Puntarenas and Paquera.
HITCH HIKING
Although buses serve most towns in Costa Rica, service can be infrequent in the remote regions, so local people often hitchhike to get to their destination sooner. If you're driving a car, people will frequently ask you for a ride. In rural areas a hitchhiker carrying a machete is not necessarily a great danger, but use your judgment. Hitchhiking is not recommended on major roadways or in urban areas. In rural areas it's usually pretty safe. (However, women should be extremely cautious about hitchhiking anywhere in Costa Rica.) If you choose to hitchhike, keep in mind that if a bus doesn't go to your destination, there probably aren't too many cars going there, either. Good luck. |
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