Getting around · San José · Costa Rica
Getting around San José
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Fespinozalemistre, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Downtown San José is walkable, and taxis and ride-hailing apps are inexpensive for everything else. Buses are run by many companies from different terminals, which can be confusing, and traffic across the metropolitan area is heavy at rush hour. Not in the city.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- SJO, SYQ
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Walking
The Teatro Nacional, Gold Museum, Mercado Central, Museo Nacional and Barrio Amón are all within about 20 minutes' walk of each other.
Taxi
Official taxis are red with a yellow triangle on the door and use a meter, called 'la maría'; ask the driver to turn it on.
Orange airport taxis are the official service from Juan Santamaría airport.
Ride-hailing
Uber and DiDi are widely used in the metropolitan area and are often cheaper than taxis.
Bus
City buses are cheap and frequent, but routes are run by many companies from different stops. Long-distance buses to the coasts leave from several separate terminals around the centre.
Ask your hotel which terminal serves your destination; there is no single central bus station.
Train
Commuter trains link San José with Heredia, Cartago and other suburbs, mainly at peak times on weekdays.
Car
A rental car is useful for exploring beyond the city, but driving in San José itself is slow and parking is limited.
From the airport
Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is in Alajuela, about 17 km west of the centre. Allow 30–60 minutes by road depending on traffic. Official orange airport taxis, ride-hailing pickups and public buses connect it with the city; many hotels and tour companies offer transfers.
Do you need a car?
Not in the city. A car is useful for travelling around Costa Rica, but many visitors use shared shuttles and buses to reach the beaches and national parks.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Poás Volcano | About 1.5 hours by road | Tour or car via Alajuela |
| Irazú Volcano | About 1.5 hours by road | Tour or car via Cartago |
| Cartago and the Orosi Valley | About 1.5 hours by road | Car, tour or bus via Cartago |
| La Paz Waterfall Gardens | About 1.5 hours by road | Tour or car |
| Sarchí | About 1 hour by road | Car, bus or tour via Grecia |
| Carara National Park and the Tárcoles River | About 1.5–2 hours by road | Car or tour via the Pacific highway |
| Manuel Antonio | About 3–3.5 hours by road | Shuttle, bus or car |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in San José?
Not in the city. A car is useful for travelling around Costa Rica, but many visitors use shared shuttles and buses to reach the beaches and national parks.
+How do you get from the airport to San José?
Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is in Alajuela, about 17 km west of the centre. Allow 30–60 minutes by road depending on traffic. Official orange airport taxis, ride-hailing pickups and public buses connect it with the city; many hotels and tour companies offer transfers.
+What is the best way to get around San José?
Walking: The Teatro Nacional, Gold Museum, Mercado Central, Museo Nacional and Barrio Amón are all within about 20 minutes' walk of each other.