Transportation

International Flight information

A vareity of international carries from around the world fly into Costa Rica on a regular basis. Some of the major carriers include Iberia, American, Delta, Continental, KLM, and Mexicana to name a few. LACSA used to be the national carrier but a few years ago merged with other regional airlines to form TACA. TACA also serves a variety of international routes. Check with your travel agent for the best fares.

Within Costa Rica there are two major local carriers. Check the links below to find out about their routes and costs.

• SANSA
• Travelair

On the Ground

The cost of purchasing a vehicle in Costa Rica is out of the reach of many Costa Ricans. As such there is a great public transportation system in the country. Though the buses and taxis may not be in the best condition, the service tends to be regular, reliable, and inexpensive. It is pretty easy to get around town or to other locations in Costa Rica without difficulty.

Buses
Buses travel everywhere in Costa Rica and run regular routes and tend to be on time. Most travelers do not need to rent a car to see Costa Rica. It is much easier and cheaper to just hop a bus and head out to the country. On major routes the buses are fairly new and in good shape. Shorter routes or routes between smaller towns tend to be an smaller and older buses. City buses range from brand new to very old. If you ever wondered where old school buses go when they are retired in the US you will quickly find out once in Costa Rica!

Some helpful hints:

Taxis
Taxis are found throughout the country and by US or European standards are pretty inexpensive. Your standard taxi is red. Orange taxis only work the international airport. All taxis should have a taxi meter. If a "taxi" does not have a meter it is an illegal taxi. Wait for a real taxi. When hoping in a taxi make sure the driver uses the meter. If not, ask him to "use la maria". If you are familiar with the area or the meter is broken negotiation always works as well.

Note: after 10pm taxis will add an additional 20% to your fare. This is standard practice.

Road Conditions
Road conditions can be a shock for someone from North America or Europe. Some roads are great, and many are horrible. Holes in the road are common, and during the rainy season can really jolt the car. It is best not to drive over a hole in the rainy season because you never know how deep it is! After a few weeks you will get used to the roads, but the first few days are a real eye opener!

Rent A Car

Communication

Costa Rica has a fairly advanced communication system (by Latin American standards). However service can be spotty at best and repairs can take a LONG time. Still visitors should have no problem making calls, receiving faxes, or surfing the internet. Mail can be slow. It works, but it might not get to where you want it on time. Do not send anything valuable in the regular mail.

Much of the information on our site as it relates to Costa Rica is:

Courtesy of Christopher P. Baker and Avalon Travel Publishing.
© 2004 Christopher P. Baker. All Rights Reserved.

A2Z Languages highly recommends Christopher P. Baker's book: Moon Handbooks Costa Rica. Click on the image to visit his website where you can purchase this book or find out more about the author.

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