How to get from San Jose to La Fortuna

Why visit La Fortuna?

La Fortuna translates to “The Fortune” in English, which seems pretty accurate as you feel like you’ve hit the jackpot while visiting here. As the gateway to Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna attracts hiking and nature lovers eagerly waiting to explore the park’s two volcanoes — the still active Arenal and the inactive dormant Chato.

And let’s not forget about the incredible views that this laidback town is blessed with too. From virtually any spot in La Fortuna, you can see Arenal Volcano standing guard over the area.

There are 7 ways to travel the 160 kilometers (99 miles) from San Jose to La Fortuna. You can choose between the direct bus, minivan, private transport, flight, indirect bus, day trip and car rental. The journey takes 1 hour 50 minutes to 14 hours and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by direct bus with tickets starting at 2,030 CRC ($4).

The direct bus is the cheapest option for the San Jose to La Fortuna route, with prices from only 4,150 CRC ($8.20). Travel time is around 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours, sometimes longer depending on traffic.

Keep in mind that you’ll also be travelling to and from the bus terminals — which adds a bit to the total cost and journey time.

Operated by Autotransportes San Jose San Carlos, there is only one direct bus available daily. It departs every morning at 08:40. After about 3 hours on the road, there’s usually a quick bathroom stop. Note that the bus is not airconditioned, and the heat can be uncomfortable.

Departure and arrival station

The bus departs from Terminal 7-10 in San Jose city centre. Upon arrival at the bus station, be aware of scammers. They may tell you the bus has already left and will offer expensive taxi rides. Simply continue looking for the bus or head to the ticket counter.

You will be dropped off at La Fortuna Bus Station, within walking distance from most accommodations in La Fortuna.

Kate's recommendation

Local transport options, including the bus station in San Jose, can attract thieves, so keep your belongings in sight. Don’t board the bus until your bigger bags are inside the luggage compartment, and be sure to get your luggage ticket. It’s best to keep smaller bags, containing your valuables, in front of you or between your feet, instead of in overhead storage.

When coming from Juan Santamaria International Airport, you don’t have to go all the way to San Jose city centre to take the bus. There is also one direct bus departing for La Fortuna from La Radial Bus Station, which is less than 2 km from the airport.

The thing is, this direct bus departs at 06:50 in the morning. That means you can only take it if you arrive very early at San Jose Airport, or if you spend the night in the area.

A bus ticket from La Radial to La Fortuna costs 2,030 CRC ($4). The bus journey takes around 3.5 hours.

If you arrive at the airport later in the day — but still before lunch — you can still take the bus from La Radial, but only up to Ciudad Quesada. From here, you can take another bus to La Fortuna. Check out the next section by indirect bus for more details.

The indirect bus via Ciudad Quesada is a good alternative if you want to be more flexible with your schedule. You will have to take two buses, but it comes with the advantage that buses depart more frequently.

When taking the indirect route from San Jose to La Fortuna, you will first take a bus from San Jose to Ciudad Quesada and then another bus from Ciudad Quesada to La Fortuna. Total travel time is about 5 hours 10 minutes. Combined fares start from 4,410 CRC ($8.70).

Ciudad Quesada is a district located 95 km northwest of San Jose.

The buses bound for Ciudad Quesada also depart from Terminal 7-10. These buses are available every 30 minutes from 05:00 until 18:00.

You can buy a ticket directly from the driver for about 2,860 CRC ($5.60). Buses run frequently, so there’s usually no need to reserve a ticket. But if you prefer to buy your tickets online beforehand, you can book them via mibus.cr, with an additional booking fee.

Travel time from San Jose to Ciudad Quesada is around 3h 40m, but the ride can take longer depending on the traffic.

For the second part of this journey, you can choose between two bus routes from Ciudad Quesada to La Fortuna:

• Via El Tanque to the north (a bit faster)
• Via Chachagua to the south (more scenic)

Both routes cost the same and take a similar amount of time — around 1h 30m. Take the next departing bus if you can’t decide which route to take.

Buses are available from 04:00 to 22:00. A ticket costs about 1,550 CRC ($3.10) and you can buy them from the bus driver.

You can also take an indirect bus from San Jose Airport to La Fortuna. It’s basically the same process, you’ll just have to take the bus from La Radial Bus Terminal, instead of Terminal 7-10 in San Jose centre.

Here’s how your journey will go:

1. From San Jose Airport: Take a 10-minute taxi ride to La Radial Bus Terminal. This should cost around 2,540 CRC ($5).
2. From La Radial Bus Terminal: Take a bus to Ciudad Quesada. Buses leave at 08:05, 09:05, 10:05, 11:05, and 18:05. Since buses from San Jose city centre also stop here, you can usually catch one every hour. A ticket costs around 3,000 CRC ($5.90).
3. From Ciudad Quesada: Transfer to a bus heading to La Fortuna. Buses run from 04:00 to 22:00, with ticket fares at 1,550 CRC ($3.10).

Combined travel time by indirect bus from San Jose Airport to La Fortuna is around 5 hours.

Driving from San Jose to La Fortuna is also possible. The roads between the two cities are paved and easy to drive, even for tourists. Still, it’s best to drive only when you plan to arrive in La Fortuna before 17:00.

We don’t recommend driving this route at night. It gets dark pretty early in this region. And there are a lot of twists and turns in some areas, which might not be safe if you’re not familiar with the roads. Also, there are plenty of trucks taking these roads at night!

Why rent a car from San Jose to La Fortuna

We recommend renting a car when coming back to San Jose after visiting La Fortuna. Car rental prices are cheaper that way — about 1/3 the price compared to when you’re dropping off the car in La Fortuna.

If you’re travelling in a group, your rental car can also come in handy when exploring La Fortuna. The town centre is just a few blocks of accommodation and restaurants, but its highlights are far apart.

You’ll need a car (or a motorbike) to travel between Arenal Volcano, Chato Volcano, La Fortuna Waterfall, El Salto rope swing, and the town’s other attractions.

There are taxis in town, but they can be expensive, even for short distances. Buses are also available, but don’t depart frequently. So having your own car can definitely help you do more and go to more places!

Where to rent a car in San Jose

There are plenty of car rental shops in Costa Rica’s capital city or at San Jose Airport. You should be able to rent a car whether you plan to return to San Jose or not. Just expect additional costs if you drop off the vehicle in another city, like La Fortuna.

You can ask your hotel for recommendations on where to rent a car, or you can just find one online.

We normally recommend checking Skyscanner for the best car rental prices (and flights), but occasionally you might find even better prices on Kayak. Both are reliable search engines which make it easy to search for the cheapest car deals and apply relevant filters.

One-day car rental costs around 15,000 CRC ($30) per day when returning the car to San Jose. If you’re dropping off the car in La Fortuna or elsewhere in Costa Rica, rental prices are significantly more expensive, starting at 43,000 CRC ($85) on the first day.

Check Car Rentals on Skyscanner

Driving directions from San Jose to La Fortuna

There are two routes you can take when driving from San Jose to La Fortuna: via San Ramon and via Ciudad Quesada. San Ramon is the most direct, and usually the route recommended when you use Waze or Google Maps.

From San Jose, take the Pan-American Highway (Carretera Interamericana) going to Puntarenas. Exit at San Ramon, drive through the town and continue on Route 702. If Waze stops working, don’t worry. There are plenty of road signs pointing the right way to La Fortuna.

Prepare for winding roads (and amazing landscapes) as you enter Route 702. These roads are still paved, but we recommend driving a bit slower for safety.

The entire drive to La Fortuna from San Jose takes about 3 hours 30 minutes unless you decide to make a stop along the way — something you are free to do when renting your own car!

Taking a minivan shuttle from San Jose to La Fortuna is the most popular option and is the best way to travel this route.

With a shuttle, you get an airconditioned ride with free hotel pick-up/drop-off. The journey takes 2 hours 15 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes, and minivan rates start at 22,000 CRC ($43).

Coming from the airport? You can even book a shuttle that picks you up from San Jose Airport. When you arrive, the driver will be waiting at the arrival hall, holding a sign with your name.

Below is the schedule of minivan shuttles operating from San Jose to La Fortuna.

You can also take a flight from San Jose to La Fortuna, but we don’t recommend it. When you include the airport transfers and the waiting time at the airport, you don’t get to save time or money with this option.

A flight to La Fortuna from San Jose takes around 1 hour 50 minutes. Combined fares start from 69,000 CRC ($135).

Still want to take a flight? Read on for a step-by-step guide.

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.

San Jose Airport, also called Juan Santamaria International Airport, is 15 km northwest of San Jose city centre. You can get there in 2 ways: a 1-hour bus or a 30-minute taxi.

On a budget? A bus ride costs only 1,020 CRC ($2). Buses are available at TUASA Terminal every 10 minutes from 04:00 to 23:00. Look for either of these two bus companies: TUASA (coloured red and white) and Station Wagon (coloured orange and yellow).

A taxi ride is more expensive with rates from 16,000 CRC ($31), but also more convenient because you don’t need to go to the bus terminal. You can just hail a taxi from the street or through the ride-hailing app Uber.

PRO TIP: While Uber is widely used in Costa Rica, it is still not entirely legal. There have been rare cases of Uber rides being stopped in the middle of the journey, not something you’d like to risk when in a hurry to make it to your flight. It’s best to confirm with your hotel whether it’s safe to use Uber before booking a ride.

Sansa Airlines operates flights from San Jose to La Fortuna, but not every day. Check Skyscanner beforehand to see if a flight is available on your desired date.

Airfares start from 60,000 CRC ($120) and flight time is around 30 minutes.

All flights arrive at Arenal Airport, about 8 km east of La Fortuna centre. The best way to get to your hotel would be to take a taxi.

Expect to pay around 7,600 CRC ($15) and the taxi ride takes around 20 minutes.

A private transfer is often more convenient if you’re travelling in a group from San Jose to La Fortuna. There’s no need to pick up other guests and the driver will bring you straight from your hotel or San Jose Airport to your accommodation in La Fortuna. Also, a private minivan is cheaper than a shared minivan if you travel with four or more people.

Private minivans for 4 people usually cost 86,000 CRC ($170) — that’s just around 21,000 CRC ($42.50) per person if you divide the cost.

You can book a taxi through your hotel, but you can get more spacious cars and trusted drivers by booking through BookAway.

Private Transport options from San Jose to La Fortuna

Short on time? You can also visit La Fortuna on a day trip from San Jose. This group tour takes around 14 hours, including roundtrip transfers. We don’t think that’s enough time to fully explore La Fortuna, to be honest, but it’s still a decent option for a quick visit.

We recommend booking your day trip with GetYourGuide, which will allow you to enjoy the best of La Fortuna: La Paz and San Fernando Waterfalls, hot springs at the base of Arenal Volcano, zip lining, wildlife sightings, and authentic Costa Rican meals, including both lunch and dinner.

Prices for a day trip from San Jose to La Fortuna start from 94,000 CRC ($185) per person.