How to get from San Jose to Montezuma

Why visit Montezuma?

Montezuma is an untouched gem on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. It boasts a vibrant jungle and pristine beaches, inviting nature enthusiasts for a serene escape. Explore Montezuma Falls, a majestic waterfall that’s a hiker’s dream. If you’re in for a more serious hike, you can also visit the nearby Cabo Blanco Natural Reserve.

This picturesque town also offers a laid-back bohemian atmosphere, with beaches for both swimming (Playa Montezuma) and surfing (Playa Grande). At Montezuma town centre, you’ll find a wide range of cafes with international cuisine, yoga classes, and artisan shops.

There are 4 ways to travel the 170 kilometers (106 miles) from San Jose to Montezuma. You can choose between the bus + ferry, minivan + ferry, private transport and flight. The journey takes 1 hour 55 minutes to 6 hours 45 minutes and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus + ferry with tickets starting at 7,500 CRC ($14.90).

The bus is a nice way to travel like a local from San Jose to Montezuma. With fares from 7,500 CRC ($14.90), it’s the cheapest option and still comfortable enough for the journey that takes 5 hours 30 minutes. The only tiny disadvantage of the bus is that it makes more stops compared to the other options.

Transportes Cobano offers only one daily bus trip from San Jose to Montezuma, so we recommend buying your ticket online beforehand via La Terminal. There’s an additional tax and booking fee of about 2,520 CRC ($5), but it’s worth it if you’re travelling on a weekend or during peak season (December to April) when tickets sell out fast.

If you’re willing to take a risk, a ticket only costs 7,500 CRC ($14.90) when you buy it at the bus terminal on the day of your trip. This price includes the tickets for both the bus and the ferry crossing to the Nicoya Peninsula.

Departure and arrival station

The bus departs from Cobano Bus Stop, Terminal 7-10 in Paso de la Vaca at 06:00 in the morning. About 20 minutes into the journey, it makes a short stop at San Jose Airport to pick up passengers. And then, it travels some 100 km west (1.5 hours) to Puntarenas Ferry Port.

Here, you’ll board the ferry to Paquera. You’ll need to get off the bus for this part. Take your valuables with you, but you can leave your larger luggage on board. The ferry departs around 9:00 and reaches Paquera in about 1.5 hours.

Once back on land, re-board the bus for the final 1-hour journey to Montezuma Beach.

PRO TIP: Be mindful of your luggage! Bigger ones will be stored on the compartment below. Make sure they’re inside before boarding the bus and don’t forget to get your luggage ticket from the driver. As for smaller bags, put them where you can see them as much as possible.

Minivans are not as spacious as the bus but are also comfortable. One advantage is that they include free hotel pickup and drop-off, so you won’t have to worry about finding your way to and from bus terminals.

Minivan rates from San Jose to Montezuma start from 24,000 CRC ($48) — that’s including the ferry ride from Puntarenas to Paquera.

You can choose from six minivan operators from San Jose to Montezuma: Transporzuma, Tropical Tours Shuttle, Santa Teresa Adventure, Interbus Online, Interbus and Zuma Tours.

San Jose - Any hotel

Shuttle + Taxi Boat

Zuma Tours Montezuma

07:00

3h 15m

10:15

Zuma Tours

From 45,000 CRC ($90)

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Zumatours

45,000 CRC ($90)

07:00

3h 15m

10:15

Check on Zumatours

• 24/7 customer support

50,000 CRC ($99)

07:00

3h 15m

10:15

Check on BookAway

There is no direct flight from San Jose to Montezuma. But you can fly to Cobano, which is only 15 minutes away from Montezuma by taxi. Total travel time is around 1 hour 55 minutes and combined fares start from 84,000 CRC ($165).

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

First, you’ll have to get to San Jose Airport, which you can find 17 km northwest of the city centre. That’s a 1-hour ride by bus or a 30-minute journey by taxi.

There are 2 bus companies you can choose from: the red and white TUASA and the yellow and orange Station Wagon. They depart from TUASA Terminal every 10 minutes from 04:00 to 23:00. A ticket costs around 755 CRC ($1.50).

Taxis, on the other hand, can be hailed on any main road. Or you can get one through Uber. Rates start from 16,000 CRC ($31) either way.

PRO TIP: Uber is still not 100% welcome in Costa Rica. If you’re planning to use it, we recommend asking advice from your hotel on whether it’s safe to do so. You don’t want to risk getting stopped in the middle of the journey when you’re in a hurry to get to the airport!

A flight from San Jose to Cobano takes only 40 minutes. Sansa Airlines operates several flights every day — the first flight departs at 06:35 and the last flight leaves at 16:50.

Airfares start from 73,000 CRC ($145). You can book your flight directly with Sansa Airlines.

IMPORTANT: Previously, flights going to Montezuma arrived at Tambor Airport. But in 2023, Sansa Airlines moved its airport to Cobano. 

From Cobano Airport, a taxi ride to Montezuma takes 15 minutes. That costs around 10,000 CRC ($20). You shouldn’t have a hard time finding a taxi at the airport, but you can also ask your hotel beforehand if they can already find one for you.

When taking a private transfer to Montezuma from San Jose, you’ll still have to take the ferry. But you’ll enjoy the luxury and comfort of a private ride when travelling by land.

Rates start from 152,000 CRC ($300) for a 4-seater car. This combined private transfer and ferry journey takes around 4 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 20 minutes.

Private Transport options from San Jose to Montezuma