Overview Compare Minivan Taxi Direct Bus Indirect Bus Flight To Stay
What to expect from Santa Teresa
Lying on the northwest coast, Santa Teresa is Costa Rica’s surfer’s paradise. Thanks to its beautiful beaches, lush jungles, variety of wildlife, and world-class waves, this once-quiet fishing village is now a popular tourist destination.
We love that it is still quite detached from the rest of Costa Rica. The roads leading to it are mostly unpaved which gives the town a more natural feel. And despite the unpaved routes, the town offers enough comforts and natural luxury that can keep you happy and entertained for weeks on end. Santa Teresa is a world of its own.
New to Santa Teresa? Check out this compact Santa Teresa guide to find the best areas to stay, restaurants you don’t want to miss and many more tips for your visit to Santa Teresa!
How to get from San José to Santa Teresa
You can choose from 5 options when travelling the 185 km distance from San José to Santa Teresa: a 6-hour minivan, a 4.5-hour private transfer, a 6-hour bus (direct or indirect), or a 2-hour flight (including transfers). Prices range between $12.00 (7,000 CRC) and $260.00 (142,000 CRC).
Where to stay in Santa Teresa?
Still looking for accommodation? Don’t forget to check out our favourite places to stay in Santa Teresa at the bottom of this page.
San José to Santa Teresa by Minivan
The minivan is the most convenient option because it is a direct trip and includes hotel/airport pick-up and drop-off. Ticket prices start from $53.00 (29,000 CRC) for the 6-hour journey.
You can choose from two types of minivan trips: one is a combined minivan and ferry (Suntrails), the other one is a completely overland trip (Paradise Shuttle & Interbus).
You can find in the table below the schedules for hotel-to-hotel transfers between San Jose and Santa Teresa. If you’re coming from San Jose Airport, you can see the schedules and book a ride online through BookAway.
Minivan schedule from San Jose to Santa Teresa
PRO TIP: If you travel during the high season (December-January), it’s best to book your ticket several days in advance because tickets sell out fast.
Combined minivan + ferry with Suntrails
When travelling with Suntrails, you will take a combined minivan and ferry from San Jose to Santa Teresa.
The first part of the journey is a minivan from your hotel or San Jose Airport to Puntarenas Port. From here, you will then take a ferry to Paquera Harbour. And then, you will go back to your minivan for the rest of the journey to Santa Teresa.
Overland journey with Paradise Shuttle and Interbus
Both Paradise Shuttle and Interbus travel overland for the entire trip. It might not be a direct minivan from San Jose to Santa Teresa, though.
Sometimes, the minivan makes a stop in Limona, a town in Guanacaste Province, north of San Jose. Don’t worry, it’s just a short stop to stretch your legs and transfer to a different minivan. This will then take you to Santa Teresa.
San José to Santa Teresa by Private Transfer (Taxi)
Travelling with friends or family? You can save on costs when you take a private transfer from San Jose to Santa Teresa. Rates start from $260.00 (142,000 CRC) for a 6-seater car. That’s just about $43.00 (23,000 CRC) per person if you’re in a group of 6.
The bigger the group, the more you save. There are also 14-seater minivans that cost around $445.00 (243,000 CRC), or $32.00 (17,000 CRC) per person.
These door-to-door transfers don’t need to make unnecessary stops so you can complete the journey in just around 4.5 hours.
Check Private Transfers with BookAway
Note that not all private transfers take you completely overland from San Jose to Santa Teresa. Some include a ferry ride from Puntarenas to Paquera. If you don’t want to take a ferry, check the details first before booking your ride.
San José to Santa Teresa by Direct Bus + Ferry*
*COVID-19 UPDATE: The last time we checked (December 2022), Transportes Cobanos has yet to resume direct bus trips from San Jose to Santa Teresa. But you can still take an indirect bus by following the guide in the next section.
With prices starting from $12.00 (7,000 CRC), the direct bus is the cheapest way to get from San Jose to Santa Teresa. Travel time is around 6 hours. Note that there is only one direct bus trip available every day. If you miss that, you can take an indirect bus instead.
Be advised that pickpocket thieves often hang around the bus station in San Jose and even on the bus. Always be careful with your belongings and never leave them out of sight.
Departure and arrival station
Transportes Cobano is the sole operator for this route. Its bus departs from Terminal 7-10 in San Jose city centre. From here, the bus will travel 105 km east to Puntarenas Ferry Terminal. You are to get off the bus and hop on the car ferry.
The ferry will then cross the strait to Paquera Port. Once back on land, you will board the bus again until it reaches Santa Teresa. Prepare for a bumpy but beautiful ride for the last leg of the journey!
Bus schedule from San Jose to Santa Teresa*
You can buy your ticket at the bus terminal in San Jose. If you’re travelling on a weekend or on a holiday, it’s best to book online in advance through La Terminal Costa Rica for a better chance at securing a seat.
San José to Santa Teresa by Indirect Bus
With the indirect bus, you will take a bus from San Jose to Cobano and then transfer to another bus going to Santa Teresa. Combined fares start from $20.50 (11,000 CRC) and the entire trip takes 6.5 hours or more, depending on the traffic and stops.
PRO TIP: Local travel links, 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.
Step 1: San Jose to Cobano by Bus
Transportes Cobano also offers daily trips from San Jose to Cobano.
Like the direct bus from San Jose to Santa Teresa, you will travel by land up to Puntarenas, transfer to a ferry to Paquera, and then go back to your bus as it travels by land again to Cobano.
The estimated travel time is 5.5 hours, but it can sometimes take longer due to traffic or extra stops. A bus ticket costs $19.00 (10,000 CRC).
Bus schedule from San Jose to Cobano
These buses depart from Terminal 7-10 in San Jose city centre. You will be dropped off at Cobano Bus Stop.
Step 2: Cobano to Santa Teresa by Bus
From Cobano Bus Terminal, you can transfer to another bus bound for Santa Teresa. These buses are operated by Transportes Mal Pais. There are not a lot of buses here so you should be able to find them easily.
Buses depart every hour from 06:00 to 19:00 daily, giving you lots of choices.
A ticket costs around $1.50 (1,000 CRC) and you can buy your tickets at the bus station. Travel time is about 45 minutes.
Bus schedule from Cobano to Santa Teresa
San José to Santa Teresa by Flight
There is no airport in Santa Teresa. If you want to travel by plane, you can take a 30-minute flight from San Jose to Tambor Airport, and then take a taxi to Santa Teresa. Total travel time is around 2 hours and combined rates start from $185.00 (101,000 CRC).
TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.
Step 1: San Jose City Centre to San Jose Airport by Bus
San Jose Airport is 17 km northwest of San Jose city centre. You can get there via a 40-minute bus that costs only $1.00 (1,000 CRC).
TUASA and Station Wagon operate buses that depart every 10 minutes from TUASA Terminal in the city centre. These buses are available every day from 04:00 to 23:00.
If the bus station is too far from your hotel, you can also take a taxi to San Jose Airport. This option takes 30 minutes and rates start from $25.00 (14,000 CRC). You can hail one from the street or via the taxi-hailing app Uber.
PRO TIP: Uber is still not 100% accepted in Costa Rica. Although it is widely used, there have been rare cases of Uber rides being stopped in the middle of the journey and passengers asked to transfer to a taxi. We recommend asking your hotel first whether it is safe to use it before booking your ride.
Are you travelling in a big group? We recommend pre-booking your ride online via BookAway. You can get a 10-seater minivan from the city centre to San Jose Airport for $27.00 (15,000 CRC).
Step 2: San Jose to Tambor by Flight
Sansa Regional and Green Airways offer multiple flights from San Jose to Tambor daily. They also add more trips during the peak season (December to April) to accommodate more tourists.
Airfares start from $125.00 (68,000 CRC) for the 30-minute flight.
Check Flights with on Skyscanner
Step 3: Tambor Airport to Santa Teresa by Taxi
Tambor Airport, the only airport in the Nicoya Peninsula, is 30 km away from Santa Teresa. The most convenient way to travel this distance is by private transfer. You can request this from your hotel beforehand or you can just get a taxi at the airport. Rates start from $60.00 (33,000 CRC) for the 1-hour journey.
Another option is to book your ride online via Tropical Tours Shuttle. With them, you can get a spacious 15-seater minivan for $55.00 (30,000 CRC).
Looking for a cheap alternative? You can take the bus, but there are no direct buses from Tambor Airport to Santa Teresa. You will take a bus from the airport to Cobano and then another bus going to Santa Teresa.
Combined bus ticket prices shouldn’t be more than $5.00 (3,000 CRC). Just note that bus trips aren’t very frequent, so this option might take more than an hour.
Itinerary from San Jose to Santa Teresa
Direct Bus
- San Jose
- 6 hours
- Santa Teresa
Flight
- San Jose City Centre
- 40 minutes
- San Jose Airport
- 30 minutes
- Tambor Airport
- 1 hour
- Santa Teresa
Our favourite places to stay in Santa Teresa
Lua Villas – Treating yourself
It’s impossible not to feel relax as soon as you step into this tropical oasis. Everywhere you look in Lua Villas, there’s a piece of nature. There’s also a swimming pool, outdoor jacuzzi, open-air yoga space and even private yoga lessons on offer.
Instead of just a room, here you’ll get villa style accommodation with private kitchens, patios with garden or pool views and plenty of space to make yourself feel at home. The interior is spectacular.
- Swimming pool and jacuzzi
- Yoga deck
- Stunning gardens
- Spacious and beautiful villas
Studio rooms start from $80 per night
Cuatro Vientos Lodge & Apartments – Mid range
After a day of cycling, snorkelling or surfing in Santa Teresa, you want to return home to a place that makes you feel comfortable and relaxed. That’s exactly how Cuatro Vientos Lodge & Apartments makes you feel.
The interior of this place oozes tranquility with it’s use of rustic wood, nuetral colours and open-air design. The hosts are incredibly friendly, and welcome you to make use of the communal cooking facilities and terrace areas.
- Beautiful design
- Great location
- Wonderful hosts
- Barbeque facilities
Double rooms start from $50-80 per night
Salty Enthusiasts Share House & Villas – Budget Friendly
It’s not easy to find budget-friendly accommodation in Santa Teresa, especially somewhere that’s actually nice to stay in. Salty Enthusiasts sits more in the mid-range catergory, but it’s one of the best affordable places to stay in Santa Teresa, and it’s beautiful.
The hotel feels like a massive treehouse, meant for relaxing and providing comfort. You can opt for either a dorm bed or a private room. Both are super clean, comfortable and thoughtfully designed. It’s a great place to meet other people too. They have lots of communal areas to chill out, and a shared kitchen.
- Close to the beach
- Sociable atmosphere
- Choice of dorm or private room
- Shared kitchen
Double rooms between $15-50 per night
About the author(s)
Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Based in Bali, Maarten’s passion for travel is undeniable. In 2016, he decided to quit his job as a stock analyst and started doing what he always dreamed of: travelling through South East Asia and helping other people plan their trips. When he is not working on Gecko Routes, you’ll find him surfing in the ocean or exploring the best gems of Indonesia.
