How to get from San Jose to Tamarindo

Why visit Tamarindo?

Tamarindo is a popular surf town on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. What we love about this town are the amazing water activities both on the surface and underwater. It has a diverse marine life, making it perfect not just for surfing but for diving and snorkelling as well.

This once-quiet fishing village is also a common gateway to Las Baulas National Marine Park, which is a nesting territory of the leatherback sea turtles. Offering beaches, adventure, restaurants, bars and shops — there is a long list of things to do in Tamarindo.

There are 4 ways to travel the 258 kilometers (160 miles) from San Jose to Tamarindo. You can choose between the bus, minivan, private transport and flight. The journey takes 2 to 7 hours and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at 6,900 CRC ($13.50).

If you travel on a budget, the bus is a cheap way to get to Tamarindo from San Jose. A bus ticket with Transportes Inteligente de Guanacaste (TIG) only costs 6,900 CRC ($13.50). Keep in mind that buses make frequent stops along the way, so the journey often takes longer than the advertised travel time of 5 hours 30 minutes.

Important: Be mindful of your luggage, in particular when coming from San José. Don’t leave your bigger bags until they’re safely inside the compartment below the bus, and make sure to get your luggage ticket! We recommend keeping small bags with your valuables, with you in the bus or storing them in the overhead department.

TIG operates four daily trips from San Jose to Tamarindo:

• Via Puente de La Amistad: departing at 8:30 and 15:30
• Via Liberia: departing at 11:30 and 16:00

You can reserve tickets directly on the Transportes Inteligente de Guanacaste website. Tickets are also available on BookAway, though they tend to be pricier.

Empresa Tralapa used to be a low-cost local bus operating on this route, but they seem to have ceased operations. Reviews about Empresa Tralapa were rarely positive, so you are better off booking with TIG anyway.

Departure and arrival station

Transporte Inteligente Guanacaste departs from Terminal de Autobuses (TIG) in San Jose city centre. All buses park at Plaza Tamarindo, just a few minutes walk from the beach.

Taking a minivan from San Jose to Tamarindo is without a doubt the most comfortable option. The air-conditioned van ride can take you to Tamarindo in around 5 hours 15 minutes to 7 hours. Tickets start at 30,000 CRC ($59), and that usually includes free hotel (or airport) pickup and drop-off.

With a minivan, you will also sometimes get Wi-Fi onboard (just don’t take our word for it that it will always be working).

Wi-Fi or not, at least you will arrive well-rested at your new destination in Tamarindo. This option is a lot more comfortable than spending 6-7 hours on a bus that makes frequent stops.

Departure and arrival station

For this route from San Jose to Tamarindo, there are two minivan operators available: Interbus and Amigo Transfer.

With Interbus, you’ll usually get picked up right from your hotel in San Jose city centre. Amigo Transfer sometimes asks passengers to meet at InterContinental Costa Rica, Multiplaza Mall. If you’re a solo traveller, know that Amigo Transfer requires at least two passengers to book a ride online.

The good news is that all minivans provide convenient hotel drop-off. We recommend booking your ticket online at least a few days before your trip.

Taking a flight from San Jose is the fastest way to get to Tamarindo, although it’s quite expensive. Also, keep in mind that you’ll need some time to get to and from the airports.

This flight journey, including transfers, takes about 4 hours 25 minutes to 5 hours 10 minutes. Add to that the waiting time at the airport and you won’t save that much time compared to the minivan. 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.

San Jose International Airport (SJO), officially named Juan Santamaria International Airport, is the largest airport in Costa Rica. Located 17 km northwest of San Jose, you can get there in 1 hour by bus or 30 minutes by taxi.

A taxi costs around 16,000 CRC ($31). You can also take an Uber for about the same rate, just note that they are not yet 100% “legal” in Costa Rica.

On the other hand, buses are a cheaper and also reliable way to get to San Jose Airport. There’s one available every 10 minutes at TUASA Terminal, from 04:00 to 23:30.

Two bus companies are operating on this route: Station Wagon (coloured yellow and orange) and TUASA (coloured red and white). You can get a ticket for 760 CRC ($1.50).

PRO TIP: Although many tourists have had great experiences using Uber, there have been rare incidences of cars being stopped in the middle of the journey. We suggest confirming with your hotel if it’s safe to use them before booking a ride.

Sansa Regional operates several daily flights from San Jose (Juan Santamaria International Airport) to Tamarindo.

Flight time is about 50 minutes. Airfares start from 81,000 CRC ($160).

From Tamarindo Airport, your only way to get to the city centre is by taxi. That’s a 5 km journey northeast and takes 10 minutes. The taxi ride costs around 2,530 CRC ($5).

When travelling in a group, taking a private shuttle to Tamarindo from San Jose is a better option. No need to pick up other passengers, and if you travel in a group of 5 or more, the private minivan will be a cheaper option than a shared minivan.

Rates start from 145,000 CRC ($285) for a 5-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s about 29,000 CRC ($57) per person. For larger groups, you can also book a minivan that can fit up to 9 people.

Just like the shared minivans, private vans will pick you up at your accommodation in San Jose or at the airport. After a 4-5 hour drive, you will be dropped off at your hotel in Tamarindo.

Private Transport options from San Jose to Tamarindo