How to get from San Jose to Tortuguero
Why visit Tortuguero?
Tortuguero is Costa Rica’s third most visited National Park, thanks to its biodiverse marine and wildlife. From rainforests to lagoons, mangrove forests to swamps — there is so much to see and experience in Tortuguero National Park!
Amidst all its glory, this rainforest is most popular for its turtles. In fact, Tortuguero is a Spanish word that translates to Land of Turtles. Visit from July to October and you’ll most likely find hundreds of sea turtles nesting on its beaches!
Basically a sandbar island between the Caribbean Sea and Tortuguero River, you can only reach the national park by flight or boat from the mainland.
What are the 5 ways to travel from San Jose to Tortuguero?
There are 5 ways to travel the 120 kilometre (75 miles) distance from San Jose to Tortuguero. You can choose between the bus, minivan, private transport, flight and day trip. The journey takes 1 hour 20 minutes to 3 days 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 ($14.50).
Where to stay in Tortuguero?
Still looking for accommodation? Don't forget to check out our favourite places to stay in Tortuguero.
San Jose to Tortuguero by Minivan
A shared minivan shuttle is a convenient way to get to Tortuguero from San Jose. This ticket includes a minivan ride to La Pavona and a boat ride to Tortuguero.
For this option, you will be picked up from your hotel in San Jose and then travel by minivan to La Pavona. Here, you’ll be transferred to a boat which takes you to Tortuguero National Park in around an hour. Both rides will be taken care of by your minivan operator.
Total travel time by minivan and boat from San Jose to Tortuguero takes about 3 to 5 hours. Tickets for the combined journey start at 31,000 CRC ($65).
Minivan schedule from San Jose to Tortuguero
- 24/7 customer support
You can book your minivan online through BookAway or directly on the company’s website.
Most companies offer free hotel pickup. If you’re leaving from San Jose Airport, the pickup point is at Denny’s Restaurant outside the airport.
San Jose to Tortuguero by Bus
When on a budget, the bus is the best option. A combined bus and boat ride from San Jose to Tortuguero only costs about 6,900 CRC ($14.50).
There are no direct buses to La Pavona, though, so you’ll need to make a couple of transfers. First, take a bus to Cariari, then switch to one heading to La Pavona. From there, hop on a boat to Tortuguero. The entire bus + boat trip takes around 4 hours 40 minutes to 5 hours.
Step 1: Bus from San Jose to Cariari
First, take a bus from San Jose to Cariari, a town 110 km northeast of the capital.
Grupo Caribeños offers multiple trips to Cariari from 06:30 to 19:00. But you have to take one of the morning trips — at either 06:30 or 09:00 — for the best chance of making it to the connecting bus to La Pavona within the same day.
Travel time is 2h 30m. You can buy your ticket at the bus terminal for around 2,060 CRC ($4.40).
Buses depart from Gran Terminal del Caribe in San Jose city centre and make their last stop at Cariari Bus Terminal.
Step 2: Bus from Cariari to La Pavona
Only one bus company — Coopetraca — operates from Cariari to La Pavona. A ticket costs around 1,180 CRC ($2.50) and you can only buy tickets at the bus terminal. This leg of the journey takes around 1h 30m.
Some buses depart from Cariari Bus Station and some from Coopetraca Bus Terminal, 500m away from Cariari Bus Station. You can get there by walking a few minutes in the same direction as the bus you took to Cariari.
The bus from Cariari to La Pavona only runs every couple of hours, but don’t worry, the schedule matches up with the boat departures. Even if the bus is a bit late, the boats at La Pavona will wait for you.
Travelling in a group? You can consider taking taxi if you’d rather get to La Pavona early and relax a bit before the boat ride. The drive takes about 45 minutes and costs around 17,000 CRC ($35).
IMPORTANT: You might come across people offering van rides to La Pavona. They’ll promise you’ll get on a boat as soon as you arrive, but that’s not true — the boats only leave at specific times. But if the bus is taking too long and the price of the minivan suits your budget, it’s an option to get from Cariari to La Pavona faster.
While on the bus, you might also be offered boat tickets from La Pavona to Tortuguero, but these tickets are likely overpriced. It’s best that you buy your tickets at La Pavona to get the correct fare.
Step 3: Boat from La Pavona to Tortuguero
Upon arrival in La Pavona, find your way to Embarcadero a Tortuguero. Also here, sellers will most probably try to offer boat tickets at a more expensive price as soon as you get off the bus. Politely ignore them and make your way to the official ticket booth.
Don’t worry about getting lost, locals will lead you in the right direction.
Ticket prices for public boats start from 3,780 CRC ($8). If you want to book your boat ride from La Pavona to Tortuguero in advance, Transporte Tortuguero T7 and Fresa are available on BookAway with fares from 4,110 CRC ($8.70) one-way.
Both public and private boats are available here. Public boats have a specific schedule. Private boats, on the other hand, usually agree to depart as long as they have at least 5 passengers. If you’re in a hurry and there’s no public boat departing soon, you can ask fellow travellers if they want to share a private boat with you.
TOP TIP: If you have some waiting time in La Pavona, you can stay at the open-air restaurant called Rancho La Pavona. They serve decent snacks, although not exactly cheap. You can also use their bathroom for a fee.
San Jose to Tortuguero by Flight
Looking for the fastest way possible? A flight is the only direct way to reach Tortuguero from San Jose. Travel time is about 1 hour 20 minutes, including airport transfers. It takes away the adventure of the boat ride, but taking a flight is also an opportunity to view Tortuguero from a bird’s eye view.
Combined fares start from 64,000 CRC ($135).
TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.
Step 1: How to get to San Jose Airport
From San Jose city centre, you’ll find San Jose Airport 15 km northwest. The best ways to get to the airport are a 1-hour bus or a 30-minute taxi.
The bus is cheap and comfortable with ticket prices from 725 CRC ($1.50). Buses depart from TUASA Terminal in the city centre, every 10 minutes from 04:00 to 22:00 daily.
Two companies are operating this route: TUASA (coloured red and white) and Station Wagon (coloured orange and yellow).
It’s best to allow extra time when taking a bus from San Jose city centre to Juan Santamaria International Airport. The traffic can be really bad in the city and sometimes the bus journey can take over 1 hour.
A more convenient option would be to take a taxi. You can hail one from the street or through the ride-hailing app Uber. Rates to San Jose Airport start from 9,000 CRC ($19).
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.
Step 2: Flight from San Jose to Tortuguero
Sansa Airlines offers daily flights from San Jose to Tortuguero. The direct flight takes 30 minutes. There’s also a flight that makes a quick stop in Limon and takes around 1 hour 15 minutes.
Airfare starts from 61,000 CRC ($130). It’s best to book your ticket through Skyscanner weeks ahead for lower airfares!
Step 3: Boat from Tortuguero Airport to Village Centre
Tortuguero Airport is on a tiny bit of land between the Tortuguero River and the Caribbean shoreline. There are no facilities here and nothing else to do after getting off your plane.
The airport, or should we say the landing strip, is about 3 km away from the village centre. From here, you can walk a few kilometres across a sometimes muddy beach or you can take a boat to your accommodation. We don’t recommend walking if you’re carrying rolling luggage.
Rates for a boat ride from Tortuguero Airport to the village centre range between 2,000 CRC ($4.20) and 4,730 CRC ($10). Ask your accommodation beforehand if they can arrange a boat taxi for you because it’s not always available.
San Jose to Tortuguero by Day Trip
If you want to enjoy this trip without the hassle of preparing your transfers, there are a few organised trips you can join from San Jose to Tortuguero. Both one-day and 3-day trips are available.
It’s worth noting that one day will not be enough to really appreciate the natural gifts of Tortuguero National Park, though! A 3-day trip is ideal. That’s if you have the budget for it.
Rates for an organised tour start from 106,000 CRC ($225) per person when booking for two or more people.
Option 1: One-Day Trip from San Jose to Tortuguero
GetYourGuide is a reliable tour booking website in the region. It offers a few tour choices from San Jose to Tortuguero. If you only have one day to spare, we recommend their Tortuguero Park Day Tour with Breakfast & Lunch.
The rate of 106,000 CRC ($225) per person includes:
- Transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Spanish/English-speaking guide
- Boat ride through Tortuguero canals
- Park fees
- Traditional breakfast
- Buffet lunch
The entire tour, including roundtrip transfers, takes around 12 hours. Not enough time to explore Tortuguero, to be honest, but something you can consider if you’re short on time!
Option 2: Three-Day Trip from San Jose to Tortuguero
Fancy spending several days in Tortuguero but don’t want to deal with the hassle of transportation? GetYourGuide also offers a Three-Day Excursion from San Jose to Tortuguero.
This option gives you the chance to make the most of your time in the national park, but of course, it doesn’t come cheap. Rates start from 307,000 CRC ($650) per person.
The tour includes:
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (from hotels in San José, Alajuela, and Heredia)
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
- Air-conditioned roundtrip transfers
- Accommodation for 2 nights
- Boat transfers
- Naturalist guide
- Guided tours
- Taxes
San Jose to Tortuguero by Private Transport
Taking a private transfer from San Jose to Tortuguero is a convenient option when travelling in a group. However, this can only take you to La Pavona. From here, you’ll have to take care of your own boat to Tortuguero National Park.
Rates start from 123,000 CRC ($260) for a private minivan that can accommodate up to 4 people. Split the cost and that’s about 31,000 CRC ($65) per person. The ride takes 3.5-4 hours and you can book your ride online through GetYourGuide.
Coming from San Jose Airport? Prices for a private transfer to La Pavona start from 102,000 CRC ($215) when you book through Viator.
Boat ride from La Pavona to Tortuguero National Park
In La Pavona, you can choose to take a private boat or a public boat.
Rates for a private boat start from 57,000 CRC ($120). With the public boats, ticket prices start from 3,780 CRC ($8).
Combined travel time for the private transfer and boat ride from San Jose to Tortuguero is around 6 hours.
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from San Jose to Tortuguero. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
Frequently Asked Questions about San Jose to Tortuguero
What is the distance from San Jose to Tortuguero?
The distance from San Jose to Tortuguero is 120 kilometre (75 miles).
What is the fastest way to get from San Jose to Tortuguero?
The fastest way to get from San Jose to Tortuguero is by flight and takes 1 hour 20 minutes.
What is the cheapest way to get from San Jose to Tortuguero?
The cheapest way to get from San Jose to Tortuguero is by bus with ticket costs starting from 6,900 CRC ($14.50).
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.
