How to get from Santa Teresa to San Jose
Why visit San Jose?
San Jose is a bustling urban landscape in the Central Valley of Costa Rica. Being the capital city, it may not be as pretty as the beach and jungle destinations that the country is known for. But if you are stopping by anyway, might as well explore for a few hours or a day before moving on to your next stop.
You will find plenty of things to do in San Jose. Within the city, you can check out the colonial buildings turned museums at Barrio Amon, try out the famed restaurants at Barrio Escalante, or party the night away in El Pueblo. If you want to venture outside the city limits, the Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens are highly recommended!
What are the 4 ways to travel from Santa Teresa to San Jose?
There are 4 ways to travel the 185 kilometre (115 miles) distance from Santa Teresa to San Jose. You can choose between the minivan, private transport, flight via Cobano and indirect bus + ferry. The journey takes 2 hours 20 minutes to 7 hours 15 minutes and the quickest way is by flight via Cobano. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by indirect bus + ferry with tickets starting at 10,000 CRC ($21).
Where to stay in San Jose?
Still looking for accommodation? Don't forget to check out our favourite places to stay in San Jose.
Santa Teresa to San Jose by Minivan
Taking a combined minivan and ferry is a straightforward way to get from Santa Teresa to San Jose. The minivan company handles your ferry transfer, so you don’t have to worry about tickets or connections.
With this option, you’ll take a shuttle from Santa Teresa to Paquera Port. From there, you’ll transfer to a ferry to cross the strait to Puntarenas. After the crossing, you will return to your shuttle, which will take you to San Jose.
Minivan rates for the Santa Teresa to San Jose route start from 23,000 CRC ($48) and the travel time is 5 hours to 7 hours 15 minutes.
Minivan schedule from Santa Teresa to San Jose
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We recommend booking your minivan through BookAway, which offers excellent customer service. But if you’re travelling with Tropical Tours Shuttle, you can only book a ride through their website.
Santa Teresa to San Jose by Indirect Bus + Ferry
An affordable way to travel from Santa Teresa to San Jose is to take the indirect bus. Combined fares start from 10,000 CRC ($21).
This option involves two separate buses and a ferry transfer. Travel time is around 5 hours.
Step 1: Bus from Santa Teresa to Cobano
There are several bus trips available from Santa Teresa to Cobano throughout the day. Make sure to take a bus that will give you enough time to transfer to your connecting bus in Cobano within the same day.
The bus will pass through the main road from Santa Teresa’s far end. You can simply hail it from the street. A ticket costs 1,000 CRC ($2.10) and you can buy one from the driver.
The bus arrives at Cobano Bus Stop after 1 hour.
Step 2: Bus and Ferry from Cobano to San Jose
Transportes Cobano operates the bus from Cobano to San Jose.
From Cobano Bus Stop, the bus takes you by land to Paquera Port, where you’ll transfer to a ferry heading to Puntarenas. After the ferry ride, you’ll reboard the same bus, which continues by land to San Jose Airport and finally to the city centre.
With just one trip available daily, we recommend booking your ride online beforehand. The combined bus + ferry ticket costs 9,100 CRC ($19.10). You can also buy it directly from the driver for a few dollars cheaper, but there’s a risk of tickets selling out.
Travel time is around 4h.
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Santa Teresa to San Jose by Flight via Cobano
Travelling from Santa Teresa to San Jose by flight will take just a little over 2 hours 20 minutes. It’s definitely the fastest, but it’s also quite expensive with rates from 79,000 CRC ($165).
Santa Teresa doesn’t have its own airport so you’ll first have to travel by land to Cobano Airport, and then take a flight from there to San Jose.
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 Cobano Airport
From Santa Teresa, the most convenient way to get to Cobano Airport is by private transfer. You can request this from your hotel beforehand or you can just hail a taxi. Rates start from 19,000 CRC ($40) for the journey that takes 40 minutes.
Another option is to book your ride online via Tropical Tours Shuttle, with fares starting from 14,000 CRC ($30).
Step 2: Flight from Cobano to San Jose
Sansa Airlines, Green Airways and Hahn Air offer several daily flights from Cobano to San Jose.
Airfares start from 59,000 CRC ($125). The flight arrives at San Jose Airport after around 40 minutes.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Previously, you had to fly from Tambor to San Jose when travelling from Santa Teresa. But since October 2023, the flights have been moved to Cobano. Keep this in mind when booking your flight!
Step 3: Bus from San Jose Airport to San Jose City Centre
From San Jose Airport, you’ll then have to travel 17 km southeast to reach the city centre. There are two ways to do that: a bus for 1 hour that costs 715 CRC ($1.50) or a 30-minute taxi with rates from 15,000 CRC ($31).
To take the bus, you’ll have to hail them from the main road. They’re available every 10 minutes from 04:00 to 23:00. TUASA (coloured red and white) and Station Wagon (coloured orange and yellow) are the 2 bus companies you can choose from. They both arrive at TUASA Terminal in San Jose city centre.
If you’re taking a taxi, we recommend hailing one from the main road (just a short walk from the airport arrivals hall) because there is an additional fee for airport taxis. Or you can also try getting a ride via Uber for around the same price.
PRO TIP: Although widely used, Uber is still not 100% “legal” in Costa Rica. There have been rare accounts of tourists being stopped in the middle of the journey and asked to transfer to a taxi. If you’re not willing to take that risk, might as well take a regular taxi.
Santa Teresa to San Jose by Private Transport
Travelling in a group? A private transfer from Santa Teresa to San Jose might be cheaper than a minivan when you’re travelling in a large group and sharing the cost.
BookAway offers various vehicles depending on the size of your group. Prices for private transfer start at 152,000 CRC ($320) for a 5-seater. Split it with your group, and it’s about 30,000 CRC ($64) each.
Private transfers from Santa Teresa to San Jose take two different routes: completely overland or including a ferry ride from Paquera to Puntarenas. This ferry ride costs 810 CRC ($1.70) per person and ferry tickets are not included in the cost of the private transfer.
If you don’t want to take a ferry, check the details first before booking your ride.
Travel time with a private transfer to San Jose from Santa Teresa takes around 4 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours 30 minutes.
Private Transport options from Santa Teresa to San Jose
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Santa Teresa to San Jose. 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 Santa Teresa to San Jose
What is the distance from Santa Teresa to San Jose?
The distance from Santa Teresa to San Jose is 185 kilometre (115 miles).
What is the fastest way to get from Santa Teresa to San Jose?
The fastest way to get from Santa Teresa to San Jose is by flight via Cobano and takes 2 hours 20 minutes.
What is the cheapest way to get from Santa Teresa to San Jose?
The cheapest way to get from Santa Teresa to San Jose is by indirect bus + ferry with ticket costs starting from 10,000 CRC ($21).
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.
