What to expect when visiting Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is a charming beach town on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast. It offers an incredible fusion of culture. You’ll hear locals speaking creole, and find reggae music flowing from bars. All of these alongside traditional Costa Rican sodas and fancy international restaurants popular with expats.
You can feel the sense of community in Puerto Viejo, even if you’re just visiting for a few days. Travellers gather on the beach to play volleyball and new connections are made in the bars and the Saturday market that runs every week.
PRO TIP: There are two places called Puerto Viejo in Costa Rica. These are Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui (to the north) and Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (to the southeast). Make sure you are going to the correct Puerto Viejo when booking and boarding your ride!
3 ways to get from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
There are 3 ways to travel the distance of 215 kilometers (134 miles) from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca by bus (4 hours 30 minutes), minivan (4 hours to 6 hours 45 minutes) and private Transfer (3 hours 30 minutes to 5 hours). The journey duration ranges between 3 hours 30 minutes to 6 hours 45 minutes and the quickest way is by private transfer. The lowest priced tickets start from €11.80 for the bus.Where to stay in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca?
Still looking for accommodation? Don't forget to check out our favourite places to stay in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca by Bus
Travelling on a budget? The bus is the cheapest option at €11.80. They are also quite comfortable, you just have to be really careful of your belongings as petty theft is common. The bus journey from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca takes around 4 hours 30 minutes.
Autotransportes MEPE operates 7 bus trips daily. Tickets are not available online and you can only buy them at their office in Terminal Atlantico Norte, San Jose city centre. There is always a chance of tickets selling out so if you can, drop by the terminal a few days early to buy your ticket.
Departure and arrival station
Buses depart from Terminal Atlantico Norte. They make one stop at MEPE Terminal in Limon around 3 hours into the journey for food and a bathroom break. Buses park at the MEPE Bus Stop in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca city centre.
Bus schedule from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
If you want to confirm the bus schedule beforehand, you can call the Autotransportes MEPE office in San Jose through this number: +506 2257-8129.
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.
San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca by Minivan
For a door-to-door yet shared transfer, you can take a minivan for €29. More expensive than the bus, but more convenient. The minivan journey from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca takes 4 hours to 6 hours 45 minutes.
What we like about this option is that it saves you the hassle of finding your way to and from bus terminals. Minivans are also relatively safer, particularly from petty thieves. You can just sit back and relax until you reach your destination.
You can choose from seven trusted companies: La Terminal Shuttles, My Pink Bus, Interbus, Tropical Tours Shuttle, Caribe Shuttle, Amazing Go Costa Rica and Best Travel Puerto Viejo.
Minivan Schedule from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
We recommend booking your tickets on BookAway. This trusted platform offers the cheapest rates for this route, sometimes even cheaper than if you book directly on the minivan’s company website.
San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca by Private Transfer
For group travellers, we recommend taking a private transfer from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. You can choose from different vehicles depending on how big your group is.
Fares start from €220 for a car that can fit 6 people. That’s just about €37 per person when you split the cost.
See below some of the most trusted companies offering private transport for this route.
Private Transfer options from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
Frequently Asked Questions about San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
What to expect when visiting Puerto Viejo de Talamanca?
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. 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!
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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.
Hi – I’m looking at shuttle options from San Jose to Puerto Viejo (23 march) – and return back to San Jose on 26 March. We need to get to the airport from around 1.30pm on 26 March.
For the 23 march, we are looking to leave after lunchtime
Hi Anand, shared and private minivans from San Jose to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca are available on BookAway. Caribe Shuttle has a 14:00 departure to Puerto Viejo, but it requires a minimum of 3 passengers when booking. With Interbus, you can book tickets for just 1 or 2 passengers, but it departs at 07:30.
For the return trip, you can take the Interbus minivan arriving at San Jose Airport at 12:00. You can go ahead and book these rides in advance.