There are 9 ways to get from Costa Rica to San Jose by plane, train, bus (Greyhound, Flixbus), car, shuttle, taxi, subway, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport, Caltrain
best- Fly from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane SJO - SFO
- Take the train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southboundtrain
10h 28m$436–934Fly Limón International Airport to San Francisco International Airport, Caltrain
cheapest- Fly from Limón International Airport (LIO) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane LIO - SFO
- Take the train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southboundtrain
23h 48m$186–684Bus
- Take the bus from Terminal NicaBus to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Los Angelesbus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles Union Station to San Jose Diridon Stationbus
4d 23h$418–529Drive 3,664 mi
- Drive from San José to San Josecar 3,664 mi
2d 23h$791–1,143Fly Juan Santamaría International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Fly from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane SJO - SJC
11h 45m$232–908Shuttle, shuttle to Liberia International Airport, fly to San Francisco International Airport, Caltrain
- Take a shuttle bus from Puntarenas to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Liberia Airport
- Fly from Liberia International Airport (LIR) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane LIR - SFO
- Take the train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southboundtrain
13h 8m$519–1,450Taxi to Quepos La Managua Airport, fly to San Francisco International Airport, Caltrain
- Take the taxi from San Isidro to Quepos-Airport-XQPtaxi
- Fly from Quepos La Managua Airport (XQP) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane XQP - SFO
- Take the train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southboundtrain
24h 28m$300–831Fly Juan Santamaría International Airport to Oakland International Airport, BART
- Fly from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to Oakland International Airport (OAK)plane SJO - OAK
- Take the subway from Coliseum to Berryessa / North San Josesubway
11h 51m$420–767Bus, train
- Take the bus from San José to San Salvadorbus
- Take the bus from San Salvador to Tapachulabus
- Take the bus from Tapachula to Terminal Central de Autobuses del Nortebus
- Take the bus from Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte to San Marcosbus
- Take the train from San Marcos Amtrak to Los Angelestrain
- Take the train from Los Angeles to San Josetrain
5d 6h$816–1,731
Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Costa Rica to San Jose is to fly and Caltrain which costs $180 - $700 and takes 23h 48m.
The fastest way to get from Costa Rica to San Jose is to fly and Caltrain which takes 10h 28m and costs $430 - $950.
No, there is no direct bus from Costa Rica to San Jose station. However, there are services departing from Terminal NicaBus and arriving at San Jose Diridon Station via Managua, Olympic / Union and Los Angeles Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 4 days 23h.
The distance between Costa Rica and San Jose is 3097 miles. The road distance is 3685.3 miles.
The best way to get from Costa Rica to San Jose without a car is to bus which takes 4 days 23h and costs $410 - $550.
It takes approximately 10h 28m to get from Costa Rica to San Jose, including transfers.
Costa Rica to San Jose bus services, operated by Nica Bus, depart from Terminal NicaBus station.
The best way to get from Costa Rica to San Jose is to bus which takes 4 days 23h and costs $410 - $550. Alternatively, you can fly, which costs $230 - $950 and takes 11h 45m.
Costa Rica to San Jose bus services, operated by Nica Bus, arrive at Managua station.
San Jose is 1h behind Costa Rica. It is currently 5:35 PM in Costa Rica and 4:35 PM in San Jose.
What companies run services between Costa Rica and San Jose, CA, USA?
You can take a bus from Terminal NicaBus to San Jose Diridon Station via Managua, Los Angeles, Olympic / Union, Vignes / Cesar E Chavez, and Los Angeles Union Station in around 4d 23h. Alternatively, American Airlines, United Airlines, and four other airlines fly from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) twice daily.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 45m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 47m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–700
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 12m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 18m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Limón International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 20m
- When
- Wednesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Limón International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport, Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 42m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 54m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 3m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 30m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 25m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,100
Flights from Quepos La Managua Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 50m
- When
- Wednesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $150–650
Flights from Quepos La Managua Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport, Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 12m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Quepos La Managua Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport, Monterrey
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 50m
- When
- Monday and Thursday
- Estimated price
- $150–650
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- Cal Train
Train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
Train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
Train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
Train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
- Phone
- +505 2222 2276
- Nicabusinternacionalsa@gmail.com
- Website
- Nica Bus
Bus from Terminal NicaBus to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $37–38
- Website
- Nica Bus
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 22m
- Estimated price
- $130–160
Coopeheredia
- Phone
- +506 2262 6262
- Website
- coopeheredia.com
Coopemargarita
- Phone
- +506 2238 3838
- Website
- facebook.com
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Booking & Getting There
Yes, the driving distance between Costa Rica to San Jose is 3685 miles. It takes approximately 2 days 23h to drive from Costa Rica to San Jose.
There are 428+ hotels available in San Jose.






