There are 5 ways to get from Panama to Costa Rica by plane, bus, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly from Tocumen International Airport
best- Fly from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)PTY - SJO
4h$136–372Bus
cheapest- Take the bus from Terminal Albrook to Terminal Tica BusPanamá
17h 39m$50–80Drive 782.4 km
- Drive from Panama City to San José782.4 km
12h 49m$107–155Bus, bus to Golfito, fly
- Take the bus from David to Frontera
- Take the bus from Paso Canoas to Golfito
- Fly from Golfito (GLF) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)GLF - SJO
5h 1m$149–610Bus via Uvita
- Take the bus from Panama to Uvita Bahia BallenaSan Jose
- Take the bus from Uvita to Terminal TRACOPABy Costanera / ...
19h 41m$55–76
Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from Panama to Costa Rica is to bus which costs $50 - $85 and takes 17h 39m.
The fastest way to get from Panama to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 4h and costs $130 - $380.
The distance between Panama and Costa Rica is 565 km. The road distance is 782.4 km.
The best way to get from Panama to Costa Rica without a car is to bus which takes 17h 39m and costs $50 - $85.
It takes approximately 4h to get from Panama to Costa Rica, including transfers.
The best way to get from Panama to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 4h and costs $130 - $380. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $50 - $85 and takes 17h 39m.
Costa Rica is 1h behind Panama. It is currently 12:23 PM in Panama and 11:23 AM in Costa Rica.
Yes, the driving distance between Panama to Costa Rica is 782 km. It takes approximately 12h 49m to drive from Panama to Costa Rica.
There are 794+ hotels available in Costa Rica.
What companies run services between Panama and Costa Rica?
Avianca - Aerovías del Continente Americano S.A. and Copa Airlines fly from Tocumen International Airport (PTY) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) every 2 hours. Alternatively, Cristóbal Colón Autobuses (Línea Dorada y Trans Galgos Inter) operates a bus from Terminal Albrook to Terminal Tica Bus once daily. Tickets cost $50–70 and the journey takes 16h 30m. Tica Bus also services this route once daily.
- Website
- copaair.com
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $45–290
- Website
- flysansa.com
Flights from Golfito to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30–600
Flights from Golfito to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Puerto Jimenez
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–600
- Website
- worldticket.com
Flights from Golfito to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $30–600
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Tocumen International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $95–330
- Phone
- +504 9919 5375
- Website
- cristobalcolon.com.gt
Bus from Terminal Albrook to Terminal Tica Bus
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $50–70
- Schedules at
- cristobalcolon.com.gt
- Road
- $50–70
- Phone
- +52 962 625 2435
- info@ticabus.com
- Website
- ticabus.com
Bus from Terminal Albrook to Terminal Tica Bus
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $55–80
- Website
- https://www.ticabus.com/en/
Bus from Panama to Uvita Bahia Ballena
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 57m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $45–60
- Website
- https://www.ticabus.com/en/
- Phone
- +507 314 6886
- panachifauditoria@gmail.com
- Website
- facebook.com
Bus from David to Frontera
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 1m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- $5
- Schedules at
- facebook.com
Bus from Paso Canoas to Golfito
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $3
- Schedules at
- facebook.com
- Phone
- +506 2221 4214
- info@tracopacr.com
- Website
- tracopacr.com
Bus from Uvita to Terminal TRACOPA
- Ave. Duration
- 4h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- $10–16
- Schedules at
- tracopacr.com
- Colectivo
- $10–14
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