There are 8 ways to get from San Jose to Costa Rica by plane, train, bus, car, subway, shuttle, or bus (Greyhound, Flixbus)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
best- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)SJC - SJO
10h 57m$194–754BART to Oakland International Airport, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport
cheapest- Take the subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to Coliseum
- Fly from Oakland International Airport (OAK) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)OAK - SJO
11h 20m$178–713Train, bus
- Take the train from San Jose to Los Angeles
- Take the train from Los Angeles to San Antonio Station
- Take the bus from San Antonio to Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte
- Take the bus from Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte to Tapachula
- Take the bus from Tapachula to San Salvador
- Take the bus from Terminal San Benito - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Norte
4d 20h$549–1,243Drive 5,869.3 km
- Drive from San Jose to San José5,869.3 km
2d 23h$788–1,137Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)SFO - SJO
9h 47m$206–621Shuttle to Monterey Regional Airport, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Take a shuttle bus from SJC Airport Terminal B to Monterey - Calle Principal / Parking Garage
- Fly from Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)MRY - SJO
16h 36m$225–763Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Liberia International Airport, shuttle
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Liberia International Airport (LIR)SFO - LIR
- Take a shuttle bus from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Puntarenas
12h 50m$681–2,120Bus
- Take the bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managua
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal Tica Bus
4d 23h$413–633
Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Jose to Costa Rica is to Caltrain and fly which costs $200 - $650 and takes 9h 47m.
The fastest way to get from San Jose to Costa Rica is to Caltrain and fly which takes 9h 47m and costs $200 - $650.
No, there is no direct bus from San Jose station to Costa Rica. However, there are services departing from San Jose Diridon Station and arriving at Terminal Tica Bus via Cesar E Chavez / Vignes, Los Angeles and Managua. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 4 days 23h.
The distance between San Jose and Costa Rica is 4853 km. The road distance is 5869.3 km.
The best way to get from San Jose to Costa Rica without a car is to bus which takes 4 days 23h and costs $410 - $650.
It takes approximately 10h 57m to get from San Jose to Costa Rica, including transfers.
San Jose to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from San Jose Diridon Station.
The best way to get from San Jose to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 10h 57m and costs $190 - $800. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $410 - $650 and takes 4 days 23h.
San Jose to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Los Angeles Union Station.
Costa Rica is 2h ahead of San Jose. It is currently 8:43 PM in San Jose and 10:43 PM in Costa Rica.
What companies run services between San Jose, CA, USA and Costa Rica?
American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Inc., and three other airlines fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) 5 times a day. Alternatively, you can take a bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Terminal Tica Bus via Los Angeles Union Station, Cesar E Chavez / Vignes, Los Angeles, Managua, and Managua in around 4d 23h.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 11h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–800
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 27m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 25m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 5m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $190–750
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–750
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 9m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 16m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $400–1,600
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 7m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $420–1,700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $450–1,800
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 44m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $190–750
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 52m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 29m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 23h 50m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–750
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 17m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $430–1,700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 6m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $490–1,900
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 29m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 18m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $400–1,600
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $410–1,600
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 20m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $190–750
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–900
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 10m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 53m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $190–600
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 25m
- When
- Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–750
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 35m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 55m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $190–750
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 5m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $190–750
- Website
- volaris.com
Flights from Oakland International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 42m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $260–850
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from Monterey Regional Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Phoenix, Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
- Website
- jetblue.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Fort Lauderdale
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 16m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $490–1,900
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from San Jose to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $100–360
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
Train from Los Angeles to San Antonio Station
- Ave. Duration
- 29h
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $150–370
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- caltrain.com
Train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- https://www.caltrain.com
- Schedules at
- https://www.caltrain.com/?active_tab=route_explorer_tab
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- bart.gov
Subway from Berryessa / North San Jose to Coliseum
- Ave. Duration
- 43 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $6–8
- Website
- https://www.bart.gov
- Phone
- +1 800 923 1799
- contactus@omexusa.net
- Website
- omnibusexpress.com
Bus from San Antonio to Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 3m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $130–210
- Schedules at
- omnibusexpress.com
- Phone
- +52 55 4386 4652
- solucioneshola@ado.com.mx
- Website
- ado.com.mx
Bus from Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte to Tapachula
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 15m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $80–170
- Schedules at
- ado.com.mx
- Book at
- ado.com.mx
- Phone
- +52 55 4386 4652
- solucioneshola@ado.com.mx
- Website
- ado.com.mx
Bus from Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte to Tapachula
- Ave. Duration
- 19h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $90–140
- Schedules at
- ado.com.mx
- Book at
- ado.com.mx
- Phone
- +𝟓𝟎𝟑 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟒 𝟔𝟓𝟒𝟖
- elcondorinternacional@gmail.com
- Website
- facebook.com
Bus from Tapachula to San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $50
- Schedules at
- facebook.com
- Phone
- +52 962 625 2435
- info@ticabus.com
- Website
- ticabus.com
Bus from Tapachula to San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $30–45
- Website
- https://www.ticabus.com/en/
Bus from Managua to Terminal Tica Bus
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $30–45
- Website
- https://www.ticabus.com/en/
- Phone
- +504 9919 5375
- Website
- cristobalcolon.com.gt
Bus from Terminal San Benito - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 40m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $55–81
- Schedules at
- cristobalcolon.com.gt
- Road
- $55–75
- Phone
- +1 831-373-7777
- Website
- groometransportation.com
Shuttle from SJC Airport Terminal B to Monterey - Calle Principal / Parking Garage
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 40m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $50–60
- Schedules at
- groometransportation.com
- Online Discount
- $50–60
- Standard Rate
- $57
- Phone
- 1 800 715 1970
- info@ridecr.com
- Website
- ridecr.com
Shuttle from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $223
- Website
- https://www.ridecr.com/
Shuttle from Monteverde to Puntarenas
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $171
- Website
- https://www.ridecr.com/
- Phone
- +506 2640 1900
- info@tropicaltourshuttles.com
- Website
- tropicaltourshuttles.com
Shuttle from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $55–75
- Website
- https://tropicaltourshuttles.com/
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- ifsr@greyhound.com
- Website
- greyhound.com
Bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $40–190
- Website
- https://www.greyhound.com/
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- flixbus.com
Bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 40m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $40–150
- Schedules at
- flixbus.com
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- info@boletosdebus.com
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Los Angeles to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 6h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $340–400
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
Want to know more about travelling around Costa Rica
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More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between San Jose to Costa Rica is 5869 km. It takes approximately 2 days 23h to drive from San Jose to Costa Rica.
There are 793+ hotels available in Costa Rica.











































