There are 5 ways to get from Santa Barbara to Costa Rica by plane, bus (Flixbus), car, train, or shuttle
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
best- Fly from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SBA - SJO
12h 15m$132–554Bus
- Take the bus from Santa Barbara Bus Stop to Los Angeles Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBusbus
4d 18h$382–461Drive 5,484.4 km
- Drive from Santa Barbara to San Josécar 5,484.4 km
2d 19h$736–1,063Train to Los Angeles International Airport, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Take the train from Santa Barbara to Los Angelestrain
- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane LAX - SJO
12h 1m$345–623Fly Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Liberia International Airport, shuttle
- Fly from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) to Liberia International Airport (LIR)plane SBA - LIR
- Take a shuttle bus from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Puntarenas
14h 9m$484–1,331
Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Santa Barbara to Costa Rica is to fly which costs $130 - $600 and takes 12h 15m.
The fastest way to get from Santa Barbara to Costa Rica is to train and fly which takes 12h 1m and costs $340 - $650.
No, there is no direct bus from Santa Barbara to Costa Rica. However, there are services departing from Santa Barbara Bus Stop and arriving at Terminal NicaBus via Cesar E Chavez / Vignes, Los Angeles and Managua. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 4 days 18h.
The distance between Santa Barbara and Costa Rica is 4542 km. The road distance is 5484.4 km.
The best way to get from Santa Barbara to Costa Rica without a car is to bus which takes 4 days 18h and costs $380 - $470.
It takes approximately 12h 15m to get from Santa Barbara to Costa Rica, including transfers.
Santa Barbara to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, depart from Santa Barbara Bus Stop station.
The best way to get from Santa Barbara to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 12h 15m and costs $130 - $600. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $380 - $470 and takes 4 days 18h.
Santa Barbara to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Flixbus USA, arrive at Los Angeles Union Station.
Costa Rica is 1h ahead of Santa Barbara. It is currently 6:38 AM in Santa Barbara and 7:38 AM in Costa Rica.
What companies run services between Santa Barbara, CA, USA and Costa Rica?
Southwest Airlines and United Airlines fly from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) twice daily. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Santa Barbara Bus Stop to Terminal NicaBus via Los Angeles Union Station, Cesar E Chavez / Vignes, Los Angeles, and Managua in around 4d 18h.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Francisco
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 40m
- When
- Wednesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $150–600
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 14h
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 35m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $150–600
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 5h 49m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $150–600
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Liberia International Airport via Los Angeles International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 56m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–850
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Liberia International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 19m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–950
Flights from Santa Barbara Municipal Airport to Liberia International Airport via San Francisco
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 4m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $240–950
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 53m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $26–60
- Website
- Amtrak
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- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Santa Barbara Bus Stop to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 25m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $14–21
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
Want to know more about travelling around Costa Rica
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
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Booking & Getting There
Yes, the driving distance between Santa Barbara to Costa Rica is 5484 km. It takes approximately 2 days 19h to drive from Santa Barbara to Costa Rica.
There are 737+ hotels available in Costa Rica.