Juan Santamaría International Airport transfer

Most long-haul flights from North America and Europe land at SJO in the afternoon or evening. After immigration and customs you walk out into the arrivals area, where your driver waits with a name sign. The exact meeting point is confirmed by the local provider by phone or WhatsApp, so keep your phone on after landing and share your flight number when you book.

Because the driver follows the flight, a delayed arrival does not change the agreed price. The car is reserved only for your party.

Distances in Costa Rica look short on a map, but the roads are mostly two-lane, winding and shared with trucks. As a rough guide, the city takes about an hour, Puntarenas and Jacó about two to two and a half hours, Sarapiquí around three, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio and La Fortuna three and a half to four and a half hours, Uvita and Río Celeste four to five hours, and Puerto Viejo or Santa Teresa five to six hours or more.

If you land late in the evening, think about whether you want a five-hour drive on mountain roads in the dark. Many travellers bound for the far coasts sleep near the airport or in San José and leave the next morning.

The dry season runs roughly from December to April and is the busiest time on the Pacific side, especially around Christmas, New Year and Easter. The green season from May to November brings afternoon rain to most of the country. Mornings are often clear, but heavy showers slow traffic on the mountain roads and can occasionally cause landslides.

The Caribbean coast follows its own pattern and is often drier in September and October, when the Pacific is at its wettest. Whatever the season, allow some extra time on any route that crosses the mountains.