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Transportation Information

Getting to the Puerto Viejo area is pretty easy. There are a number of different options for getting there from San José:

• The bus is the most economical option and is very inexpensive. Five daily directo buses leave from San Jose. View Schedule.

• Shared ride van services have door to door service. They have several daily departures from San Jose and Arenal to Puerto Viejo. View Schedule.

• You can also get a private transfer that will take you directly from San Jose Airport to Puerto Viejo at your schedule. View information.

• If you book a Rafting Trip they can pick you up in San Jose and leave you in Puerto Viejo at the end of the day (or vice-versa)! Kind of like getting your transportation for free. It also works to Arenal.

• Driving from San José takes about 4 hours (via the faster route) and there are two different routes possible. View Route Information.

• You can fly from San José to Limon and then take a bus or taxi to Puerto Viejo. View Info.

There are a number of options for getting around in the Puerto Viejo area:

• The area between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo is quite compact and mostly flat so a bicycle rental is an excellent option.

• Buses run frequently between Limon and Puerto Viejo and on to inland destinations such as Hone Creek, Bri Bri and Sixaola. View Schedule.

• Somewhat less frequently is the bus service between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo.  View Schedule.

• Driving is easy enough although the roads aren't paved between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo and there's lots of pedestrian and bicycle traffic so take it slowly. A four-wheel-drive is not required though unless you take the back road to Sixaola.

• Taxis are available. View Taxi Info.

• Car Rentals are now available in the Puerto Viejo area. View Car Rental Info.

Getting to and from Bocas del Toro in Panama, an archipelago of islands just across the border:

• Local bus or Taxi to Sixaola, walk across the border, van shuttle to Almirante or Changuinola and then a boat (lancha) to Bocas town.  View details.

• Connect with the Bocasdeltorino bus service which stops in Hone Creek and Bri Bri and will take you all the way to the lancha dock. View details.

Buses to/from San Jose to Puerto Viejo

Buses for Puerto Viejo leave from the Caribe Sur Bus Terminal located on Calle Central about 8 blocks North of the Parque Central. Caution: there are two towns called Puerto Viejo that you can catch a bus to from this terminal. You want Puerto Viejo de Talamanca (also known as Puerto Viejo de Limon). The bus company that goes there is Transportes Mepe and their ticket office is at the end of the terminal. Ticket prices are currently 4,535 colones (about $8 US) for this approximately 5 hour trip and the bus makes one 20 minute stop in Limon for bathrooms and something to eat. The trip to Cahuita from San Jose is 3,900 colones (about $7 US) and takes 4 1/2 hours. Schedule is below. 

If the express bus schedule does not meet your needs, you can also take one of the very frequent buses to Limon (2 1/2 hours) and then transfer there to a bus heading to Puerto Viejo which will take another 1 1/2 hours or so. Before you head to Limon though, make sure there will be a connecting bus to Puerto Viejo otherwise you'll be stuck in Limon overnight or taking a taxi. You can also save about $3 going this route. Note that in Limon you will need to transfer from the main bus terminal where the San José buses arrive to the Puerto Viejo terminal which is a few blocks away. If bogged down with luggage it would be best to take a taxi which should cost no more than $1.

Transportes Mepe direct service between San José and Puerto Viejo:

These buses do sometimes sell out at peak times so you should purchase or reserve your tickets in advance if at all possible.

Tickets for Transportes Mepe buses are only available at the Bus Terminals. In San Jose at the Caribe Sur, in Puerto Viejo at the bus stop (locate it on map) and in Cahuita at the bus stop.  For buses from San Jose to Puerto Viejo or Cahuita, except the 6 a.m.departure, you can call the Transportes Mepe office in San José to reserve a ticket the day before or the day of but note they will generally only speak Spanish. No credit card number or deposit is required but you must show up at the ticket office at least 30 minutes prior to departure to pay for and collect your reserved ticket.

Transportes Mepe Phone Numbers:
San José : (506) 2257-8129
Limón : (506) 2758-1572
Puerto Viejo : (506) 2750-0023

Schedules are subject to change and do change sometimes based on weather conditions and demand. Confirm the schedule when purchasing your ticket or call ahead.

From San José to Puerto Viejo, seats are reserved so please look for your assigned seat number on your ticket.  On the way back, seats are not reserved so if seating is important to you, push your way to the front of the line!

Transportes Mepe service between Limon and Puerto Viejo:

The above buses come into Puerto Viejo and then return to the highway and continue to Bri Bri and Sixaola. However, Several buses a day from Limon also continue past Puerto Viejo towards Manzanillo and service the beach communities of Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva and Manzanillo:

Other Bus Schedules

For routes in other parts of Costa Rica, you can find bus schedules and pickup locations for every public bus in Costa Rica from the official Costa Rica tourism board site here.

Tourist shuttles to/from Puerto Viejo

For $30-39 US, transport is available in an air-conditioned van or mini-bus from San Jose via several companies. We have chosen a variety of companies to provide this service to give you the most options for schedules.

Interbus and Grayline each make one daily trip from San Jose to Puerto Viejo and there are two Interbus trips daily back to San Jose. They will pick you up at your San José hotel or at an off-airport location and let you off directly at your hotel (almost) anywhere between Cahuita and Manzanillo (e.g. Cocles or Punta Uva). 

For $39 - $45 US, there are also daily shuttles between the Arenal Volcano area (La Fortuna is the name of the largest town but they'll deliver to all the area hotels and resorts).

We can also book you on the full national network of Interbus and Grayline. Click here to see the schedules for the full national network of all the shuttle companies.

You must book these services in advance; some shuttles only run if there are enough people booked and they do often sell out at peak times. To book:

We DO NOT recommend you book directly with Interbus or Grayline on their websites as they make it very difficult/expensive to change or cancel reservations that were made on their website (see their terms here). If you make the reservation through the form on our site instead, you can change/cancel your reservation up to 48 hours in advance.

Private Van/Bus Transfer

If your schedule doesn't work with the shared ride van services schedules or you have 2 or more people or lots of luggage or animals to transport, you might consider hiring a van or bus with driver for a private transfer to Puerto Viejo or to anywhere in the country.  The company we use is very reliable and will pick you up right at the International Airport and bring you straight to your hotel - no stops for other passengers, no waiting for the scheduled time.

And it's surprisingly affordable: San Jose to Puerto Viejo is $190 for a 8 passenger van. When you compare that to a night in San Jose you didn't really want plus regular transfer service per person rates, you'll find it a great deal.  They also have 20 passenger luxury vans and 50 passenger buses. All are air-conditioned and comfortable.

We can book this for you too. You can browse rates for different destinations on our booking form or go ahead and make a reservation:

If you're planning to spend a night or two in San Jose before heading to the Caribbean, we can also help you with airport pickup from San Jose International Airport to your San Jose hotel. Note we use much bigger vehicles than the small taxis at the airport so this is a great option for groups or if you have lots of luggage (or if you have a pet). And isn't it nice to have someone waiting for you in arrivals?!

Getting to Puerto Viejo on the river?

Another option is to book a rafting trip on the Rio Pacuare, Rio Sarapiqui or Rio Renovacion. These all day trips are priced from $79 to $99 and they will pick you up in your choice of Puerto Viejo, San Jose or Arenal and drop you off in your choice! So it's kind of like getting your transportation for free! These trips run most days.

If you'd like more information on the rafting trip options or to have us book one for you, click to:

Leaving Puerto Viejo via Arenal, Tortugero or Bocas del Toro

Yet another option to get from Puerto Viejo is to book a multi-day package which includes transportation from Puerto Viejo to San Jose or Arenal. Our multi-day packages include transport from Puerto Viejo and give you the option of ending your trip in San Jose or Arenal (depending on the package). For example, our Bocas del Toro, Panama package can include a flight back to San Jose, our Tortugero package ends in San Jose and our Arenal Volcano package ends in Arenal. Check out all the options on our tours page.

Driving to/from San Jose to Puerto Viejo

Car Rental

Pick-up / drop-off the car: Pick-up: 12:00am1:00am2:00am3:00am4:00am5:00am6:00am7:00am8:00am9:00am10:00am11:00am12:00pm1:00pm2:00pm3:00pm4:00pm5:00pm6:00pm7:00pm8:00pm9:00pm10:00pm11:00pm JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Drop-off: 12:00am1:00am2:00am3:00am4:00am5:00am6:00am7:00am8:00am9:00am10:00am11:00am12:00pm1:00pm2:00pm3:00pm4:00pm5:00pm6:00pm7:00pm8:00pm9:00pm10:00pm11:00pm JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 Car Type: 5 basic typesEconomyCompactIntermediateStandardFull SizePremiumLuxuryConvertibleStation WagonVanSport UtilityPickup TruckSpecialty

If you're considering renting a car and driving to Puerto Viejo,  all the major international car rental companies operate at or nearby San José International Airport as well as in downtown San José. Keep in mind that rates quoted online generally do not include any sort of insurance (which is sometimes even more than the rental rate) and that the car rental companies will definitely require proof of coverage elsewhere before agreeing to let you waive any insurance coverage they will sell you. 

Please also keep in mind that only one car rental company, the Costa Rican company Poas, currently has offices in the South Caribbean area so if you want to pick up or return your car in Puerto Viejo (they have offices in Hone Creek but will deliver cars to local hotels), that is your only choice.

There are two routes possible if you're driving:

Route 1: Via Guapiles, Siquirres, Limon

Driving to Puerto Viejo is really easy (except for road conditions at times). You will have to find the highway to Limon. It has easy access from downtown and once you are on that highway, it is almost impossible to get lost.

Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2:00pm in afternoon, you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers in driving in Costa Rica. Roads do not have lines. Rain can be bad and there are potholes and people walking/cycling that you can not see very well.

You will first go through the mountains and will be very high up. It is likely that you will encounter fog (clouds) and rain. Please drive with your lights on. Half of the local drivers do not.

The drive through the mountains is beautiful. You will see many vistas and real rain forest jungle. As you are about to exit mountains into flat land (just after a bunch of ugly billboards) there is a restaurant on your right (usually with many trucks out front). It is called El Yugo and it is a very good local restaurant. In fact the many times I have driven this route, it is the best I have found. It is also a good break after about 1.5 hours into the trip.

The road from there to Limon (approx 2 hrs) is practically straight with no hills. It is small towns and banana plantations. Please note there are many trucks as Limon is a port city and this is the truck route. Also note, you will see a sign or two for Puerto Viejo on the way to Limon. This is not the correct Puerto Viejo. You have to reach Limon and drive down coast. Also note on this stretch, there are many speed traps and local cops love foreigners as it can mean a free lunch.

When you hit Limon, just before you enter city centre you will see a sign (at the Texaco Station) where you turn right to go to Puerto Viejo. If you need gas, this is a good place to get it. There are no “legal” gas stations in Puerto Viejo. From that sign you just follow the coast all the way down (approx 1 hour). The drive is beautiful but mind the pot holes.

After about 1 hour of driving, you will come to the little town of Hone Creek. At that point the main paved road continues on to the Panama border at Sixaola and a gravel road heads about 5 km into Puerto Viejo. Just before Puerto Viejo you will find Playa Negra. To get to the communities of Cocles. Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva and Manzanillo, drive through Puerto Viejo and continue following the beach road.

Route 2 - Via Cartago, Turrialba, Siquirres, Limon

This route is mentioned for the convenience of more experienced drivers who would like to take a different route or who are starting their trip from the eastern part of the Central Valley (such as from Cartago). It is a very scenic route and the roads are some of the best in the country.

Again, once you find the highway to Turrialba, it would be difficult to get lost but you will need to navigate to Cartago and onto the Turrialba highway first. It would be simpler in the other direction though as there are more signs pointing towards San José. From San José to Puerto Viejo by this route takes a little longer, perhaps 5 hours.

There are several signs in San Jose pointing you towards Cartago, and several signs on the way to Cartago. If you stay on the main road leading into Cartago and go until the street ends (you will have just passed the Basilica - a very large, beautiful church) on your left. You would turn right at the stop sign and then left at the next stop sign (100 meters). This is the road to Paraiso. You'll continue on about 6km before you reach the center of Paraiso, marked by the usual church and park. Once you reach the stop light at the corner of the park, you'll continue one block and take a left. You'll see signs pointing you towards Turrilalba.

This beautiful, windy road will lead you directly into Turialba. It will take you about 1 hour and 20 minutes from downtown Cartago, or 1 hour from Paraiso. Once you are at the bottom of the very steep hill and you enter the actual town of Turrilalba, you'll want to stay on that main street (many people will be turning left) until it looks like the street is ending (several blocks). You will see signs for Limon telling you to turn left. At the next street light, maybe 2 blocks ahead, you'll turn right, again following the sign to Limon.

This continues on another windy and scenic road. After about 30-minutes you'll come to the outskirts of the town of Siquirres. You'll see a sign on your right telling you to go straight ahead for Siquirres or to turn left to go to "San Jose 99km." Take this left. (The sign to Limon has been stolen.) Once you turn left, you are brought around a circle and are dumped out at a very major road. Go left to head to Limon. One hour later you'll find yourself in downtown Limon.

Driving from Arenal to Puerto Viejo

1. Leave La Fortuna to the west towards Tanque/Muelle S. Carlos/Aguas Zarcas
2. In Tanque you have to turn left (small intersection right in town)
3. Follow the street until it goes down and immediately up hill again, there turn right towards Muelle S. Carlos/Aguas Zarcas
4. In Muelle S. Carlos there is a big intersection where you go straight ahead
5. Once the street ends, turn right and follow the street until you are in Aguas Zarcas
6. In Agua Zarcas, turn left (right in town) and keep following the street until you reach St. Miguel de Sarapiqui (end of the street)
7. In St. Miguel de Sarapiqui turn left towards Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui
8. Follow the street until you reach Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui
9. Take the first street (bigger) to the right and you will pass a petrol station and afterwards a bridge
10. Follow this street until you reach a big intersection (it is the N32 coming down from San Jose), there turn left
11. Stay on the N32 until you reach Limon
12. From Limon on, follow the signs to Cahuita/Puerto Viejo/Manzanillo
13. Once you have passed Hone Creek (you will know as the street is getting worse, bumpy and unpaved) follow it until you can see the sea
14. Turn right for the last kilometer into downtown Puerto Viejo

Flying to Limon

There is no airport in Puerto Viejo but one can fly from San Jose to Limon and then continue on via bus or Taxi to Puerto Viejo (a little more than an hour further).  The two Costa Rican domestic airlines use small turboprop planes.

Nature Air flies from both San José's Pavas Airport (this is NOT the main international airport) and Bocas del Toro, Panama to Limon. Flights are not always daily though so check the Nature Air website for current schedules. 

The other domestic airline, Sansa, flies from a separate terminal at the main international airport. Although their route map shows San José to Limon flights, no flights have been scheduled yet but check the Sansa website for current information.

Local transport in the Caribe Sur

Local Bus for transport between Cahuita, Hone Creek, Puerto Viejo, Cocles. Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva and Manzanillo:

Bike and Scooter Rental

Many Hotels rent bicycles. If your hotel doesn't have bike rentals available, there are several options in downtown Puerto Viejo. Just ask around or look for the bike racks outside and signs. Make sure you always lock your bike.

Several places in town also rent scooters.

Taxi

Several taxis operate in Puerto Viejo. You should be able to find a Taxi in downtown Puerto Viejo (for example from the main bus stop to your hotel). If you're not in Puerto Viejo and need to call a taxi, ask a local establishment to call one for you. Note that taxis in Puerto Viejo are not metered so you should agree on a fare with the driver before getting in. 

One of the taxi association, Transportes Privados Jireh supplied us with the price list below, so this should be used as a guideline with all taxis or you can order at taxi from them directly at 2750-2073. Note the other taxi company and independents do not have fixed prices so make sure to pre-negotiate the rate to your destination. Prices are in Costa Rican colones (approximately 500c to the US$):

Notes: • Each hour of waiting is $5 US. • These tariffs apply between 6 am and 11 pm

Car Rental

If you're considering renting a car and driving to Puerto Viejo,  all the major international car rental companies operate at or nearby  San José International Airport as well as in downtown San José. Keep in mind that rates quoted online generally do not include any sort of insurance (which is sometimes even more than the rental rate) and that the car rental companies will definitely require proof of coverage elsewhere before agreeing to let you waive any insurance coverage they will sell you.

Please also keep in mind that only one car rental company, the Costa Rican company Poas, currently has offices in the South Caribbean area so if you want to pick up or return your car in Puerto Viejo (they have offices in Hone Creek but will deliver cars to local hotels), that is your only choice.

Check the driving instructions section to search for the best priced car rental.

Local Driving Conditions

The highway is paved and in good condition all the way from San Jose to Hone Creek, 5km from Puerto Viejo. But at Hone Creek you turn off for the final 5km to Puerto Viejo and encounter our local roads. The road is wide but is bumpy, full of potholes and has lots pedestrians, cyclists and slow vehicles so please take it slow and easy! The road south of Puerto Viejo to Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Una and Manzanillo is also not paved except in some small sections. 

However, a 4WD vehicle is not necessary anywhere on this route (although may make driving faster) unless you leave the main road for any distance. But there are few places to go off the road, the one local exception being the back road between Punta Uva and Sixaola which a 4WD would definitely be recommended. But this road is not signed and it would be easy to get lost so it is not recommended unless you have a local along.

If you do get into an accident anywhere in Costa Rica, the procedure is to not move your vehicle -- even if it is blocking the road! -- until police have been able to inspect the scene and make a report. 

Note that there is no gas station in Puerto Viejo, although several local entrepreneurs will sell you a can of gas to keep you going. The nearest gas station is in Penzhurt which is on the highway back to Limon.  Please take note: make sure the attendants set the pump back to zero before filling up. Problems have been reported there on more than one occasion.  We recommend if you can filling up at the Texaco station in Limon on the corner before you head to the South Caribbean. If you're heading in the direction of Sixaola/the Panama border, there is also a filling station between Bri Bri and Sixaola where Margarita Rd connects with the highway to Sixaola.

Getting from Puerto Viejo to Bocas del Toro, Panama

We now offer one or two night packages from Puerto Viejo to Bocas del Toro including round-trip transport, hotel, breakfasts and tours. Click here if you'd like more information on this option or would like to reserve a trip. If you're planning your own trip and are researching hotels we recommend your check out Tripadvisor Bocas del Toro to get unbiased info on places to stay in Bocas.

The Easy Way - Guided Transport to Bocas

There are now easy ways to get to Bocas without the hassles! Several companies are now offering shuttle  service where they pick you up in your Puerto Viejo hotel about noon (depending on location), drive you to the border. There they'll assist you with luggage as needed as you deal with Costa Rica exit and Panamanian entry customs. With Caribe Shuttle, you walk across the Rio Sixaola bridge and a van is waiting to take you to Finca 60 or Almirante where you have a reserved seat on the boat to Isla Colon (aka Bocastown). With Panaline, the same vehicle takes you all the way to Isla Colon and hotel dropoff is included.

Price is $30-34 per person for all transport -- you are responsible for the Panama Tourist Card fee ($5) if that is applicable to your country. 

 To book:

Choose Puerto Viejo as your pickup city and Bocas del Toro as your destination from the dropdowns and then choose the service/schedule you'd like. The schedule is:

Or below are two ways to do the crossing self-guided...your choice!

Route 1 - Bus or Taxi to Sixaola, Van Shuttle to Almirante or Changuinola, Lancha to Bocas

Update: the water taxi from Finca 60 to Bocastown is currently out of service as the banana canals the boat travelled in were damaged in flooding and need dredging. So when traveling to Bocas it is necessary to travel to Almirante instead - this is a $10 per person taxi ride from Guabito. See the full details on the Talamanca News.

From Puerto Viejo, there are frequent buses to Sixaola which is the Costa Rica town on the Panama border. See schedule above.

If you are taking a taxi, a 4WD taxi could also take you a slightly different route to Sixaola, especially if you were starting from east of Puerto Viejo (Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva or Manzanillo) as there is a rough road which crosses the mountains, leaving the coastal road near Punta Uva and connecting to the main highway partway between Bri Bri and Sixaola. Do NOT attempt this route on your own, as it is not marked. 

From the end of the bus line in Sixaola, it is a short walk across the bridge that cross the Rio Sixaola which marks the international border to the Panamanian town of Guabito. Make sure to stop at both the Costa Rican customs office for your exit stamp (no fee) and the Panama customs office for your entry stamp to Panama ($5US fee). Note that there is nothing to impel you to enter these office (no gates, etc) but you WILL have problems later if you do not have the right paperwork. In the other direction, you must also stop at both offices for exit and entry stamps, although no fee is payable at either.

On the Panamanian side of the border, shared taxis should be waiting (especially if you arrive via bus) which will drive you to Almirante or the Finca 60 dock near Changuinola. Note that if you arrived on a bus the drivers will try and group everyone into as few vehicles as possible and as few destinations as possible but by taking a shared taxi like this you will generally be charged about $5US per person. If you are alone, you would perhaps pay $15 for a private taxi. You could also take a public bus from Guabito to Changuinola and then take a taxi to the Finca 60 dock.

Bocas del Toro marine operates a scheduled lancha (water taxi) service from Finca 60 and from Almirante to Isla Colon and the main town of Bocas Town ($4 US per person and about 45 minutes from Almirante, $5 and 75 minutes from Finca 60).

There is also a car ferry from Almirante to Bocas but it does not run every day so check enquire ahead if you must drive.  Also note that if you are driving a rental car, your rental contract will almost certainly prohibit taking your car out of Costa Rica.

The website for Bocas Marine has the latest lancha schedules.

Route 2 - Bus or Taxi to Bri Bri, Bocasdeltoreño bus to Almirante, Lancha to Bocas

A slight variation on the above is to take a daily direct bus from company Transporte Bocatoreño:

Leaves San José, Calles 14-16, Ave 5 frente Hotel Cocori (costado de Tracopa). Tel 227-9533 / 385-7581.
Daily at 9 a.m., 6 hours., returns from Changuinola bus station at 9 a.m. (Panama time) daily.  (Other sources I saw said 10 am so make sure to confirm the time with the bus company).

This bus makes a scheduled stop in Bri Bri at 1pm daily where you can board for transport to Bocas.

From the Changuinola bus station you'd get a taxi to Finca 60.

Or go by air

Nature Air also flies from San Jose and Limon to Bocas Town.

More Information

Got a question not answered here? Try asking it in the Transport section of the User Forum.

I have made every attempt to make sure this information is current and correct. But schedules do changes as do road conditions and weather so please confirm information if it's important (e.g. you'll miss your flight).  Please email info@puertoviejosatellite.com with any corrections or additional information that you think would be helpful.

Thanks!

•  Thanks to Colin at Banana Azul who wrote the route 1 driving instructions, proofread everything and offered lots of suggestions. 

• Thanks to Scott at Tropical Adventures for the detailed route 2 driving instructions.

• Thanks to Costa Rica Guide for formatting the MEPE bus schedule in an easy to read way so I didn't have to do it again.

Additional comments from our visitors about Puerto Viejo Transportation

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