In this series of posts, we answer common Costa Rica travel questions. Today, we’ll talk about how to get from the popular destination of La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano) to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast without renting a car. We’ll also include some shuttle resources.
Question
“I am travelling for 2 weeks in Costa Rica and plan to stay roughly 5 days in La Fortuna/Arenal area. I then want to travel over to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side for the remaining time. I won’t be renting a car. I can find lots of transport options, like shuttles and the bus from San Jose to La Fortuna but what is the best option to get from La Fortuna to Puerto Viejo?”
Answer
Yes, getting to La Fortuna from SJO Airport or even downtown San Jose is fairly easy. If you aren’t renting a car, we usually recommend shared or private shuttles.
We once took the public bus from the SJO area to La Fortuna and it was a long and unpleasant ride (very crowded and slow). That’s fine if you have the time and patience, but a private shuttle only takes about 2.5 hours and is well worth it, in our opinion.
The ride from La Fortuna to Puerto Viejo would be even longer by bus (maybe a full day!), so we would recommend shuttles for this route too. The shuttle companies go east on Route 4 over to Route 32, without having to go back through San Jose. This makes them much quicker, taking about 5.5 hours total.
There are some shared-shuttle companies that go from La Fortuna to Puerto Viejo. They leave at set times, early in the morning (6:00-7:00 a.m.) and are around $60-80 per person. Two options are Interbus and Caribe Shuttle.
Shared service can take a bit longer because they make several stops to pick people up and drop them off. They are great if you are on a budget, though.
For a faster ride, private shuttles are more efficient. These are nice too because you can select the pick up time and the van is all yours. Also, the driver will usually tell you about what you are seeing along the way. They may point out interesting crops growing, wildlife or viewpoints to stop and see, or be able to recommend a good local food restaurant on the route. Since it’s a long ride, some companies even have combined transfer/tour options that break up the drive with a tour in the middle like whitewater rafting.
Resources
We offer private shuttles from La Fortuna to Puerto Viejo, Cahuita, or Manzanillo on our site. We also have the SJO/San Jose to La Fortuna shuttles on there as well in case you need it.
Here are the links:
Private Shuttle – La Fortuna to Puerto Viejo
Private Shuttle – SJO Airport to La Fortuna
You can search for other shuttles right on our Shuttle Bookings page as well.
Looking for more articles to help you plan? Check out these posts:
La Fortuna: What to Expect from Costa Rica’s Most Popular Destination – In this post, we share tons of current information about the Arenal Volcano area.
Puerto Viejo: Caribbean Cool in Costa Rica – Learn all about Puerto Viejo, from hotels and restaurants to fun activities and beaches!
Transportation Options in Costa Rica: Car, Shuttle, Uber & More – This post will help you make sense of the major transportation options in Costa Rica and when you might want to use them.
Using ATMs and Credit Cards in Costa Rica – It’s best not to carry around loads of cash. Instead, use your credit card and take out money as needed.