How to arrive to Santa Teresa Beach: by plane, car, shuttle or bus - read this article to find the option that suits you!

Santa Teresa is still a hidden gem because it is not easy to get here.

From San Juan Santa Maria International Airport in San Jose to Santa Teresa, involve multiple options as Rental car, shuttle, taxi, domestic flight and more.

Plane
1. Domestic Flight
2. Private Charter

Ground transportation
1. Rental car
2. Shuttle
3. Public Bus
4. Taxi

The distance between San Jose International Airport and Santa Teresa Beach is 115 miles.

You may be wondering how long it will take from San Jose to Santa Teresa and the cost involved. The answer goes from $14 by public bus to $2700 in a private charter flight. Find in this articles all the options available and take the option that suits you the best.

Estimated time to Santa Teresa Beach by flight is approximately 30 minutes and an additional driving duration.

Flight to Santa Teresa Beach: Cóbano Airport

The Cobano Airport, located just 17 minutes away from Playa Santa Teresa, is the newest airport in the area, making Cóbano Terminal (CO1) the closest airport to Santa Teresa Costa Rica.

Tambor Airport (TMU) has been the gateway to Santa Teresa Beach and Montezuma for years. However, this airport is no longer operational, and all domestic flights to Santa Teresa Beach now land at Cóbano Terminal (CO1).

Find more details about Flights from San Jose to Santa Teresa this blog Article: Cóbano Airport, the newest and closest airport to Santa Teresa Beach 2024

In case you may choose to arrive to Santa Teresa by plane, we recommend to book your transportation from airport to your accomodation in advance. You may ask your accommodation if they have a taxi driver or fill up this form and set it up with our trustfull local driver, price starts at $45.

From San Jose to Santa Teresa by car takes about 6 hours

Renting a car can be an ideal solution for driving enthusiasts looking to explore Costa Rica’s scenic views.
Rental offices are conveniently located in San Jose airport.

As incredible as the journey can be, it could be tiring because the road is one-lane and there is a high frequency of trucks. We always recommend that individuals arriving after a long flight should consider taking a night’s rest in San Jose before embarking on their trip to guarantee a rewarding experience.

How is the journey from San Jose to Santa Teresa by car?

Traveling from San Jose to Santa Teresa by car requires a journey of approximately 6 hours, which includes crossing the Nicoya Gulf via ferry.

The trip can be divided into three stages.
1º – San Jose to Puntarenas takes 3 hours subject to traffic conditions.
2º – The ferry across the Gulf takes approximately 75 minutes
3º – the journey from Paquera to Santa Teresa takes roughly 2 hours.

Ferry Tickets for Naviera Tambor can be bought in advance online in /quickpaycr.com . Guide: All about Ferry Puntarenas – Paquera

Costa Rica Airport Map for Rental Car in San Jose

San Jose Airport is a modest-sized terminal that offers comprehensive facilities, which are easily accessible. Upon arrival, passengers are required to provide their passport documentation for verification purposes before proceeding to the airport’s baggage claim area, which is supplemented by a small duty-free shop. Before leaving the airport, passengers have to go through a final baggage scanner. On exiting the scanner point, car rental company stands from internationally-renowned enterprises including Alamo, Enterprise, and Budget are available to meet your needs. Upon completion of the necessary documentation, a company representative will accompany you to your designated rental car within the airport parking lot.

The company name is Transporte Cóbano. The bus starts at Terminal 7-10 in San Jose Downtown and makes a second stop near the airport at Puente Villa Bonita.

Terminal 7-10: this terminal is known as Terminal Coca-Cola by the locals. Here is the Google Maps location.

The best option is to take an Uber from your location to the terminal, and avoid walking around the terminal area.

Where to take the bus to Santa Teresa if I am at the Airport of San Jose?

Close to International Airport of San Jose is “Puente Villa Bonita”.

For those arriving at the San Jose Santa Maria Airport and wanting to take the bus, there is an option to catch the bus at stop called “Puente Villa Bonita”. Here is the Google Maps Location.

Puente Villa Bonita is less than 10 minutes from the airport and taxi will cost around 7.000 colones ($14).

Please note that this is not a terminal, it is a regular bus stop on the street, and the bus arrives 30 minutes later than the departure time in San Jose.

If your international flight arrive after this time, the easiest option is to sleep in Alajuela, which is the closest city to the airport, and the next day go to Puente Villa Bonita for the bus.

Bus Service: The bus service from San Jose to Santa Teresa is a great option for travelers at a cost of 8,500 colones ($17). The bus from San Jose to Santa Teresa is cheap and easy with excellent service, Wi-Fi on board, and two departure times per day: 6:30 am and 2:30 pm. The trip takes around 6 hours. (Schedule may change in Rainy Season)

Tickets are available online at La Terminal Costa Rica. This website is perfect for checking information regarding schedule changes.

The shuttle service schedule typically begins, between 6 AM to 8 AM according to ferry schedule. The cost of a shared shuttle is approximately $50 each way per person.
This service provides a convenient hotel pickup option, and customers are advised to be at the hotel gate at a specific time.
Pickup locations are available in San Jose, Alajuela, and the airport.

FROM Libertia International Airport to Santa Teresa – 6hr

When planning your journey, we kindly advise against using navigation apps such as Google Maps or Waze that may suggest a route along the beach. It is better to avoid this route as it is isolated, lacks telephone signal and involves crossing three rivers.

Instead, to go from Liberia to Santa Teresa we recommend following the route that passes through Jicaral, this will provide a more secure and pleasant journey for you. The road is all paved and in this article you can find all the details for your trip: From Liberia to Santa Teresa, avoiding rivers!