Getting There & Getting About

International Airports

• Juan Santamaria (SJO) 17 km from the city.
• Full list of airports in Costa Rica with associated airport codes >

Internal Transport

There are some internal flights in Costa Rica (for example, between San José and provincial towns and villages), although reservations cannot be made outside the country. There is also a train that runs from San José to Caldera.

Costa Rica has a good network of roads, including 35,583 km (22,110 miles) of all-weather highways. The 663 km-long Inter-American Highway runs from the border of Nicaragua to Panama, whilst other highways link San José to principal towns. There is a speed limit of 88 kph (55 mph) on most highways. Car hire is available through major companies, and local firms also have offices in San José.

There are regular and cheap bus services to most towns; however, vehicles are often crowded so pre-booking is advisable. There is also a privately-run bus service in San José, which charges fares on a two-zone system.

Taxis (coloured red in town and orange at the airport) and cheap and plentiful in San José, and operate on a metered system.