Flying to Costa Rica

(see “First Things First")

Taxis

The last time I took a taxi in San José it cost just $3.00 to go all the way across town. By now it is probably $5.00 but still a bargain when you consider rental car costs, parking and finding your way around on your own.

Airport Transfers

Some hotels provide a free or low cost shuttle. Otherwise the official taxi rate is (last time I checked) $12.00 and this will take you to almost any part of San Jose, and that’s per cab not per passenger. As you come out of customs and pass the car rental agency booths look for the window with the word “Taxis.”

Public Transportation

There are buses everywhere. They are cheap. They are comfortable. They are generally safe. The only disadvantage is that you have to find the right one and then wait for it and then go where it goes which might not be very direct. Finding the bus may be the most difficult part. There are garages all over San Jose with buses going to different places such as parts of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama and even Mexico.

Rental Cars

There must be fifty car rental agencies in San Jose. They range from the top agencies such as Hertz and Avis to local companies and finally to independent operators who might own four to ten older cars with no frills. I have never used Hertz or Avis because their prices are sky high. I have used several local agencies and been disappointed for a number of reasons. I have used some independent operators and found that while their cars are probably ten years old and badly dented they do run well and generally service is good if you have a breakdown in or near San Jose. I can offer a list of these and they are usually quite cheap.

I do recommend two agencies. One is a local version of one of the top American brand names and one is a company that offers 4x4s run by a wonderful young man from Michigan who will go out of his way to please. Both he and the name brand company have given me wonderful service and reasonable cost and I can absolutely stand behind them. Of course things can go wrong with any company, but these guys will fix it fast because they really care about their customers. Email me for details.

The one thing you must be very careful about in renting cars in Costa Rica is the insurance rip-offs. But the two I recommend are up front and honest. See my section on Insurance

Buying a Car

Car buying comes in several categories. Many people will tell you that you must have a 4x4 (four wheel drive) to go anywhere in Costa Rica. That’s not true. I drive from San Jose to my home in Turrialba in a regular small car with no problems at all. On the other hand there are some very rough roads, particularly up in the mountains and out in the country. If you’re driving in the rainy season (now called the “green season,”) you may find some mountain roads partially washed away and a 4x4 is designed for this terrain.

So the first thing to decide is which type of car you want.

New Cars can be found in beautiful agency showrooms all over San Jose. Everything from Ford to Volvo to Nissan to Mercedes Benz is available. But the prices are high.

Used Cars are found in those same agencies mentioned above and also in used car lots. Write me for a list of some of these. The used car lots usually offer a warranty for a certain period.

Newspaper or Online Ads.

The Tico Times lists hundreds of cars both in their print version and the online version. http://www.ticotimes.net

Craig’s List has a Costa Rican version and also lists many cars.   http://costarica.craigslist.org

You will run across some ads posted by Americans or Canadians who are leaving the country. In most cases these are young people who came to Costa Rica to spend their life surfing and then ran out of money. Remember that once you buy from them they’ll be leaving the country so be very careful. Also beware any car that does not have Costa Rican tags and papers. Some people drive their car through Mexico to go on vacation in Costa Rica or stay for six months or so. But they never bother to get the car registered. Buy it and you're stuck with a big problem of paying Customs Duties and getting all the papers for a Costa Rican tag.

Cost of buying a used car

You may find a 5 or 6 year old compact for $5,000.
A good quality 4x4 that will give five or six years of good service will probably be closer to $20,000.

Bringing your own Car to Costa Rica

Many are tempted to bring their own car. You could do this by crating it and having it shipped with furniture. You could also drive down through Mexico with all your worldly goods in the trunk and back seat. There are at least two problems here. You have to consider the customs duty and you have to go through the enormous hassle of getting Costa Rican plates and Insurance. Many people have told me that it’s just not worth it.

Insurance 

Please see my page on insurance.