www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I'm trying to book an upcoming trip on-line and problems still with the web-site. I sent an email in Spanish with all the appropriate info. this AM and hope they respond. If not will pick up the fokin phone.

What is it with you and thread dumpster diving lately? Read the thread. The Interbus website is always having "issues" and their e-mail response is often lacking too. Fortunately, there is another way to book with them that has been listed. http://www.searchcostarica.com. Not only does their website work more smoothly, but if you have to contact them they are much more responsive AND they even cost a little less than going to Interbus directly (AND they have the Paypal payment option). Frankly, I don't know why any of you guys would bother trying to book through www.interbusonline.com given the frequent problems cited with their website and customer service.

Thanks Pro. I will give it a try.

Now for this "What is it with you and thread dumpster diving lately?" I think this is only my 1st or 2nd TDD in recent memory.

http://www.shuttlebus.co.cr/ is the NEW website for searchcostarica.com. While you may still use the old site and be transported to the new site, that'll eventually stop I'm rather certain.

Thus, might be wise to bookmark http://www.shuttlebus.co.cr/ . This outfit has never let me down....yes it DOES use InterBus infrastructure once in CR (that is, the InterBus busses).....but the booking and support are flawless. It is a US based system and has been pointed out several times, one pays via PayPal and there is no need to fax your credit card data to the InterBus company.

Make your booking; you will receive an email informing you it's being processed (the http://www.shuttlebus.co.cr/ people make a reservation for you with InterBus....might be a day or so before you receive a confirmation email)....

The owner of http://www.shuttlebus.co.cr/ is very close to the InterBus "people"; was the "CFO" for InterBus for many years and designed their old website, blah, blah, blah. The outfit is also good for the purposes of making reservations for other destinations within CR. Flawless to date for this guy....

_________________
"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

Has anyone used Interbus recently? Coming down soon and wondering about airport pickup, should we use Interbus or just a taxi? Any positives to each one?

SK

See my post above. I used that specific service to secure InterBus in mid November and it went flawlessly: Right there to pick me up and at my hotel at 4:30am to take me back

_________________
"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

Thanks Steven.

used searchcostarica.com early dec, he was waiting for me outside to the right, everything went perfect. most def recommened... i do get a regular cab when leaving the gulch though...

I used Interbus in November and everything went smoothly.

I used interbus two years ago. I was the only passenger there. I think they lose money on me.

I've had some problems with interbus in the past and had stopped using them. I'd heard from some friends that they've never had a problem so I gave them another chance. Big mistake. The first part wasn't so much their fault. I breezed through immigration and even with a stop at duty free had a long wait for the next passenger. We think he arrives and are off. The driver repeats the hotels and the other greengo says no take me to Jay-Coe beach hotel. It was his first time and someone on the plane told him to go to Jay-Coe beach. It turns out he's not the right passenger so he asks the driver if he can just pay some extra money and get dropped off at Jaco. He also heard Holiday Inn will shuttle him there so we drop him off at a Holiday Inn Express across the street and head back to the airport to find our correct passenger.

That was a bit of a time waste but amusing. And it worked out as the next passenger was a friend I'd met on previous trips and not seen lately. About a kilometer into the trip the van loses power and we pull over just in time for the inside to fill with smoke. We were standing on the side of the autopista and the driver kept saying don't worry. We thought another interbus would be coming along soon for us. After a long wait we ask how much longer and he tells us that his company is trying to figure out what to do right now and it won't be much longer. At that we flag down a red cab.

I've used them at least 10 times for airport runs, and no problems yet.

Skink, thanks for sharing your experience.

I have used Interbus 4 or 5 times. Mostly reliable, however they "no showed" twice when I arrived in SJO in the early morning (5:30 am) aboard Frontier Airlines.

http://www.shuttlebus.co.cr/website/sho ... /index.php (Using "InterBus" as the contracted carrier.....) came through without a hitch for the 99th time, picking me up at the airport mid day.....and waited for me to boot as the plane was late in addition to not having any immigration forms which needed to be completed either in line at immigration or while at the agent's desk......and then picked me up for the return run back to the airport some 3 weeks later.....no problems. $9.50 each way

_________________
"Actual happiness always looks pretty squalid in comparison with the over-compensations for misery. And, of course, stability isn't nearly so spectacular as instability. And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune, none of the picturesqueness of a struggle with temptation, or a fatal overthrow by passion or doubt. Happiness is never grand."
- Aldous Huxley, Brave New World, Ch. 16

I have used them twice this year. First time was ok. Waited 30 minutes for another passenger who came in on a flight behind mine.

Second time was a disaster, While my flight arrived on time, immigration was backed all the way down to the food concession by the boarding gates. After going through this mess I got out to the curb at 1:30, had told them 1:15pm. Found the representative and was led to believe the bus was coming. 15 minutes later no bus, and another older gentleman is telling me the bus I was suppose to be on left as I was late I am thinking what, you must know the back up inside, I ended up being 15 minutes late but less than a month a go it was ok for me to sit on the bench for 30 minutes and wait for someone else. He indicates I'll have to catch the next bus. I am like ok how long will that be? For the next 15 minutes I tried to get the answer, being told the van is on the way but stuck in traffic (saturday), soon, to maybe an hour. By this time I had lost my patience and said forget it refund my money and I will take a cab. Of course neither of these two had any clue about how a refund might happen. I made sure they understood I was canceling because the service I paid for was not being provided in a timely manor. I went up stairs and hoped a red cab in was in downtown within 30 minutes for $20. There was no traffic backup on the road coming out to the airport.

After getting settled a sent an email to the booking people about the problem indicating service was not provided and I wanted a refund. Despite it being a Saturday, I got a reply saying they would look into it and they issued my refund via paypal.

I would be more willing to try them again in the future if you could just pay them at the airport at the time of service. Anyone know if that is possible?