www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Just got PMed about taking the bus down to JACO. Thought I'd share with everyone. I have read plenty of reports of guys taking private taxi's/Vans to Jaco which can end up costing a lot of money. If your on a budget taking the bus is a nice option IMO.

Trip each way averaged about: 2 1/2 hours.

If your "going" to Jaco, take one of the red city taxi's to the coca cola station $2-3 bucks. When you get there ask someone (or your taxi driver) where the ticket both is.The ticket is under $5 bucks. There are some street hustlers guiding people to the different ticket boths. One guy tried to help me but I just ignored him. Turned out he was actually not trying to hustle me just trying to help me and get some spare change. I ended up at the both he was trying to lead me to in the first place. Coca Cola bus station is known to be a dangerous one. Just use common sense anywhere in Costa Rica and you should be fine. I didn't feel "extra" unsafe there or in Jaco.

Buses from San José (coca cola sation): Transportes Jacó S.A. Every 2hrs (6am-7pm)

"Getting" back is even easier. There is a Pizza Hut at the North end of the main road in Jaco (across the street from the best western hotel). Directly behind the pizza hut is the ticket both. Buy your ticket back to San Jose there $4-5 bucks. When you get into San Jose jump in a red taxi (the taxi back to your hotel will be a little more) both times I took taxi's from the coca cola station back to my hotels they charged me more then to get to there. (Even though I walked a few blocks away from the station trying to get a better rate)

Buses to San José: Transportes Jacó S.A., ☎ 2290 2922; 3hr.; 5am, 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm; ¢2095




Here's a sight I researched before I got to Costa!
http://www.therealcostarica.com/travel_costa_rica/bus_service_costa_rica.html



*One of the hotels I stayed at in San Jose is the Castillo. The staff is really accommodating and will let you leave your luggage in their office for your trips to the beach. I'm not certain, but some of the other "sponsor" hotels, here on the sight will probably let you do the same.

An addition to the bus travel to Jaco...you can buy your trip back early and assure yourself of a seat. Otherwise you may remain standing until you arrive at the airp iort. The beginning has many stops, then through to the airport, then a few more stops, not bad.

Taxi cost may vary due to traffic density (marias charge for standing time), and differences in length of routes due to the one ways. To get from the Santo Tomas to the rent a car on Paseo Colon we go the opposite direction both east and north, then head back towards Sabana in a roundabout way. Traffic routes in San Jose are varied, I do to I think is the connections of small towns. It seems like I'm on a real thrufare, then suddenly I'm twisting and turning. I've memorized the routes.

Excellent Thread. Glad to see somebody other than Brother Prolijo is recommending bus travel, with explicit directions. No, this isn't a slam on anybody...
Just watch your stuff if you put it on the overhead racks--the one opposite your seat makes that easier.

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

I always take the Public Bus. Had a bad experience with Grayline.

Good post. Not much to add.

A lot of the time you hear people recommending you purchase bus tickets a day in advance. I suppose that could never hurt and if you're staying your first night or two in SJ any way it may not be that difficult to take a swing by the Coca Cola bus station the day before to make your advance purchase, especially if you're taking a walking tour that day of the Zona Roja MP's just north of there. However, I don't think buying a day ahead is usually really absolutely necessary unless perhaps you're traveling on a weekend when buses tend to be a little more full. Alternatively, you could just show up at the station an hour ahead of departure and purchase your tickets then and still most likely get pretty much your choice of seats (but then who really wants to hang around a bus station for an hour or more waiting for their bus to depart). Some people like to head to Jaco as soon as they get into CR and in those cases, purchasing a day ahead is not really an option. Worst case scenario, you won't get the best choice of seats or might even be forced to take a later bus, but with buses leaving every couple of hours you should definitely be able to get there. Coming back from Jaco, you're right near the ticket office when you arrive anyway so why not take care of that return ticket right on the spot and as CRLuvr said not have to worry about whether you'll get a seat or not on the return trip?

One last tip to consider for going to Jaco. Direct buses to Jaco do leave every couple of hours or so, but if you happen to just miss the previous bus (or its sold out) and don't want to wait a couple of hours for the next one, another possibility is to get on the next bus to Quepos(Manuel Antonio) which always makes a stop at the Jaco turnoff. Be sure to ask someone to let you know when that is if you're not sure yourself, however there is normally a bunch of people getting off there so it shouldn't be that hard to figure out. They won't drop you in town itself, but it should be a simple matter to take a local cab from the turn-off the last half mile or so into town for not much dinero.

Re: overhead racks, the ones on the opposite side ARE much easier to keep an eye on HOWEVER I try to avoid using those racks altogether as it is just too easy to let your attention slip away for the split second it takes for a crook to take advantage of it. I always keep my valuables in my day pack which always stays either on my lap or between my feet on the floor. And stuff like my clothing goes in my larger bag which I stow in the luggage compartment underneath the bus. Normally that compartment only opens at the beginning and end of the trip and it is easy enough to be there when it is closed and open. OCCASIONALLY, the driver's asst. will open it for someone getting on or off along the way, so I always try to get a seat on the right side of the bus so I can see when it is opened and keep an eye on what is being done from my seat on the bus. If you're just going to Jaco for a couple of days, you might want to consider leaving the bulk of your stuff at your hotel in SJ and only bring a couple of days worth of clothing (and maybe a few other items) with you to Jaco. That way you have less stuff to lug around and/or worry about (and you might not even need to use the lower compartment).

Lastly re: cabs, it IS true that the routes they take vary because of the many one way streets in downtown SJ and that can lead to different rates/routes to travel in different directions between the two same points. However, if you know your way around SJ and know the one-way streets, you'll realize that sometimes they just go different ways because either a) they're trying to bump up the fare by taking you a few extra blocks out of your way or b) despite being a cabbie that drives daily in SJ, they genuinely don't seem to know their way around very well. In most cases, you can go one block over to find a street going in the opposite direction so USUALLY you don't have to go more than one block in the opposite direction to catch a cross street that will take you to the street heading your way.

In the case of traveling between the Castillo and Coca Cola, Ave. 9 (the street the Castillo is on) is one way in the direction you need to go to head towards Coca Cola and the west side of downtown. Coming back, the taxis usually take Ave. 7 past Parque Espana and the Old Licqour Factory all the way to Calle 15, then up that side street that loops back towards the Cafe Mundo and the Castillo (which is between Calle 9 & 11 and so more like ~3 blks out of your way). I suppose if you wanted to save a little money you could have them drop you at the intersection that the Hemingway and Don Carlos is on and just walk the 30-40ft to the Castillo and avoid having to overshoot your destination, but its not like it would really save you that much money. OTOH, if you're traveling from the Amistad or the SL, the fares should be pretty much the same in either direction.

From the Santo Tomas, the cab shouldn't have to go more than 1 block east (to Calle 5) and one block north (to Ave. 9 since Ave. 5 is also east bound and you'd have to go all the way Parque Espana for a southbound Calle) to be able to head back in the right direction. The roundabout route they sometimes take after that probably has more to do with avoiding the traffic congestion around the Central Market and the bus station areas rather than the one way streets, although if you were heading to Coca Cola rather than to one of the rental car agencies on Paseo Colon they probably would have turned south on Calle 6 to Ave. 3 and taken you basically straight there. Alternatively, you could just walk around the corner from the Santo Tomas past the Holiday Inn and catch a cab that is already going in the right direction on Ave. 3 for practically a straight shot all the way to Coca Cola, Paseo Colon and Sabana.

IMHO, it really helps to have a basic understanding of the downtown geography and keep an eye on what your cabbie is doing in order to keep them honest. But as you can see, I'm a real cartography geek so that is easy for me to say.

They have free maps at the airport of downtown which clearly show the direction of one-way streets. Available at the tourist desk. Highly advise picking one up. Over and out.

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

Even if you can afford a privet drive and car I do recommend taking the bus at least once It is a great way to see a small part of Costa Rica. Just keep a eye on your bags.

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A car moves your body, a Harley moves your soul.