TRANSPORTATION
International Flight information
A vareity of international carries from around
the world fly into Costa Rica on a regular basis. Some of the
major carriers include Iberia, American, Delta, Continental, KLM,
and Mexicana to name a few. LACSA used to be the national carrier
but a few years ago merged with other regional airlines to form
TACA. TACA also serves a variety of international routes. Check
with your travel agent for the best fares.
Within Costa Rica there are two major local carriers.
Check the links below to find out about their routes and costs.
On the Ground
The cost of purchasing
a vehicle in Costa Rica is out of the reach of many Costa Ricans.
As such there is a great public transportation system in the country.
Though the buses and taxis may not be in the b est
condition, the service tends to be regular, reliable, and inexpensive.
It is pretty easy to get around town or to other locations in
Costa Rica without difficulty.
Buses
Buses travel everywhere in Costa Rica and run
regular routes and tend to be on time. Most travelers do not need
to rent a car to see Costa Rica. It is much easier and cheaper
to just hop a bus and head out to the country. On major routes
the buses are fairly new and in good shape. Shorter routes or
routes between smaller towns tend to be an smaller and older buses.
City buses range from brand new to very old. If
you ever wondered where old school buses go when they are retired
in the US you will quickly find out once in Costa Rica!
Some Useful Tips:
- You are not required to have exact change. Note: do not
expect to be able to exchange large bills.
- When you get on the bus you are required
to pay. Certain long distance buses require the purchase of
a ticket at the bus station.
-
Buses have certain bus stops where they
will stop. However sometimes the driver may be distracted
(or whatever). In these cases push the buzzer or yell out
"la parada" to get the driver to stop.
- On city buses get on and off quickly. The bus may start
moving again prior to you getting fully on or off!
-
On long distance buses you can store
your luggage in luggage compartments under the bus. Make
sure you watch at each stop to make sure you stuff does
not get "unloaded".
Taxis
Taxis are found throughout
the country and by US or European standards are pretty inexpensive.
Your standard taxi is red. Orange taxis only work the international
airport. All taxis should have a taxi meter. If a "taxi"
does not have a meter it is an illegal taxi. Wait for a real taxi.
When hoping in a taxi make sure the driver uses the meter. If
not, ask him to "use la maria". If you are familiar
with the area or the meter is broken negotiation always works
as well.
Note: after 10pm taxis will add an additional
20% to your fare. This is standard practice.
Road Conditions
 Road
conditions can be a shock for someone from North America or Europe.
Some roads are great, and many are horrible. Holes in the road
are common, and during the rainy season can really jolt the car.
It is best not to drive over a hole in the rainy season because
you never know how deep it is! After a few weeks you will get
used to the roads, but the first few days are a real eye opener!
Rent A Car
Communication
 Costa
Rica has a fairly advanced communication system (by Latin American
standards). However service can be spotty at best and repairs
can take a LONG time. Still visitors should have no problem
making calls, receiving faxes, or surfing the internet. Mail
can be slow. It works, but it might not get to where you want
it on time. Do not send anything valuable in the regular mail.
Much
of the information on our site as it relates to Costa Rica is:
 Courtesy
of Christopher P. Baker and Avalon Travel Publishing.
© 2004 Christopher P. Baker. All Rights Reserved.
Spanish Abroad, Inc. highly
recommends Christopher P. Baker's book: Moon
Handbooks Costa Rica. Click on the image to
visit his website where you can purchase this book or find out
more about the author.
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