In an age of record high gas prices, are you concerned about getting around in Costa Rica?

If you have ever wondered how you could comfortably explore this ‘rich coast’ of Costa Rica and save yourself a fortune on transportation (especially the high costs of a rental car where some people are asked to put down a US$1,500 deposit), you may want to consider the very efficient, far reaching and splendidly affordable Costa Rica bus system.

There may be a lot of cars on the road but there are millions of Costa Ricans who do not own a car and they need to get around like everyone else and they manage quite well on the bus.

• If you were to travel from the capital city San José to Liberia in Guanacaste, it would cost you a big 3,505 colones which is US$7
• To travel from San Jose to Heredia would cost you 495 colones or about $0.99
• To travel from San Jose to Limón on the Caribbean coast would cost you 3,145 colones or about US$6.31
• To travel from San Jose to Puriscal would cost you 855 colones or US$1.71

… and these prices include the increases approved in April 2012

You do need to keep your eyes on your belongings when you ride any bus but, you avoid the risks of driving in a foreign country and in case nobody has told you, the Ticos may be wonderful people but they are definitely NOT the best drivers (there’s a reason that car rental insurance is so high) and you can enjoy a ‘real’ Costa Rican experience at a remarkably low price.

I know many ‘gringos’ who have lived here for years, who have never bought a car and happily rely on the Costa Rica bus system as well as the affordable taxis we have …

If you would like to learn more, there are two excellent websites about getting around using the Costa Rica bus system.

1. John Wood’s site Costa Rica By Bus even offers a book (electronic or paperback) which you can see here.
2. And the people at Costa Rica Bus Tickets will give you all the information you ever wanted to know about the terrific Costa Rica bus system and they can even pick you up at the airport and take you to a local bus stop where you can safely board your bus. They can purchase your tickets in advance so that your seats are reserved and in most cases you can avoid going into San Jose to start your journey.

[custom_script adID=97]

Written by Scott Oliver, author of 1. Costa Rica Real Estate Scams & How To Avoid Them, 2. How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa, 3. Costa Rica’s Guide To Making Money Offshore and the Director/Producer of the Costa Rica Living & Retirement – Secrets To Happiness DVDs.

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.