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Is there a route to drive around San Jose when driving from the airport to Cartago? I want to avoid going through downtown San Jose if possible. I see route 39 on the map which looks like a ring road on the south side, but I just heard it is longer and easy to get lost that way.
There are at least 6 ways to get from Alajuela to Cartago, all bad. Forget the extreme southern & northern routes. They’re much longer, very complicated, and won’t save time. Forget also the circunvalación (beltways), they’re also longer, and just as thick with cars. That leaves straight through downtown (Avenida 2), which is the most crowded, and Avenida 12, which is my best pick for you. This route parallels the straight downtown route a few blocks to the south, but goes quite a bit quicker.
When you get to the stop light right in front of Parque La Sabana where you would normally turn left onto Avenida 2, go straight through without turning. Stay in the left lane, and in 3 blocks where La Sabana ends there will be another major opportunity to turn left, right before the railroad tracks.
Turn left with everyone else, and stay on this main street, following all the other cars. This will take you all the way to 1 block before the fountain in San Pedro where you again link up with the more central route. Right after the fountain, you can again go a block or two to the south of the main drag, avoiding the worst traffic of San Pedro. That’ll get you all the way to Curridabat before you have to again join up with the central route to Cartago.
Like all such routes, there are a few jogs 1 block to the left or right to stay on the route. Just follow the other cars.
If you still want to try the south beltway, it’s called the Circunvalación Sur, and the exit is after the Puente Juan Pablo II.
If it’s morning rush hour, or December 15th, bring along several days of food and water…
Thanks, I appreciate the alternate route and directions through San Jose. How long does it take to drive through San Jose? What time does the rush hour traffic start on a weekday?
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