About traveling from Quepos to San Jose
Both Quepos and San Jose are excellent examples of Costa Rican characteristics, from the liveliness of the locals to the stunning nature, you can enjoy the best of both worlds, from the city to the forest and to the marina. In Quepos, you can explore a national park that will show the beauty of the Costa Rican rainforest. While San Jose is the cultural epicenter filled with museums, theatres, and impressive restaurants.
If you decide to take a car transfer from Quepos to San Jose, you can also enjoy some exceptional sights, including the fresh Rainmaker forest, the coastal Mirador de Jaco, the Neo Fauna sanctuary, the vibrant Pura Vida Gardens and Waterfall, the lovely Catarata Bijagual, and the daring crocodile bridge.
How to get from Quepos to San Jose
If you’re travelling from San Jose to Quepos, you have several travel options. For travellers on a budget, the bus is the cheapest way to travel from San Jose to Quepos, a more pricey option is to travel from Quepos to San Jose by plane, The fastest way to travel from Quepos to San jose is by car, therefore a car is of course the best way to travel from Quepos to San Jose since it’s so convenient.
Quepos to San Jose by bus
To travel from Quepos to San Jose by bus go to the Quepos Bus Station and buy a ticket to San Jose- Tracopa Bus Station. While you can buy your ticket at the station, it’s best to purchase them in advance, when purchasing your ticket, make sure to buy ‘directo’. The earliest bus is at 7:45 AM, and the last bus is at 5:15 PM, with busses leaving at different intervals between these times. The bus from Quepos to San Jose is run by Tracopa, with bus tickets from Quepos to San Jose costing about €9 for the 3.5 hour trip. The distance from Quepos to San Jose is about 164 kilometers.
All options offer direct service from Quepos to San jose.
| Time intervals | Different intervals between the first and last departure time |
| First/Last Departure | 7:45 AM/5:15 PM |
| Avg. Price | €9 |
| Distance | ~164 km |
| Duration | ~3.5 hr |
| Operating Companies | Tracopa |
Quepos to San Jose Flight
There are a few direct flights from Quepos to San Jose. To travel by plane, you need to get to Quepos Airport (XQP). As usual with flights, you’ll want to buy your tickets in advance.
Flying such short distances is usually not economical. When you factor in airport wait times, connections, etc. flying is no faster, and much more expensive than ground transport.
| Flights per day | varies |
| Departure times | 3-5 per day during the day |
| Avg. Price | €165-179 |
| Distance | ~164 km |
| Duration | ~20 minutes |
| Operating Companies | Hahn Air, Equatorial Congo Airlines |
Quepos to San Jose Private Car Transfer
For speed and convenience, a private car transfer with Daytrip is the best way to travel from Quepos to San Jose. You will be picked up at your accommodation in Quepos, and the driver will take care of your luggage. You’ll then be able to enjoy door-to-door service to your accommodation in San Jose, and can even add sightseeing stops on the way!