About traveling from San Jose to Quepos
Both San Jose and Quepos 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 to the marina. San Jose is the cultural epicenter filled with museums, theatres, and impressive restaurants. While in Quepos, you can explore a national park that will show the beauty of the Costa Rican rainforest.
If you decide to take a car transfer from San Jose to Quepos, you can also enjoy some exceptional sights, including the daring crocodile bridge, the lovely Catarata Bijagual, the vibrant Pura Vida Gardens and Waterfall, the Neo Fauna sanctuary, the coastal Mirador de Jaco, and the fresh Rainmaker forest.
How to get from San Jose to Quepos
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 San Jose to Quepos by plane. The fastest way to travel from San Jose to Quepos is by car, therefore a car is of course the best way to travel from San Jose to Quepos since it’s so convenient.
San Jose to Quepos by bus
To travel from San Jose to Quepos by bus go to the Tracopa Bus Station and buy a ticket to Quepos. 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 6:00 AM, and the last bus is at 4:45 PM, with busses leaving at different intervals between these times. The bus from San Jose to Quepos is run by Tracopa, with bus tickets from San Jose to Quepos costing around €9 for the direct 3.5 hour trip. The distance from San Jose to Quepos is about 164 kilometers.
All options offer direct service from San Jose to Quepos.
| Time intervals | Different intervals between the first and last departure time |
| First/Last Departure | 6:00 AM/4:45 PM |
| Avg. Price | €9 |
| Distance | ~164 km |
| Duration | ~3.5 hr |
| Operating Companies | Tracopa |
San Jose to Quepos Flight
There are only a few direct flights from San Jose to Quepos. To travel by plane, you need to get to San Jose International airport (SJO). 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 |
San Jose to Quepos Private Car Transfer
For speed and convenience, a private car transfer with Daytrip is the best way to travel from San Jose to Quepos. You will be picked up at your accommodation in San Jose, and the driver will take care of your luggage. You’ll then be able to enjoy door-to-door service to your accommodation in Quepos, and can even add sightseeing stops on the way!