Want to know how to get from San Jose to Monteverde? Whether you’ve got a car, or are relying on public transport or shuttles to get around Costa Rica, this guide has you covered.
Updated January 2024
If you're planning to head straight from the capital to the green hills of Monteverde - the best place to zipline in Costa Rica and home of its famous cloud forests - we've got all the details for you.
In this short ‘routes’ post, we've shared the key information to help you plan ahead and pick the best transport option for your budget and travel style. What's most important for all of you to know though, is that the final destination or input for your GPS isn't actually 'Monteverde' - the name of the cloud forest and wider area - but rather the small town of Santa Elena. It's the hub for transport, accommodation and amenities, whilst the cloud forest is a 20-minute drive outside it.
Lots of companies simply use Monteverde as the catch-all term, but it's important for you to know the distinction in advance and when planning your route.
These are the three ways to travel from San Jose to Monteverde.
Pssst! After you’re done, keep planning with our post on the best things to do in Monteverde or our San José city guide.
SAN JOSÉ TO MONTEVERDE BY CAR
If you’ve got the budget, Costa Rica is made for a road trip, and the drive to the hills from San José downtown or straight from Juan Santamaría International Airport is done by many travellers.
The road is paved and you don't need a 4x4 if sticking to the main route from San Jose to Monteverde. However, it will be best to avoid doing it at night, and the drive will be much longer and unenjoyable in the main rainy season (September-October)
The distance is about 81 miles / 130 km from San José airport, but that will take you about three or so hours given that it does involve some ascents, windy hill roads, and may be your first time driving in this part of the world. If you're setting off from downtown, travel time will be about 30 minutes longer.
If your flight arrives into San José in the early evening or later, we’d suggest staying in a hotel in the nearby Alajuela area (many offer a free shuttle service) and collecting your rental car the next day so you can be well rested and enjoy the scenery! It simply isn't worth the hassle and risk to set off in a rental car in a new country after dark, especially given the roads up in the hills.
Plan // The best place to look + book a rental car for Costa Rica is via an aggregator like Rentalcars.com or AutoEurope, both of which we’ve used for lots of road trips on our travels. We also highly recommend reading this post before you book any car overseas though: 9 Essential Car Rental Tips for Travellers.
BUS FROM SAN JOSÉ TO MONTEVERDE
As is common across many of Latin America's large cities, there are a variety of bus stations tied to specific companies or routes, rather than a single central bus terminal in San José.
The company that travels up to the cloud forests is called Transmonteverde, and all their buses leave from Terminal 7-10 - find it here on Google Maps.
They run two daily services from San Jose to Monteverde, with departures at 6.30am and 2.30pm.
The terminal is in the capital’s downtown area and easy walking distance from lots of accommodation, but some of you staying in the western or eastern neighbourhoods should take an Uber, especially if hoping to catch the first bus of the day. Taxis are also possible, but the app works really well in San José, is more convenient, and often better value.
Given travel times, and the fact that Monteverde isn't a very budget-friendly destination, we would recommend backpackers set the alarm early and catch the 6.30am bus; this means you can do an activity or get settled on your first afternoon, and helps cut down the number of nights you need to spend there overall.
The bus tickets cost ₡3,885 (£6 / $7.50) and you can buy your them in advance on the Transmonteverde website. Travel time is in the region of 5-6 hours, and you'll be dropped off at the small bus terminal in Santa Elena (maps); if you accommodation is in the the town centre, you'll be a 5-15 minute walk away, but anything out in the hills or countryside may require a taxi.
Our central hostel pick is OutBox Inn, whereas Camino Verde B&B is a nearby guest house.
SHUTTLES & PRIVATE TRANSFERS
The most expensive option, but it's going to be quicker than the bus overall and more convenient for some of you.
You can find several San Jose to Monteverde shuttles available here on Bookaway, whilst there's also this shared transfer service from San Jose or the airport.
