Santa Teresa, the scenic beach town on the southern tip of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, draws crowd from around the world for its world-class surfing, bohemian vibes and stunning sunsets.
However, its remote location often leaves travelers wondering about the best way to get to Santa Teresa.
Over the years, we have visited this beach town multiple times, from both Liberia and San Jose, availing different modes of transport on each occasion.
So, in this post, let us share with you the details about every option of how to get from San Jose to Santa Teresa.
Each transportation option offers its own experiences, views and stories along the way. Pick the one that best fits your travel style, time and budget.
➡️ Related Reading: How to get to Santa Teresa from Liberia
At a Glance: How to Get from San Jose to Santa Teresa
Here is a summary of all the modes of transportations from San Jose to Santa Teresa.
| Mode of Transport | Highlights | How |
|---|---|---|
| 🚘 Rental Car | ✅ Flexibility of schedule, some dependency on Puntarenas – Paquera ferry timings ✅ Value for money for families and groups ⚠️ Long hours of drive from San Jose to Santa Teresa ⛴️ Ferry ticket is required | Step 1: Rent a car. Get 10% discount and other freebies → Get a high car, if not 4X4 Step 2: Book the vehicle + person(s) ferry tickets, preferably online in advance. |
| 🚐 Shuttle Shared or Private | ✅ Comfortable, hassle-free ✅ Door to door transfers ⚠️ Available at specific times only ⛴️ Ferry ticket is included in shuttle price | Step 1: Book shuttle transfer (ferry ticket included) → Promo code PARADISE5 for 5% off |
| 🚌 Public Bus | ✅ Budget option ⚠️ Need to make your way to the bus station ⚠️ Need to change buses. ⛴️ Ferry ticket is included with bus tickets | Step 1: Book bus tickets from San Jose to Cobano → Step 2: Buy Cobano to Santa Teresa bus tickets at the Cobano bus terminal |
| 🛩️ Domestic Flight | ✅ Fastest ⚠️ Can be expensive ⚠️ Limited baggage allowance ⛴️ Ferry not applicable | Step 1: Fly from San Jose Airport (SJO) to Cobano Airport (ACO) by Costa Rica Green Airways or Fly Sansa. Step 2: Book a Private Shuttle from Cobano Airport to Santa Teresa → |
If you are still undecided and want to know more, keep reading for detailed breakdowns of each transfer option, tips and our personal stories.
🛬 Planning to pick up your rental car at the airport in Costa Rica?
Here’s what to expect, based on our experience with Adobe Rent A Car:
➡️ Related Readings: The Nicoya Peninsula is diverse and the beach towns have different things to offer. Read our travel guides here:
⛴️ About the Puntarenas – Paquera Ferry: Scenic Shortcut to the Nicoya Peninsula
Before we get to the various options to get to Santa Teresa, you need to know about the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry. It is the fastest and the most efficient way to get to the southern part of the Nicoya Peninsula, where the towns of Santa Teresa, Montezuma and Malpais are.
So, no matter which transportation option you choose to get to Santa Teresa, except the flight option, you will likely cross the Gulf of Nicoya on the Puntarenas-Paquera Ferry.
⛴️ This leg of the journey is like a Costa Rican mini-cruise. Step out on deck, grab some snacks and drinks, sway to the music and watch the coastline of Nicoya and tiny islands of the Gulf drift by.
⏱️ Ferry duration: about 70 minutes.
🎟️ Tickets: If you are bringing a car, book the tickets online in advance, especially in high season or holiday weekends. Walk-on passenger tickets are usually available at the terminal, except during peak season.
🍔 Onboard amenities: Snack bar, music, clean bathrooms and stunning Gulf views from the open deck.
➡️ Related Reading: How to take the Paquera-Puntarenas Ferry
🏝️ We have taken this ferry a number of times and every time, we loved the views of the islands, sunsets, the green mountains and the atmosphere on deck.
This public ferry adds to the experience of the journey to or from Santa Teresa.
🚗 Option 1: Rent a Car and Enjoy the Drive (Our Favorite)
⌛️ Estimated Time: 5-6 hours
🛣️ Route: Drive San Jose to Puntarenas, ferry to Paquera, drive onward to Santa Teresa.
🚗 Rent a car with Adobe (10% discount applied + freebies)
🎟️ Booking Required: Yes. Reserve your car and ferry slot in advance, especially in high season.
💰 Cost: Moderate to high. Factor in car rental, ferry tickets, fuel.
⛴️ Ferry Included?: No. You buy separate tickets for car and passengers.
Renting a car is the way to go if you want freedom to stop along the way.
The route takes you from San Jose west to Puntarenas, where you will board the Puntarenas – Paquera Ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya.
Once you dock at Paquera, the drive to Santa Teresa follows a winding road through forests, hills, villages and towns like Tambor and Cobano.
Renting A Car in Costa Rica
🚗 Car Rental Company: We recommend Adobe Rent A Car, a 100% Costa Rican company with transparent pricing and no hidden fees.
💰 Car Rental Deal: Reserve rental car here and get 10% discount and other freebies (no promo code needed). Read details here.
📃 Rental Car Insurance: Understand 3 types of rental car insurance in Costa Rica
Read this: Should you rent a car in Costa Rica?
Do You Need a 4×4?
No, you do not need a 4×4 for this drive. However, we recommend getting a higher car (an SUV is ideal) as some areas around Santa Teresa can have bumpy and unpaved roads, especially in the rainy season.
We have driven around Nicoya Peninsula in a 4X2 SUV and it worked fine in most areas.
Total Drive Time from San Jose to Santa Teresa
The journey from San Jose to Santa Teresa by car can take about 5-6 hours, including the ferry.
🚙 San Jose to Puntarenas: 2 to 3 hours, depending on where and when you start.
⛴️ Puntarenas to Paquera Ferry: 1.5 hours, including wait time.
🚙 Paquera to Santa Teresa: 1 to 1.5 hours
Alternative Drive Route to Santa Teresa without the ferry:
There is a longer route to reach Nicoya Peninsula and Santa Teresa through the Puente la Amistad (the bridge over the river connecting Gulf of Nicoya). This drive can take 6 to 8 hours depending on traffic.
Tips for Road Trip to Santa Teresa
🎟️ Reserve your ferry tickets ahead. Book here in advance during busy months.
⛽️ Gas up before leaving the city.
🥟 Bring snacks, but don’t worry if you don’t. There’s food for purchase on the ferry, as well as small and big supermarkets along the way.
🌙 If possible, avoid driving at night. There are winding roads in certain sections of the journey. And why miss the scenery?
Book your Rental Car with Adobe Costa Rica here →
🚐 Option 2: Shuttle Transfer – Shared or Private
⌛️ Estimated Time: ~ 6 hours
🛣️ Route: Pickup in San Jose – Ferry – Drop-off in Santa Teresa
🎟️ Booking Required: Yes. Book ahead, especially high season. Compare shuttle options & book here. Use code PARADISE5 for a 5% discount.
💰 Cost: Ranges by shared/private options.
⛴️ Ferry Included?: Usually included in the shuttle price
This is our second choice, if you do not want to drive all the way. The shuttle transfers take care of the entire aspect of the journey.
We liked our shuttle transfer as we just relaxed the entire trip, and enjoyed the ferry ride.
No need to worry about ferry schedules, no navigating roads on our own, this option is perfect if you want to relax and let someone else handle the logistics.
Check your options and book your Shuttle here →How does the Shuttle from San Jose to Santa Teresa work?
🏨 The shuttle picks you up in San Jose (your hotel, airport, or pre-arranged location). Select from the drop-down list. If your hotel is not listed, try finding another close to your accommodation.
🚐 You’ll be driven to Puntarenas, dropped at the ferry, and guided onto the boat. The ferry tickets are provided there.
⛴️ Sit back, stretch your legs, buy some snacks and drinks onboard, enjoy the ferry ride and the views of the Gulf of Nicoya.
🚐 Once you arrive at Paquera, another shuttle awaits to take you straight to your accommodation in Santa Teresa.
How to Book the Shuttle?
We booked our shuttle on Bookaway. You can check the shuttle options and choose the one that suits your schedule and budget. Select your date, time, pick up and drop location.
💰 Use our Promo Code PARADISE5 on Bookaway and get a 5% discount.
In the booking confirmation, you will see a phone number (Whatsapp) of the shuttle service provider where you can contact in case of any questions about the journey.
Total Travel Time
Usually, it takes about 6 to 7 hours to get from San Jose to Santa Teresa by shuttle transfer. As it is a door-to-door service, the shared shuttles may differ in travel times depending on your fellow passengers’ pickup locations. They manage the timings efficiently to have the least waiting time for the ferry.
🎥 Watch this video below to get a visual idea of what to expect from a shuttle transfer from San Jose to Santa Teresa.
🚌 Option 3: Public Bus
⌛️ Estimated Time: 6-8 hours
🛣️ Route: Bus ride to Cobano including Ferry, followed by bus from Cobano to Santa Teresa.
🎟️ Booking Required: San Jose to Cobano: Buy Online in Advance (Recommended). Use code PARADISE5 for a 5% discount.
Cobano to Santa Teresa: Buy bus tickets at the Cobano terminal.
💰 Cost: Most affordable
⛴️ Ferry Included?: Included in ticket
There are direct buses to Cobano from San Jose, a town close to Santa Teresa. You need to take another public bus from Cobano to Santa Teresa.
Transportes Cobano runs this direct service from San Jose that makes reaching the Nicoya Peninsula possible, even on a tight budget, and for the budget traveler, Costa Rica’s public bus system is an experience in itself.
How does the Bus from San Jose to Santa Teresa work?
There is no direct bus from San Jose to Santa Teresa. However, you can get a public bus from San Jose to Cobano, followed by Cobano to Santa Teresa.
Bus from San Jose to Cobano
🚍 Buses depart from San Jose’s terminal TIG, in the morning at 6 am.
⛴️ Your bus takes you to Puntarenas and boards the ferry with you. Your driver and fellow passengers will help guide you.
🚍 After the ferry, you get back on the bus to continue through Paquera, to Cobano.
Bus from Cobano to Santa Teresa
🚍 You can take the public bus from Cobano to Santa Teresa. You can get a bus every 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Schedule and Total Travel Time
It takes roughly 6 -7 hours to Cobano. It will take another 30 minutes from Cobano to Santa Teresa. Consider the wait times for the bus at different terminals.
Book your bus+ferry from San Jose to Cobano here →
✈️ Option 4: Flight to Cobano Airport + Shuttle to Santa Teresa
⌛️ Estimated Time: 2.5-3 hours, including shuttle or taxi to Santa Teresa
🛣️ Route: Fly to Cobano Airport (ACO) from San Jose Airport (SJO). Shuttle or Taxi from Cobano to Santa Teresa.
🎟️ Booking Required: Costa Rica Green Airways and FlySansa offer flights from San Jose to Cobano.
Step 1: San Jose Airport (SJO) to Cobano Airport (ACO): Buy Online in Advance (Recommended)
Step 2: Cobano Airport to Santa Teresa: Book a Private Shuttle
Use code PARADISE5 for a 5% discount.
💰 Cost: Most expensive, although fast and convenient.
⛴️ Ferry Included?: Not Required
If you want to get to Santa Teresa quicker, avoid the transportation changes with ferry, then flying from San Jose is your best option.
The flight treats you to stunning aerial views, the Gulf of Nicoya below, green forests and the farmlands of Nicoya Peninsula, and you arrive at the Cobano airport in less than 45 minutes, still fresh and ready to board your vehicle for transferring to Santa Teresa.
How does the Flight from San Jose to Santa Teresa work?
🏨 There are daily domestic flights with airlines such as Fly Sansa and Costa Rica Green Airways, connecting San Jose’s Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) directly to the Cobano Airport (ACO), just a short transfer from Santa Teresa.
🚐 You can take a private shuttle to Santa Teresa from the Cobano Airport.
Schedule and Total Travel Time
The flight duration ranges between 30 to 40 minutes from San Jose airport to Cobano airport. Add a 40-minute shuttle or taxi ride from Cobano Airport to the town of Santa Teresa.
So, it can take a total of about 2.5-3 hours, including all transfers, by far the quickest way from San Jose to Santa Teresa.
Our Final Thoughts and Santa Teresa Trip Planning
We have done both the car and shuttle route. Each has its own charms.
The freedom of having a car let us move at our own pace, while the shuttle made things easy when we just wanted to get there and unwind.
Next up for us might be the public bus? Have you ever traveled to Santa Teresa by bus? How was your experience?
Plan Your Nicoya Peninsula Trip with our travel guides here:
- Santa Teresa Travel Guide
- Malpais, Santa Teresa’s quieter neighbor
Travel Resources
- Flights: Skyscanner
- Hotels: Booking.com | Expedia
- Tours: Viator | GetYourGuide
- Travel Insurance:
- Heymondo (get 5% off)
- SafetyWing Nomad Insurance
- eSIMs:
- Transfers: Bookaway. Code PARADISE5 for 5% off
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