Juan Santamaria International Airport

Ideal for connecting directly into the city’s finance or embassy districts.

Service

Grupo TUASA airport–San José bus

Mode

bus

Freq

6-12m

Note

Red-and-white TUASA buses run between Juan Santamaría International Airport and San José, stopping near Parque La Merced in the city center; typical travel time is about 30–40 minutes and services operate roughly 04:00–22:00 with frequent departures. Note that some TUASA routes or times may not enter the airport directly, so check the destination sign and confirm with the driver that the bus serves San José centro from the airport stop.

Good when you need a one-seat ride into the suburbs or satellite cities.

Service

Shared airport shuttle vans (various operators)

Mode

coach

Freq

on-demandm

Note

Pre-bookable shared shuttle vans, such as services sold via SJO shuttle companies, connect the airport with hotels and major points in central San José and other regions. Departures are scheduled according to bookings rather than a fixed timetable; advance reservation is strongly recommended, especially in high season.

Even locals pad 30 minutes of buffer during peak traffic.

Service

Station Wagon airport–San José bus

Mode

bus

Freq

10-20m

Note

Yellow/orange Station Wagon buses operate regular public services between the airport and central San José, passing along Paseo Colón and finishing close to Parque La Merced, with a journey time of roughly 30–40 minutes depending on traffic. Frequency is generally every few minutes during the day; confirm at the airport stop that the bus is heading to San José centro before boarding.