There are 7 ways to get from California to Costa Rica by plane, bus, car, or shuttle
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
best- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane LAX - SJO
8h 44m$319–615Fly San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
cheapest- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SAN - SJO
11h 11m$154–657Bus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBusbus
4d 15h$369–440Drive 5,334.1 km
- Drive from Los Angeles to San Josécar 5,334.1 km
2d 18h$716–1,034Fly San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SFO - SJO
9h 49m$432–965Fly Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Fly from Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane TIJ - SJO
12h 26m$214–435Fly Los Angeles International Airport to Liberia International Airport, shuttle
- Fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Liberia International Airport (LIR)plane LAX - LIR
- Take a shuttle bus from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Puntarenas
11h 43m$532–1,492
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from California to Costa Rica is to fly which costs $210 - $440 and takes 12h 26m.
The fastest way to get from California to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 8h 44m and costs $310 - $650.
No, there is no direct bus from California to Costa Rica. However, there are services departing from Spring / 1st and arriving at Terminal NicaBus via Los Angeles and Managua. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 4 days 15h.
The distance between California and Costa Rica is 4409 km. The road distance is 5334.1 km.
The best way to get from California to Costa Rica without a car is to bus which takes 4 days 15h and costs $360 - $440.
It takes approximately 8h 44m to get from California to Costa Rica, including transfers.
California to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Buses USA Tours, depart from Los Angeles station.
The best way to get from California to Costa Rica is to fly which takes 8h 44m and costs $310 - $650. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $360 - $440 and takes 4 days 15h.
California to Costa Rica bus services, operated by Buses USA Tours, arrive at Managua station.
Costa Rica is 1h ahead of California. It is currently 11:51 AM in California and 12:51 PM in Costa Rica.
What companies run services between California, USA and Costa Rica?
Delta, United Airlines, and three other airlines fly from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) every 4 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Spring / 1st to Terminal NicaBus via Los Angeles and Managua in around 4d 15h.
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–650
Flights from Los Angeles International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Guatemala City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $320–650
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $460–950
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- [email protected]
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Los Angeles to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 6h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $330–400
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
Want to know more about travelling around the world?
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Read our range of informative guides on popular transport routes and companies - including The beginner’s guide to the 2018 World Nomad Games, French strikes 2018: What are my alternative transport options?, and Heading to Europe? Read this before you buy a Eurail Pass - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
More Questions & Answers
Yes, the driving distance between California to Costa Rica is 5334 km. It takes approximately 2 days 18h to drive from California to Costa Rica.
There are 752+ hotels available in Costa Rica.
