There are 9 ways to get from Costa Rica to San Jose by plane, bus (Greyhound, Flixbus), car, train, shuttle, subway, or bus
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly Juan Santamaría International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
best- Fly from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane SJO - SJC
11h 20m$244–932Fly Limón International Airport to San Francisco International Airport, Caltrain
cheapest- Fly from Limón International Airport (LIO) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane LIO - SFO
- Take the train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southboundtrain
18h 43m$196–734Bus
- Take the bus from Terminal NicaBus to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Los Angelesbus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles Union Station to San Jose Diridon Stationbus
4d 23h$418–534Drive 3,664 mi
- Drive from San José to San Josecar 3,664 mi
2d 23h$791–1,143Fly Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport, Caltrain
- Fly from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane SJO - SFO
- Take the train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southboundtrain
10h 45m$436–930Shuttle, shuttle to Liberia International Airport, fly to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport
- Take a shuttle bus from Puntarenas to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Liberia Airport
- Fly from Liberia International Airport (LIR) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC)plane LIR - SJC
15h 24m$707–2,182Shuttle, shuttle to Liberia International Airport, fly to San Francisco International Airport, Caltrain
- Take a shuttle bus from Puntarenas to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Liberia Airport
- Fly from Liberia International Airport (LIR) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)plane LIR - SFO
- Take the train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southboundtrain
13h 8m$559–1,600Fly Juan Santamaría International Airport to Oakland International Airport, BART
- Fly from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to Oakland International Airport (OAK)plane SJO - OAK
- Take the subway from Coliseum to Berryessa / North San Josesubway
11h 46m$239–902Bus, train
- Take the bus from San José to San Salvadorbus
- Take the bus from San Salvador to Tapachulabus
- Take the bus from Tapachula to Terminal Central de Autobuses del Nortebus
- Take the bus from Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte to San Marcosbus
- Take the train from San Marcos Amtrak to Los Angelestrain
- Take the train from Los Angeles to San Josetrain
5d 6h$1,371–2,161
Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from Costa Rica to San Jose is to fly and Caltrain which costs $190 - $750 and takes 18h 43m.
The fastest way to get from Costa Rica to San Jose is to fly and Caltrain which takes 10h 45m and costs $430 - $950.
No, there is no direct bus from Costa Rica to San Jose station. However, there are services departing from Terminal NicaBus and arriving at San Jose Diridon Station via Managua, Olympic / Union and Los Angeles Union Station. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 4 days 23h.
The distance between Costa Rica and San Jose is 3033 miles. The road distance is 3685.3 miles.
The best way to get from Costa Rica to San Jose without a car is to bus which takes 4 days 23h and costs $410 - $550.
It takes approximately 11h 20m to get from Costa Rica to San Jose, including transfers.
Costa Rica to San Jose bus services, operated by Nica Bus, depart from Terminal NicaBus station.
The best way to get from Costa Rica to San Jose is to fly which takes 11h 20m and costs $240 - $950. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $410 - $550 and takes 4 days 23h.
Costa Rica to San Jose bus services, operated by Nica Bus, arrive at Managua station.
San Jose is 1h behind Costa Rica. It is currently 9:19 PM in Costa Rica and 8:19 PM in San Jose.
What companies run services between Costa Rica and San Jose, CA, USA?
American Airlines, United Airlines, and two other airlines fly from Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) twice daily. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Terminal NicaBus to San Jose Diridon Station via Managua, Los Angeles, Olympic / Union, Vignes / Cesar E Chavez, and Los Angeles Union Station in around 4d 23h.
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 38m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $260–1,000
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 2m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from Limón International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 22h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from Liberia International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $430–1,700
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 54m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $270–1,100
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $280–1,100
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $300–1,200
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 32m
- When
- Monday, Friday, Saturday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $430–1,600
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 8m
- When
- Monday, Sunday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $290–1,100
Flights from Limón International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport, Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 15m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,200
Flights from Liberia International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 1m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $700–2,700
Flights from Liberia International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Seattle
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 29m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $750–2,900
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 49m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $490–1,900
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 44m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $490–1,900
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 22m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,000
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 32m
- When
- Monday, Friday, Saturday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $430–1,600
Flights from Liberia International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 1m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $700–2,700
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 13m
- When
- Monday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $290–1,200
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–950
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Oakland International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 6m
- When
- Saturday, Wednesday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $230–1,500
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Oakland International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 40m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–950
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Oakland International Airport via San Salvador, Ontario/San Bernardino
- Ave. Duration
- 17h
- When
- Thursday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $420–1,400
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Liberia International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 35m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $330–1,300
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Francisco International Airport via Guatemala City
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 25m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $310–1,100
- Website
- volaris.com
Flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Oakland International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 20m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $410–800
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- Cal Train
Train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
Train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
Train from Millbrae Caltrain Southbound to San Jose Diridon Caltrain Southbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
- Phone
- +1-510-464-6000
- Website
- BART
Subway from Coliseum to Berryessa / North San Jose
- Ave. Duration
- 46 min
- Frequency
- Every 15 minutes
- Estimated price
- $6–9
- Website
- BART
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Marcos Amtrak to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 35h 27m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $800–1,300
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to San Jose
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 55m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $230–360
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +505 2222 2276
- [email protected]
- Website
- Nica Bus
Bus from Terminal NicaBus to Managua
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $37–38
- Website
- Nica Bus
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- [email protected]
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Managua to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 4d 6h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $330–400
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from Los Angeles Union Station to San Jose Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 30m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $60–95
- Website
- Greyhound
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- Flixbus USA
Bus from Los Angeles Union Station to San Jose Diridon Station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 50m
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $50–85
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
- Phone
- 1 800 715 1370
- [email protected]
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Puntarenas to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $209
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Monteverde to Liberia Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $269
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Puntarenas to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 30 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $209
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Monteverde to Liberia Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $269
- Website
- RIDE CR
- Phone
- +506 2640 1900 / 2640 0811
- [email protected]
- Website
- Tropical Tours Shuttles
Shuttle from Monteverde to Liberia Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–69
- Website
- Tropical Tours Shuttles
Shuttle from Monteverde to Liberia Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–69
- Website
- Tropical Tours Shuttles
- Phone
- +503 7841 5688
- [email protected]
- Website
- Transporte del SOL
Bus from San José to San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 23h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $60
- Schedules at
- Transporte del SOL
- Phone
- +𝟓𝟎𝟑 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟒 𝟔𝟓𝟒𝟖
- [email protected]
- Website
- El Condor Internacional
Bus from San Salvador to Tapachula
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $50
- Schedules at
- El Condor Internacional
- Phone
- +52 55 4386 4652
- [email protected]
- Website
- ado.com.mx
Bus from Tapachula to Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 21h 30m
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $90–170
- Schedules at
- ado.com.mx
- Book at
- ado.com.mx
- Phone
- +1 800 923 1799
- [email protected]
- Website
- Omnibus Express (OMEX VIP)
Bus from Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte to San Marcos
- Ave. Duration
- 21h 16m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $140–220
- Schedules at
- Omnibus Express (OMEX VIP)
Want to know more about travelling around United States
Rome2Rio's Travel Guide series provide vital information for the global traveller. Filled with useful and timely travel information, the guides answer all the hard questions - such as 'How do I buy a ticket?', 'Should I book online before I travel? ', 'How much should I expect to pay?', 'Do the trains and buses have Wifi?' - to help you get the most out of your next trip.
Related travel guides
Travelling to the US: What do I need to know?
Read the travel guide
Need to know: Greyhound
Read the travel guide
Why you should take the train in the US
Read the travel guide
Booking & Getting There
Yes, the driving distance between Costa Rica to San Jose is 3685 miles. It takes approximately 2 days 23h to drive from Costa Rica to San Jose.
There are 428+ hotels available in San Jose.





































