There are 5 ways to get from San Diego to Arenal Volcano by plane, shuttle, train, bus, or car
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport, shuttle
best- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SAN - SJO
- Take a shuttle bus from Alajuela to La Fortuna
11h 53m$482–996Train, bus, drive
cheapest- Take the train from San Diego to Los Angelestrain
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua Mercado Mayoreo to San Carlosbus
- Drive from San Carlos to Arenal Volcanocar
4d 17h$396–519Drive 5,094.9 km
- Drive from San Diego to Arenal Volcanocar 5,094.9 km
2d 15h$684–987Fly San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport, bus, shuttle
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Liberia International Airport (LIR)plane SAN - LIR
- Take the bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Cañasbus
- Take a shuttle bus from Cañas to La Fortuna
11h 42m$532–1,232Fly Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport, shuttle
- Fly from Tijuana International Airport (TIJ) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane TIJ - SJO
- Take a shuttle bus from Alajuela to La Fortuna
14h 48m$498–728
San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Diego to Arenal Volcano is to train and bus and drive which costs $390 - $550 and takes 4 days 17h.
The fastest way to get from San Diego to Arenal Volcano is to fly and bus and shuttle which takes 11h 42m and costs $500 - $1,300.
The distance between San Diego and Arenal Volcano is 4354 km. The road distance is 5094.9 km.
It takes approximately 11h 53m to get from San Diego to Arenal Volcano, including transfers.
Arenal Volcano is 1h ahead of San Diego. It is currently 6:29 AM in San Diego and 7:29 AM in Arenal Volcano.
Yes, the driving distance between San Diego to Arenal Volcano is 5095 km. It takes approximately 2 days 15h to drive from San Diego to Arenal Volcano.
There are 664+ hotels available in Arenal Volcano.
What companies run services between San Diego, CA, USA and Arenal Volcano, Provincia de Alajuela, Costa Rica?
There is no direct connection from San Diego to Arenal Volcano. However, you can fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), walk to Parada Aeropuerto - San José Lateral, take the bus to Avenida 2 con Calle 3, walk to Alajuela, take the shuttle to La Fortuna, then take the taxi to Arenal Volcano. Alternatively, you can take a train from San Diego to Arenal Volcano via Los Angeles, Union Station - Metro B & D Lines, Westlake / MacArthur Park Station, Westlake Ave & Wilshire Blvd, Union Ave & James M Wood Blvd, Los Angeles, Managua, Plaza Inter, Managua Mercado Mayoreo, and San Carlos in around 4d 17h.
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $220–800
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $330–1,200
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $300–1,100
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 11m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $460–1,700
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 22m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $330–1,200
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $460–1,700
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 26m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 30m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 36m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $250–950
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 6m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $180–700
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 13h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $310–1,200
- Website
- vivaaerobus.com
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Monterrey
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 57m
- When
- Saturday, Monday, and Friday
- Estimated price
- $220–750
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 1m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
- Website
- volaris.com
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Guadalajara
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 24m
- When
- Tuesday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–550
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
- Website
- copaair.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Panama City
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 12m
- When
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $210–800
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Houston Hobby Apt
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 5m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $180–700
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Tijuana International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- amtrak.com
Train from San Diego to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 56m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $40–85
- Website
- https://www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Phone
- 1 800 715 1370
- [email protected]
- Website
- ridecr.com
Shuttle from Alajuela to La Fortuna
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $258
- Website
- https://www.ridecr.com/
Shuttle from Cañas to La Fortuna
- Ave. Duration
- 50 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $240
- Website
- https://www.ridecr.com/
Shuttle from Alajuela to La Fortuna
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $258
- Website
- https://www.ridecr.com/
- 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
Bus from Managua Mercado Mayoreo to San Carlos
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $6
- Phone
- +506 2663 1752
- [email protected]
- Website
- reinadelcampo.com
Bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Cañas
- Ave. Duration
- 45 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $4–5
- Schedules at
- reinadelcampo.com
- Phone
- +506 2222 0610
- info@grupocaribeños.com
Bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Cañas
- Ave. Duration
- 58 min
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $2–4
Want to know more about travelling around Costa Rica
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