There are 7 ways to get from San Diego to San José by plane, bus, car, shuttle, train, or bus (Greyhound)
Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.
Fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport, bus
best- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SAN - SJO
- Take the bus from 50 m este Del Aeropuerto to Terminal San José Av. 2, C12 Y 14bus
10h 1m$168–644Bus via Mexico City
- Take the bus from Tijuana Centro to México Politécnicobus
- Take the bus from Mexico City Politécnico Station to Tapachulabus
- Take the bus from Tapachula to San Salvadorbus
- Take the bus from Terminal San Carlos - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Nortebus
3d 20h$254–356Drive 5,194.1 km
- Drive from San Diego to San Josécar 5,194.1 km
2d 16h$697–1,007Fly to Liberia International Airport, shuttle
- Fly from San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Liberia International Airport (LIR)plane SAN - LIR
- Take a shuttle bus from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Alajuela
12h 20m$624–1,528Train, bus
- Take the train from San Diego to Los Angelestrain
- Take the train from Los Angeles to San Antonio Stationtrain
- Take the bus from San Antonio to Terminal Central de Autobuses del Nortebus
- Take the bus from Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte to Tapachulabus
- Take the bus from Tapachula to San Salvadorbus
- Take the bus from Terminal San Carlos - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Nortebus
4d 10h$836–1,589Bus
- Take the bus from Tijuana Los Pinos to Huixtlabus
- Take the bus from Huixtla to Tapachulabus
- Take the bus from Tapachula to San Salvadorbus
- Take the bus from Terminal Tica Bus San Salvador to Terminal Tica Bus San Josébus
4d 12h$242–360Bus #2
- Take the bus from San Diego to Los Angeles Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBusbus
4d 18h$392–479
San Diego International Airport (SAN) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from San Diego to San José is to bus which costs $240 - $360 and takes 4 days 12h.
The fastest way to get from San Diego to San José is to fly and bus which takes 10h 1m and costs $160 - $650.
No, there is no direct bus from San Diego to San José. However, there are services departing from Tijuana Centro and arriving at Terminal Atlántico Norte via Mexico City Politécnico Station, Tapachula and Terminal San Carlos - CCA. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 3 days 20h.
The distance between San Diego and San José is 4322 km. The road distance is 5194.1 km.
The best way to get from San Diego to San José without a car is to bus which takes 4 days 18h and costs $390 - $480.
It takes approximately 10h 1m to get from San Diego to San José, including transfers.
San Diego to San José bus services, operated by ACN Autobuses, depart from Tijuana Centro station.
San Diego to San José bus services, operated by ACN Autobuses, arrive at México Politécnico station.
San José is 1h ahead of San Diego. It is currently 11:19 AM in San Diego and 12:19 PM in San José.
Yes, the driving distance between San Diego to San José is 5194 km. It takes approximately 2 days 16h to drive from San Diego to San José.
What companies run services between San Diego, CA, USA and San José, Costa Rica?
You can take a vehicle from Fifth Avenue Station to Terminal Atlántico Norte via San Ysidro Station, Tijuana Centro, Mexico City Politécnico Station, Tapachula, San Salvador, and Terminal San Carlos - CCA in around 3d 20h.
- 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
- $160–650
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $160–650
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 36m
- When
- Saturday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–950
- 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
- $160–650
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 13h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $300–1,200
- 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
- $190–750
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $290–1,100
- 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
- $180–750
- 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
- $160–650
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from San Diego International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 37m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $450–1,700
Rome2Rio's guide to Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Diego to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 56m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $40–85
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from Los Angeles to San Antonio Station
- Ave. Duration
- 29h
- Frequency
- 6 times a week
- Estimated price
- $440–950
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +506 2442 6900
- [email protected]
- Website
- grupotuasa.com
Bus from 50 m este Del Aeropuerto to Terminal San José Av. 2, C12 Y 14
- Ave. Duration
- 47 min
- Frequency
- Every 10 minutes
- Estimated price
- $1–2
- Schedules at
- grupotuasa.com
- Phone
- +52 664 299 0487
- [email protected]
- Website
- acnautobuses.com
Bus from Tijuana Centro to México Politécnico
- Ave. Duration
- 40h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $100–140
- Schedules at
- acnautobuses.com
- Book at
- acnautobuses.com
- Phone
- +52 55 5526 2961
- [email protected]
- Website
- Ecobus Express
Bus from Mexico City Politécnico Station to Tapachula
- Ave. Duration
- 16h 30m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $35–55
- Schedules at
- Ecobus Express
- Phone
- +𝟓𝟎𝟑 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟒 𝟔𝟓𝟒𝟖
- [email protected]
- Website
- El Condor Internacional
Bus from Tapachula to San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $50
- Schedules at
- El Condor Internacional
Bus from Tapachula to San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $50
- Schedules at
- El Condor Internacional
Bus from Tapachula to San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 10h
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $50
- Schedules at
- El Condor Internacional
Bus from Terminal San Carlos - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 20h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $65–95
- Schedules at
- Cristóbal Colón Autobuses (Línea Dorada y Trans Galgos Inter)
- Road
- $65–95
Bus from Terminal San Carlos - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 20h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $65–95
- Schedules at
- Cristóbal Colón Autobuses (Línea Dorada y Trans Galgos Inter)
- Road
- $65–95
- Phone
- 1 800 715 1370
- [email protected]
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $269
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Monteverde to Alajuela
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $315
- Website
- RIDE CR
- Phone
- +506 2640 1900 / 2640 0811
- [email protected]
- Website
- Tropical Tours Shuttles
Shuttle from Liberia Airport to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 10m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $65–69
- Website
- Tropical Tours Shuttles
- Phone
- +1 800 923 1799
- [email protected]
- Website
- Omnibus Express (OMEX VIP)
Bus from San Antonio to Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 3m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $140–230
- Schedules at
- Omnibus Express (OMEX VIP)
- Phone
- +52 55 4386 4652
- [email protected]
- Website
- ado.com.mx
Bus from Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte to Tapachula
- Ave. Duration
- 18h 50m
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $100–180
- Schedules at
- ado.com.mx
- Book at
- ado.com.mx
- Phone
- +52 713 120 0700
- [email protected]
- Website
- autotravel.mx
Bus from Tijuana Los Pinos to Huixtla
- Ave. Duration
- 2d 19h
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $120–180
- Schedules at
- autotravel.mx
- Book at
- autotravel.mx
- Phone
- +52 55 4386 4652
- [email protected]
- Website
- ado.com.mx
Bus from Huixtla to Tapachula
- Ave. Duration
- 44 min
- Frequency
- 5 times a day
- Estimated price
- $4–28
- Schedules at
- ado.com.mx
- Book at
- ado.com.mx
- Phone
- +52 962 625 2435
- [email protected]
- Website
- Tica Bus
Bus from Terminal Tica Bus San Salvador to Terminal Tica Bus San José
- Ave. Duration
- 24h
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $65–95
- Website
- Tica Bus
- Phone
- +1-800-231-2222
- [email protected]
- Website
- Greyhound Mexico
Bus from San Diego to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 55m
- Frequency
- 3 times a day
- Estimated price
- $24–40
- Schedules at
- Greyhound Mexico
- 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
- Phone
- +505 2222 2276
- [email protected]
- Website
- Nica Bus
Bus from Managua to Terminal NicaBus
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $37–38
- Website
- Nica Bus
Want to know more about travelling around Costa Rica
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