There are 6 ways to get from San Jose to Limón by plane, bus (Greyhound, Flixbus), car, train, 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 Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Limón International Airport
best- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Limón International Airport (LIO)plane SJC - LIO
16h 22m$172–702Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Limón International Airport
cheapest- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Limón International Airport (LIO)plane SFO - LIO
13h 38m$146–570Bus
- Take the bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Los Angeles Union Stationbus
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to Managuabus
- Take the bus from Terminal Managua - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Nortebus
- Take the bus from Terminal Atlántico Norte to Terminal Mepe - Limónbus
5d 8h$425–557Drive 5,974.7 km
- Drive from San Jose to Limóncar 5,974.7 km
3d 1h$958–1,383Fly Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport, shuttle
- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SJC - SJO
- Take a shuttle bus from Alajuela to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Limón
15h 6m$1,172–1,702Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport, shuttle
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane SFO - SJO
- Take a shuttle bus from Alajuela to Monteverde
- Take a shuttle bus from Monteverde to Limón
14h 30m$1,156–1,570
Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Limón International Airport (LIO) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from San Jose to Limón is to Caltrain and fly which costs $140 - $600 and takes 13h 38m.
The fastest way to get from San Jose to Limón is to Caltrain and fly which takes 13h 38m and costs $140 - $600.
No, there is no direct bus from San Jose station to Limón. However, there are services departing from San Jose Diridon Station and arriving at Terminal Mepe - Limón via Cesar E Chavez / Vignes, Los Angeles, Terminal Managua - CCA and Terminal Atlántico Norte. The journey, including transfers, takes approximately 5 days 8h.
The distance between San Jose and Limón is 4943 km. The road distance is 5974.7 km.
The best way to get from San Jose to Limón without a car is to bus which takes 5 days 8h and costs $420 - $600.
It takes approximately 16h 22m to get from San Jose to Limón, including transfers.
San Jose to Limón bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, depart from San Jose Diridon Station.
The best way to get from San Jose to Limón is to fly which takes 16h 22m and costs $170 - $700. Alternatively, you can bus, which costs $420 - $600 and takes 5 days 8h.
San Jose to Limón bus services, operated by Greyhound USA, arrive at Los Angeles Union Station.
Limón is 2h ahead of San Jose. It is currently 10:52 AM in San Jose and 12:52 PM in Limón.
What companies run services between San Jose, CA, USA and Limón, Costa Rica?
Alaska Airlines, Inc., SANSA, and seven other airlines fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Limón International Airport (LIO) twice daily. Alternatively, you can take a bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Terminal Mepe - Limón via Los Angeles Union Station, Cesar E Chavez / Vignes, Los Angeles, Managua, Terminal Managua - CCA, and Terminal Atlántico Norte in around 5d 8h.
- Website
- flysansa.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Limón International Airport via Los Angeles, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 52m
- When
- Tuesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–1,100
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Limón International Airport via Denver, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 20m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $190–750
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Limón International Airport via Guadalajara, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 40m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $280–700
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Limón International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 19h 50m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- $260–700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Limón International Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Limón International Airport via San Salvador, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 45m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $270–850
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Limón International Airport via Los Angeles, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 57m
- When
- Friday to Thursday
- Estimated price
- $130–900
- Website
- worldticket.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Limón International Airport via Los Angeles, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 52m
- When
- Tuesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $170–1,100
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Limón International Airport via Denver, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 20h 20m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $190–750
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Limón International Airport via Guadalajara, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 40m
- When
- Thursday and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $280–700
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Limón International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 19h 50m
- When
- Thursday
- Estimated price
- $260–700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Limón International Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 32m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Limón International Airport via San Salvador, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 45m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $270–850
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Limón International Airport via Los Angeles, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 57m
- When
- Friday to Thursday
- Estimated price
- $130–900
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 38m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–900
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Guatemala City
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 55m
- When
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $270–900
- Website
- united.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 15m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $190–750
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 1m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $170–700
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 24m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–550
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- When
- Tuesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $320–1,200
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 8m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–850
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 15h
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $190–750
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 43m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $140–550
- Phone
- +1 800-660-4287
- Website
- Cal Train
Train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound
- 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 San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound
- Ave. Duration
- 56 min
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes
- Estimated price
- $7–10
- Website
- Cal Train
- Schedules at
- Cal Train
- One-way Adult
- $7–10
Rome2Rio's guide to Greyhound USA
Contact Details
- Phone
- +1 214-849-8100
- [email protected]
- Website
- Greyhound
Bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 5m
- Frequency
- Twice daily
- Estimated price
- $60–95
- Website
- Greyhound
- Phone
- +1 (855) 626-8585
- Website
- Flixbus USA
Bus from San Jose Diridon Station to Los Angeles Union Station
- Ave. Duration
- 8h
- Frequency
- 4 times a week
- Estimated price
- $55–85
- Schedules at
- Flixbus USA
- 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 Terminal Managua - CCA to Terminal Atlántico Norte
- Ave. Duration
- 12h
- Frequency
- 4 times a day
- Estimated price
- $30–50
- Schedules at
- Cristóbal Colón Autobuses (Línea Dorada y Trans Galgos Inter)
- Road
- $30–50
Bus from Terminal Atlántico Norte to Terminal Mepe - Limón
- Ave. Duration
- 3h 38m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $9–13
- Website
- Autotransportes MEPE
- Phone
- 1 800 715 1370
- [email protected]
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Alajuela to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $315
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Monteverde to Limón
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $685
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Alajuela to Monteverde
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $315
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Monteverde to Limón
- Ave. Duration
- 2h 30m
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $685
- Website
- RIDE CR
Want to know more about travelling around Costa Rica
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Booking & Getting There
Yes, the driving distance between San Jose to Limón is 5975 km. It takes approximately 3 days 1h to drive from San Jose to Limón.
There are 39+ hotels available in Limón.












