There are 8 ways to get from San Jose to Nicoya by train, 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.
Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Liberia International Airport, bus
best- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Liberia International Airport (LIR)plane SFO - LIR
- Take the bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Nicoyabus
12h 47m$251–975Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Nosara Airport
cheapest- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Nosara Airport (NOB)plane SFO - NOB
13h 42m$153–579Train, bus
- Take the train from San Jose to Los Angelestrain
- Take the bus from Los Angeles to San Salvadorbus
- Take the bus from Terminal Tica Bus San Salvador to Liberiabus
- Take the bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Nicoyabus
4d 22h$582–820Drive 5,746 km
- Drive from San Jose to Nicoyacar 5,746 km
2d 21h$771–1,113Fly Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Liberia International Airport, bus
- Fly from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport (SJC) to Liberia International Airport (LIR)plane SJC - LIR
- Take the bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Nicoyabus
14h 7m$308–1,208Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport, bus, 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 the bus from 50 m este Del Aeropuerto to Terminal San José Av. 2, C12 Y 14bus
- Take a shuttle bus from San José to Nicoya
13h 52m$710–1,244Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Tamarindo Airport, shuttle
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Tamarindo Airport (TNO)plane SFO - TNO
- Take a shuttle bus from Tamarindo to Nicoya
13h 2m$416–883Caltrain to San Francisco International Airport, fly to Managua Airport, shuttle, bus
- Take the train from San Jose Diridon Caltrain Northbound to Millbrae Caltrain Northboundtrain
- Fly from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Managua Airport (MGA)plane SFO - MGA
- Take a shuttle bus from Granada to Peñas Blancas
- Take the bus from Peñas Blancas to Liberia - Estación de Servicio EMESAbus
- Take the bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Nicoyabus
18h 30m$385–932
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Liberia International Airport (LIR) flights
Comparing Your Travel Options
The cheapest way to get from San Jose to Nicoya is to Caltrain and fly which costs $150 - $600 and takes 13h 42m.
The fastest way to get from San Jose to Nicoya is to Caltrain and fly and bus which takes 12h 47m and costs $250 - $1,000.
The distance between San Jose and Nicoya is 4898 km. The road distance is 5746 km.
The best way to get from San Jose to Nicoya without a car is to train and bus which takes 4 days 22h and costs $550 - $850.
It takes approximately 12h 47m to get from San Jose to Nicoya, including transfers.
Nicoya is 1h ahead of San Jose. It is currently 2:25 PM in San Jose and 3:25 PM in Nicoya.
Yes, the driving distance between San Jose to Nicoya is 5746 km. It takes approximately 2 days 21h to drive from San Jose to Nicoya.
There are 55+ hotels available in Nicoya.
What companies run services between San Jose, CA, USA and Nicoya, Costa Rica?
There is no direct connection from San Jose to Nicoya. However, you can take the train to Millbrae Caltrain Northbound, walk to Millbrae, take the subway to San Francisco International Airport, walk to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) airport, fly to Liberia International Airport (LIR), walk to Llano Grande, take the bus to Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia, then take the bus to Nicoya. Alternatively, you can take a train from San Jose to Nicoya 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, San Salvador, Terminal Tica Bus San Salvador, Liberia, and Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia in around 4d 22h.
- Website
- flysansa.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tamarindo Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- When
- Wednesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tamarindo Airport via San Salvador, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–850
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tamarindo Airport via Los Angeles, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 26m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Nosara Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 50m
- When
- Wednesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Nosara Airport via San Salvador, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–800
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Nosara Airport via Houston, Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 55m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 42m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $250–850
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Managua Airport via San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 41m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $300–1,100
- Website
- worldticket.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tamarindo Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 40m
- When
- Wednesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tamarindo Airport via San Salvador, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $260–850
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Tamarindo Airport via Los Angeles, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 26m
- When
- Friday and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $140–600
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Nosara Airport via Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 50m
- When
- Wednesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Nosara Airport via San Salvador, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 15m
- When
- Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–800
- Website
- united.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 14m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $230–950
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 19m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $250–1,100
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 25m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 40m
- When
- Wednesday to Sunday
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Managua Airport via Houston
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 21m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $170–700
- Website
- alaskaair.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 6h 10m
- When
- Saturday
- Estimated price
- $420–1,600
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 30m
- When
- Monday and Wednesday
- Estimated price
- $420–1,600
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 11m
- When
- Wednesday and Monday
- Estimated price
- $490–1,900
- Website
- aa.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Dallas/Ft.Worth
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 32m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $240–1,000
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Managua Airport via Miami
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 37m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $200–800
- Website
- aeromexico.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 10m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $130–550
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Managua Airport via Mexico City
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 35m
- When
- Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $160–700
- Website
- copaair.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Managua Airport via Panama City
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 5m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–850
- Website
- jetblue.com
Flights from San Francisco International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Fort Lauderdale
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 48m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $280–1,100
- Website
- delta.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Atlanta
- Ave. Duration
- 11h 50m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday
- Estimated price
- $330–1,300
- Website
- southwest.com
Flights from Norman Y. Mineta San José International Airport to Liberia International Airport via Denver
- Ave. Duration
- 17h 5m
- When
- Friday
- Estimated price
- $300–1,200
- 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
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
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 Amtrak
Contact DetailsContact Details
- Phone
- +1 800-872-7245
- Website
- Amtrak
Train from San Jose to Los Angeles
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 45m
- Frequency
- Once daily
- Estimated price
- $230–360
- Website
- Amtrak
- Phone
- +506 2665 7520
- [email protected]
- Website
- Transportes La Pampa
Bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Nicoya
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $5
- Schedules at
- Transportes La Pampa
Bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Nicoya
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $5
- Schedules at
- Transportes La Pampa
Bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Nicoya
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $5
- Schedules at
- Transportes La Pampa
Bus from Terminal de Buses Municipal de Liberia to Nicoya
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 45m
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $5
- Schedules at
- Transportes La Pampa
- Phone
- +1 213 368 1172
- [email protected]
- Website
- busesusatours.com
Bus from Los Angeles to San Salvador
- Ave. Duration
- 3d 15h
- Frequency
- Once a week
- Estimated price
- $290–380
- Schedules at
- busesusatours.com
- Phone
- +52 962 625 2435
- [email protected]
- Website
- Tica Bus
Bus from Terminal Tica Bus San Salvador to Liberia
- Ave. Duration
- 15h 9m
- Frequency
- 3 times a week
- Estimated price
- $50–85
- Website
- Tica Bus
- 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
- $2
- Schedules at
- grupotuasa.com
- Phone
- 1 800 715 1370
- [email protected]
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from San José to Nicoya
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $272
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Tamarindo to Nicoya
- Ave. Duration
- 40 min
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $251
- Website
- RIDE CR
- Phone
- +506 8812 4012
- [email protected]
- Website
- EasyRide CR
Shuttle from Granada to Peñas Blancas
- Ave. Duration
- 2h
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $149
- Schedules at
- EasyRide CR
Bus from Peñas Blancas to Liberia - Estación de Servicio EMESA
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Every 4 hours
- Estimated price
- $5–8
- Schedules at
- Cristóbal Colón Autobuses (Línea Dorada y Trans Galgos Inter)
- Road
- $5–8
Want to know more about travelling around Costa Rica
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