There are 5 ways to get from South America to San José by car, plane, bus, 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.
Drive to Tarija, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport, bus
best- Drive from South America to Tarija (TJA)car
- Fly from Tarija (TJA) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane TJA - SJO
- Take the bus from 50 m este Del Aeropuerto to Terminal San José Av. 2, C12 Y 14bus
24h 11m$281–953Drive to Viru Viru International Airport, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport, bus
- Drive from South America to Viru Viru International Airport (VVI)car
- Fly from Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)plane VVI - SJO
- Take the bus from 50 m este Del Aeropuerto to Terminal San José Av. 2, C12 Y 14bus
23h 49m$290–931Drive to Viru Viru International Airport, fly to David, bus, shuttle
- Drive from South America to Viru Viru International Airport (VVI)car
- Fly from Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) to David (DAV)plane VVI - DAV
- Take the bus from David to Fronterabus
- Take a shuttle bus from Paso Canoas to San José
29h 15m$1,149–2,021Drive to Viru Viru International Airport, fly to La Fortuna Arenal Airport, shuttle
- Drive from South America to Viru Viru International Airport (VVI)car
- Fly from Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) to La Fortuna Arenal Airport (FON)plane VVI - FON
- Take a shuttle bus from La Fortuna to Alajuela
26h 42m$596–1,310Drive to Viru Viru International Airport, fly to Quepos La Managua Airport, drive
- Drive from South America to Viru Viru International Airport (VVI)car
- Fly from Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) to Quepos La Managua Airport (XQP)plane VVI - XQP
- Drive from Quepos-Airport-XQP to San Josécar
27h 3m$332–1,048
Tarija (TJA) to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) flights
Questions & Answers
The cheapest way to get from South America to San José is to drive and fly and bus which costs $290 - $950 and takes 23h 49m.
The fastest way to get from South America to San José is to drive and fly and bus which takes 23h 49m and costs $290 - $950.
The distance between South America and San José is 4744 km.
It takes approximately 24h 11m to get from South America to San José, including transfers.
San José is 3h behind South America. It is currently 5:46 PM in South America and 2:46 PM in San José.
There are 750+ hotels available in San José.
What companies run services between South America and San José, Costa Rica?
There is no direct connection from South America to San José. However, you can drive to Tarija (TJA) airport, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), walk to 50 m este Del Aeropuerto, then take the bus to Terminal San José Av. 2, C12 Y 14. Alternatively, you can drive to Viru Viru International Airport (VVI) airport, fly to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), walk to 50 m este Del Aeropuerto, then take the bus to Terminal San José Av. 2, C12 Y 14.
- Website
- copaair.com
Flights from Tarija to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Viru Viru International Airport, Panama City
- Ave. Duration
- 12h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $210–850
Flights from Tarija to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Cochabamba, Viru Viru International Airport, Panama City
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 20m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–850
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Panama City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 17m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $200–800
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to David via Panama City
- Ave. Duration
- 8h 19m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $270–1,100
- Website
- avianca.com
Flights from Tarija to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Viru Viru International Airport, Bogota
- Ave. Duration
- 13h 40m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $350–1,200
Flights from Tarija to Juan Santamaría International Airport via La Paz, Bogota
- Ave. Duration
- 14h 20m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $350–1,200
Flights from Tarija to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Cochabamba, La Paz, Bogota
- Ave. Duration
- 14h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $350–1,200
Flights from Tarija to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Cochabamba, Viru Viru International Airport, Bogota
- Ave. Duration
- 14h
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $370–1,200
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Bogota
- Ave. Duration
- 7h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $340–1,200
- Website
- flysansa.com
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to La Fortuna Arenal Airport via Panama City, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–900
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to Quepos La Managua Airport via Panama City, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–900
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to Quepos La Managua Airport via Bogota, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $390–1,400
- Website
- worldticket.com
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to La Fortuna Arenal Airport via Panama City, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 18m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–900
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to Quepos La Managua Airport via Panama City, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 9h 28m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $230–900
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to Quepos La Managua Airport via Bogota, Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Ave. Duration
- 10h 15m
- When
- Every day
- Estimated price
- $390–1,400
- Website
- latam.com
Flights from Tarija to Juan Santamaría International Airport via La Paz, Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 21h 10m
- When
- Sunday
- Estimated price
- $300–950
Flights from Viru Viru International Airport to Juan Santamaría International Airport via Lima
- Ave. Duration
- 12h 15m
- When
- Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
- Estimated price
- $300–950
- 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
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
- +507 314 6886
- [email protected]
- Website
- Transporte Panamá Chiriqui Frontera
Bus from David to Frontera
- Ave. Duration
- 1h 1m
- Frequency
- Every 2 hours
- Estimated price
- $12–13
- Schedules at
- Transporte Panamá Chiriqui Frontera
- Phone
- 1 800 715 1370
- [email protected]
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from Paso Canoas to San José
- Ave. Duration
- 4h
- Frequency
- On demand
- Estimated price
- $775
- Website
- RIDE CR
Shuttle from La Fortuna to Alajuela
- Ave. Duration
- 1h
- Frequency
- Hourly
- Estimated price
- $258
- Website
- RIDE CR
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