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 TransportationThe streets in Costa Rica have been well-marked and one can get maps and directions from the ICT (Tourism Bureau) in downtown San Jose, under the Plaza de la Cultura. In Costa Rica, you can encounter rent-a-cars, in the airport, in the capital city of San Jose and other cities and in some rural zones. Lots of these cars are four-wheel drives, but they are not utilized only for rural streets. Airlines in Costa Rica has various international and domestic carriers from North America, direct flights are accessible and/or several Central American countries. El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Stopovers are particularly usual during the low season, as filling daily flights becomes less likely. Now, two airports are scheduling international arrivals, the larger Juan Santamaría Airport, and the Daniel Oduber Airport in Guanacaste. Two main domestic carriers, Sansa and Travel Air, give reasonably priced air travel within Costa Rica. Government owned and subsidized, Sansa's fares are significantly cheaper than those of its privately owned rival, Travel Air. Sansa operates out of Juan Santamaría International Airport and offers a free shuttle service for all flights. Travel Air operate from Pavas Airport (Tobías Bolaños), approximately 4 miles from San José. There is no shuttle service offered. Taxis, like buses in Costa Rica, give a great service and they are much cheaper than in other countries. All taxis in the cities have a meter, which you must make sure is turned on when you enter the cab. Taxis charge more if they leave the city, so you must make sure to ask about an approximate amount before being taken there. Buses are a good choice if you want to travel cheaply, and as I have mentioned before, they are abundant. They can get pretty crowded sometimes, and people have to ride standing up and holding on to a rail, but this does not really matter for short rides. The ICT (Tourism Bureau) will gladly give out the information on bus schedules, fares and bus stops and major terminals. It is important to keep in mind that buses are more crowded from Friday to Monday, since a lot of people commute during the weekend. Luggage space is limited in most buses, and unless they are a tourist bus, they do not have bathrooms, so do not drink a lot of liquid. Costa Rica has also two a main bus companies that give service between Panama and Costa Rica; Tica Bus which gives service between Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. If you can also travel via the Atlantic coast, via Sixaola/Changuinola. A trip from San Jose to Changuinola, which is placed on the Atlantic Zone in the province of Bocas del Toro, takes approximately 6 hours; a stop is usually made in Limon. The buses are not air-conditioned, but comfortable, and depart at 9:55 a.m. from just north of the Coca Cola bus station.
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