How to Get from Montezuma to San Jose

If you’re looking for the cheapest way to get from Montezuma to San Jose, then pick the bus. You can get a ticket for only $18 and still be able to enjoy a comfortable ride. Just pack in some patience because the bus might make a lot of stops to pick up and drop off passengers.

Transportes Cobano operates one bus trip daily from Montezuma to San Jose. The advertised travel time is about 4h 30m, but it can take longer depending on the number of stops.

If you’re travelling on a weekend or during the busy season (December to April), it’s best to book your ticket online a few days to a week in advance.

You can also buy tickets directly at the bus stop at Montezuma Beach, which is usually fine for weekday travel or if you purchase a few days in advance. It’s usually a few dollars cheaper — but there’s no guarantee seats will still be available.

PRO TIP: Local travel links, including the bus station in San Jose, can attract thieves, so keep your belongings in sight. Don’t board the bus until your bigger bags are inside the luggage compartment, and be sure to get your luggage ticket. It’s best to keep smaller bags, containing your valuables, in front of you or between your feet, instead of in overhead storage.

For a door-to-door but shared transfer, go for the minivan. With rates from $40, you won’t have to worry about finding your way to and from bus terminals.

The minivan to San Jose from Montezuma will take the same route as the bus: you’ll travel by land from Montezuma to Paquera, take the ferry to Puntarenas, and then continue by land to San Jose city centre or San Jose Airport.

The main difference is that the minivans pick you up from your hotel in Montezuma and then drop you off at your destination in San Jose.

You can choose from five companies operating minivans for this route: Santa Teresa Adventure, Transporzuma, Tropical Tours Shuttle, Interbus and Zuma Tours.

The travel time from Montezuma to San Jose with the minivan varies — it can take 2h 30m - 7h. Zuma Tours is the fastest and most expensive because it can cut the travel time to under 3 hours — it uses a speedboat instead of a slow ferry to cross the strait.