Hello Everyone!

My Husband and I are backpacking Costa Rica this May 2010 and we're using buses and ferries for all our transit needs. I've read a few times how the transit system is horrible because of how off-schedule everything runs (or lack of schedule). (Example: A 2 hour trip from Monteverde to Puntarenas took 6 hours causing them to miss the ferry) Since it'll be a short trip of 12 days, and many destinations require transferring to the next bus, I'm concerned that if the public bus system is as consistently off schedule as everyone seems to make it out to be, we'll have a hard time making it to where we want to go.

Please help me...I can't tell if the info I've found is only of the worse-case scenario which happens every-so-often, or if we'll most likely run into that problem with every bus we need to take!

Thank you to all for your help!!!

Jenna

www.thebusschedule.com

has run mostly on time for me

biggest problem I have seen is petty theft

put nothing in the overhads and www.insuremytrip.com

or move up to the nicer shuttles like www.interbusonline.com

Public transportation runs mostly on time, but things do come up (traffic, road construction, even landslides) that are outside the driver's control and they cause delays. I'm concerned about your statement "many destinations require transferring to the next bus." I hope you're not cutting things too close. That statement also makes me wonder if you think there is one big bus terminal in San Jose. There isn't. There are four big terminals, a few smaller terminals, and then several routes that depart from street corners. Depending on where you're coming and going via San Jose, you might need to build taxi rides in there too.

I have been to Costa Rica twice the last time in May 2009 and am returning in March. I have used buses to get everywhere and found that they are very good. They are reliable, cheap and clean and safe. I traveled by myself (solo female) and never felt uncomfortable, in many cases I was the only tourist on the bus. A great way to mix with the locals. I found this a great site for schedules
http://costa-rica-guide.com/BusSchedule.html

If you are pressed for time there are private shuttle services available (6-8 seater vans)that are pretty reasonably priced. Not as much fun as the regular buses http://www.costaricashuttleservice.com/

I have a blog that has some info on travelling in Costa Rica you can access it via losttrekkers.com about us page

Jenna, if you decide not to go with the public bus, Interbus gets good reviews and is really popular and still pretty affordable. If you do the public bus, I'd love to hear how it went. You don't hear all that much about it on the boards. Good luck with your trip!

We've taken public buses a lot, and I've taken them several times myself to various areas of the country (all out of one or the other terminal in San Jose). It's always been simple and timely. I do keep an eye on my stuff, hold it in my lap, etc. We only put stuff underneath if the bus is direct (no stopping) and if we can get close enough to the front to get off when the stuff is first being unloaded.

If you are concerned about keeping your stuff safe on the bus, take along a couple of small bike locks. You can lock your bags/backpacks together which makes it a lot harder for a thief to grab your bags from the bus storage compartment and run away. On some buses, you could actually lock your bags to the frame or to a pallet. Same goes for the overhead areas inside the bus. If you are concerned about your stuff underneath, sit on the side opposite the driver and watch when it is opened at any bus stop.

My experience of 7 years of living in CR and riding the bus is that the buses are very much on time - give or take 10 minutes or so. As JeffinCostaRica said, things to happen from time to time that prevent the bus from being on time. Once I was on a bus and a drunk guy got on and was being obnoxious to the passengers. (The only time I have ever seen this happen, by the way.) The driver stopped the bus, tried to deal with the drunk who then proceeded to pass out. The driver and another guy put the drunk out at the next bus stop and called the local police and drove away. Of course, this wasn't too bad and the bus arrived only about 10 minutes late.

Bus drivers really try to keep to the schedule for several reasons: customers expect them to show up at a certain time, they realize that customers are coming from other buses and ... it makes their boss happy!

Do heed the advice about changing buses and allow some time between. You might not need it but just in case. It's like in the airport - you might be able to go from one gate to your next flight in 20 minutes but no one in their right mind would actually schedule this.

Riding the bus in Costa Rica is safe, economical and really lets you get immersed in the culture.

Thank you everyone very much for your help!!! I love hearing first-hand experience to help with planning a trip! The websites are very much appreciated as well, as I have a "Type A" personality and try to plan for things as much as I can.

We planned for 2-3 hours in between to check out the area before we caught the next bus, but because of what I was reading, was nervous that it wasn't enough. So I'm happy to hear that buses will be a reliable mode of traveling!

I'll definitely relay my experience of backpacking across the country and using their public transit to do so!
Thank you for the best wishes! May won't come fast enough.

Jenna,
You have received some excellent information and insight.

Public buses on point to point routes are a great way to travel. They are relatively efficient and not that uncomfortable and as others say , usually pretty much on time. So to or from San Jose to many places in the country are good candidates for taking the bus as there are direct buses. Look at San Jose as the transportation hub.

It is when you start trying to piece together routes and connections where there are no direct buses that things can get complicated or take a long time. Sometimes you have to have a lot of time and patience if you want to stick to the buses. Sometimes, the connections just don't match up or you have to end up doubling back through San Jose.

So, especially for those with a limited time sometimes on some legs it may be better to spring for an alternate form of travel. Interbus is good on some routes - for example something like Monteverde to Manuel Antonio If you want to go Arenal to Monteverde - Jeep/boat Jeep is a good optiion. And for Montezuma to Jaco - the water Taxi...

So basically - you should be flexible.

Also, though there are several bus schediles on line, they are always subject to change. So when you get somewhere and plan to take a bus onward, make sure you check for the current schedule.

Good luck and enjoy your trip.

raquel






Below are 2 online schedules. The first is good if you have to piece together connections. The second, for point to point routes.

oops sorry - I didn't post the schedule links - but QwoVadis has already posted the one that seeks connectons.
The other - good for point to point travel. It also tells where some of the bus stations are.
http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/pa...ioBuses_en.pdf