Hi all,

The cheapest private transfer from SJO to Arenal Observatory lodge I have found is $130. Is that a good price? I cannot find a shuttle from SJO to Arenal -- all seem to be from downtown. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

You can find some transfers for $95.00 private transfer!!

Remember that Arenal Observatory is about 35 minutes more driving from La Fortuna...and not a very nice road!!

R.A Luis

Just buckle up and enjoy the ride in paradise!!

Interbus has transfers twice a day, $29 per person. Selecting departure point 'Rio Segundo' will give you the option of being picked up at Garden Court Hotel, which is a 5 minute or less taxi drive from the airport.

I am guessing that you are seeking a private transfer because you are arriving too late to catch the Interbus or Gray Line shuttles?

I have found that $130.00 for a private transfer is in the ballpark. You get what you pay for. This should get you an English speaking driver, in a fairly new van.

Hope this helps! Let me know if I can offer more advice.

Warm Regards,
Pat Hewitt
(Travel professional)

That sounds like a fair price to me. We went last year, and I believe we paid $120 to go from SJO to the Lost Iguana in Arenal. Our driver was fluent in English and had a nice air-conditioned van. He narrated the entire drive and answered any questions we had; we definitely felt like it was worth the cost - the drive was beautiful and relaxing.

You see now you are getting all kind of nice advice...but for $95.00 you can be transfer by a local bilingual guide/driver ...that knows the country , the culture, etc.. In a confortable 2005 Toyota Hiace Van!!

R.A Luis

Just buckle up and enjoy the ride in paradise!!

If you are able to make the Interbus departure times, they are a great option. On one leg we used them from San Jose to Puerto Viejo and we were the only passengers. The driver was full of knowledge and spoke great English. Another leg had more passengers, but it was nice to chat and learn about what everyone was doing and where they were from. The vans are very comfortable with A/C.

Hi, hipvirgochick - I'm intrigued by the Interbus shuttle - I didn't know they were vans until you mentioned it. I always thought they were actually a bus. Do you get the shuttle at a central station in each town, or are there numerous locations within a city, or do they pick you up at your hotel? That's a great price.

hi volcanogirl -- Well, maybe the type of vehicle depends on the number of travelers, so I guess you'd have to confirm that with them directly. They're very helpful to respond with questions. My daughter gets a little carsick, so they even held the front seats for us. Anyway, the van was comfy and spacious, I think it had 3 rows so it probably seated 8. We had a van from San Jose to Puerto Viejo, however, after leaving from Puerto Viejo to go to Arenal, at about the halfway stop we did actually change to a larger "tourist bus". The bus had approx 8 rows of 2 seats on one side and a 8 rows of 1 seat on the other. They do pick you up at your hotel, assuming your hotel is in a main hub. i.e., SJO, downtown, MA, Puerto Viejo, Arenal, etc. If you go to their site and select the area, proceed and you will see a dropdown menu of the hotels they pick up from, then select the destination to see the hotels for drop off. They also now offer a premium shuttle service (probably more like what you used) where they will give you a price for a private transfer.

Hope this helps!

Thanks, virgo - yes, that was really helpful. We already have drivers lined up for our next trip, but we'll look into Interbus for our next one. We're hooked on CR, so I'm sure we'll be going back. I love your name - I'm a fellow Virgo. Thanks again!

Hi fellow Virgo, I'm probably getting to old to refer to myself as a chick anymore

What areas are you heading to this time? I'm planning our next trip as well.

This time we're heading to the Osa Peninsula and Bosque del Cabo. I am really excited about it after reading everything on the boards. We're also staying at the Peace Lodge and Vista del Valle. I used to be a guide book junkie, but these boards are more helpful than any guide book I can ever imagine.

And in my book, you're never too old to be a chick!

volcanogirl -- Lucky you! You're going to fall in love with BDC Sounds like you have a little higher budget than I do...I have to balance out BDC with B & B prices...Good thing I love B & B's! We're planning a trip back to BDC next Apr/May, or Nov/Dec, not sure yet. Probably won't make it back to Peace Lodge, but we did have a great time there. Most likely we'll split the trip with our $50/night place in Puerto Viejo. Already looking forward to it!

lang -- Sorry for hijacking! Hope this thread got your question answered.

Virgo, I am enjoying reading your trip report. Sounds like we like to stay at all the same places! Hubby and I tend to scrimp on other things, so we can go all out on vacation. We're just staying one night at Peace Lodge and VdV on each end of the trip. I know everyone says Peace Lodge is like Disney, but I just felt like I had to see those bathrooms! I'm glad you had such a great trip.

Lang, I hope you have a wonderful time and find what you're looking for. Enjoy your time in CR.

Try the Grayline Costa Rica website for transportation.

I checked the Grayline website They seem to have local transport and regional transport,i.e.from SanJose to Arenal for a reasonable fee,and you can book online.The website indicates they pick up and drop off at major hotels too.