Why Visitors Should Take the Bus in Costa Rica

If you’re looking for an authentic travel experience when you’re in Costa Rica, one of the best ways to have one is to travel how the locals travel. Though many of them have cars, the public transportation in Costa Rica is a popular and a wallet friendly way to get around the country. With routes to every major destination from the capital city of San Jose, it’s easy to explore and experience the best of Costa Rica.

Not only is it affordable but it makes for a great adventure as well. Like they say, getting there is half the fun and taking the bus gives visitors a unique experience they wouldn’t have otherwise. Want to know why? Here are three reasons why visitors should take the bus in Costa Rica.

You get to interact with the locals (and practice your Spanish)

Taking the bus creates the perfect situation for you to interact with the locals. One thing to know about Costa Ricans is that they are very friendly, in fact it’s one of the main reasons why people love this country so much. They love to stop to chat, ask you where you’re from and get to know you.

If you’re learning Spanish, this is a great way to practice as the Costa Rican accent is said to be one of the best for learning. Don’t be shy, Costa Ricas (or Ticos which is their nickname) love when foreigners try to speak Spanish even if it’s not perfect. They appreciate the gesture and it is always a wonderful learning experience.

So if you’re standing around waiting for the bus or looking for the bus stop, don’t be shocked if they try to help you. When you’re on the bus, they might also ask you what your travel plans are and you’ll find that many of them are happy to give suggestions to their favorite spots or pass along helpful advice. This is knowledge you won’t find on the Internet and only enhances your authentic travel experiences.

It’s common to hear stories of a local striking up conversation or helping a traveler and they end up becoming friends. These are memories that will last a lifetime and cannot be bought.

It’s the journey that matters, not the destination.

It’s an eco-friendly and cost efficient way to get around

It’s well known that Costa Rica is a fairly green country and they care about their environment. For the eco-conscious traveler, taking the bus is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint especially since all the buses in Costa Rica run on diesel making it even more eco-friendly. Share a ride with others, have an adventure and help the planet at the same time.

Then for the budget traveler, bus prices are extremely affordable and can help save hundreds of dollars on transportation. Since gas is fairly expensive in Costa Rica, flying, hiring a shuttle or taking a taxi can take up a good chunk of your budget especially if you plan to travel around the country. This is why so many locals and travelers decide to take the bus instead.

For example, one of the major routes in Costa Rica is from San Jose to Playas del Coco, a beach town in Guanacaste about 230 kilometers away. To drive would cost about $40-50 each way in gas depending on the type of car you have but a one way bus ticket costs about $9 per person. This is a huge saving considering that Costa Rica is one of the most expensive countries to travel in Latin America.

Spend less getting there so you can spend more doing.

Let someone else do all the driving

One of the best things about taking the bus is that you don’t have to drive and it’s much cheaper than hiring a private driver or taxi. Driving isn’t exactly the most ideal option for the budget traveler and for those who don’t want to worry about it on their trip.

Though the San Jose city buses are usually quite full around rush hour, buses for longer journeys are fairly spacious and comfortable with cushy seats, plenty of leg room and air conditioning. They even have double decker buses for certain routes so if you’re sitting on top near the front, you can get some nice views. Chat, make friends, mingle. Have a fun time while someone else does the work.