Frequently Asked Questions
Below you’ll find answers to the most common questions we get regarding Tropical Experts Costa Rica private shuttle service.
Feel free to e-mail info@tropicalexpertscostarica.com or call us at +506 8486-7057 if you can’t find the information you are looking for.
About Services
What is the difference between Private Transfer and Private Shuttle?
There is no difference—both terms refer to the same private, door-to-door transportation service. Trpical Experts provides exclusive transportation for your group, with a professional driver taking you directly to your destination. Unlike shared shuttles, you choose the departure time and can make stops along the way.
What is a Private Driver service in Costa Rica?
A Private Driver Service is a flexible option where you hire a van with a dedicated driver for a full day or multiple days. This service is ideal for sightseeing, business trips, or travelers who want to explore Costa Rica at their own pace. The driver will take you to different locations, wait for you while you explore, and provide local insights along the way.
Do you offer airport transfers from both San Jose and Liberia Airports?
Yes! Tropical Experts provides private airport transfers (some people call them Airport shuttles) from San Jose Airport (SJO) and Liberia Guanacaste Airport (LIR) to any destination in Costa Rica.
Your driver will meet you at the terminal holding a sign with your name and we track your flight for changes or delays.
The service is available 24/7, and rescheduling is free in case of flight delays or cancellations
Can you help us plan our Costa Rica itinerary?
Yes! As part of our service, we offer free travel advice to our customers. We know the best routes, attractions, and accommodations across Costa Rica.
Our experienced team can help you optimize your itinerary to minimize driving time and maximize your experience.
Schedule a free consultation call here.
What kind of travel tips do you provide for free?
At Tropical Experts we assist our customers with local insights on the best places to visit, where to stay, and what to do in Costa Rica. This includes advice on hidden gems, less crowded destinations, safety tips, and the best routes to avoid unnecessary delays.
We also provide driving and route recommendations to ensure a smooth and enjoyable trip.
Planning & Booking
Can Tropical Experts drive me to a location not listed on your website?
Yes, of course. We’ll drive you anywhere you need to go if there is a road suitable for our vans. Please contact us here or send us an email to info@tropicalexpertscostarica.com and tell us where exactly you are going. We’ll respond right away with a price and details.
Does Tropical Experts pick up/drop off at rental villas and Airbnb?
Yes, of course. We’d be happy to drop you off directly at your Airbnb, rental villa or beach condo, private home, or office in the city.
We don’t have a system of exact addresses in Costa Rica. Most of the addresses you get from Airbnb and similar websites don’t tell us how to find a specific house or building. We suggest you contact your host and ask for directions. Rental house owners/managers always have exact directions they can give you. This can be written directions, GPS coordinates, map links, pictures, or others.
If your rental house or Airbnb has a name, please let us know and we can very likely find it on Google Maps or Waze.
How early should I book a Private Shuttle?
We’ll take your reservation as early as you wish. And we’ll always take last minute reservations if we are available.
But we are a small business and we work at full capacity on most days. The sooner you book your space the better.
Payment for your reservation is not due until one week before the trip. And it is refundable 100% until 24 hours before the trip.
* Special conditions apply for reservations during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Your driver will meet you at the terminal holding a sign with your name and we track your flight for changes or delays.
The service is available 24/7, and rescheduling is free in case of flight delays or cancellations
Are taxes or other fees added to the price?
The prices we give you already include all the taxes and fees. There are no additional fees of any kind.
And we’ll never charge you more for unexpected delays out of your control. This includes road construction, slow traffic, bad weather, delayed flights, etc.
Can I change my pick-up time after I booked a trip?
Yes. We’ll always make any changes you request up to 24 hours before your trip.
After that, we are subject to availability. But we can usually accommodate most changes you may need, even on the same day of the trip.
Special conditions may apply for dates around Easter, Christmas and New Year.
Can I pay directly to the driver in cash after the trip?
Our policy is to collect payment in advance by credit card, using the Secure Payments Page provided by our bank.
You can also pay by bank wire and Paypal.
Since 2012 we don’t have a system to receive cash payments. But if paying in cash is very important for you, please contact us in advance, by phone or email, and we’ll arrange it.
Payments for private shuttles are 100% refundable until 24 hours before the trip.
* Special conditions apply for reservations during the Christmas and New Year holidays.
Do Tropical Experts drivers speak English?
All Tropical Experts drivers have a basic level of English that is enough for the communications you normally need on a transfer from hotel to hotel. Most of our drivers for small vans speak English very well.
If requested, we can confirm a driver with a higher level of English but that increases the cost by $20 to $35 US per trip. In our experience, it’s not necessary to pay extra unless you have some specific communication needs.
Keep in mind that even if you hire a bilingual driver, they are not tour guides and don’t have the specific knowledge and training to work as such.
At the Airport
Where/how will I find the driver at the airport?
Our driver will be waiting for you right at the exit of the terminal, after clearing customs. He/she will be holding a sign with your name and our logo with the blue morpho butterfly.
When we confirm your trip, we’ll give you specific instructions for the San Jose Airport or the Liberia Airport. We’ll also give you contact cell phone numbers and other details.
What happens if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
We go to the airport according to your flight landing and not at a specific time. This way we can be sure we are there at the right time when flights are changed or delayed. It will take you anywhere from 15 minutes to over one hour to go through immigration, luggage, and customs. We ask you to be considerate but just take the time you need.
Your airport pick-up will always be re-scheduled, free of charge, if your flight is delayed, changed, or canceled for any reason.
Will you really be there to pick us up?
Yes, we will definitely be at the airport for the arrival of the flight on the date that was confirmed in inviting on your online itinerary.
Please make sure the date, pick-up time, and flight number are correct when you receive our confirmation by email.
Our vehicles
How old are the vans?
The vehicles we use for our Private Transfers are always less than 6 years old.
In 2024 this means they are models 2018 or newer.
Do the vans have Air Conditioning?
Yes, all our vans have working Air conditioning.
Do the vans have wi-fi?
WiFi access is available through the driver’s mobile phone on the big majority of our private transfer services.
If having WiFi is important for you, please let us know and we’ll make sure you have WiFi access in all your trips.
Do keep in mind that access to the internet depends on the cell phone network, and there are large areas of the country with no cell phone signal, especially when driving across the mountains.
Do we need a car seat for our children?
Our vehicles are considered Public Transportation and for this reason are not required to use car seats for children.
But we do provide car seats, free of charge, and we’ll have one for your kids if you need it.
From our experience, however, we have learned that really small kids (maybe under 2), do a lot better on long drives when using their own seat they are familiar with.
Is there enough space for our luggage?
There is always space for one standard size bag plus one hand bag per person. If your group is traveling with a lot more luggage than this, please let us know and we’ll arrange for a larger vehicle.
Your luggage always travels inside the van. Never on roof racks.
Can you take surfboards, bicycles or large suitcases?
Yes, we are happy to take your large items in our vans. But we must know in advance so we can plan to have the right size vehicle, bike racks, straps, etc.
The size of the surfboards is important as long boards don’t fit inside our smaller vans.
Do you have 4x4 vehicles?
Road conditions in Costa Rica have improved so much that having 4×4 is not necessary anymore to visit most of the country.
Large SUVs are expensive here and they offer limited space for luggage. For these reasons, we don’t use 4×4 vehicles for private shuttles anymore.
A few hotels and rental villas still have steep/bad driveways that require 4WD vehicles. This is common in areas like Uvita, Dominical, Santa Teresa, El Castillo, and especially in the rainy season. But the difficult road is normally a very short distance, just before the house. So you don’t really need to pay a lot more to drive an SUV all the way from the airport.
We’ll provide the long transfer with a very comfortable van, and we’ll arrange a local 4×4 vehicle to drive you on that last stretch of bad road.
During your transfer
Can we stop along the way during a Private Shuttle?
Absolutely! One hour of stops is always included in long-distance transfers. You can stop for meals, sightseeing, or restroom breaks.
If you’d like to take a longer stop for a tour or activity, this can be arranged in advance for an additional fee.
Contact us with your itinerary to get an exact price quote.
Can Tropical Experts give us suggestions for sightseeing and stops along the way?
Yes, of course. Planning awesome trips is what we do best.
Many pages of our website already include suggested stops and highlights on our most popular private shuttle routes.
But feel free to contact us and tell us what interests you. We’ll be happy to provide specific suggestions, and also help plan your logistics and make arrangements.
Will the driver tell us about the country and the nature/history?
Yes, our drivers are very good at pointing out interesting places along the way and explaining about the country and its culture.
While talking to the group is easy to do on small vans, it can be very difficult in the Coasters and other large vehicles.
Also, keep in mind that most of our drivers are not licensed tour guides and don’t have the specific knowledge and training to work as such.
After the trip
How much should I tip the driver?
Tipping is appropriate and is not included in the price.
The drivers expect some tip but we understand there are big cultural differences among nationalities, personal preferences, budget, etc., and we can’t force you to a specific amount by including it in the price.
We say the average is anywhere between $2 and $50 per trip, depending on distance, time and conditions of each transfer.
I forgot something in the van. What can I do?
Please contact us by phone or email as soon as possible.
Our drivers have instructions to check the vans thoroughly when dropping you off. And to report any items found in the vans to our office immediately.
If possible, the driver will drive back to your hotel (or to the airport) to return the item right away. If not, our operations office will coordinate to return the item with the next driver who goes in your direction.
Service was great. Where can I leave a review?
Being a small business we still get a lot of feedback from our customers face to face or over the phone. Feel free to call us and tell us what was good or bad about our service. We’ll always appreciate your honest feedback.
Two days after your service we’ll email you a Service Evaluation message.
Or you can use these links to write about your experience with Morpho Vans on TripAdvisor and Google.