Private shuttle · door-to-door
Flying home from Liberia? We pick you up at your hotel in La Fortuna and drive you around Lake Arenal and down to Liberia airport, with the pickup set around your flight. One flat price per vehicle, taxes included.
The service
If your flight home leaves from Liberia, the transfer from La Fortuna is a scenic but winding drive — and on departure day you want it to be predictable. A private transfer gives you that: the vehicle is reserved for your group only, collects you at your hotel door and goes straight to the terminal, with no other passengers to pick up on the way.
We are a family company based in La Fortuna, with I.C.T. licence #3946-2025 and more than 1,200 transfers completed since 2023. Our base is at the La Fortuna end of the lake road, and we set departure pickups with its curves and its rainy-season closures in mind.
The fare is per vehicle and final: taxes, tolls, fuel, insurance, bottled water, WiFi and child seats are included, and there is nothing to pay the driver. Standard goes direct; VIP adds lake stops when your flight time allows.
The route
Leaving La Fortuna, the road follows the north shore of Lake Arenal through Nuevo Arenal to Tilarán, then drops down to Cañas and the Inter-American Highway (Route 1). From there it is highway north through Guanacaste to Liberia, and Route 21 out to the airport.
Our fare table gives approximately 2 hours 45 minutes of driving for about 157 km. The slow part comes first: the lake road is narrow and curvy and, in the rainy season, occasionally closed by landslides. Once you reach Cañas, the rest of the drive is on highway.
Staying outside town — at Chateau Arenal, the Arenal Observatory Lodge, in El Castillo or at Lost Iguana? We collect you there for $20 more per vehicle ($40 more from Rancho Margot).
Along the way
The drive runs from rainforest to dry lowlands in under three hours. Along the way:
If you leave early, you may catch the volcano in view — it shows itself most often before about 9 a.m. — so look back as you leave town.
A long stretch of road right along the north shore, with the water on one side and forested hills on the other.
The lakeside town with restaurants and services, handy for a restroom stop.
Turbines on the ridges near Tejona; the Tilarán area is known for strong wind.
After Cañas the landscape opens into the flat, sunny lowlands of Guanacaste, all the way to Liberia.
Tropical Experts VIP
Tropical Experts VIP (+$80 per vehicle) includes one to two hours of sightseeing stops, a bilingual driver who doubles as your guide, a welcome kit with local beers, soft drinks and bocas, and sparkling water on board. On a departure day it suits an afternoon or evening flight. The lake stops we recommend on the way in work just as well on the way out:
A restaurant with a view over the lake: a coffee or a meal before the airport.
A last set of photos of Lake Arenal from above the water.
Short stops along the north shore when the light and the clouds are right.
If animals appear beside the road, we pull over so you can see them.
We plan a VIP day backwards from your flight, so tell us your departure time when you book. Extra hours are $35 each, up to 4. Standard goes direct, with a restroom stop if you need one.
Before you travel
Route 142 around the lake is paved but curvy and narrow, with little shoulder, few guard rails and almost no street lights, according to independent driving guides from 2025 and 2026. Near Tilarán, strong wind is common.
The section between La Fortuna and Nuevo Arenal — the very start of your trip — has been closed by landslides after heavy rain, in July 2024 and again in July 2026. If it is closed on your travel day, we take the inland alternative via Guatuso, the Tenorio Volcano area and Bijagua, joining Route 1, which adds time. In the rainy season, September and October especially, we may suggest an earlier pickup for that reason.
The large 2026 roadworks reported in the press are on Route 1 on the San José side, not on this route. If a closure or extreme weather means we cannot run your transfer, our terms give you the choice of rescheduling or a full refund; they do not cover missed flights caused by traffic, weather or road closures, which is why we leave a margin.
From the road
Airport logistics
Flight changed? Message us on WhatsApp at +506 8486 7057 and we'll move your pickup. We answer 24/7.
Fares
One closed price for the whole vehicle, not per person. Prices in US dollars with taxes included; you pay online when you book and nothing to the driver.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Large bags | Standard | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hyundai Staria1–5 passengers |
1–5 | 5 | $225 | $305 |
 Toyota Hiace6–9 passengers |
6–9 | 9 | $280 | $360 |
 Maxus V9010–12 passengers |
10–12 | 12 | $365 | $445 |
Extra hour of stops: $35 per hour, up to 4 hours. Hotels farther out: Chateau Arenal, Arenal Observatory Lodge, Hotel Linda Vista (El Castillo) and Lost Iguana Resort & Spa are +$20 per vehicle, and Rancho Margot +$40 — see the hotel list below. Photos show each model; you get the vehicle type you choose.
Two ways to travel
The fastest, most direct way to get there.
More than a transfer: a Costa Rica day out along the way.
Every private transfer
Google reviews
Short excerpts from real Google reviews of Tropical Experts Costa Rica.
“The van was on time, assisted us with our luggage… His English is extremely good… you will be taken care of to the highest regard.”
“We had a great experience… our driver John… very professional, friendly, and drove safely… shared so much interesting information about Costa Rica… Highly recommended!”
“Muy agradable el servicio, nos encantó.”
Read all our reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Questions
Approximately 2 hours 45 minutes of driving for about 157 km, according to our fare table. The lake road is the slow part; in rain it can take longer, and on departure days we add a margin.
It depends on your flight. We recommend being at the airport 3 hours before your flight to check in; we count back from there, add the drive and a margin, and confirm the exact pickup time when you book.
$225 in a Hyundai Staria (1–5 passengers), $280 in a Toyota Hiace (6–9) and $365 in a Maxus V90 (10–12), per vehicle, taxes included. VIP adds $80 per vehicle.
Yes. Most hotels are at the standard fare. Chateau Arenal, Arenal Observatory Lodge, hotels in El Castillo and Lost Iguana are $20 more per vehicle, and Rancho Margot is $40 more.
It can be. The stretch between La Fortuna and Nuevo Arenal was closed by landslides in July 2024 and July 2026. If it is closed, we take the inland alternative via Guatuso, the Tenorio Volcano area and Bijagua, joining Route 1, which adds time, so in September and October we may suggest an earlier pickup.
Yes, with VIP (+$80 per vehicle), if your flight time allows: one to two hours of stops at Café y Macadamia, the lake lookout and the lake views. Extra hours are $35 each, up to 4.
The lake section is curvy and it comes first. Sit up front or in the first row, look ahead, and take your usual remedy before leaving. After Cañas, the rest of the trip is on highway.
From La Fortuna the fares are almost the same: $225 to LIR (approx. 2 h 45 min) and $220 to SJO (approx. 3 h). Choose the airport with the better flights for you.
You pay online by card through Tilopay (SINPE Móvil or bank transfer can be arranged on WhatsApp). Cancel up to 48 hours before pickup for a full refund; within 48 hours there is no refund, except for a documented flight cancellation.
Pick-up and drop-off
We pick up and drop off at the door of any hotel in the area. The fare depends on the zone, not the hotel, so choose whichever you like. These are the main hotels around Arenal, each with its own page; if yours is not listed, we still go there.
Hotels marked “WhatsApp booking” have a surcharge that the online calculator does not include yet: message us to book them.
More routes
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