Private shuttle · door-to-door
Private Shuttle from Las Catalinas to La Fortuna
Leaving the car-free lanes of Las Catalinas for Arenal? We collect you at the town's vehicle access point and drive you via Liberia and around Lake Arenal to La Fortuna. One closed price for the whole vehicle, taxes included.
- Private vehicle
- Door-to-door
- Taxes & tolls included
- Child seats free
- 24/7
The service
Your private transfer from Las Catalinas to La Fortuna
A private transfer means the vehicle is reserved for your group alone. We collect you at your accommodation in Las Catalinas at the time you choose and drive straight to the door of your hotel in La Fortuna, with stops only when you ask for them.
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. Choose Standard to go direct, or add Tropical Experts VIP (+$80) for one to two hours of sightseeing stops.
Leaving Las Catalinas
From Las Catalinas to La Fortuna: the logistics
Las Catalinas is a planned beach town built on the hillside above Playa Danta, just north of Potrero. It was designed for walking: narrow lanes, stairways and small plazas link houses, shops and restaurants, and cars stay at the edge of town. Around it, a network of trails through dry forest is popular with hikers and mountain bikers.
We collect you at the vehicle access point that your hotel or rental company indicates. Check with them how the luggage gets from your house to the car; inside the town, distances are short but the lanes are pedestrian.
We know the La Fortuna end of this trip well, because it is where we live. Tell us the name of your hotel or the address of your rental and the driver goes straight there; if it is one of the hotels with a surcharge, the fare already shows it.
We confirm the pickup time with you when you book. With approximately 4 h of driving, many travellers leave Las Catalinas after breakfast so they reach La Fortuna with time to spare.
Before you go
Before you leave Las Catalinas
Luggage to the car
Agree with your rental company how the bags reach the vehicle access point.
Return rentals
Hand back bikes and paddleboards before the pickup.
The route
What to expect on the drive
- Distance
- about 185 km between the town centres (our measurement, approx.)
- Driving time
- approx. 4 h without stops (our fare table)
- Main roads
- Coast roads to Huacas, Route 21 to Liberia, Route 1 south to Cañas, then Route 142 around Lake Arenal
- First stretch
- The Las Catalinas access road to Potrero and the coast road south
From the edge of town the van drives down to Potrero and follows the coast road south past Flamingo and Brasilito, inland towards Huacas and Route 21.
From Cañas the road climbs to Tilarán and follows Route 142 along the north shore of Lake Arenal. The lake section is the slowest part of the day and the greenest: you swap dry forest for rainforest in less than an hour.
Along the way
What you'll see between Las Catalinas and La Fortuna
From Las Catalinas to the volcano, the view changes along the way:
Dry forest trails
The hills around the town are crossed by hiking and mountain-bike trails through Guanacaste dry forest.
Lake Arenal and its wind farms
The north shore of the lake and the turbines on the ridges near Tilarán.
Guanacaste ranch country
Long fences, brahman cattle and the wide crowns of guanacaste trees, the national tree, along Route 21.
Tropical Experts VIP
VIP stops on this route
Prefer to sightsee on the way? Tropical Experts VIP costs $80 more per vehicle and includes one to two hours of stops, a bilingual driver who acts as your guide, a welcome kit of local beers, soft drinks and snacks, and sparkling water. We offer it on every route; here, you can ask for:
Lake Arenal views
Short stops along the north shore of the lake when the clouds lift and the volcano shows across the water.
Café y Macadamia
A restaurant with a view over Lake Arenal, good for a coffee or a late breakfast.
Wildlife stops
When coatis, monkeys or birds appear by the lake road, we pull over so you can see them.
Need more than two hours? Add up to 4 extra hours at $35 each when you book. On Standard the driver goes straight there and stops for the restroom whenever you ask.
Before you travel
Road conditions and 2026 roadworks
If Route 142 is closed on your travel day, we take the inland alternative via Guatuso, the Tenorio Volcano area and Bijagua, joining Route 1; it takes longer and we tell you before setting off. Once on the Inter-American Highway the driving is straightforward, and in the dry season, roughly December to April, Guanacaste is hot, dusty and sunny.
Should a closure or severe weather stop the transfer altogether, you can reschedule or get your money back in full, as our terms set out.
From the road
Driver's tips for this route
- Agree with your rental company the time to take the luggage to the vehicle access point.
- Rental bikes and kayaks should be returned before the pickup.
- If you are not a fan of curves, take your usual motion-sickness remedy before the lake road, which comes in the last part of the trip.
- Travelling with children? Tell us their ages and weights when you book and the right child seat will be installed, free of charge.
Fares
Prices for this route
Per vehicle, in US dollars, taxes included.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Large bags | Standard | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hyundai Staria1–5 passengers |
1–5 | 5 | $315 | $395 |
 Toyota Hiace6–9 passengers |
6–9 | 9 | $360 | $440 |
 Maxus V9010–12 passengers |
10–12 | 12 | $445 | $525 |
Extra hour of stops: $35, up to 4. Hotels with a surcharge are listed below.
Google reviews
What travellers say
Short excerpts from real Google reviews of Tropical Experts Costa Rica.
“Muy agradable el servicio, nos encantó.”
Read all our reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Las Catalinas → La Fortuna
How long is the drive from Las Catalinas to La Fortuna?
Approximately 4 h of driving according to our fare table, for about 185 km. Stops, rain and traffic come on top of that; with VIP, add the one to two hours of sightseeing stops.
How much is a private shuttle from Las Catalinas to La Fortuna?
$315 in a Hyundai Staria (1–5 passengers), $360 in a Toyota Hiace (6–9) and $445 in a Maxus V90 (10–12). Prices are per vehicle, in US dollars, with taxes included. VIP adds $80 per vehicle.
What if Route 142 around the lake is closed?
Then we drive the inland alternative via Guatuso, the Tenorio Volcano area and Bijagua to Route 1. It takes longer, and we warn you before setting off. Closures have happened after heavy rain, most recently in July 2026.
Can you drive to our house in Las Catalinas?
The centre of Las Catalinas is designed for pedestrians, so we take you to the closest point vehicles can reach. Your hotel or rental company tells you where that is and how the luggage is handled.
Is Las Catalinas close to Potrero and Flamingo?
Yes, a few minutes north of Potrero and Flamingo along the same coast. From La Fortuna the fare is the same.
Why is the trip shorter from Las Catalinas than to it?
Our fare table gives approximately 4 h to La Fortuna and approximately 4 h 30 min in the other direction. We confirm your pickup time when you book.
Every private transfer
What's included
- Pickup at your door at the time agreed when you book
- A private vehicle for your group only, door to door
- Professional driver and full-cover insurance
- Fuel, tolls and taxes (VAT) — nothing to pay the driver
- Child seats at no cost, on request
- Free cancellation up to 48 h before pickup
Drop-off and pickup
Hotels we pick up from in Las Catalinas
These are some of the hotels in Las Catalinas that our calculator already lists. We go to any address in the area: if yours is not here, write it in the booking.
- Las Catalinas — Beach Town
Pick-up and drop-off
Hotels we drive to in La Fortuna
Any hotel in the La Fortuna area, door to door. A few examples, plus every hotel with a surcharge:
More routes
Related routes
Every page below has its own prices, road notes and FAQ.
See all 600+ routes and prices
Plan the rest of your trip
Ready to book Las Catalinas → La Fortuna?
Pick your date, vehicle and service in the calculator, pay online and get your voucher by email — or message us and we'll book it with you.