Private shuttle · door-to-door
Private Shuttle from Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) to La Fortuna
Leaving Puerto Viejo and the southern Caribbean for the volcano? We collect you at your hotel or cabin and drive you across the country to La Fortuna in one long day. The fare is per vehicle, not per person, and taxes are already in it.
- Private vehicle
- Door-to-door
- Taxes & tolls included
- Child seats free
- 24/7
The service
Your private transfer from Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) to La Fortuna
This is a door-to-door service. Your driver meets you at your hotel, rental or house in Puerto Viejo (Caribbean), your group travels on its own in a vehicle reserved for you, and we drop you at the entrance of your hotel in La Fortuna.
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 Puerto Viejo (Caribbean)
From Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) to La Fortuna: the logistics
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is the liveliest town on the southern Caribbean coast, with a mix of Afro-Caribbean, indigenous Bribri and international influences, reggae bars, cafés and surf shops. Its reef break, Salsa Brava, is one of the most powerful waves in the country, and the coast road south leads to the beaches of Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva and Manzanillo, backed by jungle.
We collect you at your hotel or cabin in Puerto Viejo or along the coast road to Manzanillo. Many properties are on side tracks in the forest; send us the location pin. Our fare table gives approximately 5 h 15 min to La Fortuna, so a morning pickup is best.
Once you are in La Fortuna you are close to everything the area is known for: the La Fortuna waterfall, the national park trails, the hot rivers and the lake. The driver leaves you at your hotel door and can point you to a good place for dinner.
We confirm the pickup time with you when you book. With approximately 5 h 15 min of driving, many travellers leave Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) after breakfast so they reach La Fortuna with time to spare.
Before you go
Before you leave Puerto Viejo (Caribbean)
Return the bikes
Rental bikes are the local transport; return them the evening before the pickup.
Breakfast by the sea
Many cafés open early along the coast road, handy before a long day of driving.
The route
What to expect on the drive
- Distance
- about 275 km between the town centres (our measurement, approx.)
- Driving time
- approx. 5 h 15 min without stops (our fare table)
- Main roads
- Route 32 inland from the Caribbean side, Route 4 through Sarapiquí, then Route 142 to La Fortuna
- First stretch
- Route 36 north past Cahuita to Limón, then Route 32
From Puerto Viejo the van takes the road back to Route 36 and heads north along the coast, past Cahuita, to Limón and Route 32.
Near Sarapiquí the route leaves the highway and follows Route 4 west across the northern lowlands to Muelle, where it turns towards La Fortuna. The last hour is the green, flat farmland of San Carlos with the volcano growing on the horizon.
Along the way
What you'll see between Puerto Viejo and La Fortuna
Keep the camera within reach. On the way from Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) to La Fortuna you will see:
The coast road to Manzanillo
A jungle-lined road south of town that links Cocles, Playa Chiquita and Punta Uva.
The lowland rainforest
Between the farms, patches of tall, humid forest with palms and enormous trees; this is the wettest side of the country.
Banana country
Along Route 32 the plantations stretch for kilometres, with blue bags protecting the bunches and cable lines that carry the fruit to the packing plants.
Tropical Experts VIP
VIP stops on this route
With Tropical Experts VIP (+$80 per vehicle) the transfer 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. VIP stops are available on any route in the country. On this one, you can ask for:
A riverside break in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí
A coffee or lunch beside the Sarapiquí River, roughly halfway, is an easy stop to ask for.
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
Route 32 is a busy freight corridor. The section towards Limón has been a work zone for years because of the widening project, so depending on progress you may meet lane changes, detours and stretches at reduced speed. Trucks are frequent at any hour.
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
- Return rental bikes the night before so the pickup is quick.
- With a long drive ahead, choose an early pickup to reach La Fortuna before dark.
- Keep a sweater handy: after the Caribbean heat, Arenal evenings feel fresh.
- Bringing surfboards, bikes or diving gear? Tell us when you book so we send a vehicle with room for it.
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 | $390 | $470 |
 Toyota Hiace6–9 passengers |
6–9 | 9 | $435 | $515 |
 Maxus V9010–12 passengers |
10–12 | 12 | $520 | $600 |
Extra hour of stops: $35, up to 4. Hotels with a surcharge are listed below.
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
Google reviews
What travellers say
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.”
Read all our reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) → La Fortuna
How long is the drive from Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) to La Fortuna?
Approximately 5 h 15 min of driving according to our fare table, for about 275 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 Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) to La Fortuna?
$390 in a Hyundai Staria (1–5 passengers), $435 in a Toyota Hiace (6–9) and $520 in a Maxus V90 (10–12). Prices are per vehicle, in US dollars, with taxes included. VIP adds $80 per vehicle.
Which way do you drive between Arenal and the Caribbean?
Across the northern lowlands via Muelle and Route 4 to Sarapiquí, then along Route 32 on the Caribbean side. It avoids the mountain roads of the Central Valley, but Route 32 carries heavy truck traffic and roadworks.
Is this Puerto Viejo de Talamanca or Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí?
This route goes to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, on the southern Caribbean coast. Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí is a different town in the northern lowlands; for that one, book the La Fortuna to Sarapiquí route.
Do you go to Cocles, Punta Uva or Manzanillo?
Yes, we drive to hotels along the coast road south of Puerto Viejo. Give us the exact address; places far towards Manzanillo add a few minutes.
How early should we leave Puerto Viejo?
With about 5 h 15 min of driving in our fare table, a pickup after an early breakfast gets you to La Fortuna in the afternoon.
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:
Drop-off and pickup
Hotels we pick up from in Puerto Viejo (Caribbean)
These are some of the hotels in Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) that our calculator already lists. We go to any address in the area: if yours is not here, write it in the booking.
- Le Caméléon Boutique Hotel
- Hotel Aguas Claras
- Banana Azul
- Cariblue Beach & Jungle Resort
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