Private shuttle · door-to-door
Private Shuttle from Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) to San José Airport (SJO)
From the southern Caribbean to San José airport, the long way across the mountains. We pick you up at your door at a time worked out from your flight, and drop you at the departures entrance.
- Private vehicle
- Door-to-door
- Taxes & tolls included
- Child seats free
- 24/7
The service
Your private transfer from Puerto Viejo to SJO Airport
On the day you fly, the last thing you want is a shared shuttle stopping at other hotels. This transfer is private: one vehicle for your group, door to departures.
Prices are per vehicle, not per passenger, and nothing is added later: taxes, tolls, fuel, insurance, bottled water, WiFi and child seats come with every booking. Go Standard for the fastest trip or VIP (+$80) to stop along the way.
Allow about 4 h 30 min on the road. Our pickup times include a margin on top of that and get you to SJO airport some 3 hours before an international flight; see the table further down for examples.
The place you are leaving
About Puerto Viejo
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.
Hotels and cabins are spread along that road, among them Le Caméléon, Hotel Aguas Claras, Banana Azul and Cariblue. Many visitors cycle between beaches. This Puerto Viejo is on the Caribbean; there is another Puerto Viejo in Sarapiquí, so check the destination when you book.
Time to spare?
Still have a morning in Puerto Viejo?
The beaches south of town
Cocles, Playa Chiquita, Punta Uva and Manzanillo, each a short bike ride apart.
Jaguar Rescue Center
A wildlife rescue center near Playa Chiquita that runs guided visits.
Gandoca-Manzanillo refuge
Forest trails and coral reef at the southern end of the coast road.
Before you go
Before you leave Puerto Viejo
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.
Weigh the bags
Check your airline's weight limits the night before: it is easier to repack at the hotel than at the counter.
The route
What to expect on the drive
- Driving time
- approx. 4 h 30 min without stops
- Main roads
- Route 36 north to Limón, then Route 32 through Braulio Carrillo to the Central Valley
- Pickup
- At your hotel, villa or lodge in Puerto Viejo
- Drop-off
- Departures entrance of the terminal
We collect you at your hotel or cabin in Puerto Viejo or along the coast road to Cocles, Playa Chiquita and Manzanillo. Many properties are on side tracks in the forest; send us the location pin. The trip starts north on Route 36, past Cahuita.
From the southern Caribbean the van heads north on Route 36 along the coast, past Cahuita, to Limón. There it turns inland onto Route 32, crosses the lowlands and climbs through Braulio Carrillo National Park into the Central Valley, then crosses the north side of the valley to the airport in Alajuela.
Along the way
What you'll see between Puerto Viejo and SJO Airport
A last look at the country on the way to SJO airport:
Cahuita
The small Afro-Caribbean town next to Cahuita National Park, which the road passes on the way north.
Along the Caribbean coast
The coast road north past Cahuita, with palms, small villages and the sea on your right.
Banana country
Plantations and packing stations on the flat lowlands before the climb.
Tropical Experts VIP
VIP stops on this route
VIP adds one to two hours of stops (+$80 per vehicle) to your last drive, as long as your flight leaves room for them. Extra hours are $35 each, up to 4, again only if the flight time allows.
A break on the way up
A stretch and a coffee in the lowlands before the climb through the park, if the flight time allows.
Before you travel
Road conditions on the way to SJO Airport
Route 32 is the main freight road to the port of Limón, with trucks at every hour and widening works on the lowland section. A landslide or an accident in Braulio Carrillo can close the road for a while, which is why we set a wide margin for this trip.
From the road
Driver's tips for this route
- Bring plastic bags for wet swimsuits: on the Caribbean coast nothing dries overnight.
- For a morning flight from SJO, think about spending the last night near the airport: from the southern Caribbean it is a long drive, and a closure on Route 32 is not rare.
- Pack a dry change of clothes in your hand luggage: you leave the humid coast and arrive in a cooler valley.
Airport logistics
Pickup time for your flight from SJO Airport
Suggested pickup times from Puerto Viejo for flights at the usual hours, with about 4 h 30 min of driving and a 1 h 30 min margin. They are a guide: we confirm your exact pickup when you book. Where the table suggests a night near the airport, ask us on WhatsApp: we can take you there the day before.
| Flight departs | At the airport by | Suggested pickup at your hotel |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 a.m. | 3:00 a.m. | the day beforeask us about a last night near the airport |
| 9:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. | midnightvery early: ask us about a last night near the airport |
| 12:00 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. | 3:00 a.m.very early start |
| 3:00 p.m. | 12:00 p.m. | 6:00 a.m. |
| 6:00 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. | 9:00 a.m. |
| 9:00 p.m. | 6:00 p.m. | 12:00 p.m. |
Drop-off is at the departures entrance of Juan Santamaría airport in Alajuela, with the bags on the curb. Flight moved? Message us on WhatsApp at +506 8486 7057 at any hour and we change the pickup.
Fares
Prices for this route
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 | $320 | $400 |
 Toyota Hiace6–9 passengers |
6–9 | 9 | $365 | $445 |
 Maxus V9010–12 passengers |
10–12 | 12 | $450 | $530 |
Extra hour of stops: $35 per hour, up to 4 hours. Photos show each model; you get the vehicle type you choose.
Google reviews
What travelers say
Short excerpts from real Google reviews of Tropical Experts Costa Rica.
“Hands down the best decision for my familia to trust this company with our travel needs from San Jose Airport hotel to Puerto Viejo. The vehicle was incredibly clean, well maintained with a smooth ride. John was very kind and generous with his wealth of knowledge on his beautiful country…”
Read all our reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Puerto Viejo (Caribbean) → SJO Airport
How long is the drive from Puerto Viejo to SJO airport?
About 4 h 30 min of driving without stops. Traffic, rain and stops come on top, which is why we add a margin of about 1 h 30 min when we set your pickup time.
What time will you pick us up for our flight?
It depends on the flight. We work back from an arrival at the airport 3 hours before an international departure, minus the drive and a margin. For example, for a flight at 3:00 p.m. we suggest a pickup at 6:00 a.m., and we confirm your exact time when you book.
How much is a private shuttle from Puerto Viejo to SJO airport?
$320 in a Hyundai Staria (1–5 passengers), $365 in a Toyota Hiace (6–9) and $450 in a Maxus V90 (10–12). Prices are per vehicle, in US dollars, with taxes included. VIP adds $80 per vehicle.
How early do we need to leave Puerto Viejo for our flight?
It is about 4 h 30 min of driving plus the airport margin, so for most daytime flights the pickup is very early or the night before. The table on this page shows our suggested pickup times; many travelers spend the last night near the airport.
Can we stop for lunch on such a long drive?
Yes. With Standard we make a short stop for a restroom or a quick bite; with VIP and a late flight, a proper lunch stop in the lowlands before the climb.
What if Route 32 is closed on the day of our flight?
There is an alternative route through Turrialba that is slower. If the main road is closed we leave earlier or take the alternative, and we tell you on WhatsApp before the pickup. If we cannot run the transfer because of a road closure, you can reschedule or get a full refund.
How much luggage fits?
The Hyundai Staria (1–5 passengers) takes 5 large bags plus hand luggage and the Toyota Hiace and Maxus V90 take more. Bringing golf clubs, surfboards or bikes? Tell us when you book so we send the right vehicle.
Drop-off and pickup
Hotels we pick up from in Puerto Viejo
Any address in Puerto Viejo works; these are some of the hotels already in our booking form.
- Le Caméléon Boutique Hotel
- Hotel Aguas Claras
- Banana Azul
- Cariblue Beach & Jungle Resort
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