The Costa Rica Travel Blog is the current traveller, will-be traveller, has-been traveller, and should-be traveller's guide to everything Costa Rica. Information, stories, news, and advice written by the Pura Vida! eh? Inc. team; Costa Rican insiders, outsiders, and everywhere-in-between-siders.

Costa Rica Tour Transportation: How To Use Tours To Travel Between Destinations

Costa Rica Tour Transportation: How To Use Tours To Travel Between Destinations

NOTE: The content on this page was last updated on July 15th, 2017.

Costa Rica tour transportation
Ricky; with Exploradores Outdoors’ Costa Rica tour transportation
Costa Rica tour transportation
Nikki; with Desafio Adventure Company’s Costa Rica tour transportation

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY

When it comes to smart travel, Costa Rica tour transportation efficiency is key; not only can it help save you precious travel time and hard-earned vacation funds, but it can also help you feel as if you have accomplished the daunting task of planning the perfect trip.

As we mention in our related blog post Costa Rica Transportation: 10 Ways To Get To Point A To Point B Throughout Your Trip, city-to-city transportation-inclusive tours (i.e., Costa Rica tour transportation) permit travellers to get to and from their trip destinations the most time and cost-efficient way possible. Specifically, the tours combine a day’s activity with a pick-up in one city and a drop-off in another, allowing travellers to not only save the cost of arranging separate transportation to the destination of their choice, but also save vacation time so that time on a separate day does not need to be spent travelling from one city to the next.

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION LOGISTICS

What happens to my luggage?

Since travellers who opt to take city-to-city transportation-inclusive tours do not return to their departure location upon tour completion, it is vital that they bring all suitcases and belongings with them. This requirement presents the question, “what do I do with my luggage while I participate in the tour?”. Fortunately, we have the answer.

Depending on the tour type and the operator who runs the activity, one of two things will happen the day of your tour; either travellers will be taken to a central office or tour “hub” of sorts where the luggage will be stored for the day, or else the luggage will be stored in the tour operator’s tour bus. Right about now you may be asking yourself, “will my luggage be safe?” to which we will interject and respond, “although 100% security can never be guaranteed throughout any aspect of a travel experience, for the most part, yes, your luggage will be safe so long as you choose a reputable tour operator to run the tour with”. When luggage is stored in tour vehicles, the vehicle is locked with the driver keeping guard nearby. When luggage is stored at tour “hubs”, such as the one we describe in detail in our posted response to the question What Do I Do With My Lugage When I Raft The Pacuare River, luggage is secured by travellers in giant suitcase-friendly lockers.

As an added precaution in both cases (if you would prefer some reassurance), consider bringing luggage locks, a small padlock, or another type of bag lock with you to Costa Rica to prevent any individual from being able to access your valuable items. Keep in mind, too, that tour operators assume a degree of liability and responsibility for your luggage while you participate in their tour; they don’t want you to misplace an item on their watch any more than you want to lose one, so although playing it safe with locks and acting cautiously is smart, choosing not to assume that every tour operator and its representatives are out to steal your things is just as important.

Will the tour operator know where to take me? How will I know where to go?

Since all city-to-city transportation-inclusive tours require advance reservations, the tour operator will know where to take you as they will require you to supply them with the name of your pick-up and drop-off destinations (e.g., San Jose and La Fortuna), as well as the names of your hotels in both areas (e.g., Hotel Presidente and La Pradera Del Arenal) at the time of reservation (or later, if your exact hotels have not yet been decided at the time of tour reservation). On the day of your tour, the tour operator will have a record of the number (and names) of travellers that they need to pick-up in each city, as well as the number (and names) of travellers that they will be transporting to different cities upon tour completion (this list is often referred to as the “tour roster”). Upon tour completion, see your tour guide for a confirmation of which bus you and your luggage must board to ensure delivery to the correct destination; in some cases, tour operators coordinate a variety of pick-ups and drop-offs in multiple cities, so make sure you check (and double-check) that the bus you leave the tour on is the bus heading in the direction you wish to travel.

Tip:

  • Make sure you organize your vacation itinerary well in advance of your trip to avoid the need to make last-minute changes to your Costa Rica tour transportation. This is because on the part of the tour operator, a large amount of work has gone into ensuring that a driver and vehicle will be available to pick you up in and drop you off at your desired cities. For this reason, last-minute changes are typically difficult to process (especially when the tour operator can no longer offer availability for a pick-up or drop-off in the city you wish to change your reservation to), and more often than not, strict cancellation policies apply.

Tip:

  • Many tour operators will offer pick-ups and drop-offs at hotels and hostels only (not at vacation home rentals, airbnbs, etc.). In the event that the accommodations you have selected for your trip do not qualify to receive a complimentary tour pick-up and/or drop-off, request to be picked up and dropped off at qualifying locations nearest to where you will be staying in each city in order to minimize your walking distance and/or taxi fare.

Tip:

  • When selecting your Costa Rica hotels, ensure that they fall within the pick-up and drop-off zones of any tour operators you plan to use for city-to-city transportation-inclusive tours. Pick-ups and drop-offs that fall outside of tour operators’ Costa Rica tour transportation zones may incur additional tour fees. For more information about tour operators’ pick-up and drop-off zones (as well as general information surrounding the importance of location when choosing a Costa Rica hotel), please see our related blog post: Choosing A Costa Rica Hotel: Are You A Knowledgeable Traveller Or An Informed One?

COSTA RICA TOURS THAT PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION BETWEEN TWO DESTINATIONS

Throughout our work at Pura Vida! eh? Inc. we have had the pleasure of getting to know hundreds of great tour operators, some of which offer travellers the option to include city-to-city transportation (sometimes referred to as “adventure connections”) with their tour rates. The following is a list of our recommended Costa Rica tour transportation options that include a pick-up in one city before the tour and a drop-off in another city after the tour, arranged by departure destination.

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTING FROM SAN JOSE

Tours that include transportation from San Jose to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from San Jose to Manuel Antonio

  • Tarcoles River Boat (Crocodile) Tour
  • Carara National Park Tour

Tours that include transportation from San Jose to Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca)

Tours that include transportation from San Jose to Cahuita

Tours that include transportation from San Jose to Sarapiqui

Tours that include transportation from San Jose to Guapiles

Tours that include transportation from San Jose to Siquirres

Tours that include transportation from San Jose to Turrialba

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTING FROM LIBERIA

Tours that include transportation from Liberia to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Liberia to Monteverde

Tours that include transportation from Liberia to Samara

Tours that include transportation from Liberia to Nosara

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM LA FORTUNA/ARENAL

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to San Jose

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Liberia

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Monteverde

  • Extreme Hiking Tour
  • Mountain Biking Tour
  • Horseback Riding Tour

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Manuel Antonio

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to the Guanacaste Beaches (including the Papagayo, Hermosa, Panama, Coco, Ocotal, Brasilito, Langosta, Tamarindo, Conchal, Flamingo, and Potrero regions)

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Samara

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Nosara

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Santa Teresa/Mal Pais

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca)

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Cahuita

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Sarapiqui

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Guapiles

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Siquirres

Tours that include transportation from La Fortuna/Arenal to Turrialba

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM MONTEVERDE

Tours that include transportation from Monteverde to Liberia

Tours that include transportation from Monteverde to La Fortuna/Arenal

  • Extreme Hiking Tour
  • Mountain Biking Tour
  • Horseback Riding Tour

Tours that include transportation from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio

  • Tarcoles River Boat (Crocodile) Tour

Tours that include transportation from Monteverde to the Guanacaste Beaches (including the Papagayo, Hermosa, Panama, Coco, Ocotal, Brasilito, Langosta, Tamarindo, Conchal, Flamingo, and Potrero regions)

Tours that include transportation from Monteverde to Samara

Tours that include transportation from Monteverde to Nosara

Tours that include transportation from Monteverde to Santa Teresa/Mal Pais

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM MANUEL ANTONIO

Tours that include transportation from Manuel Antonio to San Jose

  • Tarcoles River Boat (Crocodile) Tour

Tours that include transportation from Manuel Antonio to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Manuel Antonio to Monteverde

  • Tarcoles River Boat (Crocodile) Tour

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM THE GUANACASTE BEACHES (INCLUDING THE PAPAGAYO, HERMOSA, PANAMA, COCO, OCOTAL, BRASILITO, LANGOSTA, TAMARINDO, CONCHAL, FLAMINGO, AND POTRERO REGIONS)

Tours that include transportation from the Guanacaste Beaches (including the Papagayo, Hermosa, Panama, Coco, Ocotal, Brasilito, Langosta, Tamarindo, Conchal, Flamingo, and Potrero regions) to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from the Guanacaste Beaches (including the Papagayo, Hermosa, Panama, Coco, Ocotal, Brasilito, Langosta, Tamarindo, Conchal, Flamingo, and Potrero regions) to Monteverde

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM SAMARA

Tours that include transportation from Samara to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Samara to Monteverde

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM NOSARA

Tours that include transportation from Nosara to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Nosara to Monteverde

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM PUERTO VIEJO (DE TALAMANCA)

Tours that include transportation from Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca) to San Jose

Tours that include transportation from Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca) to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca) to Cahuita

Tours that include transportation from Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca) to Sarapiqui

Tours that include transportation from Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca) to Guapiles

Tours that include transportation from Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca) to Siquirres

Tours that include transportation from Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca) to Turrialba

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM CAHUITA

Tours that include transportation from Cahuita to San Jose

Tours that include transportation from Cahuita to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Cahuita to Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca)

Tours that include transportation from Cahuita to Sarapiqui

Tours that include transportation from Cahuita to Guapiles

Tours that include transportation from Cahuita to Siquirres

Tours that include transportation from Cahuita to Turrialba

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM SARAPIQUI

Tours that include transportation from Sarapiqui to San Jose

Tours that include transportation from Sarapiqui to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Sarapiqui to Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca)

Tours that include transportation from Sarapiqui to Cahuita

Tours that include transportation from Sarapiqui to Guapiles

Tours that include transportation from Sarapiqui to Siquirres

Tours that include transportation from Sarapiqui to Turrialba

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM GUAPILES

Tours that include transportation from Guapiles to San Jose

Tours that include transportation from Guapiles to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Guapiles to Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca)

Tours that include transportation from Guapiles to Cahuita

Tours that include transportation from Guapiles to Sarapiqui

Tours that include transportation from Guapiles to Siquirres

Tours that include transportation from Guapiles to Turrialba

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM SIQUIRRES

Tours that include transportation from Siquirres to San Jose

Tours that include transportation from Siquirres to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Siquirres to Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca)

Tours that include transportation from Siquirres to Cahuita

Tours that include transportation from Siquirres to Sarapiqui

Tours that include transportation from Siquirres to Guapiles

Tours that include transportation from Siquirres to Turrialba

COSTA RICA TOUR TRANSPORTATION THAT DEPARTS FROM TURRIALBA

Tours that include transportation from Turrialba to San Jose

Tours that include transportation from Turrialba to La Fortuna/Arenal

Tours that include transportation from Turrialba to Puerto Viejo (de Talamanca)

Tours that include transportation from Turrialba to Cahuita

Tours that include transportation from Turrialba to Sarapiqui

Tours that include transportation from Turrialba to Guapiles

Tours that include transportation from Turrialba to Siquirres

QUESTION TO COMMENT ON: Have you used Costa Rica tour transportation to travel between destinations before? Was it worthwhile for you?

Pura vida!

Nikki and Ricky

DIY Costa Rica

Costa Rica tour discounts

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Nikki and Ricky
Hola! We're Nikki and Ricky; a happily married, fun-loving, adventurous couple in our 30's who lives, breathes, works, and enjoys beautiful Costa Rica. Owners of Pura Vida! eh? Inc., creators of the online community DIY Costa Rica, writers for the Costa Rica Travel Blog, publishers of Costa Rica Promotions, operators of the Costa Rica Blog Network, and philanthropists via our Reach Out Costa Rica Travel Philanthropy Project, when we're not working, writing, and exploring Costa Rica, we practice our love of rafting, kayaking, birdwatching, and photography. We are friendly and always happy to help, so never hesitate to send your Costa Rica questions our way. Oh, and our names rhyme, which is a silly coincidence and one of many ways we as a couple embrace being different. Bienvenido and "pura vida" amigos!

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