This tiny town makes getting in and out really very simple. The bus leaves for both San José and Puntarenas from the TransMonteverde bus depot in the middle of town. You can’t miss it as it is right beside the Super Mega grocery store. You can book tickets online here: transmonteverde.com
Monteverde to San José
There are two buses per day both ways at 5:30am and 2:30pm. The price is 3035₡ (Dec 2018). The trip takes about 4.5hrs. See photo of schedule below and have a look at the 7-10 Terminal to see where you end up.
San José to Monteverde
There are two buses per day both ways at 6:30am and 2:30pm. The price is 3035₡ (Dec 2018). The trip takes about 4.5hrs.
From San José you catch the bus from the 7-10 station in the city center, although if you are out by the airport in Alajuela, then you can also get the bus from the Villa Bonita Station. This is essentially a bus stop on the side of the highway near a gas station named Villa Bonita. It is a common spot for travellers to grab the bus when out by the airport. It is listed as a stop for buses headed to Monteverde but if it is full there is a chance it may not stop. You can book tickets online here: transmonteverde.com
Monteverde to Puntarenas
The bus leaves for Puntarenas at 4:20am, 5:30am (except Sunday!), 3pm. See schedule photo below. The 5:30am bus isn’t in the photo of the schedule, but two travellers have confirmed it exists. (see comments) and we have had confirmation that the 6am bus still exists too.
You will arrive at the main Puntarenas bus terminal. The trip takes about 3hrs and costs about 1590₡.
If you are headed to Santa Teresa or Montezuma, we are told you can arrive at the ferry in time if you take the 5:30am bus! (see comments below). This may not be the case in the busiest months when buses take longer.
Puntarenas to Monteverde: 8am, 1:30pm and 2:10pm.
Monteverde to La Fortuna/Arenal
This may be the coolest way to go: Monteverde to Arenal – by horseback! Check out this unique and awesome looking way of going between these two mountain paradises. A half day adventure that may even be quicker than taking the bus!
Thinking of going to La Fortuna/Arenal after Monteverde? You can take a shuttle from here that will get you there in 3hrs for $25. It goes something like this: 4×4 Jeep – boat – 4×4 Jeep. Normally we don’t promote shuttles since this is a BUS travel site – but it is an option since the local bus is quite long. The full trip is about 9hrs by bus.
via Tilarán
Should you chose the local bus route you can catch one to Tilarán at 5am, 7am, 12:10pm or 4pm (TilaránTransportes 2695-5998.) . The cost as of Dec 2018 is 1300₡. The trip takes about 2hrs and 15min. The bus stop last time we were there was in front of the Farmacia Vitosi, which is across from the main Tourist center. See photos below for the location to wait for the bus. Then from Tilarán you will take another with bus to La Fortuna which will take about 2hrs. We have had one traveller report that she took a bus at 3:30pm (Dec 2018) and it cost 2975₡
Via La Irma
A lot of travellers use La Irma as a mid point to get switch directions when coming/going from Monteverde to places like Nosara, Samara, Tamarindo, etc. There is a photo of the schedule below, the bus passes at 10am and 3pm. There is a covered stop there on the side of the highway where you can wait. We have had reports from travellers that they didn’t put luggage under the bus, they had to carry it on. Let us know your experience below.
Coming from San Juan del Sur?
Check out our route page for this trip. We have two great travel blogger experiences to help guide you step by step on this trip! San Juan del Sur to Monteverde
Going to Playa del Coco?
Have a read through the comments, one couple gave a step by step.
Tours
There is so much to do in this area that it can be hard to choose! Have a look at Gecko Trail tour options for some inspiration.
Cloud Forest
Headed to the cloud forest? Check out this blog post by the legendary Costa Rica travel duo at Mytanfeet: Which Monteverde Cloud Forest Should You Visit. Want someone to show you the way? Check out a Gecko Trail guided tour of the Cloud forest.
The bus goes back and forth a few times a day and costs 600₡. Here are the times (May 2017):
Santa Elena to Monteverde
6:15am, 7:30am, 9:30am (only high season), 1:20pm, 3pm
Monteverde to Santa Elena
6am, 8:30am (only high season), 11am, 2pm, 4pm
Santa Teresa to Monteverde
This trip is easy and saves you a bunch of money. Have a look at the route here: Santa Teresa to Monteverde.
Help your fellow traveller
If you have taken any of the buses on this page, please drop us a comment below about how the trip went, what time you left, how long it took and what it cost. And, definitely let us know if we have anything wrong.
Lets help each other in our travels!
Hi there – this information was very helpful before we took the bus from San Jose to Santa Elena. Here is our summary of he trip from yesterday (15 June).
We flew into San Jose in the morning landed at 9.30 and were out by 10.30. We caught an orange taxi (registered airport taxi) and it cost C 17000 to get to 7-10 Terminal. I tried to book ahead on the transmonteverde website but it wasn’t working. We simply went to level 2 in 7-10 and purchased our tickets, cost was C 2945 each I think. 7-10 is a great place to chill and wait for the bus level 3 had heaps of space and views over San Jose. The bus itself left on time just after 2.30pm and we arrived in Santa Elena at 7.20pm including one short stop. We were very glad that we booked our tickets early as the bus was chockablock, about 15 people were standing in the isle the whole way. I can’t comment on whether we stopped at bus stop close to the airport. I don’t think we did, but maybe that is because no one had booked a ticket with that bus stop. Cheers and hopefully this helps.
Thanks, Micheal! Great info.
The schedule for the bus going from monte verde from San Jose has been recently updated to 7am and 2:30pm everyday (ie 6:30am bus got moved to 7am). However this is not reflected on the 7-10 bus terminal website. The price for this bus is 2,945 colones.
Also anyone know how long they journey from Monteverde to Santa Teresa is by public transport?
Going to Monteverde from San Jose***** oh dear.
Hi,
I left Montezuma today and can confirm that there is a 5.30 am and a 6 am Bus. The price is still 1500c to Puntarenas and 500c to Lagartos the crossing at the highway if you want to go north. Expect them to still ask for the full price or getting charged crazily if you travel with a surfboard (3000c to Lagartos) and they refuse you to enter the bus if you dont pay. I didnt have the problem on my way to Monteverde and only paid 1500c from Puntarenas.
Regards Piet
Thanks, Piet! Really high surfboard fees make me crazy in Costa Rica – since often you can pay more for your board than you do for your seat! I now ask for a receipt each time but nobody will ever give me one.
Hi there. We are 3 people in Montezuma going to Santa Elena next. We are planning on leaving Montezuma very early to take the 530 am ferry to puntarenas to catch the 815 bus to Santa Elena to avoid travelling for so long during the day. I’m wondering if there is another option I’m missing that wont involve us having to wake up so early. Also staying a night in santa Teresa is an option for us. Thank you for your great tips on this blog! They have been helpful so far in the travels
Montezuma to Santa Elena is a long trip! So no matter what bus you take its a long day. You don’t need to be on the 5:30am ferry if you want to sleep in. You just need to get on the 9am ferry sailing so you can get the 1:15pm bus to Monteverde. You have two bus options from Montezuma. You can take the Transportes Cobano bus leaving from Montezuma to Puntarenas. Its a nicer bus but you have to pay the full fare all the way to San Jose even if you get off in Puntarenas. Or you can take the local bus to Cobano then Cobano to Paquera then get on the ferry. It will save you a bit to do this, check out this page for more info on prices https://centrocoasting.com/costarica/montezuma/ You will end up in Puntarenas a bit early if you take the 9am ferry so you can get to the bus station and have some lunch before getting on the bus to Monteverde/Santa Elena. You can try doing the 11am ferry but I think its nicer not to rush and get to Puntarenas with enough time to eat and use the toilet and relax before another long bus trip. Here is a bit of route info: https://centrocoasting.com/routes/santa-teresa-to-monteverde/
Do you know if the construction on 606 has effected any bus routes/times?
Hi Kelly, I believe the construction is interrupting traffic and they are allowing vehicles to pass at different points in the day. However, I don’t know if this will affect the bus’ ability to get there. The Transmonteverde website is still selling tickets for two buses per day and so my assumption is that they will time it to let the bus through. You could Transmonteverde and ask https://www.transmonteverde.com/
I go to Tilaran from Santa Elena often. I always have a coffee at the coffee shop next door to Vitosi and wait for the noon bus. I don’t know anything abut any earlier bus at all. There is one later in the afternoon.
Thanks, Mary!!
Hey!
Wanted to check the times for the bus from Monteverde to Punta Arenas is 4:30am or 3:00pm? My spanish isnt the best but i believe that is what the first picture says?
Hoping to make it as close to Dominical as possible in 1 day, leaving from Tilaran on the 8:30am-Monteverde first.
Thanks!
Hi James, I never realized that sign isn’t super clear. It’s 4:20 and 3pm. There is also one at 5:30am that takes a different route but also goes to Puntarenas. It says 6am via Sardinal but I believe that was changed to 5:30am. If you are in Monteverde I would buy your ticket in advance or get there early. My last experience in busy season had a very full bus!
Santa Elena to Arenal (not La Fortuna)
This one is too easy!
7am Santa Elena to Tilarán (leaves from outside the Tourist information)
10am Tilarán to Arenal
Arrive in Arenal around 11am.
We can’t remember the exact price but we think the whole journey was around $7 dollars.
There isn’t a shuttle from Monteverde to Arenal, the shuttle only goes to La Fortuna (even though it has to pass Arenal to get to La Fortuna). We were quoted $250 dollars!!!
Thanks again, Kate! I am happy to hear that this trip was so easy for you! That is a crazy shuttle price quote!
It’s really crazy. But people charge it. I go to Tilaran by bus and stay the night then at 6:00 the next morning I take a shuttle all the way to the border and back for $50.
Just to say we’re in Santa Elena now and have discovered that the 5.30am bus to Puntarenas does exist but doesn’t run on Sundays.
Thank you so much for this update Sam! Sorry if you had been there for 5:30am. We just got reports from two travellers that this new bus time exists but I guess they did not travel on Sunday. I have updated the info above.
No worries, luckily our hotel let us know so we were not waiting around! So you know, the 6am bus got us to Puntarenas in time for the 9am ferry. It was a little tight as we had to clear the road of a fallen tree en route from Santa Elena but should normally be fine. Police met the bus in Puntarenas and were very helpful finding taxis and explaining the cost so travellers weren’t ripped off. They seemed concerned for tourist safety and to be honest Puntarenas didn’t seem somewhere I’d want to hang around on my own! Also worth noting that the buses meeting the ferry/connecting to Santa Teresa at Cobano all wait for each other so don’t worry if your bus is running quite late, your connection will still be there. Thanks for the amazing resource – travelling Costa Rica has been so easy with the info from your site.