Depending on where you want to go, there are two separate stations in Liberia. The Pulmitan de Liberia station is the one you want if you are heading to San Jose, Playa del Coco, Upala, Aguas Claras, La Juntas. Photos of the most current schedules can be found below.
If you are heading to Nicoya, Tamarindo, Playa Flamingo, Puntarenas or Peñas Blancas you need to head to the Municipal Station. Both stations are located within two blocks of each other, so relax, don’t stress, if you end up at the wrong one it is only about a 5 minute walk to the other.
If you have a bit of time to spend in Liberia, check the Santa Rosa National Park and Liberia city tour package with Gecko Trail.
It looks like the company has a new website: Groupos Caribeños – and they have added a schedule. Finally!
Liberia to San José
We were back here May 2017 to update everything. The photo of the schedule below is a bit hard to read so here it is:
3am, 3:25am (only Monday), 4am, 4am (Playa del Coco), 5am, 6am, 7am, 8am, 8am (Playa del Coco), 10am, 11am (only Monday), 12pm, 1pm (only Fri, Sat, Sun), 2pm (Playa del Coco), 3pm (Fri, Sat, Sun), 4pm, 5pm (Fri, Sat, Sun), 6pm, 8pm
The price is 4225₡ (Dec 2018). The trip takes about 4.5 hrs. Directo buses are about 1/2hr shorter. This bus should pass the SJO airport in Alajuela. But always double-check with the driver when you get on.
San José to Liberia
6am, 7am(directo), 8am (Playa del Coco), 9am, 10am, 11am, 12pm (directo), 1pm, 2pm (Playas del Coco), 3pm 4pm (Playa del Coco), 5pm (directo), 6pm, 8pm
The price is 4225₡ (Dec 2018). The trip takes about 4.5 hrs. Directo buses are about 1/2hr shorter. This bus should pass the SJO airport in Alajuela. But always double-check with the driver when you get on.
Liberia to Playa del Coco
Buses leave every half hour from 6am to 8pm both ways. The price as of May 2017 is 675₡ and the trip is about 1hr. This bus does not pass the Liberia Airport. Only buses leaving the Municipal station pass the airport.
Liberia to Aguas Claras
Photo of the schedule below.
Liberia to La Juntas
One per day at 2:15pm
Liberia to Upala
Two buses there and two back. To Upala they go at 12:30pm and 3:30pm and back they go at 5:45am and 7:45am.
San José to Playa del Coco
Three buses there and 3 buses back. 8am, 2pm and 4pm. Returning from Playa del Coco to San José at 4am, 8am and 2am. The price as of May 2017 is 4665₡. This bus should pass the SJO airport in Alajuela. But always double-check with the driver when you get on.
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!
I will arrive in Liberia by bus from San Jose and was wondering if there is any transportation service from there to the Riu Guanacaste.
Hi Rita, that looks like a hotel in Matapalo? There are some buses that leave the Liberia Municipal station for Matapalo. https://centrocoasting.com/costarica/liberia-municipal/ Usually only 2 per day. I would call the hotel to find out the updated schedule just in case there have been changes as a result of the storm. https://www.riu.com/en/hotel/costa-rica/guanacaste/hotel-riu-guanacaste/
Does anyone know what the bus schedule is like for Christmas Day (Dec. 25) and Dec. 26 from Liberia to San Jose? Do buses not operate at all or are there just fewer than normal? And is there a way to purchase tickets online?
Thanks so much!
Hi! Your best bet is to check closer to those dates. Bus schedules are never set in stone in Costa Rica and never certain this far in advance. There isn’t currently a way to buy tickets online for the Liberia to San Jose bus, but there are several each day. Once you’re here you can buy your ticket in advance when you get to Liberia and that way you can also know the schedule on that day.
Hi, it’s me again! 🙂
So happy you also offer advice on bus travel in Costa Rica after your site has been helpful for us in Nicaragua!
I would like to include a journey that is often neglected (despite it being easy and beautiful) and there is barely any info about it online.
Bijagua is a great place to stay for trips to Rio Celeste, but the info provided online for trips from Liberia to Bijagua mostly include a two-leg-trip via Cañas.
Today (July 17, 2017), we took the bus from Liberia to Bijagua directly.
The bus direction is Upala (so there’s another bus to Upala earlier than the ones you mentioned).
Just say you want to get off in Bijagua when you board the bus.
The bus left Pulmitan station at 12:30pm on time and took about an hour (the driver was racing ;)) to Bijagua. The trip costs 1860₡.
Disclaimer: We barely speak any Spanish and we mastered the route without any issues.
oh I almost forgot: please be beware that if you want to sit, make sure to arrive early enough to get in line. We only bought our tickets 15mins or so before departure and only got in line then, so we had to stand in the back of the bus. But at least it’s likely that your backpack will fit in the overhead storage (mine is 66L and fit).
Very cool, Anni! Thank you for this! And I’m super stoked that we get to help you in more both Nicaragua and Costa Rica! Just so I am clear, you too a bus at 12:30pm heading Direct to Upala and got off in Bijagua? Did the bus say Upala on it? Just checking so I know if I should add it to the Upala section above. I really appreciate you taking the time to add some info to this page and great job mastering your first buses in Costa Rica. Also, since we have been helpful, would you consider rating us on Facebook? 🙂 https://www.facebook.com/centrocoasting/
Of course, will do so later!
Yes, the bus is directly going to Upala and had it written on it. We just had to tell that we’d like to get off in Bijagua.
Holà ! Quiero tomar mi bicicleta en el bus de Liberia a San José, esta possible ? Tengo de pagar por la bicicleta ? Gracias
Pura vida
Hola Brian, no sé si este es posible. Tendría que preguntar a la empressa de autobús. Creo que dependerá de si hay espacio debajo del autobús. Este es el número en la página de Facebook. 22220610.
Hi, I’m looking to see if there’s a time estimate of trip duration between Liberia and Aguas Claras. Thank you!
Hi LaGringaTica! I don’t have a duration for this one but I would think between 2 and 3hrs. There are several Aguas Claras in Costa Rica and this one is the one closest to Liberia. Have a great trip!
Hola aque hora es el primer bus para liberia
Please consider adding a “English translation” link for the comments section. Thank you!
Thanks Joanne, I will look into that. I think this may be one of the only pages with Spanish comments! Is there anything I can help with?
Estimados:
Buenos dias, una consulta.
Deseo saber que tiempo dura el viaje desde Liberia a San Jose; cuales son los horaios y cual es el precio en dolares.
Se puede comprar los pasajes con anticipacion??.
Gracias su atencion.
Hola Cesar, el precio en 2016 fue 2900 colones. Y este es mas o menos $5 in USD. El viaje es aproximadamente 4.5hrs. Y tal vez mas ahorita porque hay construcion con una puento en la cuidad. Hay un photo de el horario arriba. Y, yo creo que puedes comprar un boleto del estacion antes, pero yo nuca pruebo. Bien viaje!
Yo puedo comprar mi tiquete anticipado, para viajar a cualquiera de los destinos que ustedes tiene y abordar el bus de camino para no desplazarme a las presas de San José
Yo he nunca comprado un boleto antes de viajando. Pero pienso puedes comprar de la estacion. Este sitio web es independiente y no está conectado a la empresa. Puedes llamar la empresa +506 2222 0610