The Terminal MEPE was once called the San Carlos. If you are reading travel blogs or travel tips on other websites that mention the San Carlos station then there is a chance your bus leaves from either here or from the larger Terminal 7-10, which is quite close (see maps).
This Terminal finally has it’s own website with schedule and prices! Have a look here to double check prices and times MEPE Website.
San José to Puerto Viejo and Sixaola
From here you can find the bus to Puerto Viejo and on to the Panama border (Sixaola) leaving at 6am, 8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm 6pm. Buses fill up fast in the busy season and it’s not a bad idea to go to the station at least the day before to purchase your tickets if you want to be guaranteed a seat. To Puerto Viejo it takes 4.5hrs and costs ¢5960(Feb 2019) . To Sixaola it takes 5.5hrs and costs ¢7310 (Feb 2019).
San José to Puerto Jiménez
The bus to Puerto Jiménez leaves from here twice per day at 8am and 12pm and costs ¢7600 and takes 8hrs. We are told that some of the buses have a/c but usually only the one at 8am.
International bus to Nicaragua
Nice high quality buses with the company Central Line leave out of this station. Check the photos below. Central Line provides a similar kind of service you would get with Tica Bus and TransNica and for a similar kind of price. You can now book your tickets online in advance with a company called La Terminal. Here is their website: laterminalcostarica.com. You can book all the way to Managua or stop along the way.
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!
Salidas de San José
06:00 a.m. Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Bribri y Sixaola.
10:00 a.m. Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Bribri y Sixaola.
02:00 p.m. Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Bribri y Sixaola.
03:45 p.m. Solo Valle La Estrella.
04:00 p.m. Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Bribri y Sixaola
Se puede pagar con tarjeta de credito? Muchas gracias
Hey, this is a great site? Does anyone know if there is WIFI to call an Uber in MEPE terminal in San Jose? Thank you so much.
Thanks! I do not believe there is WIFI at this terminal. It has been a few months since I have been there and so this could have changed.
Price from Puerto Viejo to San Jose is different, only cost us ¢5960 today 🙂
Price of bus San Jose – Puerto Viejo in July 2018 is 7230 colones.
Price of bus San Jose – Puerto Viejo in June 2018 is 5785 colones. Many homeless and sketchy looking people around the terminal
Thanks, I updated that price. And yes, not a nice area of town to be in at night.
We took the bus to Puerto Viejo today. Price to puerto viejo is 6065 colones (11th of July)
The bus to Puerto Viejo is $5590 colones – Feb. 2018.
Thank you for the update, Jamie!
This is amazing! Thank you thank you thank you!