Tamarindo is one area where the bus schedules are totally loco! We do our best to keep this page updated as much as possible with the constantly changing schedules! Please, leave us a comment if the times are correct/incorrect so we can make sure we are as up-to-date as possible. Thank you!
There are 3 different bus companies that provide service to Tamarindo.
1) Transportes La Pampa – goes back and forth to Liberia Municipal Station. These buses leave from in front of the Plaza. See map and photos below.
2) Empresa Alfaro – which goes back and forth to the Terminal 7-10 in San José. This bus leaves from Calle Cruz see map and photos.
3) Tralapa – which goes back and forth to the Terminal Tralapa in San José . This bus leaves from in front of the Plaza. See map and photos.
To and from Liberia
Transportes La Pampa: From the Liberia Municipal Station
Purchase your ticket to Tamarindo from the ticket window at the Liberia Terminal de buses Municipal. And from the driver if you are leaving Tamarindo. As of January 2018 the trip to costs 1400₡ and takes about 2.5hrs depending on time of day. We asked the ticket vender to write out the schedule and it is in the photos below (May 2017)
Liberia to Tamarindo: 3:50am, 4:30am, 5:15am , 6:10am*, 7:10am, 8:10am, 10:10am*(only Sat+Sun), 11:10am*, 1:10pm, 2:10pm, 4:10pm, 5:10pm, 6:10pm*. Both ways.
*longer route through Flamingo, Brasilito, Matapalo (~3hrs).
Tamarindo to Liberia: 3:30am, 4:30am, 5:45am, 7:30am, 9am, 10am, 11:30, 1pm, 2:15pm, 4:15pm, 5pm. Likely also 6:30pm but we will confirm soon.
Liberia Airport to Tamarindo
Normally the bus going both to and from Tamarindo will pass right in front of the airport. However, we have had reports of the bus not making the detour off the main highway to the airport doors. The distance from the highway to the airport doors is about 2km. This is one of the annoying inconsistencies in the CR bus service! If you are headed to the airport make sure you ask the driver if he is going to the airport.
If you are coming from Tamarindo it takes about 2hrs to get to the airport and if you are coming from Liberia it will pass about 20 minutes after the scheduled time above.
To and from San José
Empresa Alfaro: to and from the 7-10 Terminal San José
From San José to Tamarindo buses leave at 11:30am and 3:30pm.
From Tamarindo to San José buses leave at 3:30am (via Liberia) and 5:30am (via Puente la Amistad) and on Sundays there is an extra bus at 1pm (via Liberia).
This bus costs 5700₡ as of Feb 2019 and takes about 6hrs. The bus via Puente La Amistad is about 1/2 hr faster. It leaves from Calle Cruz see map and photos. Have a look at the Terminal 7-10 to see where you end up. Not a bad idea to get your ticket at least one day before. However if it is full you will likely be allowed to stand.
Tralapa: to and from the Tralapa Terminal San José
From San José to Tamarindo buses go at 7am and 4pm. From Tamarindo to San José buses go at 7:30am and 2pm. Both through Liberia. Price as of February 2018 is 5500₡ and the trip takes 6 – 6.5hrs. This bus leaves from in front of the Plaza. See map and photos. Tickets can be purchased beforehand at the small soda in front of Hotel Portofino, diagonal from the plaza. Your ticket can also be purchased from the bus driver at pickup. Not a bad idea to get your ticket at least one day before. However if it is full you will likely be allowed to stand. Check out where you end up in San José: Terminal Tralapa.
Tamarindo to Monteverde
Here is our latest traveller advice for this trip, Feb 2019: “We took the 5.30am Bus to San Jose (ca. 5700 Colones) leaving Tamarindo from the Plaza and a few other stops in Tamarindo. We got off the Bus at the Gas Station where it goes to Sardinal at 8.45am (Road 606). Then we waited for the Bus that was coming from San Jose (it leaves SJ at 5.30am and goes directly to Monteverde). We got the Bus at around 9.10am (it was 3000 Colones) and it took another 1.5h to Monteverde. Arrived there at 10.45am. Ca. 8700C and 5h15min.” (Feb 2019)
Check the comments below for how to get from Monteverde.
Fun stuff to do
If you want to get to know the area around Tamarindo in a more intimate setting, check out the Mangrove and Estuary boat tour for close up views of wildlife and local surrounding wetlands.
If you are still planning for your upcoming trip, I am told this Trip Planner from Gecko Trail is quite useful to help you prioritize where you want to spend your time! Gecko Trail is a ICT certified Travel Agency that has great core values and gives back to the community. So much to see and do in this beautiful country!
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!
Monteverde to Tamarindo by bus — June 2018.
6am bus from bus station. Tell the bus driver “Monteverde” and he’ll drop you off at another pick-up point 2 hours later. Wait on the corner in the open and the bus to Liberia passes once an hour. Flag it down. Ours came after about 10 minutes. DO NOT walk down the road and over the bridge. It’s apparently dangerous and the bus didn’t stop anywhere else along the road — only on the corner we were dropped on.
1.5 hours later, you’ll arrive in Liberia. Our driver dropped us on the street and we had to walk for a few blocks to a bus station (Avenida 7/Calle 12 corner). It’s marked on Maps.me as “Bus to Nicaragua Border”. Buy ticket at ticket counter. The bus departs at 10:10am and takes two hours to get to Tamarindo. We arrived around 12:30pm.
Overall it took 6 hours and cost around $9. Well worth it compared to a $45 shuttle.
To get to San Jose from there, you can get a direct bus that also takes 6 hours. It leaves at 7am and 2pm. It drops you 300metres from Stray Cat hostel.
Thanks, Daniel!
I took the bus from Playa Flamingo to Liberia this morning, which is on the route from Tamarindo to Liberia. According to the bus schedule at the “bus station” in Playa Flamingo (it’s just a roundabout for the bus to turn around) there are only three La Pampa buses from Tamarindo that go through Playa Flamingo, Brasilito, and Matapalo every day. Based on the times they leave PF, the buses would likely be those leaving from Tamarindo at 4:30am, 11:30am, and either 2:15pm or 4:15pm as there’s a discrepancy between the sign in PF and when the buses currently leave Tamarindo. Thankfully, we were waiting in front of the Super Masaii grocery along the bus route, because the bus passed us heading to the turnaround at noon. After it turned around, we hopped on at around 12:15pm, and about 15 minutes before the posted sign. Also, the bus driver charged us 1400 colones each, which is higher than the posted amount.
Does anybody know if this is still the schedule for La Pampa going from Playa Flamingo to Liberia? Three buses/day at approx the times Jeremy listed coming from tamarindo? Also, I’m in Brasilito. If I’m waiting at the bus stop here, will La Pampa stop, or will I have to do some crazy antics to flag them down or should I just get my butt to Flamingo?
Hi Rachel, let us know how the trip went and if Jeremy’s info is still accurate.
Thanks for all the info on this site!
To update your info — I left Tamarindo today on the 2pm Tralapa bus that picks up at The Plaza. The ticket to San Jose cost c5500 and can be purchased beforehand at the small soda in front of Hotel Portofino, diagonal from the plaza. Your ticket can also be purchased from the bus driver at pickup. We went through Liberia and stopped at a restaurant at around the 3.5 hour mark for a bathroom / food break. We stopped at the airport at 8pm and arrived at the San Jose downtown Tralapa Terminal in Barrio Mexico at 830pm, so a 6.5 hour total travel time.
Hope this helps somebody 😊 -A
Thanks, A! This definitely helps everyone. Tamarindo is always changing so updates like yours are super helpful.
I took the bus from Liberia to Tamarindo today. The price was 1400C and took 2.5hrs
Hi, Ingunn! Thanks for the info.
Just wanted to let everyone know that as of 9/15/17 the 7:30am Tralapa bus still goes to San Jose stopping in Liberia (but not the bus station right along the highway). The bus is still picked up in front of the Plaza and tickets are purchased from the driver. We got off in San Ramon and the stop was right along highway one it didn’t go downtown or by the mall. We arrived in San Ramon at 12:15pm. The bus was continuing on to continuing on to San Jose.
BTW – The info on CentroCoasting was accurate, http://www.horariodebuses.com was not accurate.
Thank you, Ian!! We really appreciate you confirming some of this information. Tamarindo is a place that constantly has changing schedules. I am positive this will be very useful to your fellow travellers. Have a great day!
Hello,
I just moved to Reserva conchal. I saw there is a bus station in front of main gate and I would love to know how (what is the number of bus and schedule) can I get to Tamarindo from here?
Thank you very much!
Hi Petra! This is a good question. There are some buses that go back and forth from Liberia to Tamarindo and pass through Brasilito along the way. There are just 3 per day. If you have a look at this page https://centrocoasting.com/costarica/liberia-municipal/ you’ll see the schedule for these buses. This area of Costa Rica constantly has changes to schedules so there could be some slight changes but it should be correct or close to correct. I would recommend waiting for the bus to Tamarindo to pass through. The alternative is to get any bus headed to Huacas (if there is one – last time I was there I wasn’t aware of any regular service from where you are to Huacas but the area is constantly evolving, so you never know!) If you find one, get off in Huacas and wait for one of the buses to Tamarindo to pass. Or Taxi to Huacas and wait is another option. Have a great trip and let us know how it goes!
My travel plan is to take a bhs from Tamarindo to SJO airport. Do the buses stop at airport prior to their final bus terminals ?
Hi Dirk, all buses to San Jose *should* pass the airport. Make sure you confirm this with the driver when you get on the bus. Costa Rica is unpredictable with buses at times! You could go to the Alfaro ticket window and ask the seller directly if the bus is still passing the airport. Let us know how it goes.
Does anyone know if these busses run on Christmas day? I’d be getting in 10am Christmas day into SJO.
Hi Adam! I am not sure at this time if the bus schedule will change at all. If you have a hotel booked I would check with them closer to the date. I am hesitant to even ask the bus company since things change so often in Costa Rica. Best to check on this closer to the time.