Juan Santamaria International Airport is located 11 miles of San Jose, which is the capital and one of the most developed cities of Costa Rica. The transportation alternatives that you can use to get to the airport from the city center are bus, taxi, car rental and shuttles of the tour operators. Taxis are among the best options that you can prefer since they offer transportation service without any destination or time limitation. Passengers who want to travel for more affordable fares can benefit from the buses that carry passengers to Juan Santamaria International Airport from morning hours to evening hours. You can also benefit from the car rental alternative for travelling from the city center to the airport. You can also use the car you have rented for travelling in and around the city. It is possible to find many car rental offices in the center and at the airport. However, if you need to travel during the crowded seasons, you can make a reservation before your travel by getting in contact with one of the car rental companies in order not to have trouble in finding a car.

Bus

The buses operating between San Jose city center and Juan Santamaria International Airport are the most economical vehicles you can use for your transportation to the airport. The buses depart near the Nuestra Señora de La Merced Catholic Church in the center. Buses start operating at early hours and after midnight you cannot be able to find a bus. For this reason, if you need to travel to the airport from the city center at a late hour, you can prefer getting on a taxi or renting a car in advance. If the place you are staying in is close to the bus stop in the city center and you need to travel in the daytime, you can choose the bus option which is nearly as fast as taxis and have a chance to travel for a much more affordable cost. You can buy your bus ticket when you come to the stop and continue your travel directly to the airport. If you need to get to the airport from one of the beaches located in the regions like Puntarenas and Guanacaste, you can get on one of the buses carrying passengers on these routes. Traveling to the airport from San Jose city center lasts about 35-40 minutes. The travel from the other points near the center varies between 20-40 minutes depending on their proximity to the airport.

Taxi

Taxis, which you can easily find at many points of San Jose city center, are among the fastest alternatives that you can benefit from when travelling to the airport. The distance between the city center and airport is about 11 miles and at the end of this distance the taxi fares don’t increase much. If your hotel is located in the center, you can ask your hotel to call a taxi for you or you can get on one of the passing taxis. One of the biggest advantages of taxis is that you have a chance to find a taxi anywhere and anytime you want without any limitation. If you need to travel to Juan Santamaria Airport from a location that is far from the center and airport, you can still use the taxi option but you should keep in mind that the fare you will pay will be higher depending on the distance. In this case, you can evaluate other transportation alternatives such as the shuttles of tour operators or you can bargain with the driver on the fare before getting on the taxi and travel to the airport comfortably without paying too much.

Car Rental

In the center, many international car rental companies such as Alamo, Hertz, Budget and Enterprise or alternative companies such as Solid, Apex, Nu and Payless offer car rental service for the passengers who want to travel to the airport in a comfortable way. After renting your car in the city center, you can reach the airport terminal in about 20-30 minutes by following the airport direction signs. You can deliver your car at the airport by preferring a car rental company which has also an office at the airport. In addition, you can get in contact with one of the companies in advance and learn whether you can deliver the car at the airport or not. If you want to rent a car in the city, you will need certain documents such as a driver’s license valid in the country and passport. While renting a car, you should bring these documents with you. After renting your car, you can take a city map with you in order to find your way more easily.

Tour Operator Shuttle

In the city, the companies such as Interbus and Gray Line Airport Express offer a different transportation alternative for the transportation to the airport from the city center. Travelling with the shuttles of tour operators is ideal and affordable for crowded groups and those travelling for business purpose. The fares of these shuttles can vary depending on the distance and the number of passengers. If you want to take advantage of these shuttles, you should get in contact with one of the companies in advance and make a reservation. As you can use these shuttles for travelling to the airport from the city center, you can also use them for travelling to different regions of Costa Rica or other countries.

Airport Information

Juan Santamaria Airport which connects San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, with many different parts of the country and world, offers a great and comfortable atmosphere for its guests with shopping, eating and drinking opportunities as well as recreational areas. You can buy souvenirs by visiting Vida Pura located within the airport terminal or spend time by taking a glance at gift alternatives. Colibrí Craft Store, Green Trails, Casa Tica and Morpho Store Britt Shop Costa Rica are other options you can evaluate at the airport. Duty Free shops located in different parts of the airport are waiting for passengers who want to buy perfume, souvenir, alcoholic or non-alcoholic drink or chocolate for budget-friendly prices. If you want to have a snack before leaving the airport, you can visit Q Corner by Quiznos, Teriyaki Experience, Smashburger, Cinnabon or Quiznos to Go. If you have enough time and enjoy eating or drinking in a good place, you can prefer Bar 45° GastroPub, Malinche Restaurant or Café Lavazza. You can benefit from the free internet connection in many parts of the airport while waiting for your flight. If you need to make money transfer or perform any other banking transactions, you can find BAC San Jose, Bancredito, Global Exchange, Scotiabank, Citibank and ATH branches or ATMs at the airport terminal. The recreational areas and passenger lounges are among the areas where you can spend time on comfortable seats while waiting for your flight. If you need to park your car at Juan Santamaria Airport, you can use the parking area of the airport which has a capacity of 400 vehicles. The fees of this parking area which you can benefit from daily, weekly or monthly can vary depending on these periods.

The airport in Calipatria, located in the state of California in the United States of America, is in 2 kilometers north of the city center. The airport, which is very close to the city center, is not used for local and international flights.

If you want to go to Calipatria easily, you can fly to San Diego, one of the largest and most developed cities in the United States. San Diego is located near Calipatria.

After arriving at San Diego International Airport, you can reach Calipatria city center in about 4 hours by taking advantage of various transfer options such as tram, bus, and taxi.

Tram

Upon your arrival at San Diego International Airport, you can transfer directly to Washington Street station, where you can take the tram and reach the departure stops of the buses that will take you to the Calipatria. The ride to El Cajon station that takes about 45 minutes is both comfortable and economic with affordable prices. Once you get off the tram, you can continue your journey by bus, or you can go on your journey to Calipatria by taking a taxi directly, even if it is a much more costly alternative to the bus.

Bus

After arriving at San Diego Airport, you can reach Calipatria by taking bus and taxi transfer options. To do so, you should first take the El Centro bus at the airport. Once you arrive at El Centro, you should take a taxi to get to Calipatria. The journey by bus and taxi transfer will take approximately four hours in total.

Another alternative to reach Calipatria by bus is to take the tram first and then get off at El Cajon, the transfer point where you can take a bus to El Centro. The buses to El Centro will take you directly to the Calipatria area. So, you can find a taxi as soon as you get off the bus and you can reach the city center with a few transfers but cheaper.

Taxi

If you don't want to wait too long, you can take directly a taxi at San Diego International Airport to reach Calipatria in about 3 hours. However, traveling without bus or tram transfer could be extremely costly. Also, you can bargain with a taxi driver at the airport and so you can enjoy going to Calipatria by a less costly taxi ride. Please keep in mind that your journey to Calipatria will always be more expensive compared to bus or tram transfer on this route, even if you negotiate with the driver about the taxi fare in advance.

Rent a car

If you prefer a more comfortable and independent transfer option from the airport to Calipatria, you can rent a car in San Diego. Moreover, car rental and fuel charges in the country are quite reasonable. However, there is one thing that we can say car rental could be a disadvantageous option. After a long and tiring flight, you will need to drive about 3 hours from the airport to Calipatria. If you wish, you can take a break from driving and rest for a more comfortable ride. In this case, it may take a little longer for you to reach Calipatria.

Private Transfer Service

The passengers arriving at San Diego International Airport and heading to Calipatria can also choose to travel by private transfer services. Although it is not as much preferred as the bus and tram options, you can reach the city center in much less time and you can save at least one hour. The transfer services offer a comfortable and fast journey, but they are more costly compared to the bus and tram options. For this reason, it is hardly preferred by passengers who prefer more reasonable transfer alternatives. However, if you choose to travel to Calipatria by private transfer services after arriving at San Diego International Airport, you can make arrangements with a local tour company in advance, or get assistance in finding an affordable transfer service from the hotel you are going to stay.