Group Shuttle from San Jose to Arenal (La Fortuna)

Travel Safely and Efficiently From San Jose to La Fortuna

Our Shared Shuttle, also called Group Shuttle, is an affordable transportation service that takes you from your lodging in San Jose or the SJO Airport to your accommodation in Arenal or La Fortuna while sharing the cost with other travelers.

San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle Duration

San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle takes between 3.5 and 4 hours. 

Your shuttle will pick up you and other fellow travelers from hotels in San Jose, and you will go on a 4-hour ride to your destination in Arenal or La Fortuna. 

This duration includes a 20-minute stop approximately halfway through, so you can stretch, grab a snack or use the restrooms. 

Whether you are coming from San Jose or the SJO Airport, the San Jose to La Fortuna shared shuttle will work for you. However, if traveling directly from the SJO Airport, you should consider our departure times, the trip duration, and when your flight arrives. 

For example, if you have a flight that arrives at SJO Airport at 2 PM, then the 2PM shared shuttle will not work for you because it will depart from the airport around 3 PM. And you will probably need more than an hour to go through customs and check out from the airport. And our shared shuttle is a group service, so we need to depart on time to avoid affecting the rest of our customers.

If this is your situation, there are two things you can do. You can spend your first night near the airport, and you take the next morning’s shared shuttle to La Fortuna. 

Alternatively, you can hire a Private Shuttle (find details on this service at the bottom of this page) instead of a Group Shared Shuttle, in which case the service is all yours and we can arrange your pickup time based on your flight arrival time. Then, your private driver will monitor your flight and be ready to pick you up at you depart the airport. 

San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle Departure Times

The San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle runs twice a day, with the first one departing from San Jose city at 7 AM and passing by the SJO Airport at around 8 AM*. The second Shuttle leaves San Jose city at 2 PM and passing by the SJO Airport at around 3 PM*. 

As mentioned above, the San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle is a door-to-door transportation service, so we will pick you up directly at your accommodation as long as they are within a reasonable distance inside the San Jose perimeter. 

*Note: The precise pickup time at your location will depend on the number of travelers we need to bring on board from other hotels nearby, and that is why we provide a range of pickup times instead of a specific time. 

After you book online, we will send you an instant confirmation email. Then, we will send you a follow-up notification email indicating a more specific pickup time at your location once we’ve organized the logistics for that day. You will get that follow-up notification at least 12 hours before your pickup time. 

Our driver will do his best to be at your location at your assigned pickup time when the day comes. However, given the nature and unpredictable traffic conditions, we might get there earlier or later. Therefore, we recommend you’re ready and outside* at least 10 minutes before your assigned pickup time. 

*Note: Some accommodations allow our drivers to come in, whereas others will restrict access. Therefore, we recommend you speak to your accommodation’s receptionist or host and ask where shared shuttles typically pick up their customers. 

If we are late, we will try to get in touch with you. However, sometimes, our driver might need a signal to call our offices, and we might need to know whether he’s late. Therefore, we won’t be able to let you know. Thus, we recommend that you keep your confirmation email handy, which has the contact information for our office (office number, WhatsApp contact, and email address) so that you can get in touch if it’s been more than 10 minutes and we haven’t picked you up. 

San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle Arrival Times

The San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle arrives at Arenal and La Fortuna twice daily, with the first shuttle arriving at La Fortuna around 11 AM and at Arenal at 11:30 AM, and the second at around 6 PM at La Fortuna and 6:30 PM at Arenal. 

As mentioned above, the San Jose to La Fortuna Shuttle is a door-to-door transportation service. We will drop you off at your accommodation as long as they are within a reasonable distance between La Fortuna and Arenal’s perimeter.

San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle Pickup at Airbnbs

Airbnb is technically illegal in Costa Rica. Therefore, we can only pick up at most Airbnb accommodations if they’re close to a Hotel or Restaurant. Please keep this in mind when you make your online reservation and use Google Maps to identify a nearby Google landmark you can use as the pickup place on your online reservation form.  

San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle Dropoff at Airbnbs

As explained above, Shared Shuttles typically can’t drop off our customers at Airbnb accommodations, so if you’re staying in an Airbnb, please assign a Google Landmark of a Hotel or Restaurant close to your Airbnb. 

San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle Prices

The San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle offers an affordable transportation solution for travelers heading from San Jose and the SJO Airport to La Fortuna and Arenal.

The price for the San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle generally starts at $49 for kids under 12 years old and $67 for adults. However, these figures only provide an idea of the price range, but the prices may vary based on factors such as the date of travel or the availability of seats. To see availability and prices for a specific date, please click “BOOK NOW” and choose your date from the calendar. 

What the Shared Shuttle Ticket Price Includes

Your ticket includes a one-way ride, a piece of luggage, and a carry-on. Your carry-on will travel inside the shuttle, while your luggage will be in the shuttle’s designated area for luggage. 

Extra items: For additional luggage or a surfboard (up to 6 feet long max), the extra charge is $20 apiece. You must use the “comments” section on your online reservation form if you have to carry one of these items. Describe what kind of these items you have and how many, and we will automatically charge your card on file for the extra fee. 

San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle Capacity

The San Jose to La Fortuna Shared Shuttle has a limited capacity depending on the shuttle seize. We have small shuttles that fit up to six passengers, medium-seized that fit up to ten, and large that fit up to eighteen. 

Even though we typically have multiple shuttles running daily, we require that you make reservations as far in advance as possible because we tend to sell out, especially during summertime, from December through April. Thus it’s vitally important that you book ahead. We have a flexible cancelation policy, so there is no risk to you (learn more about it below). 

We typically sell out one or two days in advance. If you’re trying to book for today or tomorrow and you see a “lock” symbol on the calendar, it means we’re selling out, but you may call us to check availability. If we can accommodate you, we will ask for your email to send you a payment link. Once you make the payment, we will confirm your reservation. The link will expire in 10 minutes, and we will hold your spots during that time so that you can pay. After the 10 minutes pass, we will cancel the link and allow booking those last seats to someone else.

On the other hand, if you see our calendar greyed out for a given day, we’re full and can’t accommodate you. Even though we could add more seats to our vans, we prefer to travel with the correct number of customers as we prioritize their comfort and safety. 

Why Book Your Shared Shuttle with us? 

We’re aware that some of our competitors charge less for this trip. However, we take pride in giving more value to our services. For example, we use modern vans equipped with WiFi, A/C, comfortable seats, and more. 

Modern Vans, Equipped with WiFi, A/C, and Enough Room

We offer modern Vans equipped with WiFi and A/C. And we removed some of the seats that came with the van when we bought it to ensure passengers have enough room to travel comfortably. 

Our competitors typically use smaller vans at total capacity driving more profits at the expense of travelers’ comfort. They might charge you a bit less, but at what cost? 

Easy Online Reservation with Instant Confirmation 

Some of our competitors use tricks to make customers pay more. For example, they will ask you to pay cash to the driver when he picks you up. And when they arrive, they ask for more money, or they won’t take you. 

We discourage and disapprove of that behavior. And that’s why we have a simple online reservation system where you can safely book your seat and get instant confirmation, which will relieve you, knowing that the price is transparent and that your reservation is all set. 

Pay Online Using a Debit or Credit Card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay

Another reason some of our competitors ask you to pay in cash is to avoid their due diligence with our government, which has no way to tax those transactions. “Paper money” leaves no tracks, so there is no traceability to hold those accountable for paying the taxes they’re avoiding. 

We absolutely, categorically disapprove of that approach. On the contrary, we’re in line with all due taxes to help support our government to create a better country for our descendants and a better destination for future generations of travelers. That’s why we don’t take cash, only online payments, which the tax offices regulate. 

Online payments also give you convenience. You will also be safer since it’s generally a bad idea to be a foreigner walking around the streets with cash in their pockets. Sure, you might save some money, but at what cost? Leave your cash to tip tour guides, drivers, and waitpeople. 

Furthermore, if you’re hoping to contact us to get a better deal by “paying cash,” please save yourself some time and don’t bother. We want to work with you on something other than those terms. It’s about values and integrity. 

FREE 24-Hour Cancelation

We know that things get in the way, and sometimes our travel plans need to change. And that’s why we offer a flexible, 24-hour cancelation policy so that you can book ahead, knowing you can cancel later without a penalty. 

As long as you cancel on time (24 hours before your travel date*), you can quickly go back to your email confirmation and cancel directly from there without having to speak to anyone or give any explanations. Click on the “Cancel this booking” on time, and you will automatically get a full refund. 

*Example: If your travel date is on February 28 at 8 AM, you should cancel before February 27 at 0:00 AM.