Driving from the airport
Driving from San Jose/ Airport: (Note: People arriving in Costa Rica are generally accustomed to driving 60+ miles and hour. Keep in
mind that the roads here are NOT built for that speed and with the fact that they are mountain roads that snake through the
countryside so don't drive at night and be careful. If you look at the map, the road to Turrialba seems like a quiet two lane back road, it is not. There are big
trucks and buses that use the road all day long. Also do not be frightened if you should see a bus passing a truck on "your" side of
the road, just slow down a little and give them room. Remember they are bigger than you and flying off the road into the coffee
plantations isn't the best way to enjoy your vacation.) Driving: from San Jose/ Airport. Upon leaving the airport follow the road signs
to "San Jose Centro". The highway will "end" and then you will be in the city. From there on follow signs East to Cartago, at this point the
number of road signs will diminish if not disappear all together. Don't worry! Follow the flow of traffic throught the heavily populated
areas and eventually you will get to the "on" ramps for the highway again. Continue towards Cartago, going East, pay the toll (75
colones), go up and then down a big hill follow the traffic veering to the right. This is the outer loop around the city of Cartago; at this
point follow signs to Paraiso and once there look for signs to Turrialba. It is fairly straight forward as long as you don't panic and
basically follow the main traffic. Driving at night is not recommended. Don't worry for lack of signs, it is typical. Should you have any
doubts, stop and ask: a Turrialba? Once you are in town, ask for directions, the Hotel Interamericano is in the center of town, on the
side of the old railroad tracks, most people will direct you.
Bus from San Jose
Bus from San Jose/ Airport: You can take the bus from the airport into the center of San Jose. They are big red buses that stop at
the covered bus stop in front of the airport. Once in the city you can take a taxi to the Turrialba bus station or walk East along 2nd
Avenue until you get to 13th Street, make a right, walk two blocks and then from the opposite corner (from the pet store) continue
10 yards to the bus station. You will know you are in the right place as the railroad tracks run in front of that street. There are direct
buses to Turrialba every hour on the hour, for these you can buy tickets in advance, there is a seat number on your ticket so there
is no standing and the trip lasts about 1.5 hrs depending on traffic. There are also "colectivo" buses to Turrialba that depart on the
half hour. These are lovingly called the milk run, they stop everywhere and the trip can last anywhere between 2 and 2.5 hrs. The
tickets are not cheaper; but it is worth buying the direct tickets. (Note: If you are a kayak toting visitor please be
prepared for difficulties. Some buses will not have storage room for your kayak, sometimes you will have to wait awhile for a
bus that can carry your gear, some (most) will charge you extra for it. Please keep in mind that usually two kayaks is the limit
per bus.) Once in town, go to the Catholic church 2.5 blocks South and one block East, or ask! Watch your belongs at all times!
Taxi from the airport
You can take a taxi all the way to Turrialba. The orange taxis are the official airport taxis and they have excellent service. If you are
travelling in a group or with lots of equipment they have mini-buses and it takes away the hassle of lugging your stuff around. They
charge anywhere between $60 and $80 US. Remember it takes almost 2 hours from the airport to get to Turrialba, so it's actually
quite cheap.
If you need directions or help getting here, call us from a pay phone. Just dial 5 5 6 - 0 1 4 2 (no area code needed).
|
