Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [70]
La Fortuna (Map; Terminal San Carlos) ₡2900; four hours; departs 6:15am, 8:30am and 11:30am.
Liberia Pulmitan (Map; 2666-0458; Calle 24 btwn Avs 5 & 7) ₡2800; four hours; departs hourly from 6am to 8pm.
Monteverde/Santa Elena (Map; Calle 12 btwn Avs 7 & 9) ₡3200; 4½ hours; departs 6:30am and 2:30pm. (This bus fills up quickly – book ahead.)
Peñas Blancas, Nicaragua border crossing Transportes Deldú (Map; 2256-9072; www.transportesdeldu.com; Av 9 btwn Calles 10 & 12) ₡4400; six hours; departs 4am, 5am, 5:50am, 7:45am, 9:30am, 10:30am, 1:30am, 4:15pm and 7pm.
Tilarán Empresa Cañas (Map; 2258-5792; Calle 16 btwn Avs 1 & 3) ₡3100; four hours; departs 7:30am, 9:30am, 12:45pm, 3:45pm and 6:30pm. (On Sunday there is no bus at 9:30am.)
To Península de Nicoya
Montezuma and Mal País (Map; Terminal Coca-Cola) ₡6800; six hours; departs 6am and 2pm.
Nicoya Empresas Alfaro (Map; 2256-7050; Av 5 btwn Calles 14 &16) ₡3200; five hours; departs 5:30am, 7:30am, 10am, noon, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm and 5:30pm.
Playa Bejuco Empresas Arza (Map; 2258-3883; Calle 12 btwn Avs 7 & 9) ₡4000; 5½ hours; departs 6am and 3:30pm. (These buses stop on the street outside the Terminal San Carlos.)
Playa del Coco Pulmitán (Map; Calle 24 btwn Avs 5 & 7) ₡3300; five hours; departs 8am, 2pm and 4pm.
Playa Flamingo, via Brasilito Tralapa (Map; Calle 20 btwn Avs 3 & 5) ₡4600; six hours; departs 8am, 10:30am and 2pm.
Playa Nosara Empresas Alfaro (Map; 2256-7050; Av 5 btwn Calles 14 & 16) ₡3900; six hours; departs 5am.
Playa Sámara Empresas Alfaro (Map; 2256-7050; Av 5 btwn Calles 14 & 16) ₡3600; five hours; departs 12pm.
Playas Panamá and Hermosa Tralapa (Map; Calle 20 btwn Avs 3 & 5) ₡4600; five hours; departs 3:30pm.
Playa Tamarindo Empresas Alfaro (Map; 2256-7050; Av 5 btwn Calles 14 & 16) ₡4400; five hours; departs 11:30am and 3:30pm.
Santa Cruz Empresas Alfaro (Map; 2256-7050; Av 5 btwn Calles 14 & 16) ₡4200; five hours; departs 6am, 8am, 9:45am, 11am, noon, 12:30pm, 2pm, 4:30pm, 5:30pm and 7pm.
To the Central Pacific Coast
Dominical and Uvita Transportes Morales (Map; Terminal Coca-Cola) ₡2500; seven hours; departs 6am and 3pm.
Jacó Transportes Jacó (Map; 2290-2922; Terminal Coca-Cola) ₡2000; three hours; departs 6am, 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm and 7pm.
Puntarenas Empresarios Unidos (Map; 2222-8231; cnr Av 12 & Calle 16) ₡1500; 2½ hours; departs hourly at 6am and 7pm.
Quepos/Manuel Antonio Transportes Morales (Map; Terminal Coca-Cola) ₡3500 to ₡3700; four hours; departs roughly every 90 minutes from 6am to 7:30pm.
To Southern Costa Rica & Península de Osa
Ciudad Neily Tracopa (off Map;2221-4214; Calle 5 btwn Avs 18 & 20) ₡5000; eight hours; departs 5am, 1pm, 4:30pm and 6:30pm.
Golfito Tracopa (off Map;2221-4214; Calle 5 btwn Avs 18 & 20) ₡4700; eight hours; departs 7am, 3:30pm and 10:15pm.
Palmar Norte Tracopa (off Map;2221-4214; Calle 5 btwn Avs 18 & 20) ₡2800; five hours; departs 5am, 7am, 8:30am, 10am, 1pm, 2:30pm and 4:30pm.
Paso Canoas, Panama border crossing Tracopa (off Map;2221-4214; Calle 5 btwn Avs 18 & 20) ₡5000; six hours; departs 5am, 1pm, 4:30pm and 6:30pm.
Puerto Jiménez Blanco Lobo (Map; 2221-4214; Calle 12 btwn Avs 9 & 11) ₡5900; eight hours; departs 6am and 12pm. (This bus fills up quickly in high season; buy tickets in advance.)
San Isidro del General Tracopa (off Map;2221-4214; Calle 5 btwn Avs 18 & 20) ₡2100; three hours; departs hourly from 5am to 6:30pm; Transportes Musoc (Calle Central btwn Avs 22 & 24) ₡2100, three hours, departs hourly from 5:30am to 5:30pm.
San Vito Tracopa (off Map;2221-4214; Calle 5 btwn Avs 18 & 20) ₡4200; seven hours; departs 6am, 8:15am, noon and 4pm.
To the Caribbean Coast
All of the following buses depart from the Gran Terminal del Caribe (Map):
Cahuita (Autotransportes Mepe) ₡3700; four hours; departs 6am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm and 4pm.
Cariari, for transfer to Tortuguero (Empresarios Guapileños) ₡1400; 2¼ hours; departs 6:30am, 9am, 10:30am, 1pm, 3pm, 4:30pm, 6pm and 7pm.
Guápiles (Empresarios Guapileños) ₡1100; 1½ hours; departs hourly from 5:30am