Getting here
By Bus
The public buses in Costa Rica are actually efficient, safe, and incredibly inexpensive. A one way ticket to Monteverde from San Jose costs about $7.50. You can even bring you surfboard on the bus for an extra $2.00. The seats recline and are actually pretty comfortable. However, sometimes the buses can be crowded. You cannot buy tickets for the bus in advance; you have to physically buy them at the bus station. Buses leave for Monteverde twice daily; one at 6:30 am, and the other at 2:30 pm. The trip takes about four and a half hours, and the bus does stop for about 15 minutes at a restaurant in the city Sarmientos, which is a little over halfway to Monteverde.
Bus Schedule: San Jose-Monteverde-San Jose departure at 06:30 am and 14:30pm Ticket prices: $4.00 per person
---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: This is a warning for all travelers leaving San Jose by public bus heading to Monteverde: There is a gang of guys observing tourists buying tickets in the terminal and then entering the bus before them.They keep their baggage in the same comparment as you did and then, 1.5 hours before Monteverde, they ask for a stop to leave the bus and then they go to get their baggage and also yours robbing all they can get: Passports, money, all king of values.
Our advice: Keep your bags on your lap at all times. Never place them beneath your feet or in Compartment. Never let someone (not even the bus assistant) touch your bags or let them help you.
---------------------------------------------------
Shared Vans, Shuttles
If you do not want to have to drive yourself, but do not want to get on a crowded bus, a semi-private shuttle is a good idea. There is one company that provides shuttle service to Monteverde; Monteverde Shuttle Bus. The shuttle is incredibly convenient; it will pick you up and drop you off anywhere, eliminating any need for taxi service. The price ranges from $29 - $45. The fare for children is usually 50% off of the adult price. The shuttles leave from San Jose every day at 8:00 am and 2:00 pm.
By Car Rental
Your other option is to drive. First of all, make sure you rent a four wheel drive vehicle. Most of the roads to Monteverde are dirt, and there are many potholes along the way. If it is the rainy season, the drive to Monteverde can be especially tedious, and you will not be able to get to the cloud reserve at all unless you are driving a 4×4 vehicle. From San Jose, you take Highway 1 north and then take the Sardinal exit. Part of the route going past Sardinal and up the mountain is paved, making driving conditions easier. You will passing through Guacimal, and then you will reach Santa Elena. This trip will take about four and a half hours, and you will drive 105 miles.
