How to get from La Fortuna and Arenal to Santa Teresa in 2026: Tropical Tours at 5:30am, Transporzuma at 9am, Interbus, private van prices, driving via Puntarenas and the Paquera ferry, the bus, and whether flying makes sense.
The best way from La Fortuna to Santa Teresa in 2026 is the Tropical Tours shared shuttle: $75 per person, leaving at 5:30am with the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry included, and arriving in the Santa Teresa area about 1:30pm. Transporzuma sells a cheaper seat from $55 at 9am, arriving about 5pm. A private van costs $280 to $350 per vehicle. Count on a full day of 8 hours or more on any of them.
The short version
La Fortuna and Santa Teresa are on opposite sides of the Gulf of Nicoya, and the trip is a long one. You drive south and west out of the Arenal valley to the Pan-American highway, down to Puntarenas, cross the gulf by ferry to Paquera, and drive the last stretch through Cobano. The ferry runs in daylight and sets the pace, which is why the shuttles leave so early.
For one or two people take Tropical Tours at 5:30am. If you would rather leave at a normal hour and save $20, take Transporzuma at 9am and accept a 5pm arrival. For a group of four to six, a private van with the ferry transfer is the best value. Flying is not a good idea, and I explain why below. Stay overnight on the way only if you are driving and unsure of the road.
Shared shuttles
A shared shuttle picks you up at your La Fortuna hotel in a 10 to 15 seat minibus, takes you to the ferry, and drops you at your Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen or Mal Pais address. The ferry fee is built into the fare. Our shuttle company comparison covers the other routes.
Tropical Tours Shuttles
Tropical Tours Shuttles lists this route on its La Fortuna page: $75 per person including ferry fees, picked up at your hotel, hostel or home in La Fortuna at 5:30am daily, and arriving about 1:30pm. The page says about 5 hours for the trip, which does not square with an 8 hour gap between those two times, so plan on the clock times rather than the 5 hour figure. An older price list has the departure at 6:30am, so confirm the pickup time when you book. Surfboards ride free, and the shared seat is sometimes run by a third party company. Book by WhatsApp on +506 8890 9197 or by phone on +506 2640 1900.
Who it suits: nearly everyone doing the trip in one day, since it arrives in daylight and you finish by early afternoon. The caveat is the hour: you are collected in the dark.
Transporzuma
TRANSPORZUMA runs La Fortuna to Santa Teresa at 9:00am, arriving 5:00pm, 8 hours, from $55. It is the cheapest published seat on the route. Contact it on WhatsApp at +506 8821 6277 to confirm the pickup point, because the listing shows a bus stop rather than a hotel. Who it suits: travelers who want a later start and do not mind arriving at 5pm, near sunset. The caveat is the margin: a delayed ferry puts you into Santa Teresa after dark.
Interbus
Santa Teresa Shuttles (Interbus) sells La Fortuna to Santa Teresa at $95 per person per the Interbus catalogue at costaricashuttlesbus.com as recorded in our shuttle comparison. Booking platforms show shared seats on this route from $95 to $98, and 5 to 6 hours is the time they quote. It costs $20 more than Tropical Tours and is worth it only if you are joining several Interbus legs or Tropical Tours is full.
Comparison
| Company | Departs La Fortuna | Arrives | Shared fare | Ferry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Tours | 5:30am | about 1:30pm | $75 | Included |
| Transporzuma | 9:00am | 5:00pm | from $55 | Ask, sold as one trip |
| Interbus | Ask | Ask | $95 | Included |
Private transfer
A private van lets you choose the departure and stops for food. Tropical Tours charges $280 one way for a private minibus with a second bus waiting on the Paquera side, or $350 if the bus rides on the ferry with you, for up to 10 people; groups beyond six pay $20 more each, and pickups between 9pm and 6am add $20. Book 24 hours ahead. Other operators on booking sites quote private cars and vans from $195 to over $500 for one to four people, so the Tropical Tours rate is competitive. Two points: the $350 option, where the van rides the ferry, saves the luggage transfer at the dock, and it is worth the extra for families. On the $280 option you change vehicles at Paquera.
Per head, four people on the $280 private van pay $70, which is $5 less than the shared seat and with a time of your choosing.
The Puntarenas ferry and timing
Every road route in this guide uses the Naviera Tambor ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera. Our Paquera ferry guide lists six sailings a day from Puntarenas, including 5:30am, 9:00am, 12:00pm, 3:00pm, 6:00pm and 8:30pm, a crossing of 70 to 80 minutes, and a foot passenger fare of 810 colones. A car costs about 11,400 colones plus tax. Other sites quote more daily sailings, so check navieratambor.com for the current table.
Work backward from the ferry. The Arenal valley to Puntarenas leg is a long drive on its own, so a 5:30am pickup in La Fortuna catches a late morning or midday crossing and reaches Santa Teresa in the early afternoon. Starting at 9:00am puts you on an afternoon boat. If you miss the last crossing you sleep in Puntarenas. In December through April and on holiday weekends, drivers should book the car space ahead.
Driving yourself
The drive is about 279 km via Ruta 142, roughly 5 hours of driving plus the ferry. In practice: leave La Fortuna on Ruta 142 toward Tilaran and Canas, join the Pan-American highway to Puntarenas, take the car ferry to Paquera, and drive Paquera to Cobano to Santa Teresa as in our San Jose guide. Budget 8 hours with the crossing and any wait.
Fill the tank before the ferry. Fuel on the peninsula is scarce: one station in Paquera and two in Cobano, per the Nicoya Peninsula driving guide. A car on the ferry costs at least $24, and the last stretch into Santa Teresa is dirt and potholes, so a 4WD helps in green season. You do not have to drive it yourself; a rental that you pick up on the peninsula avoids the ferry fee, and car rental in Santa Teresa lists the local branches. Read renting a car on the Nicoya Peninsula for insurance. Aim to arrive before dark, which comes at about 5:45pm all year.
Public bus
There is no direct bus. The public bus costs about $18 and takes about 10 hours with several changes. The legs are La Fortuna to San Carlos or Tilaran and on to Puntarenas, the Paquera ferry, then buses from Paquera to Cobano and from Cobano to Santa Teresa. It works if you leave at dawn with one bag. If you miss the last ferry you are in Puntarenas for the night.
Does a domestic flight make sense?
Not for most people. The airstrips that matter are La Fortuna (FON) and Cobano (ACO), which replaced the Tambor airstrip in November 2023. Sansa and Costa Rica Green Airways fly to Cobano from San Jose, as the flights guide explains. No scheduled flight between La Fortuna and Cobano is confirmed: flight schedules from July 2026 showed a Sansa departure from Arenal to Cobano, while the San Jose to La Fortuna service looked irregular, so the connection may not run on your date. If it does, you still pay for the flight and a taxi from Cobano airstrip to town, and the airline has strict baggage limits that matter for surfboards.
Check Sansa's own site for your date before planning around it. If a flight appears, it saves about five hours, which is its only case: you have a short trip, no board, and a budget that tolerates a $150 to $250 ticket plus the taxi. Otherwise the 5:30am shuttle is the answer. The shuttle also gives you a day in daylight with a ferry crossing most people enjoy.
Which to pick
Pick the Tropical Tours 5:30am shuttle for $75 if you travel alone or as a pair. Pick Transporzuma at 9am if you hate early starts and do not mind a 5pm arrival. Pick a private van for four to six people or small children, with the ferry riding option. Drive if you want a car and have the time for an 8 hour day. Skip the flight. Once there, arrange your first night through where to stay in Santa Teresa, and for other arrival routes read getting to Santa Teresa and Monteverde to Santa Teresa.
Find transport companies in the services directory.
FAQ
How do I get from La Fortuna to Santa Teresa?
Take a shared shuttle, a private van, or drive. Tropical Tours Shuttles leaves La Fortuna at 5:30am for $75 and arrives about 1:30pm, Transporzuma leaves at 9:00am from $55 and arrives about 5pm, and Interbus charges $95. All use the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry.
How long does it take to get from La Fortuna to Santa Teresa?
Plan on 8 hours by shuttle, including the ferry. Tropical Tours' 5:30am departure arrives about 1:30pm and Transporzuma's 9:00am arrives at 5:00pm. Some route pages say 5 hours of travel, which counts the drive and not the waiting and the crossing.
Is the ferry included in the La Fortuna shuttle price?
Yes on Tropical Tours, where the $75 fare includes ferry fees. On a private van, the $350 option has the bus riding on the ferry, and the $280 option has a second bus waiting on the Paquera side. Confirm for any other operator.
Is there a bus from La Fortuna to Santa Teresa?
Not a direct one. The public route needs several buses plus the Paquera ferry and takes about 10 hours for around $18.
Can I fly from La Fortuna to Santa Teresa?
There is no confirmed regular direct flight. The nearest airstrip to Santa Teresa is Cobano, served by Sansa and Costa Rica Green Airways from San Jose. A flight schedule showed an Arenal to Cobano flight in July 2026, so ask Sansa before assuming it exists on your date.
How much is a private transfer from La Fortuna to Santa Teresa?
Tropical Tours charges $280 for a private minibus without the ferry transfer and $350 with the bus riding the ferry, for up to 10 people. Groups over six pay $20 more per person, and pickups between 9pm and 6am add $20.
