Every way to get from Monteverde to Santa Teresa in 2026: Tropical Tours at 8am for $65, other shared operators from $51, private van prices, the Puntarenas to Paquera ferry, driving, and the four leg public bus.
The best way from Monteverde to Santa Teresa in 2026 is a shared shuttle at 8am with the ferry included: Tropical Tours charges $65, arrives about 1:30pm, and takes roughly 5 hours. Other operators sell seats from $51 to $76, mostly at 6:30am or 8am. A private van costs $240 to $350, and the four leg public bus costs about $14 and takes most of a day.
The short version
Monteverde is on the cloud forest ridge above the Gulf of Nicoya, so the trip is downhill to the Pan-American highway, down to Puntarenas, across the gulf on the Paquera ferry, and south through Cobano. There is a morning shuttle every day, and that is what nearly everyone books. The ferry fee is included in the shared fare.
Take the Tropical Tours 8am shuttle if you want a company with an office in Santa Teresa. Take a 6:30am operator if you want to arrive earlier or save $14. Take a private van if you have four or more people. Take the bus only if you are on a tight budget and traveling light.
Shared shuttles
A shared shuttle collects you from your Monteverde or Santa Elena hotel in a 10 to 15 seat minibus, drives to Puntarenas, crosses on the ferry, and drops you at your Santa Teresa, Playa Carmen or Mal Pais address. See Santa Teresa shuttle companies compared for the other routes.
Tropical Tours Shuttles
Tropical Tours Shuttles has the clearest published offer. Its Monteverde route page lists $65 per person including ferry fees, a daily 8:00am pickup in Monteverde, arrival about 1:30pm, and about 5 hours of travel. Surfboards ride free, the shared service is sometimes run by a third party, and the page warns that some sections of the road are bumpy and dusty. Book by WhatsApp on +506 8890 9197 or by phone on +506 2640 1900. Who it suits: most visitors, since you arrive in the early afternoon and have a local desk to call if something goes wrong. The caveat is that the 8am slot leaves you with a short window if your Monteverde hotel pickup runs late.
Other operators
There are eight shared departures from Monteverde to Santa Teresa in 2026, mostly at 6:30am or 8:00am:
- Transporzuma at $51, 7 hours, 6:30am
- Descubre Monteverde at $56, about 4 hours 25 minutes, 6:30am
- Transportes Varela Monteverde at $60, about 4 hours 30 minutes, 6:30am
- Shuttle Services CR at $60, 5 hours, 6:30am
- Tropical Tours at $65, 5 hours 30 minutes, 8:00am
- Jorge's Taxis and Shuttles at $70, 4 hours, 6:30am
- Montetravel at $70, 3 hours, 8:00am
- Interbus at $76, 5 hours 50 minutes, 8:00am
TRANSPORZUMA is the Cobano company and its seat is the cheapest, though the 7 hour trip probably includes a vehicle change. The listed 3 and 4 hour trips look too fast to me for a route that includes the ferry, so ask whether the quoted time includes the crossing. Our shuttle comparison records Interbus at $95 on this route, while other listings show $76; Santa Teresa Shuttles (Interbus) can give the current fare. Some listings go to "Santa Teresa Beach" and others to "Santa Teresa", and some combine a minivan with the ferry rather than driving the van onto it.
Comparison
| Option | Price | Departs | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Tours | $65 | 8:00am | about 5 hours |
| Transporzuma | $51 | 6:30am | 7 hours |
| Descubre Monteverde, Varela, Shuttle Services CR | $56 to $60 | 6:30am | 4.5 to 5 hours |
| Interbus | $76 to $95 | 8:00am | 5 hours 50 minutes |
| Public bus | about $14 | from 4:20am | about 5 hours 50 minutes plus waits |
Private transfer
A private van is the right choice for four or more people, for families, and for anyone who wants to leave at a normal hour. Tropical Tours charges $240 one way without the ferry transfer, where a second bus waits for you in Paquera, or $350 with the bus riding the ferry with you. It carries up to 10 people, each person beyond six pays $20 more, pickups between 9pm and 6am cost $20 extra, and you book 24 hours ahead. Other operators charge $275 to $385 per vehicle for four or five people, taking 4 hours 35 minutes to 5 hours: Transportes Varela at $275, Shuttle Services CR at $335, Suntrails at $380, Santa Teresa Adventure and RideCR at $385. Split four ways, the $275 option is $69 per person, which is more than the $65 shared seat.
The ferry
Every route here crosses the gulf by the Naviera Tambor ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera. Our Paquera ferry guide lists six daily sailings including 5:30am, 9:00am, 12:00pm, 3:00pm, 6:00pm and 8:30pm, a 70 to 80 minute crossing, 810 colones for a foot passenger and about 11,400 colones plus tax for a car. Other listings show at least 10 daily sailings, so check navieratambor.com for the current table. The buses from Monteverde stop at the Puntarenas bus terminal, about 2.5 km from the Paquera boarding station.
Driving yourself
Driving works if you want a car in Santa Teresa for the week, but it is the least convenient way to arrive. The car ferry costs $24 or more, and the Monteverde road down to the highway is slow and winding, so budget 5 hours plus the crossing and a wait at the dock. Drive down to the Pan-American highway, follow it to Puntarenas, take the car ferry to Paquera, then follow the same road through Cobano as in San Jose to Santa Teresa. Fill the tank first: the peninsula has one station in Paquera and two in Cobano, per the Nicoya Peninsula driving guide.
The alternative with no ferry runs north around the gulf and across the Tempisque bridge, then down through Nicoya, as in Liberia to Santa Teresa. No time is published for it from Monteverde, but it adds well over an hour. For a 4WD and insurance see renting a car on the Nicoya Peninsula. Arrive before dark, about 5:45pm all year.
Public bus
The bus works but is four legs. The fare is $14 to $15 total and about 5 hours 50 minutes plus waiting:
- Transmonteverde bus from Santa Elena to Puntarenas, about 2 hours, $6.70, four trips a day, with times such as 4:20am, 5:30am and 7:45am. Book the day before.
- Puntarenas to Paquera ferry, 890 colones for a foot passenger when bought through Quickpay.cr.
- Paquera to Cobano bus, about $3, which waits at the port when ferries arrive.
- Cobano to Santa Teresa bus, about 50 minutes and $2 to $3, from a roadside stop.
The page also gives a conflicting starting price of $8.50, so treat the total as under $15. This route suits a solo traveler with one bag. Do not take it with surfboards, and leave on the earliest bus so a late ferry does not strand you in Puntarenas.
Other options
There is no flight from Monteverde, and the nearest airstrip to Santa Teresa is Cobano, served from San Jose, as the flights guide explains. Flying would mean going down to San Jose first, which wastes the day. Zuma Tours runs a taxi boat from Montezuma to Jaco, which is useful if you are heading from Santa Teresa to the central Pacific, not from Monteverde.
Which to pick
Pick Tropical Tours at 8am for $65 if you want one simple booking. Pick a 6:30am operator if you want the earlier arrival and a lower fare. Pick a private van for four or more. Take the bus if budget matters more than time. If you are also visiting Arenal, see La Fortuna to Santa Teresa, and for general arrival logistics see getting to Santa Teresa. Once you arrive, getting around Santa Teresa without a car explains how little you need a rental.
Find transport companies in the services directory.
FAQ
How do I get from Monteverde to Santa Teresa?
Take a shared shuttle, a private van, or the bus. Tropical Tours Shuttles leaves Monteverde at 8am for $65 with the ferry included and arrives about 1:30pm. Other operators sell seats from $51 to $76. The public bus costs about $14 and needs four legs.
How long is the trip from Monteverde to Santa Teresa?
About 5 hours by shuttle, including the Paquera ferry. Tropical Tours departs at 8:00am and arrives about 1:30pm. The public bus takes about 5 hours 50 minutes of travel plus waits for the ferry and connections.
How much is a shuttle from Monteverde to Santa Teresa?
Shared seats cost $51 to $76 depending on the operator, with Tropical Tours at $65. Private vans cost $240 to $350 per vehicle with Tropical Tours and $275 to $385 with other operators.
Is the ferry included in the Monteverde to Santa Teresa shuttle?
Yes for Tropical Tours, whose shared fare includes ferry fees. For private service, $240 means a second bus waits on the Paquera side, and $350 means the bus rides the ferry with you. Ask other operators.
Is there a bus from Monteverde to Santa Teresa?
Not directly. You take the Transmonteverde bus to Puntarenas, the ferry to Paquera, then buses to Cobano and Santa Teresa. The cost is about $14 to $15 and it takes most of a day.
Can I drive from Monteverde to Santa Teresa?
Yes, with the car ferry from Puntarenas to Paquera, which costs at least $24 for the car. Allow 5 hours plus the crossing and any wait, fill the tank before Paquera, and arrive in daylight. In green season a 4WD makes the last stretch easier.
