Getting between Montezuma and Santa Teresa in 2026: taxi at $50 to $70, shared shuttle from $18, the two-bus trip via Cobano for about $3, quad or rental car, and how to do it as a day trip in either direction.
Montezuma and Santa Teresa are about 15 km apart and 30 to 40 minutes by road. A taxi or private transfer costs $50 to $70 for the car, a shared shuttle from the Montezuma desks costs $18 to $40 per person, and the public bus takes two buses through Cobano for about $3 and 1.5 hours. It is an easy day trip in either direction if you start before 8am.
The short version
For one or two people with bags, the shared shuttle is the best value. For three or more, a taxi splits to less per head than the shuttle. For a budget traveller with time, the bus works, with the caveat that it ends early. For a week of exploring, a quad or rental car gives you both towns and the coast between them.
Most visitors cross this gap for one of three reasons: they are moving base between the two towns, they are on a day trip to the Montezuma waterfalls or Cabo Blanco, or they are connecting to the Jaco taxi boat from Montezuma beach. That last case matters for timing, and it is covered in Jaco to Santa Teresa.
The roads
The usual route goes through Cobano, the hub town in between. Montezuma is about 7 km from Cobano and Cobano is about 15 km from Mal Pais and Santa Teresa, per travel accounts I found. Buses, taxis and shuttles all use it. The Cobano to Santa Teresa part is the dustier, rougher end, and the last stretch toward the beach is the roughest. Conditions change with the season, so check with your driver or hotel.
Local talk also mentions a coastal dirt route by way of Cabuya and the Cabo Blanco reserve. No recent report on its condition exists, so I do not recommend it unless a local who drove it last week tells you it is open. If you want a coastal day, take the usual road and add Cabo Blanco on foot, as in the Cabo Blanco hiking guide.
Treat 40 minutes as the normal drive, and add time after rain. In green season, the rainy season guide is worth reading before you plan a tight connection.
Taxi and private transfer
A taxi from Montezuma to Santa Teresa costs about $50 to $70 for the car, per the local fares in taxis, Uber and Bolt in Santa Teresa. There is no Uber or Bolt here. Other listings quote $60 for a private transfer or taxi, about 30 minutes, and Costa Rica Shuttle lists a private Montezuma to Santa Teresa and Mal Pais transfer from $65, about 40 minutes. Agree the price before you get in, and ask whether it includes the last stretch to your door, because a villa up a hill can add $5 to $15.
A private car makes sense for three or four people, for an early morning or late return when buses and shuttles do not run, and for anyone with surfboards. Ask your hotel in Montezuma for a driver. Night fares rise.
Shared shuttle
The shuttle desks sell seats on the minibuses that run between the two towns. In Montezuma, Zuma Tours Montezuma and Montezuma Tours both sell the Santa Teresa transfer, and in Santa Teresa the same Zuma company has an office at Plaza Kahuna (Zuma Tours Santa Teresa). Prices run $18 to $40 per person according to the comparison in best shuttle companies in Santa Teresa, which also explains how to book. Zuma's number is (506) 2642-0024, and WhatsApp is (506) 8840-4389.
Tropical Tours Shuttles has an office in front of the Banco Nacional in Santa Teresa and can quote the same hop from its WhatsApp. No operator publishes a timetable for this short leg, so treat shuttles as set departures that you reserve by message, usually the day before. Do not rely on turning up at the desk at 4pm.
Who it suits: one or two people, a backpack, and no urgency. Caveat: departures are fixed, and the van collects other passengers in town.
Public bus via Cobano
There is no direct bus. You take a Montezuma to Cobano bus, then the Malpais bus from Cobano to Santa Teresa. Guides put the trip at about 1.5 hours and about $3 in total, and the local guide on this site says under $3 and about 45 minutes in getting around Santa Teresa without a car.
Timetables are the weak point. The only Montezuma to Cobano timetable published is from 2021, and lists seven daily departures, about 40 minutes and roughly $1.60 each: 6:30am, 8:00am, 10:30am, 1:00pm, 3:10pm, 6:00pm and 9:00pm. No Cobano to Santa Teresa timetable is published at all. One traveller report says buses sometimes fail to show and service thins out in mid afternoon. Check times with your hotel or at the Cobano terminal, and do not plan a connection that depends on the last bus.
The direct San Jose bus by Transportes Cobano leaves San Jose at 6:00am and Cobano at 1:00pm daily, about 5.5 hours and $19 with the ferry included, per nicoyapeninsula.com. It does not run Montezuma to Santa Teresa, but it is the connection if you come from the capital by bus.
Who it suits: budget travellers, mornings, people who can absorb a bad connection. Not for: surfboards, flights, or luggage over a rucksack.
Quad or rental car
A quad in Santa Teresa costs $60 to $90 a day plus 13% tax, with a $500 card deposit, according to best ATV rentals in Santa Teresa. It is the most fun way to do the hop, and Buggy Blue and Pacific Dirt Road are the shops covered there. Ask the shop in writing whether insurance covers the trip to Montezuma and whether it allows the run at all. Wear a helmet, avoid riding after dark, and keep off the beach.
A rental car is the right choice if you will do this hop more than once or carry bags. A 4x4 runs $20 to $60 a day before insurance, plus mandatory third-party liability of $15 to $25 a day, per best car rental in Santa Teresa. The renting a car guide explains why not to ford rivers in the rain. Parking in Montezuma centre is tight, so arrive early.
Doing it as a day trip
From Santa Teresa to Montezuma. Leave by 7:30am. The day trips guide puts the drive at about 40 minutes. The waterfall hike is the main reason to go, then lunch in town at about $8 to $15 per person. Montezuma is crowded by midday. Cabo Blanco closes at 4pm and wants a full morning, so choose one of them. A driver for the day to Cabo Blanco runs about $60 to $80 round trip, according to the same guide. Bring cash, because ATMs in Cobano and Montezuma run out, as the ATMs and money guide warns.
From Montezuma to Santa Teresa. Go for the surf or the sunset, with a driver or a quad booked for the return. If you rely on the bus, assume your last good connection is mid afternoon and keep a taxi number in your phone.
Boat connections. The Jaco taxi boat leaves Montezuma at 9:30am, so a day trip does not combine with it. If you are heading to Jaco, base yourself in Montezuma the night before.
More on ways to see the area is in waterfalls near Santa Teresa. Compare it with the main trip in getting to Santa Teresa.
Browse stays in Montezuma and Santa Teresa and transport operators in the services directory.
FAQ
How far is Montezuma from Santa Teresa?
About 15 km and 30 to 40 minutes by road through Cobano. Add time in rain or on a quad.
How much is a taxi from Montezuma to Santa Teresa?
Plan on $50 to $70 for the car in 2026, and more at night or for a hill villa. Private transfers are listed from $65. Agree the fare first.
Is there a bus from Montezuma to Santa Teresa?
Not directly. You take the Cobano bus from Montezuma, then the Malpais bus from Cobano to Santa Teresa. Total about $3 and 1.5 hours. Confirm the times locally, because published timetables are old and service thins out in the afternoon.
How much is the shuttle?
$18 to $40 per person depending on the company and whether it is shared or private. Book by WhatsApp the day before.
Can I do Montezuma as a day trip from Santa Teresa?
Yes. Leave by 7:30am, hike the waterfalls, have lunch, and return by taxi or shuttle in the afternoon. Do Cabo Blanco on a different day.
Can I rent a quad and drive to Montezuma?
Many visitors do. Ask the shop whether your insurance covers the trip, wear a helmet and avoid night riding. A 4x4 car is the safer choice in the rain.
