10 Vital Ideas (Plus Errors To Keep away from)

Costa Rica Driving Information

Prepared for an epic highway journey driving in Costa Rica? Renting a automobile is one of the simplest ways to expertise this lovely nation. However there are some things you need to know earlier than you go.

So that you’ve been wanting to go to for years, and are lastly planning your individual epic highway journey to drive round Costa Rica!

For such a small nation, Costa Rica is surprisingly mountainous with winding dust roads and occasional river crossings, so my first time driving there was fairly an journey! Since then, I’ve visited the nation many occasions, at all times preferring to hire a automobile.

Renting a automobile and self-driving Costa Rica by yourself is one of the simplest ways to expertise this beautiful nation, because it really provides you the liberty to cease at each waterfall, volcano, seashore, and nationwide park alongside the best way.

Listed below are some necessary suggestions I discovered about driving Costa Rica, so that you’re able to hit the highway and discover the Wealthy Coast on a trip you’ll always remember.

Hello, I’m Matthew Karsten

I’ve been touring the world for 10+ years as knowledgeable photographer & author. I hope you take pleasure in my Costa Rica driving suggestions! When you discover them helpful, utilizing my affiliate hyperlinks will give me a small fee, at no further price to you. Thanks!

Driving In Costa Rica Information (2024)

1. Ought to You Drive In Costa Rica?

Hey, should you love these large group bus excursions, by all means, go guide one. It’s a good approach to see Costa Rica should you don’t have a number of time.

No planning, no driving, simply sit again and let another person do all of the work!

However should you’re like me, you like the journey of unbiased journey.

No set schedule or timetable — driving round Costa Rica with the liberty to cease anyplace cool you discover alongside the best way.

If that’s the form of traveler you’re, renting a automobile in Costa Rica is the best way to go!

Sure, there’s a public bus system in Costa Rica too, however it’s actually solely good for getting from one large city to a different, and sometimes the bus stops are positioned simply outdoors of city, so that you’ll additionally find yourself having to take a taxi. To not point out that touring by public bus is only a slower approach to get across the nation.

Simply remember the fact that a few of the again roads in Costa Rica will be very tough & muddy, and a few native drivers don’t comply with their very own legal guidelines. With some observe although, you’ll achieve confidence driving right here!

One other good factor we loved about having a automobile was the flexibility to retailer issues within the trunk, stopping off in Costa Rican cities with small journey backpacks fairly than hauling baggage in all places.

2. The place To Lease Your Automotive In Costa Rica

Some frequent automobile rental corporations in Costa Rica embody Enterprise, Sixt, Hertz, an area one referred to as Adobe Lease-a-Automotive, and plenty of extra.

However the perfect web site to guide your automobile is Uncover Automobiles. They search each native and worldwide automobile rental corporations that will help you discover the very best value. That is the simplest approach to hire a automobile in Costa Rica.

We rented our automobile from San Jose Airport in Alajuela, and started our Costa Rican highway journey from there.

San Jose Airport: Plan to select up your automobile about 60 minutes after your flight arrives. When departing, attempt to be on the airport no less than 3 1/2 hours earlier than your flight leaves. As a result of returning your rental automobile and catching a shuttle again to the airport can take as much as half-hour.

Liberia Airport: Plan to select up your automobile about half-hour after your flight arrives. When departing, attempt to be on the airport no less than 2 1/2 hours earlier than your flight leaves. Once more, due to the shuttle.

Lease A Automotive In Costa Rica

Search each native and worldwide automobile rental corporations that will help you discover a whole lot.

3. Automotive Rental Insurance coverage In Costa Rica

A number of the rumors about driving in Costa Rica are true, and the roads are VERY tough in some areas. Particularly the again roads outdoors Costa Rica’s smaller cities. Don’t fear, I’ll share some suggestions for coping with them beneath.

Because of this I extremely suggest getting full insurance coverage protection.

Usually, rental automobiles in Costa Rica include a fundamental Collision Harm Waiver (CDW), however this isn’t precisely insurance coverage, and solely covers the automobile for as much as $1000-3000 USD price of harm.

That is the quantity they maintain in your bank card till you come back the automobile in a single piece. CDW usually doesn’t embody tire, cracked windshield, or undercarriage harm both.

Whilst you can usually lower your expenses reserving your automobile with a good journey bank card that features automobile rental insurance coverage, you REALLY should learn the wonderful print, as a result of many individuals wrongly assume their card covers them in Costa Rica.

When you get in a wreck driving in Costa Rica, declined full protection, and also you immediately study your bank card doesn’t truly cowl the harm — you’re screwed. I can’t inform you what number of journey horror tales I’ve heard like this…

It’s why I normally pre-book full protection on-line. It’s cheaper than on the counter — and then you definitely gained’t have to fret about accidents in any respect!

4. How A lot Does In Value To Lease A Automotive In Costa Rica?

Renting a automobile in Costa Rica goes to price you round $25-$40 USD a day, relying on the kind of automobile you get. Our 4-door sedan was about $25 per day. A four-wheel drive SUV will price you extra like $40-$70 USD per day.

A 4X4 campervan, or truck with a tent connected, goes to price over $100 USD per day (nonetheless you’ll be able to sleep in it too!)

I like to recommend renting a automobile with an precise trunk (no hatchbacks) to cover your baggage from prying eyes. It helps to forestall break-ins if thieves can’t see your stuff.

Gasoline Costs

At present, gasoline prices about $4.75 USD per gallon ($1.25 per liter) in Costa Rica. Diesel automobiles will usually prevent some cash on gasoline, and diesel gas prices about $4.20 per gallon. It’s rather more costly than within the gasoline in the USA!

Automated vs Handbook

Automated automobiles are costlier to hire than guide automobiles (however manuals are extra frequent in Costa Rica), and you need to specify what kind you need when reserving. When you’ve by no means pushed a guide automobile earlier than, don’t begin in Costa Rica! It’s safer to get an computerized.

One-Means Leases

There’s an extra price for one-way automobile leases in Costa Rica, which might range by firm. For instance, if you wish to drop off the automobile in a distinct metropolis than the place you began from. However as a result of the nation is so small, you most likely gained’t want to do that.

5. Age Necessities For Renting A Automotive

The minimal age for driving in Costa Rica is between 21-25 years previous, relying on the corporate you guide a automobile with. In addition they would possibly cost an extra price (normally $10 a day) should you’re below 25 years previous.

6. Issues To Keep in mind Whereas Driving In Costa Rica

Driving legal guidelines in Costa Rica are just like driving legal guidelines in some other nation. Nonetheless native drivers don’t at all times comply with them. For instance, drivers could not use flip indicators or will run crimson lights in the event that they assume they’ll get away with it.

Pace Limits In Costa Rica

Pace limits in Costa Rica are quoted in kilometers per hour. The utmost pace on most highways is 120 km/h (about 74 miles per hour). On secondary roads, the restrict is normally 60km/h (37 miles per hour), and round cities & cities it’s 40km/h (25 miles per hour).

When you occur to get a dashing ticket, please let your automobile rental firm know straight away, as you’ll should pay for it if you drop off the automobile on the finish of your journey.

Highway Indicators In Costa Rica

The highway indicators in Costa Rica must be fairly self-explanatory, as they give the impression of being just like US highway indicators, simply in Spanish. You’ll be able to browse some frequent Costa Rican highway indicators right here.

Highway Circumstances

Costa Rica’s highways are paved and in good situation, nonetheless the nation can also be lined in again roads. Plenty of dust roads, and plenty of will not be in nice form. Muddy, potholes, and many others. When you plan on driving off the overwhelmed path in Costa Rica, I extremely suggest renting a four-wheel drive SUV. Some bridges are solely single lane, requiring one automobile to attend for the opposite to cross earlier than continuing.

River Crossings

You’ll be able to highway journey round Costa Rica with out ever having to cross a river, however there are additionally some again roads that move by rivers. Particularly throughout the moist/wet season, and within the Nicoya Peninsula, Drake Bay and Osa Peninsula areas. When you’ve by no means crossed a river earlier than, please watch another person go first!

Put your automobile into 4X4 mode, go sluggish, and take note of the route. Some rivers aren’t crossed immediately, however require you to drive up or down stream earlier than exiting. This may be attributable to hidden obstacles, depth, or just the perfect entry/exit factors.

7. Worldwide Driver’s License

No, you do not want an worldwide driver’s license to drive in Costa Rica or hire a automobile there. Simply convey your passport, bank card, and your driver’s license from your private home nation. So sure, you’ll be able to drive in Costa Rica with a US driver’s license.

8. Further Recommendation For Renting A Automotive & Driving In Costa Rica

• Lock your doorways whereas driving in Costa Rica, and by no means go away valuables seen in your automobile.
• Pedestrians don’t actually have right-of-way in Costa Rica. Which means should you politely cease within the highway to let somebody cross, they’ll be confused, and the automobile behind you gained’t anticipate it — which may trigger an accident! That is related in Mexico and different elements of Central America.
• Don’t guide a automobile with out studying the corporate opinions. You’ll discover loads of unhealthy opinions for each firm (individuals like to complain on-line), however attempt to decide one with the LEAST unhealthy opinions.
• You could not at all times get the make/mannequin/kind of automobile you booked. If they provide you a smaller automobile, or a guide if you requested for an computerized, be pushy and ask for an improve.
• Examine your automobile completely and file video in your smartphone declaring harm earlier than you allow. This can be a backup in the event that they try and cost you for harm that was already there. This can be a frequent automobile rental rip-off in Costa Rica….
• Take note of in case your Costa Rica rental automobile takes common gasoline or diesel gas, so that you refill with the proper kind at gasoline stations.
• Use Google Maps in your smartphone for instructions as a substitute of renting a GPS system. Merely use your individual hands-free automobile mount and a good worldwide mobile phone plan.

9. Accident & Breakdown Data

In an emergency, you’ll be able to dial the Costa Rican Emergency Telephone Quantity which is 911, similar to in the USA. They’ve an English talking line too.

Nonetheless in case your automobile merely breaks down, and nobody is injured, its most likely higher to name your Costa Rican automobile rental firm’s personal emergency roadside help quantity positioned on the rental settlement.

Get pleasure from Your Costa Rica Highway Journey!

Exploring the small villages, pristine seashores, jungle mountains, and nationwide parks of Costa Rica in a rental automobile was positively the best selection for us.

Self-drive highway journeys help you get off the overwhelmed observe to see issues most individuals miss! ★

Lease A Automotive In Costa Rica

Search each native and worldwide automobile rental corporations that will help you discover a whole lot.