10 Necessary Suggestions (Plus Errors To Keep away from)

Costa Rica Driving Information

Prepared for an epic highway journey driving in Costa Rica? Renting a automobile is the easiest way to expertise this lovely nation. However there are some things it’s best 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 grime roads and occasional river crossings, so my first time driving there was fairly an journey! Since then, I’ve visited the nation many instances, at all times preferring to lease a automobile.

Renting a automobile and self-driving Costa Rica by yourself is the easiest way to expertise this gorgeous nation, because it actually provides you the liberty to cease at each waterfall, volcano, seashore, and nationwide park alongside the best way.

Listed here are some necessary ideas I realized 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 an expert photographer & author. I hope you get pleasure from my Costa Rica driving ideas! If you happen to discover them helpful, utilizing my affiliate hyperlinks will give me a small fee, at no additional value to you. Thanks!

Driving In Costa Rica Information (2024)

1. Ought to You Drive In Costa Rica?

Hey, in case you love these huge group bus excursions, by all means, go e-book one. It’s a good technique to see Costa Rica in case you don’t have lots of time.

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

However in case 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, but it surely’s actually solely good for getting from one huge city to a different, and infrequently the bus stops are situated simply exterior 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 technique to get across the nation.

Simply remember that among the again roads in Costa Rica might be very tough & muddy, and a few native drivers don’t observe 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 somewhat than hauling baggage in every single place.

2. The place To Hire Your Automotive In Costa Rica

Some frequent automobile rental corporations in Costa Rica embrace Enterprise, Sixt, Hertz, a neighborhood one known as Adobe Hire-a-Automotive, and lots of extra.

However the perfect website to e-book your automobile is Uncover Automobiles. They search each native and worldwide automobile rental corporations that can assist you discover the absolute best worth. That is the best technique to lease a automobile in Costa Rica.

We rented our automobile from San Jose Airport in Alajuela, and commenced 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 at the very least 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 at the very least 2 1/2 hours earlier than your flight leaves. Once more, due to the shuttle.

Hire A Automotive In Costa Rica

Search each native and worldwide automobile rental corporations that can assist you discover a whole lot.

3. Automotive Rental Insurance coverage In Costa Rica

Among the rumors about driving in Costa Rica are true, and the roads are VERY tough in some areas. Particularly the again roads exterior Costa Rica’s smaller cities. Don’t fear, I’ll share some ideas for coping with them under.

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

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

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

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

If you happen to get in a wreck driving in Costa Rica, declined full protection, and also you instantly be taught your bank card doesn’t truly cowl the injury — you’re screwed. I can’t let you know what number of journey horror tales I’ve heard like this…

It’s why I often 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 Hire A Automotive In Costa Rica?

Renting a automobile in Costa Rica goes to value 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 value you extra like $40-$70 USD per day.

A 4X4 campervan, or truck with a tent hooked up, goes to value over $100 USD per day (nevertheless you possibly can 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.

Fuel Costs

Presently, fuel prices about $4.75 USD per gallon ($1.25 per liter) in Costa Rica. Diesel vehicles will typically prevent some cash on fuel, and diesel gas prices about $4.20 per gallon. It’s rather more costly than within the fuel in the US!

Automated vs Guide

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

One-Means Leases

There’s a further price for one-way automobile leases in Costa Rica, which may fluctuate by firm. For instance, if you wish to drop off the automobile in a unique 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 e-book a automobile with. In addition they may cost a further price (often $10 a day) in case you’re beneath 25 years previous.

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

Driving legal guidelines in Costa Rica are just like driving legal guidelines in every other nation. Nevertheless native drivers don’t at all times observe them. For instance, drivers could not use flip alerts or will run purple lights in the event that they suppose 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 often 60km/h (37 miles per hour), and round cities & cities it’s 40km/h (25 miles per hour).

If you happen to 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.

Street 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 possibly can browse some frequent Costa Rican highway indicators right here.

Street Circumstances

Costa Rica’s highways are paved and in good situation, nevertheless the nation can also be coated in again roads. Numerous grime roads, and lots of will not be in nice form. Muddy, potholes, and so forth. If you happen to plan on driving off the crushed path in Costa Rica, I extremely advocate 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 possibly can highway journey round Costa Rica with out ever having to cross a river, however there are additionally some again roads that cross via rivers. Particularly through the moist/wet season, and within the Nicoya Peninsula, Drake Bay and Osa Peninsula areas. If you happen to’ve by no means crossed a river earlier than, please watch another person go first!

Put your car 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 as a result of hidden obstacles, depth, or just the perfect entry/exit factors.

7. Worldwide Driver’s License

No, you don’t want an worldwide driver’s license to drive in Costa Rica or lease a automobile there. Simply carry your passport, bank card, and your driver’s license from your own home nation. So sure, you possibly can 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. That means in case you politely cease within the highway to let somebody cross, they’ll be confused, and the automobile behind you gained’t count on it — which might trigger an accident! That is related in Mexico and different components of Central America.
• Don’t e-book a automobile with out studying the corporate opinions. You’ll discover loads of dangerous opinions for each firm (individuals like to complain on-line), however attempt to decide one with the LEAST dangerous opinions.
• You could not at all times get the make/mannequin/kind of automobile you booked. If they offer you a smaller automobile, or a guide if you requested for an automated, be pushy and ask for an improve.
• Examine your automobile totally and document video in your smartphone mentioning injury earlier than you permit. It is a backup in the event that they try to cost you for injury that was already there. It is a frequent automobile rental rip-off in Costa Rica….
• Take note of in case your Costa Rica rental automobile takes common fuel or diesel gas, so that you replenish with the proper kind at fuel stations.
• Use Google Maps in your smartphone for instructions as a substitute of renting a GPS machine. Merely use your individual hands-free automobile mount and a good worldwide cellular phone plan.

9. Accident & Breakdown Info

In an emergency, you possibly can dial the Costa Rican Emergency Cellphone Quantity which is 911, identical to in the US. They’ve an English talking line too.

Nevertheless 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 situated on the rental settlement.

Get pleasure from Your Costa Rica Street Journey!

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

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

Hire A Automotive In Costa Rica

Search each native and worldwide automobile rental corporations that can assist you discover a whole lot.