10 Essential 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 stunning nation. However there are some things it is best to know earlier than you go.

So that you’ve been wanting to go to for years, and are lastly planning your personal 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, all the time 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 really provides you the liberty to cease at each waterfall, volcano, seashore, and nationwide park alongside the way in which.

Listed here 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 get pleasure from my Costa Rica driving suggestions! In the event you discover them helpful, utilizing my affiliate hyperlinks will give me a small fee, at no additional price to you. Thanks!

Driving In Costa Rica Information (2024)

1. Ought to You Drive In Costa Rica?

Hey, if you happen to love these large group bus excursions, by all means, go e book one. It’s an honest strategy to see Costa Rica if you happen to don’t have a whole lot of time.

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

However if you happen to’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 way in which.

If that’s the sort of traveler you might be, renting a automobile in Costa Rica is the way in which to go!

Sure, there’s a public bus system in Costa Rica too, but it surely’s actually solely good for getting from one large city to a different, and infrequently 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 strategy to get across the nation.

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

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

2. The place To Hire Your Automotive In Costa Rica

Some widespread automobile rental corporations in Costa Rica embody Enterprise, Sixt, Hertz, a neighborhood one referred to as Adobe Hire-a-Automotive, and lots of extra.

However the perfect web site to e book your automobile is Uncover Vehicles. They search each native and worldwide automobile rental corporations that will help you discover the very best value. That is the best strategy 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 choose up your automobile about 60 minutes after your flight arrives. When departing, attempt to be on the airport at the 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 choose up your automobile about half-hour after your flight arrives. When departing, attempt to be on the airport at the 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 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 under.

That is why I extremely suggest getting full insurance coverage protection.

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

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

When 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 positive print, as a result of many individuals wrongly assume their card covers them in Costa Rica.

In the event you get in a wreck driving in Costa Rica, declined full protection, and also you instantly study 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 normally pre-book full protection on-line. It’s cheaper than on the counter — and you then received’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 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 (nevertheless 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, fuel prices about $4.75 USD per gallon ($1.25 per liter) in Costa Rica. Diesel vehicles will usually prevent some cash on fuel, and diesel gasoline prices about $4.20 per gallon. It’s rather more costly than within the fuel in the USA!

Computerized vs Guide

Computerized vehicles are costlier to lease than handbook vehicles (however manuals are extra widespread in Costa Rica), and you need to specify what kind you need when reserving. In the event you’ve by no means pushed a handbook automobile earlier than, don’t begin in Costa Rica! It’s safer to get an automated.

One-Manner Leases

There’s a further price for one-way automobile leases in Costa Rica, which might differ by firm. For instance, if you wish to drop off the automobile in a special metropolis than the place you began from. However as a result of the nation is so small, you most likely received’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 outdated, relying on the corporate you e book a automobile with. In addition they would possibly cost a further price (normally $10 a day) if you happen to’re below 25 years outdated.

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

Driving legal guidelines in Costa Rica are much like driving legal guidelines in some other nation. Nevertheless native drivers don’t all the time comply with them. For instance, drivers could not use flip indicators or will run pink lights in the event that they suppose they’ll get away with it.

Velocity Limits In Costa Rica

Velocity 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).

In the event you occur to get a rushing ticket, please let your automobile rental firm know straight away, as you’ll must pay for it once you drop off the automobile on the finish of your journey.

Highway Indicators In Costa Rica

The highway indicators in Costa Rica needs to be fairly self-explanatory, as they give the impression of being much like US highway indicators, simply in Spanish. You may browse some widespread Costa Rican highway indicators right here.

Highway Situations

Costa Rica’s highways are paved and in good situation, nevertheless the nation can be coated in again roads. A number of grime roads, and lots of are usually not in nice form. Muddy, potholes, and so on. In the event you plan on driving off the crushed 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 may highway journey round Costa Rica with out ever having to cross a river, however there are additionally some again roads that move by way of rivers. Particularly throughout the moist/wet season, and within the Nicoya Peninsula, Drake Bay and Osa Peninsula areas. In the event you’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 on account of 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 lease a automobile there. Simply deliver 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 depart valuables seen in your automobile.
• Pedestrians don’t actually have right-of-way in Costa Rica. Which means if you happen to politely cease within the highway to let somebody cross, they’ll be confused, and the automobile behind you received’t anticipate it — which may trigger an accident! That is related in Mexico and different elements 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 (folks like to complain on-line), however attempt to decide one with the LEAST dangerous opinions.
• It’s possible you’ll not all the time get the make/mannequin/kind of automobile you booked. If they offer you a smaller automobile, or a handbook once you requested for an automated, be pushy and ask for an improve.
• Examine your automobile completely and report video in your smartphone declaring injury earlier than you permit. It is a backup in the event that they try and cost you for injury that was already there. It is a widespread automobile rental rip-off in Costa Rica….
• Take note of in case your Costa Rica rental automobile takes common fuel or diesel gasoline, so that you replenish with the proper kind at fuel stations.
• Use Google Maps in your smartphone for instructions as an alternative of renting a GPS system. Merely use your personal 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 Cellphone Quantity which is 911, identical to in the USA. 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 positioned on the rental settlement.

Take pleasure in 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 appropriate alternative for us.

Self-drive highway journeys will let you 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 will help you discover a whole lot.