| Bus fares from San José to the surrounding suburbs
are very cheap. On urban and inter-urban buses, you pay the
driver as you board.
Here is a list of where to catch a bus from the center of
San José to surrounding neighborhoods.
Alajuela ............................... Ave. 2 across from
Parque La Merced
Alajuelita .............................................................Ave.
6/8, Calle 8
Aserrí ..................................................................Ave.
4/6, Calle 7
Barrio México.........................................................
Ave. 3, Calle 3
Barrio Luján ......................................................
Ave 2, Calles 5 /7
Calle Blancos .....................................................
Ave. 5, Calles 1/3
Coronado ...............................................................
Ave. 7, Calle 0
Curridabat.........................................................
Ave. 6, Calles 3/5
Desamparados ...................................................
Ave. 4, Calles 5/7
Escazú ...............................................................Ave.
0/1, Calle 16
Guadalupe ...............................................................
Ave.3, Calle 0
Hatillos ........................................ Ave. 2/6
Calle 6, Ave. 4 Calle 2
Heredia ..................................... Ave. 2 next
to La Merced Church
Moravia..............................................................
Ave. 3 Calles 3/5
Paso Ancho...................................................
Ave.4 and 6, Calle 2
Pavas .............................................................
Ave. 1, Calles 16/20
Sabana Cementerio.........................................
Ave. 2, Calles 8 /10
Sabana Estadio ...................................................
Ave.2, Calles 2/4
Sabanilla ..............................................................Ave.
0-2, Calle 9
San Pedro ........................................................
Ave. 0, Calles 9/11
Santana...............................................................Ave.
1/3, Calle16
Santo Domingo.................................................
Ave. 7/9, Calles 2
Tibás .................................................................Ave.
5/7, Calle 13
Tres Ríos ...........................................Avenida
Central/ 2, Calle 13
Zapote.................................................................Ave.
2/4, Calle 5
Traveling by bus around San José or to the surrounding
suburbs may seem quite difficult to a newcomer. However, once
you get the hang of it, you will find it a surprisingly easy
and affordable way to travel. Most expatriates who do not
have cars use the city's excellent bus system. A few who own
cars prefer taking buses to avoid traffic and paying for parking.
If you do not know where to catch a specific city bus to
your destination, then you will have to ask someone. If you
cannot find an English speaker who knows or your Spanish is
not adequate, then go to the tourism office below the Plaza
de la Cultura in the heart of San José. They will provide
you a free map of San José's bus stops. Also, you might
want to ask a policeman who can usually help.
Buses Provide Inexpensive Transportation to Any Destination
in the Country
When you finally find your bus stop, you should
not assume that every bus that stops there goes to your destination.
It is not unusual to have several buses with different routes
using the same bus stop. When in doubt, try to ask someone
who is waiting, ¿A dónde va este autobús?
(Where does this bus go?). Another thing you can do is look
at the sign displayed horizontally above the windshield or
at the lower left-hand-corner of the front window. These signs
will list the final destination of the bus.
Once you figure out which bus to take, have your change in
hand and be ready to pay the bus fare. You can usually find
out how much the fare is by asking one of the people waiting
or by looking at the sign in the bus's window. Do not be in
a hurry to board, since some passengers may exit through the
front door.
When you get inside the bus, hand the driver your fare. If
you do not have the exact amount the driver will make change.
Try to avoid giving the driver anything larger than a 2,000
colón bill. Be careful not to stand between
the electronic counter or the driver will get mad. They were
installed to replace the turnstiles most buses used
to have. These devices have an electric eye and count the
number of people who use the bus. Once, a friend of mine boarded
a bus, and his young son accidentally stood in front of the
electric counter. The driver made my friend pay an extra fare
or he would have had to pay the amount out of his own pocket.
Next, you will need to find a seat. It is advisable not to
sit on the sunny side of the bus. A large number of buses
have large windows with no curtains. If you sit on the side
the sun hits, you may feel like you are under a magnifying
glass. However, many of the newer buses have curtains you
can draw to keep out the sun.
During rush hour, buses tend to be very crowded and you often
have to stand if you cannot find a seat. In this case, take
hold of one of the horizontal bars. Most buses start and stop
with a jerky motion and it is easy to fall if you are standing
and not holding on to something.
Be sure to let the driver know about a block before you want
to get off. You can do this by pulling the horizontal cord
next to the window or by pressing an overhead button. Buses
usually have one these devices. If you cannot locate the
cord or button, or if either one of them does not work, then
yell, Parada! (Stop!), so the driver will know to let
you off at the next stop. If you do not know at which bus
stop to get off, ask the driver or someone else on the bus.
Usually the name of a street, neighborhood or landmark will
suffice. If you let the driver know where you want to be let
off upon boarding, he will usually remember to tell you when
you reach your stop.
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