San José → Cartago · about 43 km · about 50 min · fixed price €70 per vehicle.
Price calculated. Change the date or destination if you like.
Private transfer, San José Airport (SJO) to Cartago: the car (1–3 passengers) is €70 and the van (4–8) is €100, a set price for the vehicle that does not change at checkout. Expect 43 km on the road via 2 and 1; about 50 min off-peak, 50–60 min in rush hour.
Pickup: The driver waits in the international arrivals area outside the main terminal, in the zone for people meeting arriving passengers, after you leave customs, holding a sign with your name. The booking includes flight monitoring and an hour of free waiting from touchdown; your bags are loaded for you.
Cartago was the capital of Costa Rica until 1823 and lies at the foot of Irazú Volcano, on the far side of the Central Valley from the airport, about 42 km away by road. The route crosses the metropolitan area: east along the General Cañas Highway, around San José on the Circunvalación ring road and then on the Florencio del Castillo Highway (Route 2) through Curridabat and Tres Ríos up to Cartago. Crossing the capital at rush hour can add a lot of time to the trip.
The main sight of Cartago is the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels, the most important pilgrimage church in the country, which draws large crowds on 2 August, when many pilgrims walk there from San José. In the centre stand the ruins of the Santiago Apóstol church, now a park. Cartago is also the starting point for trips up Irazú Volcano and down into the Orosi Valley, while the Lankester Botanical Garden lies just to the east of the city.
Public transport: The airport lists public buses only to the provinces of Alajuela, Heredia and San José; there is no direct airport link to Cartago, so the journey continues by bus or train from central San José.
Sources (checked 31 Oct 2026): web.archive.org; road distance and driving time: OSRM / OpenStreetMap.
Price per vehicle, not per person. Luggage and child seats in the booking.
No asterisks, no surcharges on arrival.
Same rules, same fixed price.
No queues, no language barrier — just a relaxed ride at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Pick your destination, date and number of passengers, then pay securely online by card. The confirmation arrives by email right after payment.
Your driver waits at the SJO arrivals exit holding a sign with your name. He helps with the luggage and speaks fluent English. We pick up at San José Juan Santamaría Airport (SJO) near Alajuela and drive to any address in San José and the Central Valley — the city centre, Escazú, Santa Ana, Belén, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago — and on to Poás and Irazú volcanoes, the Orosi Valley, Sarchí, Puntarenas and Jacó on the Pacific coast. Longer trips in Costa Rica on request.
A clean, comfortable car, checked before every ride. Bottled water, Wi-Fi and child seats on request. You pay online in advance by card.
Every driver is hand-picked and speaks fluent English.
Exactly what every transfer includes — no asterisks, no hidden extras.
Four small things that matter a lot after a long flight.
The price shown when you book is the final price. No surcharges for traffic and no surprises on arrival.
We track your flight live and move the pickup if it is delayed. The first 60 minutes after landing are free.
Your driver waits inside the terminal holding a sign with your name — no hunting for your phone in the rain at 11 pm. He helps with the bags.
A real person on WhatsApp, around the clock. Change of time, lost luggage? Sorted in minutes.
About 43 km via 2 and 1: 50 min with clear roads, 50–60 min in heavy traffic. The price stays €70 per car either way.
The driver waits in the international arrivals area outside the main terminal, in the zone for people meeting arriving passengers, after you leave customs, holding a sign with your name.
No, the public buses from the airport serve Alajuela, Heredia and San José; Cartago is reached by changing in San José.
Around 2 August, the feast of Our Lady of the Angels, when large pilgrimages to the Basilica fill the city and the roads from San José.
No — that is the price for the whole car for up to 3 people. For 4–8 people the van costs €100, also per vehicle.
No. The price shown when you book is the final price — no surcharges for traffic, airport fees or luggage.
Yes, free of charge up to 24 hours before the ride — you get a full refund. Later cancellations and no-shows are not refunded.
We are reachable around the clock, 7 days a week — before, during and after your trip.
