10 Vital Suggestions (Plus Errors To Keep away from)

Costa Rica Driving Information

Prepared for an epic street journey driving in Costa Rica? Renting a automotive is the easiest way to expertise this stunning nation. However there are some things you must know earlier than you go.

So that you’ve been wanting to go to for years, and are lastly planning your individual epic street 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, all the time preferring to hire a automotive.

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

Listed here are some vital suggestions I realized about driving Costa Rica, so that you’re able to hit the street and discover the Wealthy Coast on a trip you’ll always remember.

Driving In Costa Rica Information (2022)

1. Ought to You Drive In Costa Rica?

Hey, in case you love these large group bus excursions, by all means, go ebook one. It’s a good solution to see Costa Rica in case 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 in case you’re like me, you favor 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 automotive 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 large city to a different, and sometimes the bus stops are positioned 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 solution to get across the nation.

Simply take into account that a number of the again roads in Costa Rica may be very tough & muddy, and a few native drivers don’t observe their very own legal guidelines. With some follow although, you’ll achieve confidence driving right here!

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

2. The place To Hire Your Automotive In Costa Rica

Some frequent automotive rental firms in Costa Rica embody Enterprise, Sixt, Hertz, an area one referred to as Adobe Hire-a-Automotive, and lots of extra.

However the very best website to ebook your automotive is Uncover Automobiles. They search each native and worldwide automotive rental firms that will help you discover the absolute best value. That is the best solution to hire a automotive in Costa Rica.

We rented our automotive from San Jose Airport in Alajuela, and commenced our Costa Rican street journey from there.

San Jose Airport: Plan to select up your automotive 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 automotive and catching a shuttle again to the airport can take as much as half-hour.

Liberia Airport: Plan to select up your automotive 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.

Hire A Automotive In Costa Rica

Search each native and worldwide automotive rental firms that will help you discover a whole lot.

3. Automotive Rental Insurance coverage In Costa Rica

A few of 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 suggestions for coping with them beneath.

This is the reason I extremely advocate getting full insurance coverage protection.

Sometimes, rental vehicles in Costa Rica include a fundamental Collision Injury Waiver (CDW), however this isn’t precisely insurance coverage, and solely covers the automotive 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 automotive in a single piece. CDW usually doesn’t embody tire, cracked windshield, or undercarriage harm both.

When you can usually lower your expenses reserving your automotive with a very good journey bank card that features automotive rental insurance coverage, you REALLY should learn the tremendous 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 instantly be taught your bank card doesn’t truly cowl the harm — 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 then you definately 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 automotive in Costa Rica goes to value you round $25-$40 USD a day, relying on the kind of automotive 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 (nonetheless you possibly can sleep in it too!)

I like to recommend renting a automotive 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, gasoline prices about $4.75 USD per gallon ($1.25 per liter) in Costa Rica. Diesel vehicles will usually prevent some cash on gasoline, and diesel gasoline prices about $4.20 per gallon. It’s rather more costly than within the gasoline in america!

Automated vs Guide

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

One-Manner Leases

There’s an extra charge for one-way automotive leases in Costa Rica, which may fluctuate by firm. For instance, if you wish to drop off the automotive in a unique metropolis than the place you began from. However as a result of the nation is so small, you in all probability 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 ebook a automotive with. Additionally they would possibly cost an extra charge (normally $10 a day) in case you’re underneath 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 another nation. Nevertheless native drivers don’t all the time observe them. For instance, drivers could not use flip indicators or will run purple lights in the event that they assume they will get away with it.

Pace Limits In Costa Rica

Pace limits in Costa Rica are quoted in kilometers per hour. The utmost velocity 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 rushing ticket, please let your automotive rental firm know instantly, as you’ll should pay for it if you drop off the automotive on the finish of your journey.

Street Indicators In Costa Rica

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

Street Situations

Costa Rica’s highways are paved and in good situation, nonetheless the nation can also be lined in again roads. A number of dust roads, and lots of usually are not in nice form. Muddy, potholes, and so on. When you 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 automotive to attend for the opposite to cross earlier than continuing.

River Crossings

You may street 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 through 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 car into 4X4 mode, go gradual, and take note of the route. Some rivers aren’t crossed instantly, however require you to drive up or down stream earlier than exiting. This may be attributable to hidden obstacles, depth, or just the very best entry/exit factors.

7. Worldwide Driver’s License

No, you don’t want a global driver’s license to drive in Costa Rica or hire a automotive there. Simply carry your passport, bank card, and your driver’s license from your property 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 depart valuables seen in your automotive.
• Pedestrians don’t actually have right-of-way in Costa Rica. Which means in case you politely cease within the street to let somebody cross, they’ll be confused, and the automotive behind you gained’t count on it — which may trigger an accident! That is comparable in Mexico and different components of Central America.
• Don’t ebook a automotive with out studying the corporate evaluations. You’ll discover loads of dangerous evaluations for each firm (individuals like to complain on-line), however attempt to choose one with the LEAST dangerous evaluations.
• It’s possible you’ll not all the time get the make/mannequin/sort of automotive you booked. If they provide you a smaller automotive, or a guide if you requested for an computerized, be pushy and ask for an improve.
• Examine your automotive totally and report video in your smartphone stating harm earlier than you permit. It is a backup in the event that they try and cost you for harm that was already there. It is a frequent automotive rental rip-off in Costa Rica….
• Take note of in case your Costa Rica rental automotive takes common gasoline or diesel gasoline, so that you replenish with the right sort at gasoline stations.
• Use Google Maps in your smartphone for instructions as an alternative of renting a GPS gadget. Merely use your individual hands-free automotive mount and a very good worldwide cellular phone plan.

9. Accident & Breakdown Data

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

Nevertheless in case your automotive merely breaks down, and nobody is injured, its in all probability higher to name your Costa Rican automotive rental firm’s personal emergency roadside help quantity positioned on the rental settlement.

Take pleasure in Your Costa Rica Street Journey!

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

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

Hire A Automotive In Costa Rica

Search each native and worldwide automotive rental firms that will help you discover a whole lot.