Driving from San José to Monteverde
by Mario Cordero | May 25, 2014

Road construction in progress
Driving the gravel mountain road to Monteverde has been an adventure in itself for decades. Access to this popular destination was only possible using a narrow, windy, gravel road, suitable for 4WD vehicles only.
Locals from Monteverde, Santa Elena and other nearby villages have been protesting and putting pressure on the government for a long time. The most meaningful protest happened last year when almost 100 farmers, who own the land on the side of the road, moved their own fences to make room for a wider two lane road.
Well, finally the road construction is in progress!
While this is very good news, it means we’ll have to deal with the delays caused by the construction for many months.
To prevent unexpected delays and to allow travelers to efficiently plan their itineraries, traffic is being regulated in a schedule: the road is closed for two hours, and immediately opened for 20 to 40 minutes. The chart below shows the times when the road is open:
This schedule goes on and on all day from 5 am to 6 pm, and will continue in effect every day, in the upcoming weeks. The road is open during the night.
Here at Morpho Vans we are timing all our private transfers to/from Monteverde and Santa Elena according to the schedule. This might mean you’ll need to start your trip to the airport a bit earlier, or wait for a while before going up the mountain. In either case, we are happy to see the construction progress and look forward to using a better road in the future.
Keep in mind that the road closures are on Route 606 only, and specifically for the section between Guacimal and Santa Elena. The other roads to Monteverde, from Las Juntas and from Rio Chiquito (jeep-boat-jeep), are open normally.
Please contact us by phone or email if you have any questions regarding your transportation to Monteverde
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Testimonial:
Highly recommend
Great communication before the trip and during, even when our plans kept changing they were really responsive and nothing was a problem.
Clean car, great driver, punctual.
Would use again without hesitation.
Rowan M. Private Transportation Service March 21, 2022
Company is fantastic as is the people you employ
Mario, your company is fantastic as is the people you employ. Jimmy was probably the best person to get us acquainted with Costa Rica. Bring my phone back to me, will never be forgotten and I will recommend you guys to all my friends and family traveling to Costa Rica. Pura Vida!
Michael T. Multiple Private Transfers May 12, 2019
…started with the best
We were really tired from the flight so it was a relief to have someone waiting for us on time. The vehicle was very good. The driver was so nice and friendly. Our trip started with the best way because of Morpho vans. Thank you!
Zoi D. Private Transfer San Jose Airport to Arenal March 12, 2019
Very Friendly and Professional
Fabian and Jimmy were great! Both are very friendly and professional. Mario and his wife were excellent with communication and planning. Will recommend Morpho to all my friends and family. Gracias y pura vida! ✌️
Lee G. Multiple Private Transfers February 28, 2019
I would recommend this company with the highest of praise and confidence!
Morpho Vans was a huge help to us. We needed a ride 6 hours away and they responded promptly and efficiently and provided us with an excellent car and an even better driver- Jimmy. We called them for every ride we needed in Costa Rica- I would recommend this company with the highest of praise and confidence!
Mary Ellen M. Multiple Private Transfers January 8, 2019
Excellent service with Morpho Vans on our trip to Costa Rica!
Excellent service with Morpho Vans on our trip to Costa Rica! We had two families of 4 people and all trips were great. SJO to Jaco area in a van for 8 people (with free WIFI), then Jaco to Lost Igurano resort, which is a 5+ hour trip on winding roads, and finally a trip back to the airport at 4 am. Drivers always arrived early but were fine waiting for us. We stopped at local restaurants for great meals. All trips were safe and efficient. I highly recommend if you are looking for transportation in Costa Rica.
Joel S. Multiple Private Transfers January 7, 2019
Service is amazing!
Service is amazing! Our flights were cancelled and Morpho Vans were so easy to deal with, they just rescheduled our service with no hesitation! We travelled in style from San Jose to Santa Teresa! Will definitely be using this service again, very happy!
Angela P. Multiple Private Transfers December 8, 2018
Thank you Morpho Vans for your courteous and professional help
Thank you Morpho Vans for your courteous and professional help. Our fabulous vacation to Costa Rica started and ended with your drivers, Santos and Henry. They were very helpful and informative for our first trip to Costa Rica. Thank you and we look forward to our next trip!
Scott W. Private Transfer Liberia City to Conchal / Flamingo - Round Trip December 2, 2018
This service was AMAZING!
This service was AMAZING! I am still blown away by the experience. The drivers were amazing! The vans were great as well! They offered WIFI on the vans and were very comfortable and spacious. Definitely better than renting a car and trying to find your way around Costa Rica. I loved that the drivers wanted to make sure we enjoyed our vacation and were willing to stop at any place we wanted to make sure we got the most out of our vacation! They even pointed out great places to shop and eat along the way and they even pointed out the animals that they saw too! I highly recommend this service for anyone traveling around Costa Rica!
Andrea D. Multiple Private Transfers November 30, 2018
…very friendly, nice, and a great driver.
Jimmy the driver who took us from San Jose airport to Tabacon was very friendly, nice, and a great driver. Thank you!
Matthew L. Multiple Private Transfers November 28, 2018
…less expensive and more convenient option
Our overall experience with Morpho Vans was excellent. All the drivers very friendly and helpful. The actual vehicles were great. It turned out to be a less expensive and more convenient option for both doing day long trips or inter-city transport than other public means. We were 4 adults and 3 children with many bags. We highly recommend Morpho Vans.
Shekhar K. Multiple Private Transfers September 3, 2018
Very friendly and extremely efficient
The drivers were awesome--very friendly and extremely efficient. They are always on time and our travel experience in Costa Rica went extremely smooth. I highly recommend this service to anyone who is getting ready to travel to Costa Rica. We will definitely use this service again!!
Karen L. Multiple Private Transfers August 14, 2018
Punctual, friendly and helpful
All our drivers were punctual, friendly and helpful. The all went out of there way to show us something special on all of our trips. I would highly recommend Morpho Vans!
Robin M. Multiple Private Transfers August 12, 2018
Very reassuring and accommodating
We are always very nervous when scheduling transfer services during traveling. Mario and the staff made the scheduling very easy. He was quick to respond. The group was very reassuring and accommodating as we had flight changes and times due to weather. So easy to work with!!
Nancy G. Multiple Private Transfers August 11, 2018
Delivered as promised
Everything was delivered as promised. Our drivers were very courteous and accommodating and very punctual. Will definitely be using Morpho Vans again!
Michael G. Private Transfer San Jose Airport to Santa Teresa van-switch July 19, 2018