Call us: 1-877-465-4194
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Frequently Asked Questions
Planning & Booking
Can you drive me to a location that’s not listed on your website?
Yes, of course. We’ll drive you anywhere you need to go if there is a road to get there.

Please contact us here or send us an email to [email protected] and tell us where exactly you are going.  We’ll respond right away with a price and details.

Do you pick-up and drop-off at rental villas and Airbnb?

Yes, of course.  We’d be happy to drop you off directly at your Airbnb, rental villa or beach condo.

Rental houses often ask you to check in somewhere other than the actual house: a real estate office, tour office, etc.  Please find out where you need to check in and the address of the house.  Or if you have a local number for the people who manage it, we can find the address and any specific details ourselves.

Many Airbnb’s have steep/bad driveways that requires Four Wheel Drive.  Please read below about 4×4 vehicles

How early should I book a transfer?
We’ll take your reservation as early as you wish. And we’ll always take last minute reservations if we are available.

But we are a small business with limited capacity and the sooner you book your space the better.

Payment for your reservation is not due until one week before the trip. And it is refundable 100% until 24 hours before the trip.

Are taxes or other fees added to the price?
The prices we give you already include all the taxes and fees. There are no additional fees of any kind.

And we’ll never charge you more for unexpected delays out of your control. This includes road construction, slow traffic, bad weather, delated flights, etc.

Can I change my pick-up time after I booked a trip?
Yes. We’ll always make any changes you request up to 24 hours before your trip.

After that, we are subject to availability.  But we can usually accommodate most changes you may need even the same day of the trip.

Can I pay directly to the driver in cash after the trip?
Our policy is to collect payment in advance by credit card, using the Secure Payments Page on our website.

You can also pay by bank wire and Paypal.

Since 2012 we don’t have a system to receive cash payments. But if paying in cash is very important for you, please contact us in advance, by phone or email, and we’ll arrange it.

Payments for private transfers are 100% refundable until 24 hours before the trip.

Can the drivers speak English?
All our drivers have a basic level of English that is enough for the communications you normally need on a transfer from hotel to hotel. Most of our drivers for small vans speak English very well.

If requested, we can confirm a driver with a higher level of English but that increases the cost by $20 to $35 US per trip. In our experience, it’s not necessary to pay extra unless you have some specific communication needs.

Keep in mind that even if you hire a bilingual driver, they are not tour guides and don’t have the specific knowledge and training to work as such.

At the Airport
Where / how will I find the driver at the airport?

Our driver will be waiting for you right at the exit of the terminal, after clearing customs. He/she will be holding a sign with your name and our logo with the blue morpho butterfly.

When we confirm your trip, we’ll give you specific instructions for the San Jose Airport or the Liberia Airport. We’ll also give you contact cell phone numbers and other details.

What happens if my flight is delayed or cancelled?
We go to the airport according to your flight landing and not at a specific time. This way we can be sure we are there at the right time when flights are changed or delayed. It will take you anywhere from 15 minutes to over one hour to go through immigration, luggage and customs. We ask you to be considerate but just take the time you need.

Your airport pick-up will always be re-scheduled free of charge, if your flight is delayed, changed or canceled for any reason.

Will you really be there to pick us up?
Yes, we will definitely be at the airport for the arrival of the flight and the date that was confirmed

Please make sure the date and flight number are correct when you receive our confirmation by email.

Our vehicles
How old are the vans?

The vehicles we use for our Private Transfers are always less than 6 years old.

In 2021 this means they will be models 2015 or newer.

Do the vans have Air Conditioning?
Yes, all our vans have a working Air conditioning.
Do the vans have wi-fi?

WiFi access is available through the driver’s mobile phone on the big majority of our private transfer services.

If having WiFi is important for you, please let us know and we’ll make sure you have WiFi access in all your trips.

Do keep in mind that access to the internet depends on the cell phone network, and there are large areas of the country with no cell phone signal, especially when driving across the mountains.

Do we need a car seat for our children?
Our vehicles are considered Public Transportation and for this reason are not required to use car seats for children.

But we do provide car seats, free of charge, and we’ll have one for your kids if you need it.

From our experience, however, we have learned that really small kids (maybe under 2), do a lot better on long drives when using their own seat they are familiar with.

Is there enough space for our luggage?
There is always space for one standard size bag plus one hand bag per person. If your group is traveling with a lot more luggage than this, please let us know and we’ll arrange for a larger vehicle.

Your luggage always travels inside the van. Never on roof racks.

Can you take surfboards, bicycles or large suitcases?
Yes, we are happy to take your large items in our vans. But we must know in advance so we can plan to have the right size vehicle, bike racks, straps, etc.

The size of the surfboards is important as long boards don’t fit inside our smaller vans.

Do you have 4x4 vehicles?
For many years we used Toyota Prado SUVs for our private transfers.  But the road conditions in the country have improved so much that having 4×4 is not necessary anymore for the transfers we do.  Large SUVs also cost more and have limited space for luggage.  For these reasons we don’t offer 4×4 vehicles for long transfers anymore.

A few hotels and rental villas still have steep/bad driveways that require 4WD vehicles.  This is common in areas like Uvita, Dominical, Santa Teresa, El Castillo and others, and especially in the rainy season.  But the difficult road is normally a very short distance, just before the house.  So you don’t really need to pay a lot more to drive an SUV all the way from the airport.  We’ll provide the long transfer with a very comfortable van, and we’ll arrange a local 4×4 vehicle to drive you on that last stretch of bad road.  Please contact us for details.

We do keep one Toyota Prado SUV at our base in Arenal for some specific transfers in this area.

During your transfer
Can we make stops to take pictures or have lunch?
All our long transfers include one hour of stops along the way to rest, eat, take pictures or enjoy the scenery whenever you want. We say one hour because we need to put a limit, but this is very very flexible.
Can you give us suggestions for sightseeing stops along the way?
Yes, of course. Many pages of our website already include suggested stops and highlights on the most popular transfer routes.

But please contact us and tell us what interests you. We’ll be happy to provide other suggestions and make arrangements.

Will the driver tell us about the country and the nature/history?
Yes, our drivers are very good at pointing out interesting places along the way and explaining about the country and its culture.

While talking to the group is easy to do on small vans, it can be very difficult in the Coasters and other large buses.

Also, keep in mind that most of our drivers are not licensed tour guides and don’t have the specific knowledge and training to work as such.

After the trip
How much should I tip the driver?
Tipping is appropriate and is not included in the price.

The drivers expect some tip but we understand there are big cultural differences among nationalities, personal preferences, budget, etc., and we can’t force you to a specific amount by including it in the price.

We say the average is anywhere between $2 and $50 per trip, depending on distance, time and conditions of each transfer.

I forgot something in the van. What can I do?
Please contact us by phone or email as soon as possible.

Our drivers have instructions to check the vans thoroughly when dropping you off. And also, to report any items found in the vans to our office immediately.

If possible, the driver will drive back to your hotel (or to the airport) to return the item right away. If not, our operations office will coordinate to return the item with the next driver who goes in your direction.

Service was great. Where can I leave a review?
Being a small business we still get a lot of feedback from our customers face to face or over the phone. Feel free to call us and tell us what was good or bad about our service. We’ll always appreciate your honest feedback.

Two days after your transfer service we’ll email you a Service Evaluation Form. It will include links for you to write a review on TripAdvisor or Google.

Still need help? Send us a note!
For any other questions, please write us at [email protected]
or call us
Toll free USA & Canada: 1-877-465-4194
Office in Costa Rica:      +506 2479 7150
Logo de Destino Tropical. Sitio web para itinerarios personalizados y tours en Costa Rica
Destino Tropical es un sitio web donde creamos itinerarios personalizados para viajeros independientes en Costa Rica, con una gran diversidad de tours y atracciones
Logo de Destino Tropical. Sitio web para itinerarios personalizados y tours en Costa Rica