Getting to La Flor is the start of your adventure! La Flor is located in the province of Cartago, about 40 kilometres from San Jose, the capital. It is possible to get to La Flor from the airport entirely by public bus, but we use a bus-taxi combination. Our program includes meeting participants at the airport and delivering you back to the airport at the end of your stay, but below we include specific directions for arrival by bus. These directions will come in handy for intrepid travelers who want to go it alone.
Our program fees cover transportation from the airport into San Jose by bus, a taxi to transfer to the Turrialba bus terminal, then from San Jose to Cervantes by bus and from Cervantes to La Flor by taxi. The airport bus has a luggage rack for small to medium backpacks (suitcases and massive backpacks would have to be held on your lap or in the aisle if there’s room). The bus to Cervantes is a tour-style bus with luggage storage underneath. We feel that this is a reasonably comfortable option for participants who travel light and enjoy the experience of public transportation.
If you prefer an even more authentic and rugged experience, we can knock off some of the cost of the program by taking the three bus connection from the airport directly to La Flor. This includes the same bus from the airport to San Jose, a 10 block hike through the city to the bus stop, another bus from San Jose to Cartago, and the aforementioned Bluebird school bus from Cartago to La Flor. If you have a comfortable backpack and enjoy walking in it, and don’t mind wearing it on your lap in the small seats on the bus, this option isn’t too bad. This is the way the locals travel. Depending on the day of the week, you might see folks on their way home from the market with cumbersome sacks much heavier than your backpack, loaded with produce from the markets. This option can be awkward at best, however and downright dismal at worst for participants with large, unwieldy suitcases or other luggage, or if it’s a weekend or rush hour and there’s no room to sit. Keep this in mind when making your decision and contact us if you have any questions or need advice. Taking the three bus connection on arrival and departure will lower your program price by $20.
For our participants who prefer more comfort, especially after a long flight, we can arrange to take taxis for more of the connections or even all the way from the airport to La Flor. To and from the airport to La Flor entirely by taxi adds $60 to the program price. A cheaper, but still comfortable option would be to take a cab from the airport to the Turrialba bus station (the more comfortable tour bus style), the bus to Cervantes, and another taxi from Cervantes to La Flor. This option to and from La Flor would add $32 to the program price. If you’re interested in one of these options or some other combination of bus-taxi transportation, please contact us for arrangements.
Directions to La Flor by Bus
Please be aware that street signs and numbers are woefully lacking on many corners all over Costa Rica, and locals give directions more by landmarks and in metres, rather than by address or street number, i.e. “25 metros norte de la farmacia” (“25 metres north of the pharmacy”). We have tried to provide very detailed directions below. If you get stuck, please contact us in La Flor; we provide our full Costa Rican contact information in your participant’s package.
When you exit the airport, ignore the many, many cab drivers and follow the drive out to the main road. Turn right, keep the parkade wall on your right side and walk to the bus stop. There are two bus lines; Tuasa buses are red, and Station Wagon buses are beige and yellow. It’s best to ask if the bus is going to San Jose, “Para San Jose?” because some also connect in Alajuela or Heredia. The fare as of January 2007 is 305 colones (make sure you have some Costa Rican currency. The bus drivers do make change, but it’s best if you give them no more than a 2000 colon bill – less is better).
The last stop in San Jose is La Merced park, which is bordered to the north by Avenida 2. Walk east into downtown along Avenida 2 until you find the Cartago bus stop between Calle 5 and Calle 7 (the buses park on Avenida 2). The bus company is called Lumaca, and the buses are bright yellow. There are often two or three buses parked waiting to leave. All buses end in Cartago, but the Directo bus is the fastest. The fare as of January 2007 is 310 colones. The same advice applies about currency and change above.
In Cartago, get off the bus at "El Colegio San Luis Gonzaga" (it's near the centre of town, so nearly everyone gets off here), on Avenida 3 between Calle 5 and Calle 3. Walk one block north (slightly uphill) on Calle 3 to Avenida 1 and turn right. Landmarks are the Parque de las Ruinas (Park of the Ruins) across the street, and a Burger King to your right. Continue following Avenida 1 past the ruins to Calle 6 (one block (“100 metros”) east of the ruins). Turn left (north – slightly uphill) and continue to the bus stop for “Birrisito, La Flor, El Yas”. It’s about 25 metres north of Avenida 1. The bus leaves Cartago for La Flor a number of times a day, 7 days a week. The schedule is below.
Enjoy the bumps and turns for about 40 minutes from Cartago to La Flor. You know you’re getting close when the bus turns right off the highway onto a rough road and heads steeply down into the valley. It’s about 2 kilometres on this road. Houses will get closer and closer together and finally the bus will stop in front of La Flor’s rose-coloured Catholic church. Get off here, turn left, and walk mostly downhill. You’ll pass the soccer plaza on your right, the grocery store on your left, then “Pulperia La Flor,” also on your left, and Casas Rio Chiquito and later Finca La Flor on your right. Continue straight on this road another 3 – 5 minutes after Finca La Flor until you see the Cultivating Communities sign. Welcome, you made it!
Cartago – La Flor Bus Schedule
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Monday to Saturday |
Sunday |
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5:00am |
7:20am |
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6:10am (Monday – Friday) |
10:25am |
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7:20am |
12:55pm |
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10:25am |
3:25pm |
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12:25pm |
5:30pm |
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3:25pm |
7:30pm |
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5:30pm |
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6:10pm |
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7:30pm |
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10:00pm (Monday – Friday) |
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