The Puntarenas Ferry is the go-to route if you are crossing from the Pacific coast to the southern Nicoya Peninsula across the Gulf of Nicoya (or vice versa).

You will want to use this ferry if you need to cross from Puntarenas (approximately one hour from Juan Santamaría International Airport) to reach Santa Teresa, Montezuma, Mal País, Tambor, or Paquera. The ferry is widely used by both locals and travelers heading that way.

The service works well, just make sure to get there with enough time, even if you already bought your ticket, because the lines can get pretty long. Aside from that, enjoy, it’s a nice ride!

PUNTARENAS FERRY ROUTE

The ferry travels between Puntarenas and Paquera across the Gulf of Nicoya, and the service accommodates both walk-on passengers and vehicles, including motorcycles, cars, buses, and cargo vehicles. As you can probably tell, this is not entirely a tourist route, but an important transportation link for locals as well.

Official ticket prices currently range from ₡485 for children and ₡810 for adults, to ₡3,400 + 13% VAT for motorcycles and ₡11,400 + 13% VAT for light vehicles. Based on recent exchange rates, that is roughly equivalent to about $1–2 USD for passengers, around $8 USD for motorcycles, and approximately $25 USD for standard vehicles. Exchange rates fluctuate, so these dollar estimates may vary slightly.