Transport in Costa Rica

San Pedro roundabout in San José

There are many modes of transport in Costa Rica.

Railways

Main article: Rail transport in Costa Rica

• total: 278 km (173 mi)
• narrow gauge: 278 km (173 mi) of 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) gauge (260 km (162 mi) electrified)

Road transportation

The road system in Costa Rica is not as developed as it might be expected for such a country. However, there are some two-lane trunk roads with restricted access under development.

Tempisque River bridge.

• total: 35,330 km (21,953 mi)
• paved: 8,621 km (5,357 mi)
• unpaved: 26,709 km (16,596 mi)

Numbered highways

The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation (MOPT), along with the National Road Council (Conavi), are the government organizations in charge of national road nomenclature and maintenance.

There are three level of nation-wide roads:

National roads

These are trunk roads devised to connect important cities, most of the national roads are connected to the capital city, San José. Numbered from 1 to 39.

• Route 1 (San José - Peñas Blancas), part of the Pan-American Highway. Connects San José, Heredia, Alajuela, San Ramón, Esparza, Puntarenas. There are two toll booths, in Alajuela and Naranjo. It consists of the following named segments:
  • Autopista General Cañas: San José to Juan Santamaría International Airport.
  • Autopista Bernardo Soto: From Juan Santamaría International Airport to San Ramón.
  • Interamericana Norte: San Ramón to Peñas Blancas.

• Route 2 (San José - Paso Canoas), part of the Pan-American Highway. Connected cities include San José, Cartago, San Isidro de El General, Buenos Aires, Palmar Norte, Neily, Paso Canoas. There is one toll booth in Tres Ríos de La Unión. It consists of the following named segments:
  • Autopista Florencio del Castillo: San José to Cartago.
  • Interamericana Sur: Cartago to Paso Canoas.

• Route 27 (San José - Caldera), is privately operated by Autopistas del Sol, it connects San José, Santa Ana, Ciudad Colón, Alajuela, Atenas, Orotina and Puntarenas. There are four toll booths at San Rafael de Escazú, San Rafael de Alajuela, Atenas and Orotina. It consists of the following named segments:
  • Autopista Próspero Fernández: San José to Santa Ana.
  • Autopista José María Castro Madriz: Santa Ana to Caldera.

• Route 32 (San José - Limón) Connects San José, Guápiles, Guácimo, Siquirres, Limón. One toll booth in San Isidro, Heredia. It consists of the following named segments:
  • Autopista Braulio Carrillo, San José to San Juan de Tibás.
  • Carretera Braulio Carrillo, San Juan de Tibás to Siquirres.
  • Carretera José Joaquin Trejos Fernández, Siquirres to Limón.

• Route 34, Pacífica Fernández, (Pozón - Palmar Norte) . Algunas ciudades que comunica: Pozón - Tárcoles - Herradura - Jacó - Parrita - Quepos - Dominical- Puerto Cortés - Palmar Norte

• Route 39, Paseo de la Segunda República, (Ring road), is an incomplete ring road that distributes traffic around the eastern, southern and western ares of the capital city, it connects to Route 1, Route 27 and Route 2. There are many elevated access roads, and some roundabouts. It has as much as 6 lanes but most of the road is only 4 lanes wide. There is a pending work in progress to complete the north section of the ring road, which will enable the Route 32 to be connected directly as well, as of the moment, drivers must go to downtown San José to connect to the Route 39.

Secondary roads

These are roads that connect different cities directly. Numbered from 100 a 255.

Tertiary roads

These roads connect main cities to villages or residential areas. Numbered from 301 a 935

Waterways

730 km (454 mi), seasonally navigable by small craft

Pipelines

• refined products 242 km (150 mi)

Ports and harbors

Cruise ships at Puntarenas.

Atlantic Ocean

• Moín
• Puerto Limón

Pacific Ocean

• Golfito
• Puerto Quepos
• Puntarenas (cruise ships only)
• Port of Caldera

Merchant marine

• total: 2 ships (1,000 gross register tons (GRT) or over) 2,308 GRT/743 tonnes deadweight (DWT)
• ships by type:
  • passenger/cargo ships 2

Airports

Juan Santamaría International Airport.

See also: List of airports in Costa Rica

Total: 161 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

• total: 47 (2013)
• 2,438 to 3,047 m (7,999 to 9,997 ft): 2
• 1,524 to 2,437 m (5,000 to 7,995 ft): 2
• 914 to 1,523 m (2,999 to 4,997 ft): 27
• under 914 metres (2,999 ft): 16

Airports - with unpaved runways

• total: 114 (2013)
• 914 to 1,523 m (2,999 to 4,997 ft): 18
• under 914 metres (2,999 ft): 96

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.