Has anyone driven from the US to Costa Rica?

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tico times directory

I can not believe some of the answers here. I had a friend and his wife (who are 60ish) who just got back from driving to Oaxaca, Mexico (way down south of Mexico) and they had one of the best times of their life.

Another friend drove a huge bus to CR a few years back and had no problems. Out of the 1000s who drive and have a great time, all you hear about are the few who had problems, And most of the problems that you hear about are because people just did not follow the rules.

You will need a Mexican car permit to drive through Mexico. A Mexican car permit (which includes those towing a trailer) will cost you about $40 (maybe more and your best bet is to get these immigration permits at the consulates offices in the US) and I hear you can NOW get them online. If you are diving motor homes it is more, if you are towing a boat, more. Sorry I do not know the current fees. Expect to pay car permits in the remaining Central American countries.

You have to pay the Mexican Treasury department (Hacienda) by credit card (Visa, Master Card, American Express) and you need the title or registration for your car or RV and you need a notarized letter of permission to take it into Mexico if it is financed. This will be typical in all Central American countries.

The biggest problems you will run into are the permits/fees/bribes you will be paying in Central American, and they are never-ending. Example: crossing into Guatemala, is when the fun really begins, from paying a contribution fee for whatever, to someone watching your car while they check out your passports, to the fumigation station, the nickel and diming will drive you crazy. It may take 20 minutes to 5-8 hrs just crossing each border.

The main road is the Pan-American Highway and if you keep to that you will be Okay. Expect to pay about $1000 for permits and all the other BS.

Make sure you have double gas filters on your car, sometimes the gas can a bit shaky. Always carry extra fan belts, a tool kit, and if you have room 2 spare tires.

Best advice,
1) You better speak Spanish very well. Very little English is spoken (if not none) at border crossing. Don/t speaka the Spanish bueno, don/ta go!
2) Keep to the main roads
3) Get all (or most of them) your car permits in the States from the Consulates offices.
4) Do not carry any guns/ammo, nor drugs or anything that may be considered illegal.
5) Get an international cell phone
6) Check in with friends and relatives so they know where you are.
7) Get good maps and plan your trip as best you can.
8) Never, Never pull over to the side of the road (for pee breaks) unless it is an emergency.
9) If can, always follow a group of cars/truckers.
10) Never drive at night.

Driving the Pam-American is a lifetime adventure. Have fun!

drivebyboater, please don't answer any questions if you are so ignorant as to provide false information. You have obviously never heard of the Pan-American Highway. It runs from Alaska to Panama. The place where the road ends into a mud swamp is in Panama, not Costa Rica. It is called the DariÃ©n Gap.

Click the links below to read more about the trip from Texas to Costa Rica via the Pan American Highway.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan-American_Highway

As for you drivebyboater, I've posted a link describing the DariÃ©n Gap for you. Please get yourself an education before making unintelligent comments.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darien_gap

requiem

Yeah there are certain fees when you cross states through Mexico. Another thing you might want to know is that cops from Mexico are highly corrupt so they will make up a stupid excuse to stop you and get your money. They will see that you are an american tourist and immediately stop you because of a minor thing you have done wrong. It's just a lot better to take a bus. You get to relax and watch the beauty of Mexico,El Salvador and Guatemala. I hope that you make the best decision! Good luck on your trip!

sd705

I drove from Canada to Cr in 2006.
Check out my blog at http://www.myspace.com/alajuelacampground
As for bribes: If you are asked for a bribe, always pretend its a lot of money for you,be upset and try to talk them down.
I payed one bribe in Costa Rica for not wearing a seatbelt,not having my paperwork on me,no passport and that was $ 10.
They asked for $ 20!

Pure Vida

In spanish its called La Panamericana in english the Pan American express way, its kind of like a I 95 or a I 5 its a road that goes from Texas all the way to Panama. I have not driven through it my self but I did ride buses kind of like greyhound buses, its much easier and cheaper like that .. If you want to drive it ends up being more expensive than what you think and you risk getting stoped by corrupted cops that just want your money in central america, like in honduras or El Salvadore, if you dont know spanish i dont recomend it but a lot of people have done it and been fine some others have said it was a night mare but all say it was a beautifull ride with nice sceneries.

AttorneyKearney

Our family use to drive though central america from Costa Rica to the USA and vice versa almost every year.
That was some time ago now it has become a bit more dangerous but many still do it.
The biggest problems I remember were the crooked cops in Mexico city so itÂ´s better to drive by late at night there or stay a couple days at a hotel to go sightseeing.
The borders were a bit of a hassle to pack and unpack but were not that bad, you will have to pay for a car permit in some countries to drive through.
Be carefull in El Salvador and Guatemala, IÂ´ve heard of some robberies happening there.
usuallly you can stay a night at each capital, Guatemala city, San Salvador, Managua and then San Jose.
It takes about 4 days and 3 nights to drive through all of Mexico.

Lic.Gregory Kearney Lawson.

O Smart One

You really shouldn't, I hear it can be quite dangerous down there. Especially past Monterrey, Mexico. I've taken a bus route, and we nearly got robbed in Nicaragua. Costa Rica is safer then the countries North of it, but it still has some crime. I've heard that a bus with American veterans were pulled over, and nearly robbed, until a veteran shot one of the thugs. And no, it isn't like the US and Canada, there are no motels, only hotels in cities, and B&Bs that you might wake up to find your wallet missing (happened to my dad). If you must go, strongly consider taking the bus route there, the drivers are more experienced and know what to expect. If there are no direct bus routes, just hop from bus to bus in the major cities.

drivebyboater

Obviously, you are a typical AmeriKan who doesn't know CRAP about foreign travel.

You CAN NOT DRIVE from Texas to Costa Rica BECAUSE THE ROAD DOESN'T EXIST... you may see a blue line on a map.. but that doesn't mean anything. There have been people who have tried to make that trip ON A MOTORCYCLE and ended up abandoning it in the mud and muck.

On top of that.. if you WERE able to make that trip, you would need more than the usual 20 words of Spanish that most AmeriKans can speak to fool their friends into believing they are fluent in the language.

At trip like what you think you can make is a SUICIDE TRIP.. so before you leave... be sure to say goodbye to all your friends and relatives.. because YOU WILL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN... you will just disappear into the jungle.

If you MUST go from Texas to Costa Rica.. then FLY IT because you certainly aren't going to be able to drive it.

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