Private door-to-door service + small-group La Fortuna tours.
Hi, I'm Diego — founder of Private Travel CR. I started driving travelers across Costa Rica in 2006. After 16 years at two of the country's largest transportation companies, I decided to build something different — a service focused on trust, flexibility, and real local experience, not just rides.
Private Travel CR isn't a platform. It's me, my cousin Anthony, and a small team of bilingual drivers I personally trained. I answer every WhatsApp myself. I still drive several routes per week from La Fortuna. When you book with us, you're not a confirmation number — you're a guest in my country.
Pura vida.
Real customers, real trips — La Fortuna, Río Celeste, and beyond.
Diego was a fabulous driver! Great conversation, great ride. The car was so clean, comfortable, and smelled so fresh. He arrived early and got us there early. Best driver around! If you’re traveling to Costa Rica, you HAVE to book. It makes travel stress free and fun!
Kassie Moeller
We had an excellent experience with Oscar as our private driver from La Fortuna to Rio Celeste. He was incredibly professional, punctual, and made us feel safe and comfortable the entire trip. The roads in that area can be a little winding, and Oscar handled everything smoothly and confidently. He was also very informative — sharing helpful insights about the area, local wildlife, and Costa Rican culture along the way. He answered all our questions patiently and never made us feel rushed. His calm, friendly demeanor really added to the experience. If you’re looking for a reliable, knowledgeable driver, I highly recommend Oscar. He helped make our day stress-free and enjoyable.
Alex D
Such hospital and kind service!! Pablo was our driver and was very friendly and conversational. On the way back to the airport we stopped by a great spot called Cafe Macadamia and he showed us a great lookout point of Lake Arenal. The company is very communicative and responsive - would highly recommend.
Esther Lee
We booked with Private Travel Costa Rica twice during our time in Costa Rica and we were fortunate enough to have Pablo as our driver both times! He is so friendly and is proud to share information about his beautiful country. He is the reason we booked with Private Travel the second time. He asked questions about us and where we’re from. He even gifted me a hand-made bracelet from his daughter for my birthday! When he dropped us off at our AirBnb, it was dark and we weren’t exactly sure where to go. Pablo waited with us until we found our hosts and made sure we were in the right place. He handled the winding roads to La Fortuna easily and was a very safe yet efficient driver. Along the way, we stopped for coffee & empanadas. It was an easy decision to book with Private Travel again, given the experience we had on our first day. We didn’t expect to have Pablo as a driver again but it was such a wonderful surprise when he pulled up to our Puntarenas resort. He wanted to hear all about our trip and asked to see pictures! He was such a wonderful way to welcome us to Costa Rica and send us on our way as we headed home! Truly, an absolute pleasure of an experience.
Sara Luckasson
We had the absolute best experience using this company for our travel in Costa Rica. Both my partner and I were hesitant about renting a car and navigating the roads of Costa Rica on our own, especially with the long routes to travel between San Jose, Manuel Antonio, and La fortuna. Thankfully we found Diego and Carlos, whom I'm convinced are the best drivers in the country! They were prompt, reliable, polite, spoke incredible English, had very comfortable, large and clean cars, and even provided wi-fi in the car for us to use! Both Diego and Carlos knew the best spots to stop for a snack, drink, souvenir, or photo op to break up the drive, and we are so grateful to have found them for our trip! Highly recommend them for your travel around Costa Rica! Pura Vida!
Stephanie Bagwell
Absolutely brilliant transfer company. Diego was incredibly easy and efficient to deal with. Very comfortable cars and delightful drivers who were incredibly prompt. Made our trip seamless and I can't recommend them highly enough.
Adsie65
London, United Kingdom
Our experience with Private Travel Costa Rica was exceptional from start to finish. We used their service for multiple transfers, including from San Juan airport to La Fortuna, between locations in La Fortuna, and from Tamarindo to Liberia International Airport. Every driver was amazing—on time, flexible, and extremely professional. The responsiveness of the entire team made coordinating our travel seamless and stress-free. We highly recommend them for any transportation needs in Costa Rica.
Katherine J
TripAdvisor Reviewer
We used this company for transfers from La Fortuna to San Manuel Antonio and then from San Manuel Antonio to San Jose. I cannot say enough about the professionalism of the company and both the drivers, as well as the cleanliness of the vans. Communication was almost immediate. Our drivers Oscar and Carlos arrived a few minutes early, were highly professional, and super friendly and warm. There was wifi in the van which was much appreciated. All in all, both experiences were excellent. I cannot recommend this company enough. I will definitely use them again for transfers when we are back in CR.
RIDI0406
Madison, Wisconsin
I was so glad I booked our transfer from La Fortuna to Manuel Antonio with Diego. He was communicative and professional from the time of booking, confirming everything and checking on our needs. He was friendly, kind, spoke great English, and made the long drive as pleasant as possible. I'd absolutely book again.
Orli B
Oakland, California
Honest side-by-side with rental cars, Uber, and public bus — including the hidden costs travelers don't see when booking.
| Feature | Our Shuttle | Rental Car | Uber / inDriver | Public Bus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door-to-door pickup | ⚠️Need to find parking | ⚠️App availability varies | Bus stations only | |
| Bilingual driver | n/a | ⚠️Sometimes | ||
| Full insurance included | $20–40 / day extra | ⚠️Limited coverage | n/a | |
| Free child seats | $10 / day extra | |||
| Luggage space guaranteed | ⚠️Depends on car size | Often too small | Limited overhead | |
| Local driver knows the roads | You navigate | ⚠️Driver dependent | ||
| Flexible scenic stops | +$35/hr or VIP | |||
| Total stress level | 😌 Low | 😰 High | 😐 Medium | 😐 Medium |
All-inclusive pricing means no surprises: insurance, fuel, tolls, water, WiFi and child seats are always included.
All our trips are private and comfortable. The difference is in the details and how much you want to enjoy the journey.
The fastest way to reach your destination. A private, direct trip, no stops, no waiting.
Price per vehicle (not per person)
Ideal for airport transfers and tight schedules
Why just travel when you can live an experience? Tourist stop, local drinks, and a driver who guides you.
Includes full VIP experience
Perfect for honeymoons and unforgettable trips
Not sure which to choose? Chat with us on WhatsApp →
All our vehicles are kept in optimal condition, clean and air-conditioned for your comfort.
Traveling with more than 12 passengers? Contact us for a custom quote:
Fixed and transparent fares for the most requested routes by our travelers.
Unsolicited reviews from travelers who posted to r/CostaRicaTravel after their trips. These are quoted verbatim — translated to English where the original was Spanish.
“I'm coming here to give a MEGA shoutout to Diego at Private Travel CR — he was our private transportation to all the places we needed to go over the last 2 weeks. I had no idea who to choose with all the options out there, but I knew I wanted to support someone starting his business last year over a big, less personal company. He used to drive for one of those big companies for many years, but decided early last year to take the next step and be the boss! Seriously, he gave us an unforgettable experience and took so much stress off the travel part of our trip. He was easy to reach on WhatsApp and super responsive, his English is incredible and he's a stellar guy all around! His van was in perfect condition, he stopped at a few spots along the way so we could look around and have lunch, and he filled our heads with so much knowledge about Costa Rica, wildlife, weather, towns — basically anything we wanted to know! I strongly recommend you contact him for private transfers!”
“We just got back from a 10-day trip to Costa Rica, and wanted to share the incredible private transfer service we used, Private Travel CR. We didn't want to drive Costa Rica's roads ourselves, and we're really grateful to have found this company. We had Diego (the owner) and Carlos as drivers, and both were incredible. They gave us tons of stops for things like bathroom breaks, lunch, and tourist plans (like a place called Crocodile Bridge), and they were super punctual and friendly. We can't recommend them enough if you're looking for a private driving service: the vans were spacious, clean and well maintained. They took us from San José to Manuel Antonio, Manuel Antonio to La Fortuna, and La Fortuna back to San José. They go anywhere! ¡Pura vida!”
Real advice from someone who lives here, drives these routes every week, and has heard every traveler question.
Travel TipsDo you need to speak Spanish in Costa Rica? Quick answer: no for tourist zones, helpful elsewhere. Real-world rundown plus 20 useful phrases from a Costa Rican local.
Travel GuideLa Fortuna is inland — there are no real beaches nearby. But here are the closest options (3h to 5h away) and how to plan a volcano + beach combo trip.
Travel TipsCosta Rica vs Mexico for your next vacation — safety, cost, food, nature, beaches, ease of travel, and language. Fair comparison from a Costa Rican local.
Everything you need to know before booking your private transport in Costa Rica.
Absolutely. Our fleet consists of new vehicles with up-to-date technical inspections and full insurance coverage. All our drivers are professional bilingual drivers with years of experience driving in Costa Rica. We have over 190 5-star reviews on Google that back up our service.
Have another question? Write us on WhatsApp →
