From San Jose:
TRACOPA Bus Company has several buses a day going South to Panama. Get yourself a Ticket to PALMAR NORTE, once you arrive there you can take either a Bus or a Taxi to the Town of SIERPE where there are Boats leaving for Drake Bay several times a day. Last Boat leaves arround 4 pm! It is advisable to take the 5 am TRACOPA Bus so you are sure to enter Drake Bay the same day and don’t have to stay overnight in Palmar or Sierpe.
There is no public Transport in the Drake Bay Area so call beforehand to arrange a Pick up.
Travel Time: approx. 8hrs
- There is now a TRACOPA Bus that leaves San Jose to Sierpe, so you can catch the afternoon boat at 4pm (20 usd per person). The Bus leaves the Tracopa Bus Terminal in San Jose at 8.30 am and arrives in Sierpe at 2 pm
From Puerto Jimenez:
There is a Bus twice a day leaving from LA PALMA at 11 am and 4 pm. Make sure to be there early enough, there is NO Bus on Sunday. Call beforehand to arrange a Pick up
Travel Time: 2-3hrs
From the Paso Canoas, Border with Panama:
From the Boarder get a Taxi or the Bus to Ciudad Neilly and its Bus Terminal, then you have 2 options depending on the time you arrive at the Terminal:
Option A:
Take the 9 am or 2 pm Bus that leaves to Puerto Jimenez on the Osa Peninsula. Tell the driver you want to get off the road crossing at Rincon (“el cruce de Rincon” in spanish) where around 11.30 am and 4.30 pm the Bus to Drake will pass bye. Be aware there is NO Bus on Sunday so you will have to hitch a ride or go over Palmar Norte/Sierpe
Option B:
Take the Bus to Palmar Norte and from there take a taxi or a Bus to Sierpe where there are daily Boats to Drake at 11 am and 4 pm. Make sure you will arrive on time or you will have to spend a night in Sierpe.
Contact beforehand to arrange a pick up in Drake.
Travel Time: around 5 hours.