Tortuguero to Arenal

Route: Tortuguero - San Jose - Arenal

Follow the way back to San Jose (HERE the details from the road to Tortuguero).
- Boat Tortuguero - La Pavona (11:00)
- Bus La Pavona - Cariari - take a seat and wait they don't have real arrival hours, it depends on when it comes from Cariari based on the departure hours 
- Cariari - San Jose - there are several buses (as before you need to walk to the new bus station)

San Jose - Arenal

Once in San Jose. 
The bus will drop you at the bus station Caribeños and you need to take the bus further from Atlántico del Norte (address:  Avenida 9 and Calle 12). You can walk it if during the day ​

NOTE: the terminal Atlántico del Norte ​ is  a mall and you have free WiFi there. 

The direct buses to Arenal (La Fortuna) leave early 6:30, 8:30, and 11:30am. Trip takes 4h. Make sure you are in the bus that goes via Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos)

Alternatively  you can take a bus to Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos). The trip takes about 2.5 h and we paid (November 2015) 1780 colones, 3.3$. There are several buses throughout the day until 7:30 PM. In Ciudad Quesada just wait for the first bus to La Fortuna, trip takes 1h and we paid 1350 colones, 2.5$. We managed to get the password of the shop that sells fruits, give it a try maybe the share it with you. 

We arrived in Arenal late and actually we had some issues with the room we booked at Hostel Backpackers La Fortuna a private room just to be informed when we got there almost at 11 PM that we don't have a room anymore. Reception did not even wait to find a solution. We were very disappointed and I just want to highlight how unprofessional the hostel was  

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