Planning a trip to Cartago
The main route into town from the highway, Avenida 2, enters downtown Cartago from the west and leads to the center of town, with the central park and church ruins. The Basilica is 6 blocks farther east, near where you pick up the road to Paraíso and the Orosi Valley.
Getting There
By Car: Head east out of San José on Avenida 2, toward the suburbs of Los Yoses and San Pedro, continuing on through Curridabat. As you exit Curridabat, you will see signs to Cartago, putting you on the Inter-American Highway (CR2) to Cartago. This section of the highway is also known locally as the Florencio del Castillo Highway. There’s a C80 toll charged in one direction, as you leave Curridabat heading toward Cartago.
By Bus: Lumaca buses (tel. 2537-2320) for Cartago leave San José every 3 to 5 minutes between 4:30am and 9pm, with slightly less frequent service until midnight, from Avenida 5, between Calle 4 and 6. You can also catch one en route at any of the little covered bus stops along Avenida Central in Los Yoses and San Pedro. The length of the trip is 45 minutes; the fare is C570.
By Train: San José’s scenic but sporadic main train line INCOFER (tel. 2542-5800; www.incofer.go.cr) runs all the way from downtown San José to downtown Cartago, with no stops. The train runs during commuter hours roughly every 1/2 hour between 5:30 and 9:30am and again between 3:30 and 8pm. One-way fare is C550.
