Help Traveling from Panama to Costa Rica (or Vice Versa)?

[puckhead1229]

Hi all,

I'm trying to plan a trip (approx. 10-14 days) with a friend to Central America and we're thinking about visiting both Panama and Costa Rica.

Flying into Panama City and then returning from San Jose (or vice versa) seems like a viable option, but we're getting tripped up on how to get between the two countries.

I read in another thread here that car rental companies won't let you cross borders, which leaves me wondering...

- Is taking a train a worthwhile option?
- Do any rental car companies operate both at the respective capitals/airports AND basically right next to each other across the border?
- What other viable options are there for people who haven't traveled the area before?
- If we did rent a car and had to keep it in one country, how viable is finding a place @ the border to store it, crossing over and getting around (somehow?) and then coming back for it?

We're planning to go more for the outdoors than the cities, so if we can't pull off the crossing, we'll probably just end up picking one or the other (Panama or CR) and just renting a car for in-country use. But I'd much rather see both.

Appreciate any suggestions you can offer. Thanks!

[VacationBuddy]

Hi there,

The reason for this it is that at the moment no Car Rental Companies carries the special insurance that allows you to leave Costa Rica to Panama or Nicaragua in the same car.

Your best bet would be to rent with Poas Rental Car in Costa Rica. They have an office in Puerto Viejo and then cross to the border to go to Bocas del Toro in Panama, then take a car from dollar to drive into Panama.

Please check out these links for more sugesstions on what to do in Costa Rica and Panama
http://www.destination360.com/centra...ary-costa-rica and http://www.destination360.com/centra...e-travel-tours

Hope this helps
VacationBuddy

[puckhead1229]

Thanks a lot VacationBuddy. I'll check out Poas & doing it that way.