Ferry Paquera: The Ultimate How-To Guide

Is crossing the Gulf of Nicoya coming up in your Costa Rica trip plan? I see you. I remember when I tried to look for instructions on boarding the Ferry Paquera and a very limited amount of experience-based information came up. Then I went on to look like a confused cartoon character at the boarding terminal.

I’m going to make sure that isn’t the case for you. First, boarding without a vehicle is easy. Just buy a ticket at the office, which is a coffee shop, and walk right on. It’s trying to board with a vehicle that gets a little more complicated. Without further ado, let’s get you ready for a ferry ride!

Disclaimer: There are 2 ferry routes leaving from Puntarenas, one to Paquera, and the other to the northern part of the Nicoya Peninsula. I will only be talking about the Paquera route.

Table of Contents

Getting on Ferry Paquera

On the surface level, taking the Ferry Paquera sounds pretty simple. Just buy a ticket and board the ferry, right? It’s actually a little more complicated once you get there.

First, you have the ferry terminal location, Puntarenas. It is a notoriously sketchy town (which is NOT typical of Costa Rica at all), where you definitely wouldn’t want to spend extra time in.

Then there is the question of “Where is the ticket office?” or “Where is the vehicle line?” All these questions will be answered in this post.

Vehicles, including a white SUV with off-road equipment, parked on the deck of the Ferry Paquera 'Tambor II,' preparing for a crossing in Costa Rica. The ferry's structure, featuring the Costa Rican flag, is visible with passengers on the upper level, set against a partly cloudy sky.

Daily Ferry Schedule

The ferry ride takes about 1.5 hours. The schedules for the routes there and back are identical, except for the last run. I listed all the times for both directions below.

Puntarenas to Paquera

The ferry leaves from the Puntarenas Ferry Terminal every day at 5:30, 9:00, 12:00, 18:00, and 20:30.

Paquera to Puntarenas

The ferry leaves Paquera every day at 5:30, 9:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00, and 20:00.

Rates

For the purpose of this post, I’m only sharing the 3 types of rates that I know for sure are relevant.

Adult – CRC 810 ($1.21)
Child – CRC 485 ($0.72)
Light Vehicle – CRC 11,400 + 13% VAT ($19.18)

All other types of vehicle rates are listed here. Please note as well that vehicles are charged VAT while people are not.

Puntarenas to Paquera

Address

Using Waze, you can just search for “Ferry Paquera” and it’ll come up.

But if you’re searching by address, this will be enough to get you there under any navigation system: Ferry Paquera, Puntarenas Province, Punta Arenas, Costa Rica

For maximum accuracy and peace of mind, here are the coordinates, liked: 9.9778682, -84.8484847

Purchasing Tickets

There are two ways to purchase ferry tickets, online and in person.

Online

One point to note: You cannot purchase your tickets online less than 2 hours before your desired departure time. So, if you’re taking a super spontaneous trip, you’ll have to do so in person.

If you’re using public transportation and won’t be crossing with a car, I’d say you have nothing to worry about. The human capacity is rarely ever full from what I’ve heard.

First, visit Quickpay CR, the online portal for ferry tickets. The website is all in Spanish, but not to worry. I will walk you through everything.

Page 1

First page you'll see on Quickpay CR, to purchase ferry paquera tickets online — *The first page of the portal, courtesy of Quickpay CR.*

Above is the first page you will see on the website. For Salida y Destino, select from the drop-down menu which direction you’re going… to Paquera or back to Puntarenas. Then select the date of travel.

Select Puntarens to Paquera — *Photo courtesy of Quickpay CR*

After putting in your destination and date, select the time you’d like to take the ferry. Then click “Siguiente.”

Page 2

Select vehicle or Person — *Photo courtesy of Quickpay CR*

After clicking Siguiente, you will see another dropdown menu that prompts you to choose “Vehículo” or “Personas.” If you’re traveling without a car, choose personas.

Select your vehicle type — *Photo courtesy of Quickpay CR*

If you have a rental car, choose the first option that says “Vehículo Liviano” which literally means “Light Vehicle.” Then you’ll be prompted to put in the number of your party below. If you chose “personas” then you’ll only need to put in the number of people. After you’re done, click “Siguiente” again.

Page 3

Enter your information — *Photo courtesy of Quickpay CR*

On the next page, put in your information as shown in the photo above. If you’re renting a car and don’t yet know your plate number, you’re okay to put in “rentalcar” or any random 6-digit number.

Right below the email address field, you’ll see a button that says “Datos para Factura.” This is a button you must click before you can proceed to the next page.

Select Sin Factura — *Photo courtesy of Quickpay CR*

A window will pop up like in the photo above. But it’s asking for national identification. So unless you’re a Costa Rican citizen, leave all fields blank and click “Sin Factura” at the bottom.

Finalize your purchase for ferry paquera — *Photo courtesy of Quickpay CR*

Check the box to accept the terms and conditions, then click “Comprar” and you’ll be redirected to the payment page for purchase.

On-site

I didn’t buy my tickets online because I didn’t know any better. And buying tickets on-site was the most confusing part for me… Mainly because I ran into 2 accidents and massive traffic on my way to Puntarenas, and ended up missing my 3 pm ferry by 2 minutes… Yikes…

Without a Car

If you’re coming without a car, the ticket office will be directly opposite the gates to the platform. It’s a tiny little booth hidden inside an unsuspecting local bakery. Photo below.

The booth opens about 1.5 to 2 hours before each ferry departs. As soon as it opens, you can grab yourself a ticket and head straight onto the ferry.

Ticket window for the Ferry Paquera in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, showing a small waiting area with tables, chairs, and a food display. The scene includes a few people in line at the blue-and-white ticket booth under a covered walkway. — *The tiny blue ticket booth is literally inside this bakery opposite the boarding platform.*

With a Car

Before you continue, if you’re planning to rent a car, I’ve laid out all I know about renting a car and driving in Costa Rica.

Things are a little different when you’re coming with a car, of course. The street that goes by the terminal is one-way. So just make sure to go around the long way until you emerge at the beginning of it.

I’d suggest passing by the terminal gate once at first to see where everything is. Right before you reach the gate, you will see a line of cars to your left that are parallel-parked along the street.

It looks like they’ve parked their cars to go to the beach, but some of them are actually holding their place in line to board the ferry.

This is a smart move. I recommend arriving at least 1.5 hours before your boarding time if you haven’t purchased your ticket online. The car space is known to fill up, especially during holidays. If there is no space left, you’ll simply have to keep waiting for another 3 hours to board the next one. Not ideal…

I also recommend having snacks in your car to last you until you board the ferry. Trust me, you don’t want to be looking for a place to “grab snacks and chill” in Puntarenas.

Pay attention to when the cars in front of you start moving. As some cars in line are actually there for the beaches. Once you get to the gate, a ticket holder will give you a card with your vehicle type on it and direct you to park your car in line.

Close-up of a laminated card labeled 'Vehículo Liviano Puntarenas,' used for redeeming a vehicle ticket at the Ferry Paquera ticket window. The card includes instructions in Spanish and English, stating, 'Con esta boleta obtendrá su tiquete en boletería' and 'Use this tag to get your vehicle's ticket. — *The vehicle card you’ll get from a ticket holder at the terminal gate*

Once you’ve parked in line, leave the car and head over to the ticket office across the street. Hand over your vehicle card to get your actual ticket, then return to your car and wait to board.

Dock area for the Ferry Paquera in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, featuring vehicles lined up for boarding and people gathered near a schedule sign displaying ferry departure times. The scene captures a lively atmosphere under a cloudy evening sky, with workers and passengers preparing for the ferry ride. — *The view of the ferry terminal gate, looking over from the ticket office.* *Yes… that gray SUV at the end of the line was mine!*

Boarding the Ferry

If you’ve purchased your ticket online, please make sure to arrive AT LEAST 30 minutes before departure time or you may be denied boarding if the car space is filled up. Once at the gate, show your online ticket to the ticket person and you will be given a hard copy ticket.

Close-up of a printed ferry ticket from Naviera Tambor S.A., showing details for a light vehicle (Vehículo Liviano) and one adult passenger. The ticket includes the subtotal of ₡12,210, IVA tax of ₡1,482, and a total cost of ₡13,692, printed on a patterned car seat background. — *The ticket looks like a receipt, but it is what you’ll use. There are two identical copies. The staff will take one and return one to you.*

Once you’ve gotten through the nitty-gritty process of getting tickets and waiting in line, the boarding process should be a breeze. The staff will just wave you over to wherever they want you to park on the ferry.

Once on the ferry, I recommend going upstairs to the lounge where everyone is. You can either sit outside along the corridors or inside where there’s a snack bar you can enjoy.

Paquera to Puntarenas

The process is more or less the same for the ferry back, if anything, it’s much easier. There is nothing around the ferry terminal in Paquera. So the entrance, the ticket office, and the line of cars can be spotted very easily.

Address

Paquera Ferry Landing – R3HW+VH6, 621, La Nicoyana, Provincia de Puntarenas, Paquera, Costa Rica

Purchasing Tickets

The process is exactly the same going back. So if you’ve made it this far into the post, you’re all good. Hope this post helps you become less nervous than I was snooping around the ticket booth and lines of cars…

Conclusion

Boarding Ferry Paquera with a car was, admittedly, one of my more confusing experiences. But that was only because I never found an online guide that could tell me exactly how the process goes.

As daunting as it can be trying to find the vehicle cue and figuring out whether or not you need someone to guard your car while you purchase your tickets, as long as you know what to expect during the process, you’re going to be just fine.

Happy Travels!

Common Questions

What is the schedule for the Ferry Paquera?

The ferry operates several times daily between Puntarenas and Paquera. Departure times from both locations include early morning, midday, and evening options. For the most current schedule, it’s best to check online HERE as times may vary.

What are the rates for the Ferry Paquera?

Rates vary depending on the type of ticket. Adult and child passenger fares are available, along with different rates for vehicles, including motorcycles, ATVs, and cars. Check HERE for the most updated prices. Payment can be made using Visa and Mastercard, or in cash with smaller denominations.

What amenities are available on the ferry?

There is a food service with snacks and drinks at reasonable prices. The ferry also features an upper deck where passengers often enjoy the journey with a drink and some music. Additionally, the ferry has bathroom facilities and an air-conditioned cabin with televisions.

What should I know about traveling with a vehicle on the ferry?

If you’re traveling with a vehicle, you’ll need to drive onto the car loading area by the dock and obtain a plastic ticket from a ferry employee before purchasing your ferry ticket. During boarding, all passengers except the driver must disembark and board the ferry on foot.