Cartago Day Trip by Rail from San Jose: Bike Ride and Market Tour
Overview
- 5-hour Cartago day trip by train from San Jose
- Travel by rail through the mountains past coffee plantations outside the capital
- Bicycle through the historical streets of Cartago with an informative local guide
- Discover Costa Rica’s colonial history and learn about daily life in town
- Sample local cuisine at Cartago’s Central Market
- Small-group tour with a maximum of 12 people ensures a personalized experience
From US$62.00
Lowest Price GuaranteeA short hike into the hills above San Jose leads to an Atlantic Railroad station. Here you’ll board a train for the 45-minute ride to Cartago. Rolling into the mountains, you’ll pass verdant coffee plantations and other beautiful scenery of the Costa Rican countryside.
Once you arrive in Cartago, join many of the locals who navigate the historic city streets by bicycle. Your guide will lead you past architectural and cultural highlights and share interesting background on the town’s colonial history.
Immerse yourself in the sights and smells of the Central Market — an important focal point of daily life for many of Cartago’s residents. Wander among the market stalls, and sample fresh produce and local specialties for an authentic taste of regional cuisine. Join local commuters on a bus ride for the return trip to San Jose. Your guide can provide tips on other urban sites to explore or direct you back to your city hotel.
Reviews
Viator Traveler's Reviews
Urban Adventure's slogan is : Best Day ever! and boy or boy, do I agree. So, I am just gonna say it: Best day ever!!! Angel who was my tour guide is just the most thoughtful, dedicated and encyclopedic guide I have ever had. He knows his stuff and he delivers it in a way that sparks your curiosity and inspires organic conversation. The ride on the train to Cartago was scenic and peaceful. I really loved the bike ride around the quaint city of Cartago. The market and the palace ruins were the highlights of the afternoon along with meeting the genial Rolando and Angelita who make the most delectable corn and beef Empanadas. Angel really know's how to take care of his guests: taking numerous picture of me, a battery charger at the ready, offering his jacket when it got too cold. Just a great guy I have to tell you. I totally recommend this tour and Urban Adventures.
Angel was an excellent tour guide! He was very outgoing, informative and hospitable! He answered many questions, taught us Spanish words and phrases, and was very kind and considerate! We took a very fun and exciting train ride to Cartago, rode bikes through the city and then visited the very beautiful Bascilia of our Lady of the Angels. We then took a tour of the church museum and went to the gift shop. We then visited the lovely Santiago Apostol Parish Ruins and ate an authentic Costa Rican lunch in the market. After taking an auto bus back to San Jose we visited The Casa Del Caca Cafe and tasted very delicious cocoa and chocolate. With Angel as our guide, this was an outstanding tour!
This trip included walking tour of historic sites in San Jose, and the train ride was quaint and included parts of San Jose and Cartago we wouldn't have otherwise been able to see. Hector was knowledgeable and fun, and the best part was the market tour sampling tropical fruit and the authentic empanadas at the market lunch counter.
Amazing is right - wonderful day spent with an excellent tour guide, Vinicio! Did a train ride, bicycle ride around Cartago, then a local bus ride back to San Jose. Got to visit the local market in Cartago, as well as the wonderful cathedral there. Vinicio is a wealth of knowledge and information about the area, history and culture, and his love for his country is extremely evident throughout the tour. What a lovely experience for my first time to Costa Rica! A special bonus was sampling thebest empanadas in Cartago made fresh by Rolando and Angelina in the market!
Natalie my tour guide was exceptional. She took me around to a few sites in San Jose before our very scenic train ride through the country side to Cartago. She shared with my a local desert on the way and we talked about the culture of Costa Rica. Once in Cartago, we had a brief visit to a local art gallery and then went on our way on a beautiful bike ride through the city center. Afterwards, we visited the local market and we visited various stalls.. the best being the most delicious bean empanadas I've ever had. Natalie was knowledgeable, funny, engaging, helpful and an excellent tour guide and host.
Carolina was great. She is very informative. We had a bit of a tour around San Jose which we appreciated. The train was a great experience. Open air and a fun ride. Very disappointed in the bikes. Had to walk the tour as couldn't ride the bikes. We loved the market and the empanada. It was the best.
Nice tour! Our tour guide did well teaching us about history and culture of Costa Rica. The Basilica was something I was not expecting. I did not know such remarkable place existed in Cartago. The empanada in the market place was a joy. The local corn made a big difference in the empanada's flavor. The only change I could see for the tour is to make it a little longer.