Tue, Sep 8
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2 Travelers

Pleasure Ride

4.0
22 customer reviews
  • About
  • Popular Routes
  • Stations
  • Reviews
  • Schedule and Timetable

About Pleasure Ride

The two principal things which make travelling by van so attractive are a wide choice of destinations and affordable prices. Not all vans offer top comfort, enough legroom, or luggage space, but these two points compensate. Besides, it is always vans that launch new routes to emerging destinations paving the road to big bus operators if necessary or remaining the only means of transport to bring you there. Very often, vans offer faster service than big buses, more flexible timetable, and more readily adapt to travellers’ needs in the sense of schedule – if there is a temporary growth in demand due to long weekends or national holidays, vans add more vehicles to their daily fleet easier than other operators. Note though that sometimes vans operate from their own van stations or terminals or have a dedicated section in bigger bus terminals. Always check your van's departure and arrival point as it is not necessarily located at the main bus station.

Pleasure Ride is one of the operators to check if you are going to travel by van. They provide reliable van service and offer tickets with easy and secure online booking.

Pleasure Ride Popular Stations

Here is the list of the main terminals from where Pleasure Ride’s vans operate:

  • Autotransportes Mepe Puerto Viejo
  • Panama Shuttles Taxi 25
  • Cahuita Hotel Transfer
  • Boquete Transfer
  • Manzanillo Hotel Transfer
  • Puerto Viejo Hotel Transfer
  • Puntarenas Hotel Transfer
  • Jaco Hotel Transfer
  • Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui Transfer
  • Montezuma Hotel Transfer
  • La Fortuna Hotel Transfer
  • Guapiles Hotel Transfer
  • Liberia Hotel Transfer
  • Siquirres Hotel Transfer
  • Conchal Beach Transfer
  • San Jose Hotel Transfer
  • Monteverde Hotel Transfer
  • Punta Uva Hotel Transfer
  • Sixaola Transfer
  • Limon Transfer
  • Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica
  • Moin Transfer
  • Turrialba Transfer
  • Transporte Torres
  • Izaru Volcano
  • Vera Blanca Transfer

Pleasure Ride Ticket Prices & Van Classes

Opposite to trains or bigger buses, vans rarely offer you a choice of ticket class. All the seats are the same – call it standard, VIP, or whatever. What can differ, though, is the type of the van itself. Some vans seat only 9-10 passengers. For travellers this means wider seats, more space, and a more comfortable trip. Vans which accommodate up to 15 passengers are also ok but be ready to sacrifice on space for your legs and elbows and very often – for your luggage, too. Sometimes it can be a good idea to buy two seats instead of one to ensure a more comfortable ride – yet it pays to check with the operator if they allow this on your route. Before you book your van ticket, read reviews on Pleasure Ride van service to see what to expect.

Travel by Van: Pros & Cons

Pros of VanTravel

  • Vans can be the only way to reach some of the most remote destinations, smaller towns or villages which are connected neither by big buses nor trains.
  • Vans can also take you to some islands connected with the mainland by large car ferries which do not take big buses but take vans on board, too.
  • Due to a smaller size compared to big buses, vans are more maneuverable on the road. It sometimes results in shorter travel time, especially if your destination is not far away.
  • While vans do have an official stop enroute, they can also get you off at a more convenient point – no need to go to the terminal, just ask your driver. Note that it is not always possible, but in many cases, they will cooperate. It can save you both time and money you would have otherwise spent getting off the terminal on foot or by taxi.

Cons of Van Travel

  • Vans accommodating more passengers may feel quite cramped. Expect limited space for your legs and elbows. Some vans limit the luggage for one ticket to one piece. If you have more bags, suitcases, or backpacks, you may be asked to buy a separate ticket for your luggage, which makes the trip twice as expensive.
  • Not all vans run on schedule. On certain routes, vans leave only when full. Do check it with your operator before buying your ticket, otherwise, you may end up waiting much longer than expected until the van fills up.
  • If there are more reckless drivers on any other means of transport than on vans, we are unaware of it. Some companies install speed control units on their vehicles, but it is not a rare case to hear this unit beeping the whole trip through with the driver not paying attention to it. Always remember to buckle your seatbelt while travelling by van. Though sometimes you will need to make an investigation to find out where your seatbelt is.
  • For those prone to motion sickness there is a good piece of advice: take your medicine half an hour before your van trip, especially if your route includes winding stretches. You are more likely to feel motion sick travelling by van than by bus.
Read more

Pleasure Ride Popular Routes

Limon Province to Bocas del Toro
07:30, 11:30
Cahuita to Bocas del Toro
07:30, 11:30
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to Bocas del Toro
08:00, 12:00
Limon Province to Panama City
11:30
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to Panama City
12:00
Cahuita to Boquete
07:30
Bocas del Toro to San Jose
07:50, 11:50
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to Boquete
08:00
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to San Jose
02:59, 05:29, 08:59, 11:59, 15:59
Limon Province to Boquete
07:30
Boquete to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
08:00
Bocas del Toro to Boquete
08:30, 11:50, 13:30
Bocas del Toro to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
07:50, 11:50
Boquete to Cahuita
08:00
Bocas del Toro to Panama City
06:30, 17:00
Boquete to Bocas del Toro
07:00, 08:00, 13:00
Bocas del Toro to Limon Province
07:50, 11:50
Boquete to Limon Province
08:00
Bocas del Toro to Cahuita
07:50, 11:50
Cahuita to Panama City
11:30

Pleasure Ride Schedule & Timetable

ClassDeparture stationArrival stationDepartureArrivalTravel time
MEPEAutotransportes Mepe Puerto ViejoMEPE Bus Terminal15:5920:294h 30m
MEPEAutotransportes Mepe Puerto ViejoMEPE Bus Terminal11:5916:294h 30m
MEPEAutotransportes Mepe Puerto ViejoMEPE Bus Terminal08:5913:294h 30m
MEPEAutotransportes Mepe Puerto ViejoMEPE Bus Terminal05:2909:594h 30m
MEPEAutotransportes Mepe Puerto ViejoMEPE Bus Terminal02:5907:294h 30m
Minivan + FerryPuerto Viejo Hotel TransferPanama Shuttles Taxi 2512:0014:302h 30m
Minivan + FerryPuerto Viejo Hotel TransferPanama Shuttles Taxi 2508:0010:302h 30m
Minivan + FerryPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Puerto Viejo Hotel Transfer11:5016:204h 30m
Minivan + FerryPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Puerto Viejo Hotel Transfer07:5012:204h 30m
Bus + FerryPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Albrook Bus Station17:0003:3010h 30m
Bus + FerryPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Albrook Bus Station06:3017:0010h 30m
StandardPuerto Viejo Hotel TransferAlbrook Bus Station12:0004:0016h 0m
Bus + FerryCahuita Hotel TransferPanama Shuttles Taxi 2511:3014:002h 30m
Bus + FerryCahuita Hotel TransferPanama Shuttles Taxi 2507:3010:002h 30m
Bus + FerryBoquete TransferPanama Shuttles Taxi 2513:0016:303h 30m
Bus + FerryBoquete TransferPanama Shuttles Taxi 2508:0011:303h 30m
Bus + FerryBoquete TransferPanama Shuttles Taxi 2507:0010:303h 30m
MinivanBoquete TransferPuerto Viejo Hotel Transfer08:0014:156h 15m
Bus + FerryPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Boquete Transfer13:3018:455h 15m
Bus + FerryPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Boquete Transfer11:5017:055h 15m
Bus + FerryPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Boquete Transfer08:3013:455h 15m
Bus + FerryPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Cahuita Hotel Transfer11:5016:204h 30m
Bus + FerryPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Cahuita Hotel Transfer07:5012:204h 30m
MinivanPuerto Viejo Hotel TransferBoquete Transfer08:0012:154h 15m
MinivanPanama Shuttles Taxi 25MEPE Bus Terminal11:5018:507h 0m
MinivanPanama Shuttles Taxi 25MEPE Bus Terminal07:5014:507h 0m
MinivanCahuita Hotel TransferBoquete Transfer07:3013:005h 30m
MinivanCahuita Hotel TransferAlbrook Bus Station11:3023:0011h 30m
MinivanBoquete TransferCahuita Hotel Transfer08:0013:305h 30m
MinivanBoquete TransferManzanillo Hotel Transfer08:0013:155h 15m

Pleasure Ride Stations

Sixaola TransferPuntarenas Hotel TransferJaco Hotel TransferAutotransportes Mepe Puerto ViejoPuerto Viejo de Sarapiqui TransferTurrialba TransferMontezuma Hotel TransferLa Fortuna Hotel TransferGuapiles Hotel TransferMonteverde Hotel TransferLiberia Hotel TransferVera Blanca TransferPanama Shuttles Taxi 25Cahuita Hotel TransferBoquete TransferIzaru VolcanoPunta Uva Hotel TransferManzanillo Hotel TransferMoin TransferSiquirres Hotel TransferTransporte TorresPuerto Viejo Hotel TransferConchal Beach TransferSloth Sanctuary of Costa RicaLimon TransferSan Jose Hotel Transfer

Pleasure Ride Company Reviews

G B
Our trip on the Panama side was much better, smooth boat ride and friendly helping us get to border - the helpers at Almirante were useful but I think coming onto the minibus to ask for tips wasn’t great when we have already paid for this service. There was no communication after crossing the border meaning there was a group of us spending a while looking for our bus/driver, which we thought we’d found, were turned away and then turns out it was our bus. Our driver then was often on his phone meaning there were several slamming of the brakes and he also didn’t drop us off at the agreed point. We left late and arrived late.
Van Minivan + Ferry, Pleasure Ride, Aug 16, 2026
S U
The information on 12go is incorrect. You don't arrive into Panama city bus station until 4AM. Also it is only partly a minibus shuttle. You get a minibus to the border. A porter then takes you across the border ( charge $1). Another minibus then takes you to a bus stop where you wait for 3 hours for the 6pm bus to Albrook bus station. You will arrive between 3am and 5 am. The bus is comfortable, although the AC is set to Arctic so you need to come prepared. Had the information on 12go been correct then the service wasn't bad but I had to be at the airport at 5 30AM and 8 had a non refundable room booked as I was expecting to arrive before midnight. The driver who collected me said that they have asked the 12go to correct the error.
Van Minivan, Pleasure Ride, Jul 30, 2026
M S
You gave me travel insurance that I did not ask for.
Bus Bus + Ferry, Pleasure Ride, Mar 23, 2026
A L
No AC! And it was full!
Bus MEPE, Pleasure Ride, Aug 13, 2025
B K
Van Minivan + Ferry, Pleasure Ride, Aug 14, 2026
D M
Van Minivan + Ferry, Pleasure Ride, Jul 29, 2026
M A
Van Minivan + Ferry, Pleasure Ride, Jul 4, 2026
E F
Van Minivan + Ferry, Pleasure Ride, Apr 29, 2026
L M
Bus Bus + Ferry, Pleasure Ride, Apr 26, 2026
P A
Bus Standard, Pleasure Ride, Dec 22, 2025
C P
Van Minivan + Ferry, Pleasure Ride, Jun 17, 2025
V
Van Minivan, Pleasure Ride, Feb 12, 2024
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Van Minivan, Pleasure Ride, Feb 11, 2024
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Van Minivan, Pleasure Ride, Oct 6, 2023
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Van Minivan, Pleasure Ride, Oct 5, 2023
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Van Minivan, Pleasure Ride, May 22, 2023
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Van Minivan, Pleasure Ride, May 21, 2023
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Van Minivan, Pleasure Ride, Feb 5, 2023
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Van Minivan, Pleasure Ride, Feb 4, 2023
4.0
22 customer reviews
5
46%
4
27%
3
9%
2
18%
1
0%
81.8% of 22 travelers were presumably happy with Pleasure Ride as they left good or no review