ABOUT THE LIVING LIFE IN COSTA RICA BLOG

I (Vicki Skinner - aka "THE Sarong Goddess") created this blog in 2007 to share DETAILED Finds•Lists•Info•Events•Experiences to help bring more EASE to people living in, visiting or thinking of moving to Costa Rica since DETAILS are NOT easy to find!
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Wednesday, July 1, 2015

AUTOPISTA DEL SOL • CALDERA HIGHWAY • Highway 27 • RUTA 27 - the BEST & FASTEST road taking you to Central•South Pacific Beaches in Costa Rica!

(updated July 1, 2015)

WOW - FREE AUTO CHECKS on:
• CONTROLES LIBRES DE AUTO en:

•  Oil Level • niveles de aceite
•  Tires • llantas
•  Battery • Baterias
•  Test Emission of gases from Diesel vehicles • Prueba de gases
•  Windshield Efficiency • Parabrisas
(hmmm - will the Transito Police be there giving you a Fix-it Ticket if you don't pass some of these things . . . ????)
(hmmm - será la policía de Transito allí le da un boleto Fix-it si usted no pasa alguna de estas cosas ????...)

WHEN: 
Saturdays•Sabados - July•Julio 4 & 11 - 9am-1pm

WHERE: 
Pista del Sol #27 (aka Caldera Highway • Carretera • Ruta #27) - ESCAZU Toll Booth.

("Share" with your friends!!)

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The NEW(er)
CALDERA HIGHWAY • PISTA DEL SOL  • HIGHWAY • CARRETERA • RUTA #27
(this 76.7km•47.6 mile long newer highway•"pista" [as they're called in Costa Rica], goes from from San Jose (I think it actually "officially" starts where the first toll booth is - in Escazu) to the Pacific Coast (Orotino - not far from Jaco & Puntarenas), cutting about 45 minutes off your time to the beach [depending on where you’re going and traffic of course AND - depending on if it's OPEN as especially during Rainy Season - June-ish till around November-ish - it can be CLOSED from landslides as it was not built well])

ROAD CONDITIONS or ASSISTANCE on the Pista del Sol
(this is IMPORTANT to double check - ESPECIALLY in Rainy Season as they've been having some 
SERIOUS problems with landslides, etc.):
2-588-4040
Press 1 for the recorded Road Conditions

Press 2 for Accidents (or other things)

They also post updates on their Facebook page:


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Fees/”Tarifas” at the Toll Booths 
for the
Carretera Caldera AutoPista del Sol #27
This is a TOLL ROAD - so plan ahead to have Exact Change as much as possible to help speed your trip up
 (there are some lanes for Exact Change which usually go MUCH faster!!).

Here are the latest toll charges (as of October 1, 2014 [current as of July 1, 2015])
•     ESCAZU  -  330-c/55¢-U.S.
(between the 1st two East Escazu exits [1st - for WalMart. 2nd - for EPA] and the next one [the exit you’d get off for CIMA, PriceSmart, Office Depot, Jazz Cafe, Plaza Itzkazu and the MultiPlaza/InterContinetal].  Already in Escazu?  Depending on where you’re coming from, you may be able to avoid this by getting on before or after [at WalMart - but if you're doing this to avoid the 330-c - trust me, you'll spend LOTS more than that in gas with all the traffic along Calle Vieja - to say nothing about how BAD the Traffic is!!])
•     CIUDAD COLON•PIADADES DE SANTA ANA (you do NOT go through this if you're going to the beach)  -  160-c
•     SAN RAFAEL  -  500-c 
•     LA GUACIMA  -  370-c
•     SIQUIARES  -  390-c
•     ATENAS - RAMPA•EXIT  -  330-c 
(you only pay this if you’re entering/exiting at Atenas)
•     ATENAS  -  660-c
•     POZON  -  500-c
•     COSTANERA SUR • OROTINA  -  160-c


TOTAL in tolls/tarifas if you’re going from Escazu to the end•ocean
2,910-colones
 (about $5.38 based on 540-c/$1-USD as of December 24, 2014).


Don't you think YOUR TIME•HASSLE is WELL worth this "INVESTMENT" in you (and your car since it's LOTS less wear-and-tear on it) - compared to the alternative!!]. 


Price for MOTORCYCLES:
Yes - you saw that right - Motorcycles ARE the SAME PRICE as regular sized cars - INTERESTING!!!  As MUCH as they cause the MOST accidents - they cause the LEAST amount of damage to the roads so interesting they'd charge the same price!!  Ahhhh - life in Costa Rica])
With over 2,000 entries here, we can't be on top all the changes that take place in Costa Rica so check for the:   
CURRENT TOLLS • TARIFFS • TARIFAS:



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Unlike most of Costa Rica's highways,
Bicyclists and
pedestrians are PROHIBITED on Route 27


 
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The Pista del Sol and 

Asociación Rescate Animal
have started an


ANIMAL RESCUE PROJECT
to help save and adopt out animals found along the Pista del Sol•Highway 27.

If you see an injured or dead animal on Pista del Sol•Highway 27 

CALL
2-588-4040 

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QUICK PASS
If you live in Costa Rica and see yourself taking the Caldera Highway•Pista del Sol•Highway 27 a lot, or are into making your life easier/having less traffic (at the toll booths), you can buy a Quick Pass. 

You purchase the unit NOW manage through ETC Electronic Toll SA -  and purchased from the following banks - BAC/Credomatic (I believe the site says the Escazu branch - possibly in Plaza Trejos Montelegre?), LAFISE, BCR, ProAmerica, Cathay (it looks like Cathay has LOTS of other add on costs) and Banco Nacional.  The price varies from $30 (Lafise but with an initial $60 investment) to $36.  Each has a $1 monthly fee.  And then it looks like it auto fills or withdraws (I can't see on their site) from your bank account.  When driving on THIS highway (it’s not good on any other highway), go through the special lanes marked “Quick Pass” and as you drive through it scans and deducts the toll.  
http://QuickPassCR.com/nuestros_clientes.aspx


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A bit about the

HISTORY
of this highway (who's concept started in 1978!!!  Ahhhhh - life in Costa Rica!!!):

WeLoveCostaRica.com/public/876.cfmWeLoveCostaRica.com/public/887.cfm


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 LivingLifeInCostaRica.blogspot.com/2014/03/AutoPistaDelSolHighway27CR.html
.180 7/1/15
 

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