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A bus ticket to ease my nerves.......
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corr888



Joined: 18 Sep 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Costa Rica

PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:29 pm    Post subject: A bus ticket to ease my nerves....... Reply with quote

I'm coming in to CR on a one-way ticket and I'm worried. I want to buy a cheap bus ticket to Panama (or any other country really) to hopefully make things go smoothly through immigration. Does anyone know how to do this online or by phone so I can have my ticket in hand before I leave. Has anyone done this before?
Thanks
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CostaRicaOH



Joined: 15 Jul 2007
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:56 pm    Post subject: Just got here didn�t need to show my return ticket Reply with quote

Hey Corr,

If it helps, I just got here and was never asked to show a return ticket by customs or anyone else. From what I�ve read in other posts it�s the airlines responsibility to make sure you have a return, I flew with Spiritair and I booked a return ticket which might be why I had no problems. Maybe try calling your airline and ask them if you�ll need to show a return ticket?

Best of luck!
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OleLarssen



Joined: 26 Apr 2006
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.ticabus.com/


The two times I've landed in Juan Santamaria I've never been asked to show a return ticket.
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corr888



Joined: 18 Sep 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Costa Rica

PostPosted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the advice-
I called the airline and they said yes, indeed I need an outbound ticket, so I made a reservation for a cheap bus ticket to Nicaragua that I will never use.
Hopefully all will be well.
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teachwrite



Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 40
Location: Milky Way

PostPosted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

corr888 wrote:
Thanks for the advice-
I called the airline and they said yes, indeed I need an outbound ticket, so I made a reservation for a cheap bus ticket to Nicaragua that I will never use.
Hopefully all will be well.


Would you mind sharing how/where you got the reservation for the bus ticket?
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corr888



Joined: 18 Sep 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Costa Rica

PostPosted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 11:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Teachwrite- I went to www.ticabus.com and made the reservation.
I was hoping I would receive an email from them with some sort of ticket I could print out, but all I recieved was an email addressed to "Kathryn" (not my name) thanking me for the reservation. I wrote them back pointing out I wasn't Kathryn and asked them for some sort of proof of my reservation. So now I'm waiting.....
Any advice?
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pojohnny



Joined: 12 May 2007
Posts: 12

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't worry about. Nobody's gonna ask you for a return ticket.

You'll see. Wink
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nineisone



Joined: 23 Jun 2006
Posts: 187

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hate to chime in on something that has been said by the board regulars before and even in this thread, but I wanted to emphasize that it is the airline and not immigration that you will need to dodge the issue of flying one-way with. It is usually the airline that will bring this issue at the time of your checking in before your departure. As mentioned, this is real hit or miss and the airlines will often just sell you a return ticket if they do catch that you are on a one-way.

Unless you are suspicious or there is some other problem with your conduct, luggage, passport, etc... Immigration will rarely if ever ask to see proof of a return ticket. With Costa Rica in particular and C.A. specifically, I think they realize that many tourists will jaunt off to other nearby nations on their journey and C.R. is an affordable starting point to hop on the gringo trail that I wouldn't be surprised to know that many enter on a 1-way and make arrangements to get home at another time and often another place.

I am happy to know that the bus option exists and may look into that if I end up coming here. I know that it is difficult to make this arrangement in Peru, where few international bus companies exist and they often require documentation in person to secure a ticket.
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teachwrite



Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 40
Location: Milky Way

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

corr888 wrote:
Teachwrite- I went to www.ticabus.com


I'm in the same boat. I found a good deal on a one-way ticket out of Denver. The consensus seems to be that it's entirely up to the airline, and that Costa Rica immigration -- if they even ask -- will accept an explanation of "I'm heading to Panama" (or Nicaragua). If my airline ticket agent absolutely refuses to allow me to board without an outbound, I plan to go online and purchase a compania mexicana flight from san jose to guatemala city ($160 - bookable via kayak.com). But I like your idea for an outbound bus reservation, which is surely cheaper. I'll try that first, and if the airline won't accept it, I'll get the compania mexican ticket. No airline can force you to buy their own services over any other.

Also, I flew to Guatemala multiple times on one-way tickets last year and was never asked at any point. As many have mentioned, it's probably not as big of a deal as we think.
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corr888



Joined: 18 Sep 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Costa Rica

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 11:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yep, sounds like I'm worried for no reason.
I guess I'm just anxious about traveling alone and want to control as many of the variables as possible.
Thanks all for the advice.
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teachwrite



Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 40
Location: Milky Way

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

corr888 wrote:
Teachwrite- I went to www.ticabus.com ... all I recieved was an email addressed to "Kathryn"


Corr,

Thanks for this idea. I went and made a reservation and got back a confirmation. It was in the right name, too (guess I got lucky!). This should be enough for me to convince any airline agent that I have proof of onward travel. Great idea, and it was free. I'm glad I didn't have to blow money on a round-trip when one-ways are much cheaper to San Jose.

Here is what they sent back. I changed the information to protect my privacy. It's not very official looking, but neither are most airline e-tickets:

DEAR JOE,

THANKS FOR REACHING OUT. YOUR RESERVATION FROM COSTA RICA TO PANAMA FOR JANUARY 11, 2008 HAS BEEN MADE. YOUR SEAT NUMBER IS 41. THE BUS LEAVES AT 11.00 P.M. PLEASE BE AT THE TERMINAL 45 MINUTES BEFORE YOUR DEPARTURE TIME IN ORDER TO PREVENT LOSING YOUR SEAT.


HAVE A GREAT TRIP!!!

SINCERELY,

Maria Milagro L�pez Chaves
TICA BUS S.A.
Email: [email protected]

-----Mensaje original-----
De: www.ticabus.com [mailto:www.ticabus.com]
Enviado el: Viernes, 16 de Noviembre de 2007 12:37 p.m.
Para: Maria Teresa L�pez Chaves
Asunto: Solicitud de Reservaci�n

Los datos introducidos en el formulario son:

Nombre = Joe

Apellido1 = Smith

Apellido2 =

Pasaporte = 123456789

Nacionalidad = United States Citizen

Telefono = 5555555555

Direccion = 555 Road Drive, City, ST 88888

sexo = Male

profesion3 = Business Manager

Ecivil3 = Single

Fnacimiento = 01/01/1977

Correo = [email protected]

tiquete =

Terminalsalida = Costa Rica

Terminaldestino = Panam�

Fechaviaje = 01/11/2008
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corr888



Joined: 18 Sep 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Costa Rica

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Teachwrite-- I emailed ticabus back and was like hey my name is wrong and I don't think this is going to cut it at customs..and they sent me back a more offical looking ticket that I can print out and use.
I'm not super worried anymore. Good luck to you.
When do you arrive?
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OleLarssen



Joined: 26 Apr 2006
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

teachwrite wrote:
corr888 wrote:
Teachwrite- I went to www.ticabus.com ... all I recieved was an email addressed to "Kathryn"


Corr,

Thanks for this idea. I went and made a reservation and got back a confirmation.



This is a good idea. Let me know if you have to show the ticket.
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teachwrite



Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 40
Location: Milky Way

PostPosted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

corr888 wrote:
...a more offical looking ticket...When do you arrive?


Did it look more official than what I posted above? If so, I'll ask them to do the same. I arrive Jan 5. My plan is to stay at Casa Ridgway or Hotel Johnson in San Jose for 2 days, maybe stop over in Heredia for an afternoon, then head to Liberia. If I can't find work after a few months in the Guanacaste region, I'll head back to Heredia. This all assumes my boss doesn't try to make me stay by offering a huge pay bonus. I'm really torn because every month I work/save here in the states means about 6 months I don't have to work in Costa Rica. Not that I won't try to teach right away because I really do love it, but it's still hard to let go of a good salary even though I'm sick to tears of suites/ties/computers/offices/etc.
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corr888



Joined: 18 Sep 2007
Posts: 24
Location: Costa Rica

PostPosted: Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Teachwrite-- yeah they sent me a "ticket" on letter head, looks pretty offical.
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