From San José, La Fortuna is about three hours by road. The direct route goes via Ciudad Quesada on the Interamericana. Public buses from San José's Terminal Atlántico Norte make this journey several times daily, or you can hire a taxi or shared shuttle. The scenic alternative takes the boat-and-van route from Monteverde: a taxi to Lake Arenal, boat across the lake to Río Chiquito, then a van to La Fortuna. This adds an hour to the journey but takes you through beautiful scenery.
La Fortuna Arenal Airport (IATA: FON) handles small charter aircraft and has occasional scheduled services from San José. The airstrip is about 10 km east of town. Most visitors arrive by road. Within La Fortuna, the main road that runs from town toward the volcano accesses the waterfall, hot springs, and national park entrance. Taxis are cheap and easily available for day trips.