In many ways Costa Rica is a modern and efficient country, but for some inexplicable reason, a visit to the bank is an Alice in Wonderland experience. It takes forever to do a simple transac­tion such as changing dollars or travelers' checks into colones. Although each bank handles things a little differently, it almost always involves standing in one line while a clerk checks customers' passports, examines the bills or checks, fills out forms in triplicate, and pounds everything in sight with a rubber stamp. Then you go to another line and wait until a second clerk fills out more forms in quadruplicate and does more rubber stamping. The money is counted at least three times, then counted again as the clerk finally surrenders the colones to the customer.
Fortunately we leave in the internet era and Costa Rica banking had adopted the internet from the beginning. Each bank with it system you can pay all you bills online, transfer money between banks and skip the trip to Wonderland. I visit my local branch once every 2-3 months and go online 2-3 times a day.
When leaving in the beach a way from san jose the online banking serves for paying for merchant that can be sent to you by bus, very simple and efficient ( you will need a fax !!)

Since banks are also used to pay traffic tickets, utility bills and Social Security payments for your maid and gardener, and since each transaction requires a flurry of forms, rubber stamps and calculations, you can count on spending a lot of your time in Costa Rican banks. At least one bank has an organized system of waiting your turn—one only possible in Costa Rica. Customers sit patient­ly in rows of chairs, arranged theater-style. When a clerk is free, the customer in the first right-hand seat goes to the window, and the other customers all shift over one seat or move to the next row, as appropriate.
Because of the time-consuming process of dealing with banks and government bureaucracy, some Ticos use to make their living by standing in line for you, by knowing who to contact and when. They were called tramitadores (from the verb tramitar to transact, to take legal steps). Your friends and neighbors can recommend a reliable tramitador to make your life easier.
Don’t forget you are in costa rica which is different and more relax then back home which is the reason you are here, if you want to stand in line less then 5 min in a banck you will have to fly back home.

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