Santo Domingo Transportation Tips by marielexoteria

'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Las Américas airport is the biggest airport in the country and a lot of major airlines from Europe and North America fly here:

From Europe:
- Iberia
- Air Europa
- Air France
- Condor

From North America:
- American Airlines
- United Airways
- Air Canada
- Jet Blue
- Delta

From Central and South America and the Caribbean:
- Aeropostal
- Aserca Airlines
- Copa
- Cubana de Aviación
- Air Caraibes
- Caribair

There's another airport called La Isabela, which will be a domestic airport and will replace the old Herrera airport.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: I've flown to and from my country with Martinair (when I moved) and Air France (back and forth) and I can highly commend Air France's service.

I usually fly standby, which means that I get on the plane after all paying customers have got on and if there aren't any seats left then I don't get on board. I've been lucky enough that there's always been plenty of seats so I get mine not as late as it should be, and that those seats next to me have been empty so I can sleep most of the flight on all of them :D The last time I, along with other standbys, got to fly on their Business class (Alizé).

Let's start with the food. Airplane food isn't usually the best or the tastiest. Air France's has been good but sometimes too "gourmet'ish" (especially on Alizé). Their seats are comfortable, even when you're lying on 3-4 seats with the arm rest not all the way up. I've enjoyed their NRJ music mix and their movies, even tho they're not the latest. I like seeing a TV showing how far we are from the destination and all the facts of the trip. The flight attendants usually (try to) speak in Spanish, for those passengers who don't speak French (I get along) and they're very service minded. And last but not least, I haven't had any problem with my luggage on either leg of the trip.

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Website: www.airfrance.com

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: In Santo Domingo we have 2 kinds of buses:

OMSA buses: the government buses with scheduled stops, they come in 3 kinds: the ones without air conditioning and the cheapest ones, the ones with air conditioning and the express ones that make less stops. If you want to get off you simply pull the cord.

Union buses: property of the various transport unions, the route they drive is usually indicated by a piece of cardboard with the number of the route on the main windshield, visible so that we can stop the bus by stretching and arm and moving the index finger up and down (weird I know). On these buses there's a man hanging on the door called "cobrador" who will collect the fare and shout the route while on the road. Those buses are usually called "voladoras" because they drive like maniacs and at high speeds, and have no scheduled stops so if you want to get out you either shout "déjame" (let me off) or you tell the cobrador who then will signal the driver to stop by knocking on the carrocery of the bus.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Convenient, cheap but less safe than the buses. The share-a-taxis are popular among capitaleños (people from Santo Domingo). You might have seen them: a typical car with the driver, 2 people on the front seat and 4 on the back. They'll travel the same route back and forth and will pick up and drop off passengers wherever (although not in the middle of the street ;)). Because their routes are shorter they're more expensive than the buses if you travel a distance as long as the buses. Good for a short ride from point A to point B. When you want the driver to stop so that you can get off, say "déjame" (de'hahme, sort of).

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Motorcycle
Getting TO/AROUND: Another alternative when it comes to means of getting around. These are the most expensive and most dangerous. They're not as cheap as the buses or the share-a-taxis and they definitely do NOT have the same long routes.

Dominicans also use motoconchos for transporting stuff.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Subway/Metro
Getting TO/AROUND: A metro line is being constructed in Santo Domingo and it's expected to be fully operational in Feb 2008 but will be formally open to the masses in Apr 2008. The route consists of 16 stations for a length of 14,5km.

Note: this line will not pass close to many tourist attractions.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Ship/Boat
Getting TO/AROUND: From this Ferry Touristic Terminal (if memory doesn't fail me I think it's called Don Diego) you can take a ferry to Mayagüez, Puerto Rico and visit 2 Caribbean islands in your trip.

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Website: www.ferriesdelcaribe.com

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Taxis in Santo Domingo, as well as the whole Dominican Republic, don't run by the meter. All serious companies have pretty much flat rates. How it works is that you call the company, ask for a cab to your home/hotel/place to pick you up, then when you come to your destination the driver calls the dispatch (called base amongst them) and they will give them the rate and all the parties in the car will hear it loud and clear.

Some reputable taxi companies I've used are:

Excelente taxi: (809) 593-8000.
Apolo taxi: (809) 537-0000. They also have limos for rent.
Taxi Anacaona: (809) 530-4800.
Aero taxi: (809) 688-3131, (809) 688-1212.

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Website: http://www.apolotaxi.com/Site/Apolo%20Taxi.html