New bus service to the capital

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
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Metro bus announces a new service between Santo Domingo's Av. Churchill terminal and Ciudad Las Canas at the entrance of Cap Cana. No other stops have been announced.

Departures at 7:30 am and 6:30 pm - in both directions
Introductory price RD$550

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NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
13,370
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I wonder if Metro reached a deal with the sindicatos that dominate bus routes in the east. That’s the main reason all Metro buses driving anywhere east of Santo Domingo are charters (rented by third parties for specific non-public transport.) 

I don’t remember if it was a Metro bus or a Caribe Tours bus or some other company, but there was a bus company that attempted to establish its first route from SD to the east, and when the bus was passing through Higüey members of the sindicato basically put the bus out of service by throwing rocks at its windows. That was quite a while ago, perhaps a couple of years.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
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The decision to locate the stop inside the Cap Cana boundary and the description of the service as "private" suggest an attempt to avoid problems with the transport union, or, as you say, it could be the result of an agreement with them.

They don't mention other potential stops but I wonder if they will stop at places like the Blue Mall. Even so, driving to Ciudad Las Canas is easier than getting to Cruce de Veron if you're in Cap Cana or Punta Cana, but not so convenient for people in Bavaro.
 

TropicalPaul

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
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My flight from London normally arrives at Punta Cana between 4pm and 5pm, so assuming I can get out of the airport quickly and get a taxi to the bus stop, this would be a much cheaper alternative than paying RD$ 7000 for a taxi one-way to Santo Domingo. Does anyone know roughly how much a taxi would be from Punta Cana airport to the departure point for the bus in Cap Cana?
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
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Should be less than $30. Very close. It costs $30 from PUJ to Cocotal or Palma Real Mall. Three times the distance.
 

JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,697
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Metro bus announces a new service between Santo Domingo's Av. Churchill terminal and Ciudad Las Canas at the entrance of Cap Cana. No other stops have been announced.

Departures at 7:30 am and 6:30 pm - in both directions
Introductory price RD$550

View attachment 2759

It's about time. I hope the unions leave them alone.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
113
Mr C went to the Jetpac office at Ciudad Las Canas and they told him the service hasn't actually started yet. They said it would be starting in another week or so, and that tickets could be purchased in advance. No info about additional stops.
 

franco1111

Bronze
May 29, 2013
1,248
229
63
Gringo
As predicted.

From DR1 Daily News today:

APTPRA strikes to keep their monopoly of bus passengers

Regular bus service offered by the company that has the de facto monopoly on the Santo Domingo- Punta Cana bus route, the APTPRA, was interrupted on Monday, 22 January 2018, affecting hundreds of people who had traveled to Higuey for the Virgen de la Altagracia religious celebrations of Sunday, 21 January 2018. APTPRA serves the Punta Cana-Higuey-San Pedro de Macoris-Santo Domingo route.

APTPRA buses sought to enforce their monopoly of the route by parking their buses on the Coral Highway to impede that buses of the Metro bus company could offer the service. Listin Diario reported that Metro buses suffered window breakage from vandals that sought to impede their departing on the Santo Domingo-Punta Cana route.

It was known that Police, the Metropolitan Transport Authority and the Specialized Tourism Security Corps mobilized the buses that were parked on Coral Highway impeding the regular flow of travelers. Listin Diario reported the authorities reached an agreement with the strikers.

https://www.listindiario.com/la-repu...aran-a-acuerdo