Cab from Santiago to Rio San Juan (I was told to ask for Hillbilly on Lonely Planet)

mmerkur

New member
Feb 15, 2005
3
0
0
My wife and I are arriving into Santiago at 1:30 am on Monday (It will feel like late Sunday for us since we leave Sunday morning). I have been told that buses will not depart until the next morning (5-6 hours later). I would like to take a cab. We are staying at the Allegro Playa Grand in Rio San Juan. I hear it should be an hour and a half drive, but I wanted to ask someone with "real" information. I would like to arrange the most reasonable car service I can in advance, so I do not get take advantage of in the airport at 2am!!!!!. I was told you knew a few different taxi companies that could possibly help me.

thanks in advance

Michael
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
869
113
I used a gentleman recommended by Hillbilly last week. The service was excellent and I arrived safely to my apartment in Puerto Plata. However, it is an hour and fifteen minutes, more or less, to Puerto Plata. Rio San Juan is quite a bit farther, unless the driver takes a route other than the Carretera.

Driving Puerto Plata to Gaspar Hern?ndez is about an hour, and Rio San Juan is beyond Gaspar Hern?ndez.
 

sweetdbt

Bronze
Sep 17, 2004
1,574
70
0
mmerkur said:
My wife and I are arriving into Santiago at 1:30 am on Monday (It will feel like late Sunday for us since we leave Sunday morning). I have been told that buses will not depart until the next morning (5-6 hours later). I would like to take a cab. We are staying at the Allegro Playa Grand in Rio San Juan. I hear it should be an hour and a half drive, but I wanted to ask someone with "real" information. I would like to arrange the most reasonable car service I can in advance, so I do not get take advantage of in the airport at 2am!!!!!. I was told you knew a few different taxi companies that could possibly help me.

thanks in advance

Michael

That drive is at least 2 and1/2 hours, and that is by the closest route on the carretera toutistica, which is a mountain road and currently in horrible shape following the floods. It is most definately NOT recommended at that hour. The other route would be over 3 hours. It will probably cost you $100.

My suggestion..... Take a cab from the airport to one of the multitude of cabanas in Santiago and get a few hours sleep. Then take a cab to the Santiago bus station for a bus to Rio San Juan. You will only arrive a few hours later, and you will be more rested and save quite a bit of $$.
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
mmerkur said:
My wife and I are arriving into Santiago at 1:30 am on Monday (It will feel like late Sunday for us since we leave Sunday morning). I have been told that buses will not depart until the next morning (5-6 hours later). I would like to take a cab. We are staying at the Allegro Playa Grand in Rio San Juan. I hear it should be an hour and a half drive, but I wanted to ask someone with "real" information. I would like to arrange the most reasonable car service I can in advance, so I do not get take advantage of in the airport at 2am!!!!!. I was told you knew a few different taxi companies that could possibly help me.

thanks in advance

Michael
I think you should expect 60-70 US dollars for a cost. 2 hours whould be how long it should take and maybe a bit more becasue of night time driving. They charge 40US dollars to Sosua which is 45 minutes shorter ride so that would be my estimate.

Scott
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
13,993
208
0
111
www.rockysbar.com
The right route

The shortest and fastest route would be through Moca, througn Jamao to Sabaneta, then eastbound onto Rio San Juan.
The trip should take no more than 1 3/4 hours at that time of night.
Now, Where's Hillbilly with his Santiago taxi contacts?
PS: The Moca-Sabaneta road is in very good shape.
 

stewart

New member
Mar 1, 2004
456
0
0
Rocky said:
The shortest and fastest route would be through Moca, througn Jamao to Sabaneta, then eastbound onto Rio San Juan.
The trip should take no more than 1 3/4 hours at that time of night.
Now, Where's Hillbilly with his Santiago taxi contacts?
PS: The Moca-Sabaneta road is in very good shape.

Do you mean Moca-Salcedo?
Because Sabaneta is way back in the other direction toward Dajabon.
 

Chris

Gold
Oct 21, 2002
7,951
28
0
www.caribbetech.com
Rocky said:
The shortest and fastest route would be through Moca, througn Jamao to Sabaneta, then eastbound onto Rio San Juan.
The trip should take no more than 1 3/4 hours at that time of night.
Now, Where's Hillbilly with his Santiago taxi contacts?
PS: The Moca-Sabaneta road is in very good shape.

Santiago - Moca - up to mountain to Jamao - down the mountain to Sabaneta - turn right - down the beach more or less - a few smaller villages - Rio San Juan. Like Marco says, not more than 2 hours.

It is a pity to drive the road at night. Up and over the mountain truly has some very beautiful vistas. The roads are in fine shape (for DR roads).
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Valerio is the service

He has been mentioned twice. What more do you need.

It will cost upwards of $100 for service at that time of the night.

They charged La Profe $60 for the same service to POP. As anyone who has worked nights knows, you get special pay for those hours...

The normal rates that were quoted to me were the following:
POP $50
Sos?a $60
Cabarete $70

So, go figure R?o San Juan has to be up there near $90 + $10 for nighttime service.

You could do the cabana route I am not sure that the savings would be significant.
Send an email to that address above. She will answer you.


Cordially,

HB :D
 

sweetdbt

Bronze
Sep 17, 2004
1,574
70
0
Does anyone know if the bus from Santiago to Rio San Juan takes the route through Moca? If so, that would be another reason to make the trip in daylight. I've driven it a couple of times going from PP to San Fransisco, and as Chris said, the views are wonderful. Even if they take another route, you'd still get to see some of the countryside. Also, although this road is in pretty good shape, it is still a steep, winding, mountainous trip to take at night. Using a reputable service with a reliable vehicle and a driver familiar with the road would make it safer as opposed to just hiring any old cab at the airport.

A little quick mental calculation tells me that the cabana route with cab and bus fares would be about $60. You'd arrive late morning with a few hours sleep as opposed to 4 AM or so.
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
This is a copy of email I got when asking for price for a friend

Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2005 11:29:25 -0500 (EST)
From: "charity severino" severino2@yahoo.ca Add to Address Book
Subject: Re:
To: Jazzpaging@yahoo.com


Hi,

From Santiago to Sosua would be 40US!

Thanks

Charity





Scott <jazzpaging@yahoo.com> wrote: How much from Santiago airport to Sosua?

I would email her since she is a lot less than others are quoting here.

Scott
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
Rio San Juan

Remember that R?o San Juan is another hour's ride from Sos?a...

HOwever, another source for rides is always welcome.

Be sure to let us know how it goes.

And I didn't notice, at first reading that the suggestion was to go by bus.

1) It soes NOT go over the mountain. It takes the route through the tunnel and POP, Sosua, Cabarete, Gaspar Hern?ndez, R?o San Juan.
2) I will check the times and see when it leaves Santiago to RSJ.

HB :D:D
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
13,993
208
0
111
www.rockysbar.com
Sabaneta

stewart said:
Do you mean Moca-Salcedo?
Because Sabaneta is way back in the other direction toward Dajabon.
There may be another Sabaneta out that way, as there are several towns in this country with the same name.
The Sabaneta we are refering to, is on the North coast highway, 10 minutes drive East of Cabarete.
 

sweetdbt

Bronze
Sep 17, 2004
1,574
70
0
I should have known.

Hillbilly said:
Remember that R?o San Juan is another hour's ride from Sos?a...

HOwever, another source for rides is always welcome.

Be sure to let us know how it goes.

And I didn't notice, at first reading that the suggestion was to go by bus.

1) It soes NOT go over the mountain. It takes the route through the tunnel and POP, Sosua, Cabarete, Gaspar Hern?ndez, R?o San Juan.
2) I will check the times and see when it leaves Santiago to RSJ.

HB :D:D

That route may not be as direct or scenic, but is certainly more "bus friendly". Still, there are some nice things to see on the way.
 

Rocky

Honorificabilitudinitatibus
Apr 4, 2002
13,993
208
0
111
www.rockysbar.com
Travel times.

STI airport to the mountain road just North of Moca by taxi, 20 minutes, from there to Sabaneta on the North coast, 35 minutes, Sabaneta to Rio San Juan, 35 minutes. Total. 1 1/2. Add on 15 for slow driver.
If one takes a cab from STI to Santiago and takes the Caribe Tour bus to Sosua, along the Duarte highway through Puerto Plata, allow for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, then public transport to Rio San Juan, another 1 1/4 hours. Taking this option involves waiting in Santiago until approx. 8 Am for the Caribe Tour bus, then 3 hours travel to Rio San Juan.
Thus, the OP's request for a good taxi contact from Hillbilly.
 

Escott

Gold
Jan 14, 2002
7,716
6
0
www.escottinsosua.blogspot.com
Rocky said:
There may be another Sabaneta out that way, as there are several towns in this country with the same name.
The Sabaneta we are refering to, is on the North coast highway, 10 minutes drive East of Cabarete.
I think the one closer to Cabarete is Sabenta de Yashica or something close and the other has a different last name.
 

stewart

New member
Mar 1, 2004
456
0
0
Escott said:
I think the one closer to Cabarete is Sabenta de Yashica or something close and the other has a different last name.

I stand corrected. There is a Sabaneta de Yasica. Just as Rocky said.
I am for familiar with the Valverde area that the north coast. And there is a Sabaneta west of Mao. I should have cosulted my maps before speaking.
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
514
113
You are thinking about

Santiago Rodr?guez, often referred to as Sabaneta.

Curiously I have seldom heard of Sabaneta used to refer to Y?sica., but its proper name is Sabaneta de Y?sica...

Let's hope that merker gets the right ride.

HB :D