Bus company recommendation Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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I need to travel from Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo on July 30 and return on Sept. 1. I know that there are two bus options Metro & Caribe Tours.

I'm not sure but I think I read somewhere that the Metro bus makes fewer stops and might be a little bit quicker? Assuming the cost for each company is about the same, can anyone suggest which company I should use? I think it's about a 4 - 41/2 hour trip, while I don't dislike buses I'd prefer not to drag the journey out any longer than necessary.

Thanks for your help.


(feel free to move this to the travel directions thread if more appropriate)
 

hammerdown

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Apr 29, 2005
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Caribe Tours have bigger buses with the AC about 65F. Metro's buses are smaller. The only difference i noticed service wise is that metro stopped and let me off where I requested, but Caribe said they couldn't, had to take me to the station.

Fish, they both have big buses that go to Santo Domingo, but now Caribe Tours has an express bus that bypasses Santiago on the new highway....takes about 3.5 hrs now......
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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hammer,

That's useful info. Not being able to read enough Spanish to effectively navigate the Caribe website, how might I go about getting more info on departure times for this express service? When I land in POP I plan to take a cab into town to the bus depot and pre-purchase my tickets for the next day.

I think buses leave every hour on the hour but I didn't notice any designated as express service.
 

hammerdown

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Apr 29, 2005
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hammer,

That's useful info. Not being able to read enough Spanish to effectively navigate the Caribe website, how might I go about getting more info on departure times for this express service? When I land in POP I plan to take a cab into town to the bus depot and pre-purchase my tickets for the next day.

I think buses leave every hour on the hour but I didn't notice any designated as express service.

Just go there and say Santo Domingo Express....Express....no Santiago, they will get what you mean,
It won't be on their website yet, as the new bypass of Santiago is relatively new.....
 

Cdn_Gringo

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I went poking around the website again and I understood a lot more than last time. :)

Too bad I can't book online from POP to SD only the other way around. That would save me a stop downtown upon arrival. Oh well, I better start getting use to things not working out exactly as I would like.

Thanks for the info about the express bus. That will give me an extra hour to drink before I have to pee in the cup.
 

Cdn_Gringo

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No advanced tickets would be a pain. Last thing I need is to get delayed before I even leave. Maybe someone local will offer to make a phone call for me and ask about advanced ticket sales (as in the day before departure) and what times in the morning the express bus leaves. Por favor?
 

La Profe_1

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Oct 15, 2003
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I have purchased day - before tickets for a Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo trip on Metro.
 

DavidZ

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Aug 29, 2005
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www.vipcigartours.com
Just go there and say Santo Domingo Express....Express....no Santiago, they will get what you mean,
It won't be on their website yet, as the new bypass of Santiago is relatively new.....

It appears the info on the Express Bus is still be missing from the website. Anyone know which departures operate as express? Obviously some of the hourly departures have to stop in Santiago...