Bus From Either STI/SDQ to Costambar (Puerto Plata)

[italnstallion99]

Hey All,

I am looking for help in getting to costambar from SDQ or STI airport. From what I know there are 2 bus lines Metro and Carbie Tours. Is taxi from either airport to the bus station reasonable? I am going to have carry on luggage with me so I'm not sure if there are better options.

Also am I better off exchanging some $ at the airport or at my local bank before I arrive? I can do the rest at Jenny's once I get into costambar

Do the ticket agents and bus drivers speak English? My Spanish is not great and do not want to be taken advantage of or get on the wrong bus route. I did hear that some bus drivers will drop you off at the entrance to costambar.


I'm only going to do this if I can save a good amount of money rather than flying into POP. I'm planning for shortly after labor day and in previous years airlines usually have sales around those times. We are in different times today so I'm not sure how significant the savings will be

 

[JD Jones]

Best bet is take Caribe Tours to Puerto Plata, then take a taxi to your final destination.

Change a minimum amount at the airport.

 

[Tom0910]

Once you arrive please say "Hi" to all the fine folks at Blackbeard's for me,thanks.

 

[josh2203]

Hey All,

I am looking for help in getting to costambar from SDQ or STI airport. From what I know there are 2 bus lines Metro and Carbie Tours. Is taxi from either airport to the bus station reasonable? I am going to have carry on luggage with me so I'm not sure if there are better options.

Also am I better off exchanging some $ at the airport or at my local bank before I arrive? I can do the rest at Jenny's once I get into costambar

Do the ticket agents and bus drivers speak English? My Spanish is not great and do not want to be taken advantage of or get on the wrong bus route. I did hear that some bus drivers will drop you off at the entrance to costambar.


I'm only going to do this if I can save a good amount of money rather than flying into POP. I'm planning for shortly after labor day and in previous years airlines usually have sales around those times. We are in different times today so I'm not sure how significant the savings will be

Last time (in February 2022) we checked, Metro Buses services have been decreased quite a bit, so Caribe Tours would be your choice. I have no idea if the buses stop at request at the entrance of Costambar, but as that's just a strech of a highway, I would personally refuse (having lived in POP for years) to be left there. I would exit the bus in POP terminal and take a taxi to Costambar.

I have also no idea if (any) of the staff at Caribe Express speak English but at least for drivers, I would doubt this. Hopefully I'm wrong... The only time we've taken Caribe Tours from Santo Domingo to POP, it was shouted rather clear and at least 50 times which bus is the one for POP and the departure time.

As was pointed above, I would never ever change anything at any airport. Change some at home and change some in POP in a bank. Unless you of course want to get ripped off with the exchange rate.

 

[italnstallion99]

Last time (in February 2022) we checked, Metro Buses services have been decreased quite a bit, so Caribe Tours would be your choice. I have no idea if the buses stop at request at the entrance of Costambar, but as that's just a strech of a highway, I would personally refuse (having lived in POP for years) to be left there. I would exit the bus in POP terminal and take a taxi to Costambar.

I have also no idea if (any) of the staff at Caribe Express speak English but at least for drivers, I would doubt this. Hopefully I'm wrong... The only time we've taken Caribe Tours from Santo Domingo to POP, it was shouted rather clear and at least 50 times which bus is the one for POP and the departure time.

As was pointed above, I would never ever change anything at any airport. Change some at home and change some in POP in a bank. Unless you of course want to get ripped off with the exchange rate.

Thanks for the response. Do you happen to know what the average going rate from either airport to one of the bus stations by taxi is? I am going to exchange money before I arrive so I will try to pay in Peso.

Also, once I arrive at the Puerto Plata bus station, will it be easy to find transportation into costambar, and what the going rate may be?

 

[D'Arcy (Apostropheman)]

Thanks for the response. Do you happen to know what the average going rate from either airport to one of the bus stations by taxi is? I am going to exchange money before I arrive so I will try to pay in Peso.

Also, once I arrive at the Puerto Plata bus station, will it be easy to find transportation into costambar, and what the going rate may be?

I would hope that your hotel for destination would be able to assist you, perhaps even offering you a driver, for a fee. Why not reach out to them? You'll get what you really need, and with less snark and innuendo.

 

[dot]

Costambar Taxi has drivers/cars across the street from Caribe Tours - no trouble getting a taxi there to Costambar - should be around 300 pesos one way.

 

[cavok]

As bad as the exchange rates may be in the airports here, the exchange rate in MIA was way worse. If you're exchanging $100 or less, I would just do it here.

 

[SantiagoDR]

Fly into POP.

Do you really want to spend many extra hours traveling just to save a few dollars (If any).

 

[italnstallion99]

Fly into POP.

Do you really want to spend many extra hours traveling just to save a few dollars (If any).

You have a good point. The prices are decent coming into Pop from NY/NJ area. It's the return's that are through the roof right now. Trying to plan a trip shortly after labor day. I may have to bite the bullet and pay the premium or take the risk and hope they come down after the summer rush. In previous years there have always been deals after labor day, but we are in different times.

 

[italnstallion99]

Costambar Taxi has drivers/cars across the street from Caribe Tours - no trouble getting a taxi there to Costambar - should be around 300 pesos one way.

Thanks, are these taxi drivers hard to identify? I don't want to use the incorrect one. That happened to be once and I wound up in Cabarete

 

[william webster]

You have a good point. The prices are decent coming into Pop from NY/NJ area. It's the return's that are through the roof right now. Trying to plan a trip shortly after labor day. I may have to bite the bullet and pay the premium or take the risk and hope they come down after the summer rush. In previous years there have always been deals after labor day, but we are in different times.

Fly mid-week....... not weekends if you can
Usually cheaper......