BUS Puerto Plata -> Las Terrenas

[pawel_klocek]

Hi Puerto Plata folks,

Can anyone tell me what transport options are currently available from Puerto Plata to Las Terrenas?

From what I found online, there's supposed to be an ASOTRAPUSA bus leaving around 1 PM from Puerto Plata.

I also saw something about a service called PAPAGALLO, but I couldn’t find much info on that.

Rome2Rio mentions an EL CANARIO bus going from Puerto Plata to Sánchez, maybe twice a day? Anyone know if that’s still running?

I'm coming soon with my wife for our dream trip—Puerto Plata and Las Terrenas are our first two stops!

Thanks a lot in advance
Pawel from Poland

 

[DrNoob]

Hey there, welcome !

The below is what I had found (but I did not use it) :

ASOTRAPUSA is not a company but an association of transport companies (like owner/drivers) that operates in/to/from Samana.

Try to use Google Translate/DeepL and send a whatsapp message to the driver mentioned above (Windri)

The hospital mentioned is https://maps.app.goo.gl/CfJ1W9BES65c27979 and if you see the screenshot below, the green arrow points to the hospital, the blue one is the taxi stand (publicos/carritos ?) towards Sosua and the red arrow is possibly where you need to board. I did some research last year and I think it is a white minibus with a towed luggage compartment. Wish you a great time in the DR

 

[pawel_klocek]

Hey there, welcome !

The below is what I had found (but I did not use it) :
View attachment 10679

ASOTRAPUSA is not a company but an association of transport companies (like owner/drivers) that operates in/to/from Samana.

Try to use Google Translate/DeepL and send a whatsapp message to the driver mentioned above (Windri)

The hospital mentioned is https://maps.app.goo.gl/CfJ1W9BES65c27979 and if you see the screenshot below, the green arrow points to the hospital, the blue one is the taxi stand (publicos/carritos ?) towards Sosua and the red arrow is possibly where you need to board. I did some research last year and I think it is a white minibus with a towed luggage compartment. Wish you a great time in the DR

View attachment 10680

thanks a lot DrNoob !
I will take asotrapusa 1pm one in case i dont find earlier one. I believe 1pm departure from PP means 5pm arrival at LasTerrenas, which is a little bit too late for me. I'm assuming there must be more possibilities, if not Las Terrenas directly by bus from Puerto Plata maybe Sanchez ? From Sanchez there's frequent transportation or even taxi should be affordable to Las Terrenas ?

 

[DrNoob]

I have not researched that route and most information is from 2020/2022 so not sure how reliable that is. which is why I suggested you Whatsapp the driver and get info directly. Here's their insta page : https://www.instagram.com/asotrapusa/ - try a DM and see if you get answers.

Here's their not-so-nice website : https://transporteasotrapusa.blogspot.com/ on which I cannot see a POP -> Sanchez route

 

[Manuel01]

Hi Puerto Plata folks,

Can anyone tell me what transport options are currently available from Puerto Plata to Las Terrenas?

From what I found online, there's supposed to be an ASOTRAPUSA bus leaving around 1 PM from Puerto Plata.

I also saw something about a service called PAPAGALLO, but I couldn’t find much info on that.

Rome2Rio mentions an EL CANARIO bus going from Puerto Plata to Sánchez, maybe twice a day? Anyone know if that’s still running?

I'm coming soon with my wife for our dream trip—Puerto Plata and Las Terrenas are our first two stops!

Thanks a lot in advance
Pawel from Poland

I just hope for you that you come after the "Semana Santa" madness. Until end of upcoming sunday 20th., all travel will be a total nightmare !

 

[MariaRubia]

Asotrapusa is a reasonably big company, I've called them many times (on the Santo Domingo number) and they always answer and provide the info quickly. That journey would definitely take 4 hours and I suspect there are only two services per day from Puerto Plata to Las Terrenas.

 

[pawel_klocek]

I just hope for you that you come after the "Semana Santa" madness. Until end of upcoming sunday 20th., all travel will be a total nightmare

We arrive on 20th , Easter to PP and move to Las Terrenas by bus on 23th so i hope on that day nothing extraordinary is expected in transportation. In Poland we happen to have habbit of pouring one another with water as a form of joke on the Monday after Easter, so we will spend most of that day in the ocean

 

[pawel_klocek]

I have not researched that route and most information is from 2020/2022 so not sure how reliable that is. which is why I suggested you Whatsapp the driver and get info directly. Here's their insta page : https://www.instagram.com/asotrapusa/ - try a DM and see if you get answers.

Here's their not-so-nice website : https://transporteasotrapusa.blogspot.com/ on which I cannot see a POP -> Sanchez route

I'll definitely whatsapp the driver. I realize now that the asotrapusta bus stop is not far away from the city centre which we're going to visit anyway before. Isnt that like other bus companies should be having their stops in the same Ares close to asotrapusta one ? they must somehow advertise their buses towards Samana close to the bus stop.

 

[Gadfly]

The POP stop is just a couple people under a tree. No sign. Ask people nearby.
I once got dropped of in Sanchez. There were not frequent buses to LT. It was mid day, nothing. Probably taxi(s), don’t remember.
I took a moto concho, (not recommended), that ride in taxi could be ~ 2500 - 3500 pesos (?)

 

[pawel_klocek]

The bus driver said there is only 1 bus from PP to Samana the 1pm one. Unbeliveable. Such idea: thousands tourists arrive daily to PP airport. Part of them are being transferred to Samana hotels. Most probably not all places are occupied in the buses i may try asking in the morning arriving flights if any driver heading samana can sell me 2 free places, both of us would be happy with the deal.

 

[habi]

The bus driver said there is only 1 bus from PP to Samana the 1pm one. Unbeliveable. Such idea: thousands tourists arrive daily to PP airport. Part of them are being transferred to Samana hotels. Most probably not all places are occupied in the buses i may try asking in the morning arriving flights if any driver heading samana can sell me 2 free places, both of us would be happy with the deal.

They may have only one bus going....
But there is also Transporte Papagallo (+1 809 7496416) and Transporte El Canario (+1 809 291 5594) going from POP to Samana and Las Terrenas (maybe more). Leaving POP in the morning but not sure exact time (passing Sosua 7ish...)

 

[pawel_klocek]

Papagallo leaves POP 3pm I used the nb +1809-749-6415, (my 1 day Spanish is still improving but i heard for sure 'tres tardes' the good guy repeated that for me). I tried El Canario +1(809)291-5594 but the phone never answered

 

[DrNoob]

Found this old thread from DR1 : https://dr1.com/forums/threads/bus-samana-las-terrenas-sosua-puerto-plata.50367/
and one more which gives another number : https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTop...Plata-Samana_Province_Dominican_Republic.html (See posts #8 and #9)

BTW @pawel_klocek in the DR, do not expect timetables to be kept. Rules are mere suggestions. The stop is where someone raises their hand for most public transport.

 

[Northern Coast Diver]

Papagallo leaves POP 3pm I used the nb +1809-749-6415, (my 1 day Spanish is still improving but i heard for sure 'tres tardes' the good guy repeated that for me). I tried El Canario +1(809)291-5594 but the phone never answered

In post number 2, Dr Noob placed a red and blue arrow. Pappagallo stops between the two arrows. The early bus leaves that location approx. 6 am. The driver will collect the fare aboard.

 

[MariaRubia]

The bus driver said there is only 1 bus from PP to Samana the 1pm one. Unbeliveable. Such idea: thousands tourists arrive daily to PP airport. Part of them are being transferred to Samana hotels. Most probably not all places are occupied in the buses i may try asking in the morning arriving flights if any driver heading samana can sell me 2 free places, both of us would be happy with the deal.

I would be surprised if anyone said yes, and if they did they would charge you a crazy price. Tourist buses are chartered by the tour operators, they aren't going to be at all happy if the drivers allow spare people to get on. In addition, I think you'll find that the majority of people staying in hotels in Samana (and there aren't all that many hotels there anyway) arrive in Santo Domingo as it's only 2 hours 15 from SDQ airport to Samana on the highway. People arriving on a long-haul to POP aren't going to wear a 4+ hour transit to their hotels, especially with so many empty-ish hotels in Puerto Plata.

 

[pawel_klocek]

How serious is that ?

COE maintains weather alerts in 16 provinces

<p>The Emergency Operations Center (COE) has placed 11 provinces on yellow alert and 5 on green alert due to the risk of urban and rural flash flooding, river overflows, and landslides. The yellow alert applies to provinces including Samaná, La Vega, and Santiago, while the green alert covers...

dominicantoday.com

Something which could provide impact for BUSes between POP and Las Terrenas ?

 

[Northern Coast Diver]

How serious is that ?

COE maintains weather alerts in 16 provinces

<p>The Emergency Operations Center (COE) has placed 11 provinces on yellow alert and 5 on green alert due to the risk of urban and rural flash flooding, river overflows, and landslides. The yellow alert applies to provinces including Samaná, La Vega, and Santiago, while the green alert covers...

dominicantoday.com

Something which could provide impact for BUSes between POP and Las Terrenas ?

Not likely to have a great impact along the coast.

 

[JD Jones]

How serious is that ?

COE maintains weather alerts in 16 provinces

<p>The Emergency Operations Center (COE) has placed 11 provinces on yellow alert and 5 on green alert due to the risk of urban and rural flash flooding, river overflows, and landslides. The yellow alert applies to provinces including Samaná, La Vega, and Santiago, while the green alert covers...

dominicantoday.com

Something which could provide impact for BUSes between POP and Las Terrenas ?

Make sure the bus has seat belts. Don't stick your hands or head out of the windows.

 

[habi]

Papagallo leaves POP 3pm I used the nb +1809-749-6415, (my 1 day Spanish is still improving but i heard for sure 'tres tardes' the good guy repeated that for me). I tried El Canario +1(809)291-5594 but the phone never answered

I got the numbers a while ago so maybe Canario changed the number, sorry!
But yesterday morning 7:15 this one was in Sosua Abajo so I guess they did leave POP around 6:45ish...
Unfortunately the phone number at the back is not complete...

 

[pawel_klocek]

I got the numbers a while ago so maybe Canario changed the number, sorry!
But yesterday morning 7:15 this one was in Sosua Abajo so I guess they did leave POP around 6:45ish...
Unfortunately the phone number at the back is not complete...

Anway this is good news ! Thanks