Santiago to Esperanza

[emilitabrujita]

I too found an incredible fare of $318 for a round trip ticket from JFK to STI for five days in Oct. This will be my first time flying into Santiago (I have always used POP) and was wondering how far out of the actually city it is. My final destination is Esperanza, so I will need to catch the bus from the downtown area of Santiago (Calle del Sol). Does anyone know how far from the bus station the airport is...are there a lot of taxi's available? Are there busses to Mao/Esperanza right at the airport?

I would really appreciate any info. I am not asking any of my Dominican friends because I it is going to be a suprise visit!

[Caribbean_guy]

You need to take a taxi from the airport to bus station CARIBE TOURS, it is like 20 kms away. Better try to arrange taxi from the airport until your final destination.

[andy a]

Express, air conditioned buses (with individual seats) from Santiago to Mao leave every 30 minutes from near the center of Santiago - the corner of Salvatore Cucurullo and Trienta de Marzo. It is the same address as 3 convenient, cheap, hotels - Colonial, Monterey, and Dorado.

It is the best way to get to Esperanza. The buses are far more frequent than Caribe Tours (or Espinal), and the station is nearer to the airport.

The fare from the airport to there should be whatever the fare is to downtown - probably about 100 pesos.

The bus fare to Esperanza or Mao was 30 pesos the last time I knew (about a year ago), but is probably 50 pesos now. The trip takes about 45 minutes.

There's also local (slow) buses leaving from the same place, but they take about 2 hours for the trip.

There is a 2nd rotunda, farther from the center, with buses to Mao and other places, near the Caribe Tours and Espinal stations.

[Caribbean_guy]

100 pesos for taxi from the airport, come one! We are not in 1986

[emilitabrujita]

thanks for the info....i have taken the gua gua's from Santiago to Esperanza many times (its about 35 pesos i think) but wasn't sure where the station actually is. I think I will look to take a taxi to 30 de Marzo and catch the gua gua from there. I was in Esperanza for the summer so I am counting on about 500 pesos from the airport to downtown from what you all have said. Thanks for your help!

[andy a]

The airport didn't exist in 1986.

I've always been driven to and from the Santiago airport by friends, so I don't know the exact fare. I'm extrapolating from the normal fare within Santiago. As the airport becomes more popular, the taxi force that uses it probably becomes more "ladronized" as well, such that honest fares are harder to come by.

500 pesos might get one all the way to Esperanza, provided that the taxi is found away from the airport.

[Caribbean_guy]

500 pesos will be minimum from airport to the bus station

[andy a]

that I know, the fare from downtown Santiago to the airport is 150-200 pesos.

[santobonao]

i think from santiago cibao airport to downtown santiago is from 50 to 100 pesos