bus trip SDO to Samana

[bogdan]

Originally Posted by jaguarbob

there are also busses to Samana about every hour starting at 6am to 4pm from bus terminal at Caracas Corner of Enriquillo near Plaza Lama...Tel 809-687-1470. 200 pesos,about 5 hours,with a stop for food and relief...
bob

This is good to know, too! Would you happen to know whether the buses are relatively "nice" (e.g., not too hot, on the clean side, etc.)?
Thanks again.

[laurapasinifan]

well I followed a huge bus for quite a ways coming back from Puerto Plata and heading into Santiago... and I had a hard time keeping up with that bus!

the few times I was thinking of passing he kicked it into high gear.

I hate following something so big i cant see what is in front of me or the big vehicle!

I like seeing a lot of the action of whats going on ahead...like accidents, animals, road blocks, people walking, or trouble from the natives!!!!!!!!!!

so if a bus makes way better time that you would think...take that into consideration


bob

[Andy B]

The busses that leave from the Caracas area near Plaza Lama are mostly "locals" and are not as nice as the Caribe Tours or Metro busses. And one of the reasons these drivers make such good time is they drive the routes daily and know every turn, bump and traffic pattern of the route. They are also proud of their schedule-keeping abilities. I've followed them too and discovered that following them is the FASTEST and SAFEST way to negotiate our highways as they are d-mn good drivers, some of the best in the country.

[jaguarbob]

Originally Posted by bogdan

This is good to know, too! Would you happen to know whether the buses are relatively "nice" (e.g., not too hot, on the clean side, etc.)?
Thanks again.

no,not like the Caribe busses,but more fun...lots of Bachata music and friendly Dominicans singing and talking...l take these regularly that go to El Limon as it drops me off right in front of my house...
bob

[Ken]

Originally Posted by bogdan

This is good to know, too! Would you happen to know whether the buses are relatively "nice" (e.g., not too hot, on the clean side, etc.)?
Thanks again.

For a long trip, you'll be more comfortable on a Caribe Tours bus. You won't have to share your seat with someone and you'll have air conditioning. When I came to the DR in the 1980s, those local buses were all that were available from Samana to Santo Domingo. Now I wouldn't take them unless they were the only buses available.

[Nicmac]

Hi all, a few questions-
Do caribe tours/ metro from SD to Samana get really booked for semana santa/easter week? I'll be arriving sat april 8th around noon and staying for 8 days. Do the buses leave from the airport?
Also, is it possible to go to santiago via bus, spend a night or two and then bus it to samana?
Would it be better to rent a car?
Another option i'm considering is renting a car and going west to Salinas /Barahona. Maybe it will be less hectic there that week.

Thanks.
-Also, those local buses- are they know as guaguas or pubicos?
gracias