Punta Cana Airport Transfers

30 kilometres from paradise, Punta Cana International Airport is located. If you are going to this wonderful destination you will know that there are many things to see and do from the moment this airport greets you. The terminal has become the most visited airport in the Dominican Republic. As Punta Cana is a planned tourist project, the airport is a short distance from Bavaro Beach and the entire Punta Cana hub, so your transfer should not be a concern.

From the moment you decide to vacation in Punta Cana, you should know that you have different options to get from Punta Cana International Airport to your hotel. Many hotels directly offer a minivan just for you, while others will tell you that the transfer is not covered and you have to figure it out on your own. Whether by minivan, taxi, van, rented car or even bus, in this article I will present you with the pros and cons of each of these alternatives.

If you're going on holiday to Punta Cana, you should know that the best option is to stay in a hotel, put a wristband on your wrist and enjoy the all-inclusive package. And when we say all-inclusive, we mean all-inclusive, which includes transportation from the airport to your hotel. This is generally done in minivans provided directly by the hotels, which will store your luggage and in about 25 minutes from the time you board you will be in your room.

Similarly, this service can be hired privately or outsourced. That is to say: there are companies that provide this minivan service to several hotels or that you, on your own, can hire to be dropped off at the door of your hotel. In any case, this is the option I recommend the most, but only if you are staying in the Punta Cana and Playa Bávaro area.

I suggest this option mainly for your comfort. If among the things to do with children in Punta Cana you determine that you need a safe transfer for them, then this is the best option for the whole family. Here you can have a friendly driver who will take you calmly and with plenty of air conditioning directly to your hotel, without having to be talking or looking for third options while you have several suitcases with you. Please note that if you are staying in a hotel in the Uvero area, then you will not be able to use this option.

Practical information

• Travel time: about 25 minutes
• Price: around 35 €, but many hotels usually include it when you book there.
• Advantages of this option: it is the most comfortable, as you will travel in a semi-private transport directly to your hotel with air conditioning and your luggage will be safe.
• Disadvantages of this option: if it is not included in your hotel reservation, it can be expensive. Also, it is not useful if your hotel is in Uvero.
• Recommended if: you want to get to your hotel quickly and comfortably, with the best price.

Do you want to get to your hotel in luxury transport that's up to your standards? Then Punta Cana is the perfect destination, because as soon as you arrive at Punta Cana International Airport you can hire a black luxury SUV or van that will drop you off at your hotel, following your schedule and guidelines.

This is not just luxury for luxury's sake: for example, if you carry a lot of luggage or if you strictly need to travel alone to the hotel or with your companions, then an SUV can be extremely useful, because you will travel in maximum comfort and at an unbeatable speed. An SUV of these characteristics goes much faster than a minivan or a conventional taxi, so if you need to arrive as soon as possible, for example, to be on time for the departure of an excursion to Macau beach, this is your best option.

You must take into consideration that a tour of this type will be more expensive, so if you are on a tight budget, you can not hire it. In exchange, you gain a lot in speed and also in accessibility, because with a van of this type you will be able to go even to remote hotels, such as those located in Uvero Alto. All this without forgetting the luxury of a black van of this type and the comfort of the trip, as you will be driving with the windows down, air conditioning and maximum protection.

Practical information

• Duration of the trip: it depends on where your hotel is located. If it is in Playa Bávaro, no more than 20 minutes.
• Price: more than 50 €.
• Advantages of this option: it is the most private, safest, fastest and most comfortable of all.
• Disadvantages of this option: it is much more expensive and the differences with other services are not so great.
• Recommended if: you need to get to your hotel quickly in the most private transport possible.

Punta Cana is a rather exclusive destination and public transport is not common. For a start, because it is a considerably isolated place from the rest of the Dominican cities, but also because it is a private airport, owned by the Puntacana Group, which usually serves only Punta Cana and is not far from the beach. But anyway, if you want to save money and your hotel doesn't provide transport, then a shared van is the best option.

There are hotels that hire transport companies and take their guests in these minivans, but they are shared trips. This means: depending on the time and date, the minivans take a route through several hotels and drop off the respective guests. This is why the transfer can take a little longer and by sharing it, it can be more economical.

There are several ways to book it: you can contract directly with the companies that do it or those suggested by your hotel, or when you arrive at the airport, you can pay for the service together with other passengers who will be on the same plan as you. Although it may seem a little unsafe, it's a good way to save money and as Punta Cana is quite close, there's no major inconvenience in terms of time. If you couldn't book a van like this one way and you're staying at least seven days in Punta Cana, then you can do so for your return trip.

Practical information

• Duration of the trip: depends on the number of stops at other hotels made by the minivan. In total, it shouldn't take more than 40 minutes to get to your hotel from the moment you leave the airport.
• Price: around €25
• Advantages of this option: it is one of the most economical, without compromising on speed.
• Disadvantages of this option: you have to share the journey with other people going to other hotels.
• Recommended if: you have no problem sharing with other people and you want to save some money.

OK: you don't always have to book a private or semi-private transfer in advance if you are in Punta Cana. Punta Cana International Airport is the busiest airport in the Dominican Republic, so believe me there will be many tourists waiting for a taxi. Although you will probably have to queue and wait for a taxi, I guarantee you that it is a safe option, because at this airport there will always be taxi drivers available. Moreover, the service is organised, because the airport itself provides an official fare schedule.

If you decide to take a taxi, make sure it is one that will fit all your luggage. A van will not be the same as a private car, but if you are carrying little luggage, then a small car will be best and you will save some money. Also, I suggest you be very clear about the name of the hotel you are going to, because there are several with similar names and both you and the taxi drivers may get confused.

In any case, this is not the cheapest or quickest option. My advice is to check if there are any minivans beforehand that you can take, but it is also true that Punta Cana airport is open at all hours and minivans are often not available at night. You also have to consider your schedule: if you have, for example, one of the best catamaran tours in Punta Cana already scheduled, then you need the taxi driver to take you to a specific point and not necessarily to the hotel. So sometimes, when there is not much activity at the airport and you have no further information from the hotel, it may be in your best interest to take a taxi.

Practical information

• Journeytime: depends on the hotel you are going to, but between 20 and 30 minutes.
• Price: approximately 30 € with small taxis and more than 40 € for vans.
• Advantages of this option: you will always be available at the airport.
• Disadvantages of this option: you may have to wait and queue for a taxi.
• Recommended if: you arrive very late at the airport or don't have time to book or research another way to make the transfer

Are you used to driving? Then in Punta Cana you always have the option of renting a car and driving from the airport to your hotel. But keep several things in mind: Punta Cana is an isolated coast in the east of the Dominican Republic and everything is quite close by, so a car is really only useful if you want to see other parts of the island, such as Samaná or Santo Domingo.

When you arrive at the airport, you can hire a car. In this, the airport is quite well equipped, with different car rental companies where you can be served, such as Avis, Sixt or EuropCar Rental. I suggest that, if you really want to rent a car, you should book online in advance, because if you go directly you will miss the opportunity to find good deals. Once you rent a car, you can get to Bávaro beach in about 20 minutes.

About the budget, it all depends on the company you choose and the amount of days you are going to use the car. A medium sized car for 5 people can be around 35 euros per day, but if you need an SUV it can easily exceed 50 euros. However, you can certainly get a package that will appeal to your whole family, but it is quite cost-effective if you are only staying for a few days. You should also make sure that your hotel has parking facilities and that they don't charge extra for parking.

Practical information

• Travel time: to Bávaro beach in 20 minutes.
• Price: approximately 35 € per day for medium cars and more than 50 € for vans.
• Advantages of this option: it allows you the autonomy to see most of the island.
• Disadvantages of this option: parking the car can be difficult at some hotels and if you're staying alone in Punta Cana it won't do you much good.
• Recommended if: you need to travel beyond Punta Cana and have no problem driving on your holiday.

Although visited by millions, Punta Cana is quite isolated, so talking about buses is quite complicated. In fact, there aren't really any buses or guaguas, as they're known, on the airport premises, but rather just outside. If you need to take a bus, then I suggest that if you arrive during the day, you walk to the roundabout outside the airport and take a bus there.

That bus can be an urban route which is a minivan of no more than 30 passengers and will drop you off at the Veron intersection, where you will have to take another bus to Bavaro beach or your final destination in Punta Cana. Bus companies such as SITRABAPU or TRAUMABAPU leave from the airport roundabout, but at the Veron junction it is possible to take routes to other parts of the country, including Santo Domingo, where you can come and go in one day with a tour. Note also that, if it is night time, it is very likely that these buses will no longer be working.

Although they are all quite cheap and between the two bus tickets you can travel for less than 2 euros, in this option you will not have space for your luggage, you will have to walk out of the airport and you will also have to change buses in an unfamiliar area, with several companies working and competing with each other. It is not the most suitable system and I really advise against it unless you are a backpacker or you are going with very little luggage and in a plan of maximum savings.

Practical information

• Journeytime: it can take about an hour, mainly because of the transfers you have to make.
• Price: just under €1 per ticket
• Advantages of this option: you save as much as possible because the bus tickets are too cheap.
• Disadvantages of this option: you have to walk out of the airport and you will also have to take two different buses in an area you have not been to before.
• Recommended if: you are on a tight budget and have very little luggage, because you won't have room to put it on the buses.