Public transport in Punta Cana – the ultimate guide for getting around in Punta Cana

Public transport in Punta Cana might be tricky – but it is fun for getting around in Punta Cana if you know how it works (and are up for some adventure). Therefore, if you are interested to save a considerable amount of money while being on vacation in Punta Cana, continue reading. With more than 6 years of experience living in Punta Cana and riding public buses, reckless moto-taxis and overcrowded guaguas, I have summarized all my knowledge and put together this ultimate guide on public transport in Punta Cana. And do not worry, there are also comfortable buses, air-condition (sometimes) and some set rules – as soon as you know them, you can have a smooth ride in Bavaro and Punta Cana.

 

Completely UPDATED: April 2022

This is the ultimate Punta Cana public transportation guide. Are you looking for more detailed information on specific destinations? Check out the following posts:
– transportation options between Punta Cana and Santo Domingo
– Punta Cana airport transfers
– how to get from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata (or vice versa)

What types of (public) transport you can expect in Punta Cana?

Guaguas

 “Guagua” is the Dominican word for a bus, a maxi van, a route taxi or for everything which fits in between 10 and 50 passengers – usually with less amount of seats, as buses tend to be cramped. Sometimes, the word guagua is also used for buses bigger than 50 seats, but usually, those are called “autobus” or at least “guagua grande”. Traveling in a guagua to get around in Punta Cana is perfectly safe, but be prepared for close contact with the local people and very limited space for luggage, legs or any other things you would like to take with you. Guaguas in Bavaro and Punta Cana ply different routes and am explaining below how they are working. 

Buses

 95% of all public transport options in the Dominican Republic are guaguas, but you might also find some proper buses in the area. In Punta Cana, this particularly applies to the main route from Higuey via Verón to Bavaro. Those buses are comfortable, air-conditioned, spacious and are similar or sometimes even better (some of them are recently imported from Asia) than what you are used to in your home country. Same as guaguas, buses in Punta Cana are cheap as well and absolutely safe – the perfect way to get around by public transport in Punta Cana and Bavaro.

Those buses are also the ones plying the route from Higuey or Punta Cana to Santo Domingo.

Motoconchos

 If you just want a quick ride or if your destination is not covered by one of the public buses, motoconchos are the best choice to get around in Punta Cana – in a cheap way as well. A motoconcho is nothing else than a motorcycle-taxi that fits 1 or 2 passengers. This kind of taxis are waiting around every corner in Bavaro and Punta Cana and rides usually just cost 2-3 US-Dollar depending on the distance. As the traffic in the Dominican Republic is (literally) hit-and-miss, I would not recommend too long rides as the safety of motoconchos is questionable, to say the least. However, if you get a careful driver, you can ride this kind of “special taxis” without a problem. I have already been on dozens or even hundreds of motoconchos and nothing has happened so far.

In case you are staying longer in Punta Cana and need multiple rides, it is very recommended that you try to find a reliable motoconcho and get his phone number and/or WhatsApp. Usually, you get better prices when you start using someones’ services regularly.

Taxis

 If you are on vacation in Punta Cana and you don’t want to deal with this adventure and these special rules while navigating in Bavaro, just take a taxi. They are available at every hotel, the airport and other main access points (such as malls, supermarkets, the Punta Cana bus stations or frequented restaurants) and are perfectly safe, as long as they are part of a taxi association. Fortunately, taxi crime like in many other Latin American countries is not existing in the Dominican Republic. Obviously, taxi prices in Punta Cana are considerably more expensive (usually 20 USD and up, see below for more information) than any of the other public transport options.

Uber

That’s why you can also consider Uber when you are looking for an answer to the question of how to get around in Punta Cana. Uber is a pretty new service in Punta Cana, it only started in late 2020 and went along with an improper clash between the taxi association and Uber. Unfortunately, the taxi association played a pretty dumb game back in this time. Furthermore, they didn’t lower their prices not a single penny since then despite Uber usually offering prices of around one-third of what the official taxis are charging.

Even though the problems with the taxi association are not completely solved yet, Uber pick-ups in Punta Cana are working much smoother now. While pick-ups at the airport and in a few all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana might still cause minor problems (which is why it is recommended to prebook your Punta Cana airport transfer). Uber is a great option for getting around in Punta Cana nowadays and works on most occasions, but it is always great to not rely 100% on it.

Shuttles

 Shared shuttles are a combination between a taxi and a guagua. On the one hand, you share the shuttle with other passengers you might not know, on the other hand, it goes straight from A to B without too many other stops. Furthermore, they are predetermined for big loads of luggage, so they are a perfect compromise if you are looking to travel cheaply but with your full number of travel bags. Shuttles are mainly used for international tourists, so there is usually no problem speaking English.

 Unfortunately, shuttles only run between the all-inclusive resorts and the Punta Cana International Airport, hence they are especially convenient for your way from and to the airport. You can check out some prices here* or have a look at my separate article on how to get to and from the airport in Punta Cana.

Guaguas and Buses – public transport in Punta Cana

Routes

 Guaguas and buses ply different routes of public transport in Punta Cana. To give you a comprehensive overview, I am covering the whole Province of La Altagracia here, which is the region where all hotels and resorts of Punta Cana and beyond (Cap Cana, Cabeza de Toro, Bavaro, Macao, Uvero Alto) are located.

 In total, there are around 10 routes, but please note that they are not numbered (so the numbers are just for orientation here in this article). Usually, they have a sign on the front shield showing their destination.

Public transport Routes within Bavaro and Punta Cana

1) Cap Cana – Punta Cana Airport – Cruce de Verón (yellow line in the map below)
2) Cruce de Verón – Downtown Bavaro – Palma Real Mall (pink line in the map below)
3) (coming from Higuey – same as number 7 below) Cruce de Verón – Downtown Bavaro – Palma Real Mall – Los Corales – El Cortecito – Friusa (occasionally continuing to Machiplan on request) (red line in the map below)
4) Friusa – El Cortecito – Los Corales – Downtown Bavaro – Friusa (purple line in the map below)

Public transport routes between Bavaro/Punta Cana and Higuey (the province of the capital)

5) Higuey – La Otrabanda – Cruce de Verón – Punta Cana Airport (blue line in the map below)
6) Higuey – La Otrabanda – Cruce de Verón – Veron – Cabeza de Toro (dark green line in the map below)
7) Higuey – La Otrabanda – Cruce de Verón – Downtown Bavaro – Palma Real Mall – Los Corales – El Cortecito – Friusa (sometimes continuing to Machiplan) (red line in the map below)
8) Higuey – La Otrabanda – La Ceiba – Hard Rock Punta Cana – Machiplan/Arena Gorda (grey line in the map below)
9) Higuey – La Otrabanda – La Ceiba – Macao – Uvero Alto (light green line in the map below)
10) Higuey – La Otrabanda – La Vacama – Las Lisas – Miches (black line in the map below)

There is also a bus route from Punta Cana via Bavaro and Las Lisas to Miches, which is not marked on the map. It would be the No. 11, but it only runs three times a day, whereas all the others run at least every 30 minutes. It starts at the Sitrabapu bus station close to Verón and passes the Bavaro bus station in Friusa before heading north on the highway towards Miches.

Map of public transport in Punta Cana and Bavaro

 Even the whole public transport in Bavaro is organized by associations and syndicates, there is no official (nor an unofficial 😉 ) map for the public transport system in Punta Cana. Hence if you would like to know how to get around in the area, you should know the routes, buses, etc.

 That’s why I have created a map with all the guagua and bus routes (note that the only line where proper big buses are running is the one from Higuey via Verón to Bavaro, Friusa (numbered “3” and “7” above), the main bus station in Punta Cana. 

 As some of the connections go all the way to Higuey, the capital of the province La Altagracia, I have included those on the map as well. 

How does the public transport system in Punta Cana and Bavaro works?

 First of all, there are a few important rules to know in the Dominican Republic when getting around by public transport which differ from the typical system we are used to in Europe and North America.

 First of all, there are no bus stops. You can flag down buses everywhere and can tell the driver to get out at any place you want. There is an exception in some express services between Higuey and Bavaro/Friusa which are called “expresos” and just have around a dozen predetermined stops.

 Second, you need to recognize the buses. Most of them are typical Dominican guaguas which are kind of a maxi van with usually around 30 seats. They are recognizable by their sign on the front shield showing the destination and by the logo and wording of their association on the side of the vehicle. Usually, these associations are called Sitrabapu, Sitrahimi, Sitrahima or Asovebapu. Those are all abbreviations, for example, Sitrabapu stands for “Sindicato de transporte de Bavaro y Punta Cana”.

 The third thing is that you pay directly on the bus, the conductor / cobrador (the assistant of the driver) will approach you during the ride and collect the money. There are no bus tickets. 

 This is valid for all the public transportation buses in Punta Cana mentioned above. The only exception is the Punta Cana – Santo Domingo bus, where you buy tickets at the Bavaro/Punta Cana bus station in Friusa or Verón.

Prices for public buses in Punta Cana

 Talking about tickets brings us right to the next point, the prices – which are, generally spoken, pretty cheap, especially for Western standards. An internal ride within Bavaro and Punta Cana usually costs between 50 and 60 DOP (around 1 USD), all the routes from Higuey to the Punta Cana area are around 120 to 150 DOP (approx. 2-3 USD). If you want to know it exactly, here are the prices for the individual routes including the year when I last took them.

 For routes within Punta Cana and Bavaro:

– Bavaro (Friusa, Los Corales, El Cortecito) – Verón: 60 DOP (2021)
– Bavaro (Friusa, Downtown, Los Corales, El Cortecito) – Bavaro (Friusa, Downtown, Los Corales, El Cortecito): 50 DOP (2021)
– Bavaro (Downtown) – Bavaro (Machiplan): 60 DOP (2020)
– Punta Cana Airport – Verón: 50 DOP (2019)

 For routes between the area of Higuey and the area of Punta Cana / Bavaro:

– Higuey – Bavaro (Friusa, Downtown, Los Corales, El Cortecito etc.): 150 DOP (2021)
– Higuey – Bavaro (Arena Gorda/Machiplan): 145 DOP (2021)
– Higuey – Junction to Macao: 90 DOP (2018)
– Higuey – Punta Cana Airport: 130 DOP (2018)
– Higuey – Uvero Alto: 120 DOP (2018)
– Higuey – Verón: 90 DOP (2018)
– Junction 104/105 (close to La Otrabanda) – Bavaro (Arena Gorda/Machiplan): 120 DOP (2021)
– Junction 104/105 (close to La Otrabanda) – Montaña Redonda: 125 DOP (2016)
– Junction 104/105 (close to La Otrabanda) – Las Lisas: 170 DOP (2021)

Frequencies of Punta Cana public buses

 Most of the Punta Cana bus routes mentioned here are running every thirty minutes. Depending on the section, there might be a bus running up to every 10 minutes if there are various routes in one section. For example, the section between Los Corales and Downtown Bavaro / Cruce de Coco Loco is served by three different routes, so you have buses running more or less every 10 minutes. Of course, this is a bit erratic as it depends on the traffic, the number of stops and the departure times of the buses.

 Even though you might not expect a bus schedule in a country like the Dominican Republic, there are indeed fixed departure times for each bus. For example, most of the buses mentioned in this post leave every 30 minutes, usually either on the hour and on the half-hour or every quarter past and every quarter shy of the hour.
Depending on the route, services start around 5-6am and run until 8-10pm at night.

 However, these departure times are only valid for their first stop (respectively the starting point) because afterwards, it depends a lot on traffic, the number of people riding, the number of stops, etc. 

Punta Cana bus station

As mentioned and shown above, many Punta Cana and Bavaro busses start and end at Friusa in Bavaro. Even though it is not officially called Punta Cana bus station, it can be considered the best and most centric terminal when looking for connections and the best options for getting around in Punta Cana.

Friusa Bavaro bus station features direct busses to Santo Domingo, Higuey, La Romana and Miches. With connections through Higuey and/or Santo Domingo, you can reach all destinations in the Dominican Republic by public transport.

Therefore, if in doubt when looking for the best Punta Cana bus station, head to Friusa. You can also find recommendable accommodations within walking distance of Friusa here* in case you’d like to start your bus journey early in the morning.

Resorts in Punta Cana served by public transport buses and guaguas

 If you’re coming to Punta Cana for your holiday, you might wonder if you can venture out from your resort to explore the area in Punta Cana by public transportation. Yes, you usually can (in most cases)!

 Most of the resorts are served by public buses respectively guaguas, so you can go and easily catch a bus. Depending on the all-inclusive resort you are staying at, frequencies might be limited, but if you ask the local staff they usually can tell you when the bus is (more or less) supposed to arrive and where exactly you can catch it.

Resorts in Cap Cana served by public transport

 None!

 The bus from Verón just heads towards the entrance of Cap Cana. From here you would have to get a taxi or a shuttle from your hotel to reach your accommodation or walk, depending on your physical fitness. The closest resorts from the entrance of Cap Cana are Ancora Cap Cana at about a mile and TRS Cap Cana a few feet more.

 For all other resorts in Cap Cana (among them Eden Roc Cap Cana, Secrets Cap Cana, Hyatt Ziva, Hyatt Zilara, Sanctuary Cap Cana, Margaritaville Island Reserve, etc.) you definitely need a hotel shuttle or a taxi to reach public transport options.

Resorts in Cabeza del Toro served by public transport

 All of them!

 There is a guagua running the route Cabeza de Toro – Cruce de Verón – Higuey that serves all hotels and resorts located in Cabeza de Toro:

– Catalonia Bavaro Beach
– Catalonia Royal
– Serenade Punta Cana Resort
– Radisson Blu Punta Cana
– Be Live Hotels Punta Cana
– Dreams Palm Beach

 If you would like to go from Cabeza de Toro to Bavaro, you take the Cabeza de Toro guagua until Cruce de Verón and change there for a Bavaro-bound bus. The same goes for your way from and to the airport (hand luggage only if you really want to try it!).

Resorts in Bavaro served by public transport

 All of them!

 As several routes are running along the Bavaro area, all resorts along the beaches Playa Bavaro, Playa Los Corales and Playa El Cortecito do have access to the public bus system of Bavaro and Punta Cana. You can catch direct buses to all parts of Bavaro, Verón and Higuey. As you can see in the map above, the purple and red lines (internal colors only, they are not publicly used) are plying this route. 

 The following resorts here are served by public transport:

– Barcelo Resort (Palace, Deluxe, Punta Cana, etc.)
– Lopesan Costa Bavaro
– Melía and Paradisus Resort (Tropical, Caribe, Beach, The Level, Palma Real, The Reserve; except Paradisus Punta Cana) 
– Dreams Royal Beach
– Secrets Royal Beach
– whala Bavaro
– Impressive Resorts
– Vista Sol Punta Cana
– Presidential Suites Punta Cana
– Palladium Resorts (incl. TRS Turquesa)

 From all those resorts you also can easily go to Friusa and Verón, where you can catch the direct bus to Santo Domingo.

 The following resorts are a little bit apart from the main road running through Bavaro. You would need to walk to the junction of Avenida Francia and Avenida España (at Delicias the Bavaro / Drink Point) when catching a bus. This is walkable from some resorts (Occidental Punta Cana, Grand Bavaro Princess, Princess Family Club Bavaro), but is a little further away from others (especially Ocean Blue, VIK Hotel Arena Blanca) which would require a motoconcho to reach the bus stop.

 For the following resorts you would have to walk to the junction of Avenida Francia and Avenida España to get access to local public transport:

– Occidental Punta Cana
– Grand Bavaro Princess
– Princess Family Club Bavaro
– Paradisus Punta Cana Resort
– Caribe Princess Resort
– Tropical Princess Resort
– Punta Cana Princess Resort
– VIK Hotel Arena Blanca
– Ocean Blue & Sand Resort

Resorts in Arena Gorda served by public transport

 All of them!

 The area of Arena Gorda is only served by the guagua which runs from Higuey through La Otrabanda to Arena Gorda/Machiplan. Therefore, there is no direct access from Arena Gorda to the region further south, including the main area of Bavaro and Punta Cana, which makes it a bit harder of getting around in Punta Cana by public transport from there. On the other hand, you have access to Macao and Uvero Alto by changing buses in La Ceiba.

 The following resorts are served by the public bus route running between Arena Gorda and Higuey:

– all RIU Hotels (Naiboa, Bambu, Palace Bavaro, Palace Macao, Palace Punta Cana)
– all Bahía Hotels (Turquesa, Bavaro, Punta Cana, Aquamarine, Esmeralda, Ambar, Fantasia)
– all Majestic Hotels (Elegance, Mirage and Colonial)
– all Royalton Hotels (Bavaro, Splash and Punta Cana)
– Occidental Caribe
– RIU República
– Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana

Resorts in Macao served by public transport

 There is just one resort in Macao (Dreams Macao Beach) and you have to walk to the village of Macao to catch the public bus running between Higuey and Macao/Uvero Alto.

Resorts in Uvero Alto served by public transport

 Uvero Alto is served by the bus running between Higuey and Macao/Uvero Alto, so you have direct access to the capital of the La Altagracia Province. Theoretically, you can also connect to Punta Cana via Higuey, even it is not effective. The following resorts are served by this bus route:

– Ocean El Faro
– CHIC by Royalton
– Nickelodeon Resort (incl. Sensatori)
– Dreams Punta Cana Resort + Dreams Onyx
– breathless Resort
– Live Aqua
– Finest Punta Cana
– Excellence El Carmen & Punta Cana
– Sirenis Punta Cana

 Please note that for all resorts mentioned in this whole article you have to walk until the main resort entrance. The public buses are not serving the lobby.

Navigating with Motoconchos through Bavaro

How do Motoconchos work in Punta Cana?

 At the beginning of the post, I was explaining that Motoconchos are also an option to get around in Punta Cana. As they tend to be around everywhere, they are way more flexible, but you must be a little bit careful not to pick a reckless driver. 

 If you would like to ride with a motoconcho in Punta Cana, you probably do not have to do anything. Once the drivers see people walking on the street, they approach them automatically and ask if they need a ride. If you see a motorcycle coming to you once you leave the resort or your apartment, mention your destination and the driver will tell you the price. Usually, you must negotiate a bit, because the drivers try to make some extra money by setting the prices higher than the regular fare is. From the starting price, a discount of 30-50% is usually possible so please do not accept the first price. If you are two people, make sure you are talking about the price for the whole ride and not per person. Once agreed on the price, get on the motorcycle and enjoy the ride. At the end of the ride, you pay.

Prices for mototaxis in Punta Cana?

 Prices for a motor-taxi respectively a motoconcho in Punta Cana are starting at 50 DOP, which doesn’t get you further than a few corners. Most rides for getting around in Punta Cana are 100 DOP and more. This usually gets you to destinations located around 1-2 miles away. For example, if you go from Friusa (the town center of Bavaro) to the beaches of El Cortecito and Los Corales, this should cost you around 150-200 DOP. A moto concho from Downtown Mall in Bavaro to Cabeza de Toro is also around 150-200 DOP. 

 As mentioned, when using a motoconcho service in Punta Cana, it is important to negotiate.

As a rule of thumb, when you are getting around in Punta Cana with a motoconcho, the prices shall be at least 25% lower than when requesting an Uber.

Taxis in Punta Cana

 Taxis in Punta Cana are the most comfortable option to get around, but also the most expensive one. There are hardly any fares below 25 USD, short distances might be negotiated to around 20 USD. But usually, expect to pay 30 or 40 USD to get anywhere for a 15 to 30 minutes ride. If you are heading to Uvero Alto, prices easily can reach 60 to 80 USD, especially when coming from the Punta Cana Airport. Check out the complete list of airport taxi prices here.

You can either call a taxi through the official numbers of the taxi association or you get a licensed taxi, which is usually waiting at strategic points: at nearly all hotel and Punta Cana resort lobbies, malls, the airport and important tourist attractions. 

Shuttles in Bavaro and Punta Cana

 Shuttles are a convenient option to travel and are the best compromise between time, privacy and price. However, unfortunately, shuttles are only available from and to the airport. There are no shuttles between resorts.

 Exceptions are some of the shopping malls, as a few of them offer free shuttles.

Plaza San Juan

Plaza San Juan used to offer a free shuttle from all resorts, but their service got erratic over time. Since Covid- 19, the free shuttle to Plaza San Juan is not running anymore.

Mundo Autentico

Mundo Autentico is one of the amazing free things to do in Punta Cana. It combines education about some of the most important Dominican goods, such as cacao, rum, cigars or larimar, with a comprehensive shopping experience. Mundo Autentico is located close to Downtown Bavaro (Cruce de Coco Loco) and they offer a free shuttle from most all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, which can be orderer either through +1 809-466-1212 or in your hotel.

Blue Mall Punta Cana

 Blue Mall is a newer mall close to the Punta Cana airport. They offer premium shopping with a lot of worldwide known brands.

Blue Mall Punta Cana offers free shuttles from a couple of all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana (incl. some in Uvero Alto), from others you only pay 5 USD per person round-trip which is a great deal if you are looking for a shopping trip. This price can even compete with the prices for public transportation in Punta Cana. The Blue Mall Punta Cana shuttle can be booked via WhatsApp at +1 829 521 2388.

 If you are interested in paid shuttles from the airport to your resort, please check out the following options.

Public transport from the airport

 As indicated above, shuttles and prebooked private transfers are the most convenient way to get from the Punta Cana International Airport to your all-inclusive resort or to any other place in the area. 

 If you would like to try to get to or from the airport by public transport, it is possible, but only if you are traveling with hand luggage only as there is no space for suitcases or other big items, especially in the small guaguas serving the Punta Cana Airport from Verón.

 Remember the maps with the bus routes above? 

 Check them again and you will see that you first have to take a bus from Punta Cana Airport to Cruce de Verón, where you can change to a Bavaro-bound bus. Please note, to catch the bus from the airport you have to walk outside the terminal to the little shelter next to the roundabout. Buses here are passing every 15 minutes more or less.

 Once in Cruce de Verón, you can change to any bus going in the direction of Bavaro and tell the “Cobrador” (the assistant of the driver) where you would like to get out. Check the resort list above to see which buses are serving your hotel.

For further information on the best ways to get from and to Punta Cana Airport, continue reading this article here at Punta Cana Travel Blog.

Public transport outside of Punta Cana

 We have covered everything within Punta Cana and the province of La Altagracia now. But how about public transport from Punta Cana to other parts of the Dominican Republic?

Public transportation from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo

 If you would like to go to Santo Domingo, there is a direct bus from Punta Cana/Bavaro to Santo Domingo, which runs 6 times a day. The journey is very comfortable as the buses are new and modern. The journey costs around 8 USD (450 DOP) per way. This bus is one of the few occasions where you have to buy the ticket in advance. As the bus tends to get sold out, make sure to buy your ticket at the ticket offices in Friusa or Verón at least 30 minutes before departure. You can find further information on the journey and on how to get from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo here.

 Check out further information on how to get to the capital of the Dominican Republic in my post about the beautiful Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo.

Alternatively, check out the shared shuttles between Punta Cana and Santo Domingo here*.

 Public transportation from Punta Cana to Bayahibe

 Public transportation from Punta Cana to Bayahibe is a bit complicated, to be honest. There are no direct services. On most occasions, you even have to change the bus twice. You are better off with a shuttle to Bayahibe*, which you can book from Punta Cana Airport. In case you are already staying in Punta Cana, you could head to the airport for taking this shuttle.

 If you still would like to go with public transportation from Punta Cana to Bayahibe, here is how it works. From the Punta Cana bus stations in Friusa, Cruce de Coco Loco or Verón, take a Higuey-bound bus. You can also take any of the busses mentioned above which pass an all-inclusive resort.

In Higuey, change to a La Romana-bound bus. With this one, you can either head straight into La Romana and ask to be dropped at the Bayahibe bus station or you get off at the Bayahibe turnoff right on the highway, so you don’t have to go all the way into La Romana. The latter option saves you probably around 45 minutes, but you should know what you are doing. Finally, from La Romana, take a small Guagua to Bayahibe.

There are direct busses twice or three times a day from Friusa / Bavaro bus station to La Romana, which would decrease the amount of changing busses to one.

The journey time is 1 hour + 1 hour + 30 minutes plus applicable waiting times, hence calculate around 4 to 5 hours if you’d like to go from Punta Cana to Bayahibe or vice versa with public transportation. The total cost is around 7-8 USD for all three buses combined. A shared airport shuttle to Bayahibe* currently sells for around 20 USD, a private transfer from any point in Punta Cana to Bayahibe* usually is around 100 USD per vehicle for up to 4 or 5 passengers.

Public transportation from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata

Public transportation from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata will take you the entire day – or even two days, depending on when you start in Punta Cana. The latest time you shall leave Punta Cana to get to Puerto Plata in one day is around 11 am.

To get to Puerto Plata, you have to cross the entire Dominican Republic by public transport once. Take a Punta Cana bus and head to Santo Domingo, where you can change into a Puerto Plata-bound bus. In Santo Domingo, you have to take a taxi or an Uber as the two bus stations are not in the same location.

For all the information on this connection, check out the extensive blog post on how to get from Punta Cana to Puerto Plata.

Public transportation from Punta Cana to elsewhere in the Dominican Republic

For all other destinations, it depends on where you want to go. For all journeys by public transportation to the east of the Dominican Republic, it is best to take one of the connections via Higuey, as there are direct buses to La Romana, Bayahibe, San Pedro, El Seibo and Miches. Please refer to the bus routes above to see how you can reach Higuey, nearly every place and all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana is connected with Higuey. From Higuey there are direct buses to nearly all places in the eastern part of the Dominican Republic. 

For any destination in the center, southwest, west or north of the Dominican Republic incl. Samaná, head to Santo Domingo first as described above or in this extensive blog post about public transportation between Santo Domingo and Punta Cana. From there, you can reach your destination, as basically all regions and cities are connected with the capital of the Dominican Republic.

In case you don’t find the right connection via public transport from Punta Cana, you also can check out the following private transfers from Punta Cana.

Destination	Selected all-inclusive resorts / locations	Price Range (one-way)	Private Airport Transfer from Punta Cana (one-way and return)
Miches	Club Med Miches / Costa Esmeralda	125 USD
Bayahibe	Catalonia, Hilton, Iberostar, Be Live, Viva Wyndham, Dreams, whala, Miranda	90-120 USD
La Romana	La Romana City and Cruise Port	100-120 USD
San Pedro / La Romana	Bahía Principe La Romana & Bougainville	120-160 USD
Juan Dolio	Emotions, Hemmingway, Guayacanes and surrounding	140-180 USD
Boca Chica	Be Live Hamaca, Bellevue, whala Boca Chica and surrounding	140-180 USD
Santo Domingo	Santo Domingo City incl. Zona Colonial	150-200 USD
Samaná	Las Galeras, Las Terrenas, El Portillo, Cayo Levantado, Santa Barbara de Samaná	300-400 USD
North Coast	Nagua, Cabrera, Rio San Juan and surrounding villages	290-350 USD
Cabarete & Sosua	Sabaneta de Yasica, Cabarete, Viva Wyndham Tangerine, Encuentro, Perla Marina, Sosua	300-390 USD
Puerto Plata	Playa Dorada, Costa Dorada, Puerto Plata, Cofresi, Amber Cove, Maimón, Imbert	350-450 USD
Santiago	Santiago de los Caballeros and surrounding	280-400 USD
Southwest	Barahona, Pedernales and surrounding	400-550 USD

 This was my ultimate guide about public transport in the whole Punta Cana area and the province of La Altagracia. I hope it serves you fur a beautiful and adventurous vacation in Punta Cana and beyond. Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions or get in touch with me via my travel coaching if you need local insights and customized itineraries for your trip to the Dominican Republic.