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.
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.
Excursions and tours recommended by us
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.