Transportation in St.Maarten

[we be jammin]

I understand there are buses that you can take from Phillipsburg to Marigot in St. Maarten.Can anyone tell me how often they run and the price.:confused:

[Clarea]

I understand there are buses that you can take from Phillipsburg to Marigot in St. Maarten.Can anyone tell me how often they run and the price.:confused:

Cost is $2 per person. I don't know the schedule, but we never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus. Catch the bus on Back St., in back of the courthouse. Look for your destination on a sign in the window. The bus looks like a VW Bus.

[LMaxwell]

Yeah, what Bob said! It is about a 15 minute walk off the ship to Back St for able bodied. There busses and taxis are the same vehicles (small Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi vans; smaller than a US-style Minivan).

Taxi will have Taxi on license plate. Bus will say Bus. That is the main way to tell the difference. Busses won't be painted in a matching way or say St.Martin Bus down the side or anything. There will be signs in the front window where they are going (handpainted on a board type signs).

 

$2 to get around. They will stop anywhere along the route when someone asks and they will pick people up. Our bus drivers would not accept tips; so the fare is the fare. It is not any slower than a private taxi because traffic is traffic.

 

Pro-tip - look for one with closed side windows, this means it has working air conditioning. If the windows are open you get 635 Cooling - 6 open windows and 35mph.

 

If you take the bus to any particular town, beach, etc. ask where to go to be picked up for a return to Philipsburg. Busses will travel along a set route but for convenience to turn around or whatever they may drop you off in a different spot than you would be picked up from.

 

We took a bus to Marigot and got there at least 20 minutes before the big tour busses from the ships arrived.

 

Similar to this; can hold usually up to 10-12 people

 

[matj2000]

Rent a Jeep, and go where every you like.

The Rental companies are right there at the port.

We had one for the day and I think it was around $65 - $70.

[NorbertsNiece]

And in case you fancy a cab :

 

[joyride21]

Cost is $2 per person. I don't know the schedule, but we never had to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus. Catch the bus on Back St., in back of the courthouse. Look for your destination on a sign in the window. The bus looks like a VW Bus.

 

Loved using the bus on our last visit to St. Maarten! We were headed to the stop on Back Street when we saw a bus with our destination listed in the window stopped a stop sign. We knocked on the window and they let us right in. Took the bus three more times throughout the day, I think our longest wait was about five minutes.

[we be jammin]

Thanks for the info.Sorry if my question was in there a few times.I'm new at this.We are going on the Oasis Of The Seas April 5 2014.

[LMaxwell]

Thanks for the info.Sorry if my question was in there a few times.I'm new at this.We are going on the Oasis Of The Seas April 5 2014.

 

no worries, jam on. I only know because I asked here 3 weeks ago and went last week. You'll have a blast in St. Martin.

[we be jammin]

Yes,I know I will.I have been there before but it's been a few years.But never been to the French side.Do you know if they have a Senior Foggs or Carlos and Charles there.

[LMaxwell]

Yes,I know I will.I have been there before but it's been a few years.But never been to the French side.Do you know if they have a Senior Foggs or Carlos and Charles there.

 

Don't know, not my scene really. Sure there are party bars near ship, and over Philipsburg by the reach, plenty of cheap cold beers and people watching.

 

Marigot is a bit sleepier but nice to walk around. I recommend a nice cold beer on the street is $1-$2; we went to Sarafinas (really awesome) to eat then walked around the marina area before grabbing another bus to Maho beach. So for about $20 per person we got to Marigot, ate awesome fresh baked food, and had a couple of beers, then got to Maho, had a few cold sodas and snacks, then got back to Philisburg all by bus.

 

We walked up the Philipsburg strip on the beach; lots of cruisers out having a great time. Avg meal would run you $25 a person with a beer or two. Touristy. There is a water taxi that runs to the pier. $5 one way, $7 ride all day. We had walked into town originally for the bus but rode the water taxi back because it was a breezy and easy under 5 minute ride. We were onboard early enough to get lunch. We didn't even have a particularly early start that day; getting off the ship a bit after 9AM.

 

Sarafinas

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g147348-d1754928-Reviews-Sarafina_s-Marigot_Saint_Martin_St_Maarten_St_Martin.html

 

We were told no busses ran from Marigot to Maho Beach directly and we had to go to Philipsburg; but while on the bus 3 or 4 other people told the driver they had to go to work on the route to Maho and so the bus driver changed the route to Maho instead of Philipsburg.

 

Sorry to hijack your thread. :cool:

Edited March 19, 2014 by LMaxwell

[we be jammin]

Thanks, matj2000 suggested renting a jeep.That sounds like fun.I have one at home so that is right up my ally.I may consider that.Thanks matj2000

[George C]

Yes,I know I will.I have been there before but it's been a few years.But never been to the French side.Do you know if they have a Senior Foggs or Carlos and Charles there.

 

Do not recall seeing those bars, but there are many real nice bars on both sides

[Janet524]

Thanks, matj2000 suggested renting a jeep.That sounds like fun.I have one at home so that is right up my ally.I may consider that.Thanks matj2000

 

Renting a jeep can be expensive and parking is at a premium.