Getting around · Barbados
Getting around Barbados
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Pontificalibus, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Barbados is about 34 km long and 23 km wide, but roads are narrow and winding, so journeys take longer than distances suggest. Government buses and privately run minibuses and route taxis ('ZRs') connect Bridgetown with both coasts, and taxis and rental cars fill the gaps. Not essential.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Bus
- Airports
- BGI
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
Ways to get around
Bus
Blue government buses, yellow minibuses and white 'ZR' route taxis all charge the same flat fare and run frequently along the west and south coasts from Bridgetown terminals.
Carry the exact fare in Barbados dollars; government buses do not give change.
Taxi
Taxis have 'Z' on their number plates and are unmetered; fares follow government-set rates for common routes.
Agree the fare before you set off and confirm whether it is in Barbados or US dollars.
Car
Driving is on the left. Rental cars and small open 'mokes' are popular, but roads are narrow, signage is limited and rush-hour traffic around Bridgetown is slow.
A local driving permit is required and is usually arranged by the rental company.
Boat
Catamaran cruises from Bridgetown and the west coast run snorkel trips to the Carlisle Bay wrecks and to swim with turtles.
Walking
The Richard Haynes Boardwalk links Hastings and Rockley along the south coast, and towns such as Holetown and Speightstown are walkable.
From the airport
Grantley Adams International Airport is in Christ Church in the south. Taxis reach the south coast in about 15–20 minutes and Holetown on the west coast in about 40–50 minutes depending on traffic. Buses towards Bridgetown and the south coast stop on the main road outside the airport.
Do you need a car?
Not essential. Buses and ZRs cover the coasts cheaply, and island tours reach the interior. A car for a day or two is useful for the east coast, the north and the gardens.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| East coast loop: Bathsheba and the gardens | About 45 minutes by car from Bridgetown | Rental car, taxi tour or bus to Bathsheba |
| The north: St Nicholas Abbey and Animal Flower Cave | About 1 hour by car from Bridgetown | Rental car or island tour |
| Southeast coast: Crane Beach and Bottom Bay | About 35 minutes by car from Bridgetown | Rental car or taxi |
| St Vincent and the Grenadines by air | About 1 hour by small plane | Organised day tour with charter flight and catamaran |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Barbados?
Not essential. Buses and ZRs cover the coasts cheaply, and island tours reach the interior. A car for a day or two is useful for the east coast, the north and the gardens.
+How do you get from the airport to Barbados?
Grantley Adams International Airport is in Christ Church in the south. Taxis reach the south coast in about 15–20 minutes and Holetown on the west coast in about 40–50 minutes depending on traffic. Buses towards Bridgetown and the south coast stop on the main road outside the airport.
+What is the best way to get around Barbados?
Bus: Blue government buses, yellow minibuses and white 'ZR' route taxis all charge the same flat fare and run frequently along the west and south coasts from Bridgetown terminals.