Getting around · Montego Bay · Jamaica
Getting around Montego Bay
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Van Atrecht, CC0
Quick answer
The Hip Strip is walkable, but Montego Bay is otherwise spread along the coast and most visitors use taxis, resort transfers and tours. Licensed taxis carry red PP number plates; route taxis and buses serve locals but are crowded. No for a resort or Hip Strip stay: taxis and tours cover everything.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Taxi
- Airports
- MBJ, KIN
- Need a car?
- No
Ways to get around
Taxi
Licensed taxis, including JUTA tourist taxis, wait at hotels, the airport and the Hip Strip; fares are usually fixed by route rather than metered.
Use only taxis with red PP plates and agree the fare before you set off.
Bus
Knutsford Express runs comfortable intercity coaches from Montego Bay to Negril, Ocho Rios, Kingston and other towns.
Book seats online or at the terminal a day ahead for popular routes.
Car
Car hire is available at the airport, but Jamaica drives on the left and roads can be narrow, winding and busy; many visitors prefer a driver.
Walking
Gloucester Avenue's beaches, bars and restaurants are within walking distance of each other; walking elsewhere is not practical.
Boat
Glass-bottom boats and catamarans run snorkel and sunset trips from the Hip Strip beaches and resorts.
From the airport
Sangster International Airport (MBJ) is about 5 km from the Hip Strip and 15–25 minutes from Ironshore and Rose Hall resorts. Most visitors use pre-booked resort transfers or JUTA taxis from the arrivals area. Negril is about 1.5 hours away and Ocho Rios about 1.5–2 hours.
Do you need a car?
No for a resort or Hip Strip stay: taxis and tours cover everything. A car or private driver is useful for independent trips to Negril, the south coast and the interior.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Negril | About 1 hour 30 minutes by car | Car, private driver, tour or Knutsford Express coach |
| Ocho Rios and Dunn's River Falls | About 1 hour 30 minutes by car | Tour, private driver or Knutsford Express coach |
| YS Falls | About 2 hours by car | Car, private driver or tour |
| Black River | About 2 hours by car | Car, private driver or tour |
| Appleton Estate | About 1 hour 45 minutes by car | Car, private driver or tour |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Montego Bay?
No for a resort or Hip Strip stay: taxis and tours cover everything. A car or private driver is useful for independent trips to Negril, the south coast and the interior.
+How do you get from the airport to Montego Bay?
Sangster International Airport (MBJ) is about 5 km from the Hip Strip and 15–25 minutes from Ironshore and Rose Hall resorts. Most visitors use pre-booked resort transfers or JUTA taxis from the arrivals area. Negril is about 1.5 hours away and Ocho Rios about 1.5–2 hours.
+What is the best way to get around Montego Bay?
Taxi: Licensed taxis, including JUTA tourist taxis, wait at hotels, the airport and the Hip Strip; fares are usually fixed by route rather than metered.