Santiago to Sosua

[J & C]

Trying to possibly get down there during Thanksgiving. Only reasonable flights seem to be jetblue going into Santiago. I know Sosua is an hour and a half away. How easy is it to get there from Santiago, and have any of you made that trip?

[Rocky]

Taxis are 80 bucks and make it in 1 1/2 hours, like you said.
If you do it by bus, it will take a lot longer but save you 50 bucks.
We have a taxi driver by the name of JJ, who can be contacted ahead of time and will pick you up and charge $70 US.

[officemgr]

taxis should cost $60. no mas! someone will take it. cab to caribe 550 pesos, caribe to charimiscos around 120 pesos, cab from charimiscos to sosua 150-200 pesos. total is around 28 dollars. take the cab since between going to caribe and waiting for the bus you can spend a hour and a half before getting on the bus and another hour and a half to get to sosua. thats 3 hours from ny to dr and 3 hours from sti to sos. demaisado.

[weyland]

taxis should cost $60. no mas! someone will take it. cab to caribe 550 pesos, caribe to charimiscos around 120 pesos, cab from charimiscos to sosua 150-200 pesos. total is around 28 dollars. take the cab since between going to caribe and waiting for the bus you can spend a hour and a half before getting on the bus and another hour and a half to get to sosua. thats 3 hours from ny to dr and 3 hours from sti to sos. demaisado.

You might not have to wait 90 minutes for the next Caribe bus. That is max wait time so average might be 45 minutes, nice time for a relaxing drink and snack at the bus station bar. Also view of countryside is better from a bus if you take a window seat so push or bribe your way into one. And you could find yourself sitting next to a fine chica with 1000 pesos saved on fares in your pocket to offer her for a BBBJ during the ride! Seriously though, take every opportunity to mix with "normal" Dominicans 'cos you won't find too many of them in Sosua.

I had not realised the Caribe buses only went as far as Los Charamicos and not to El Batey. I wrongly assumed they went to La Bomba terminus like the publicos. Where is the terminus?

[Jimmydr]

Trying to possibly get down there during Thanksgiving. Only reasonable flights seem to be jetblue going into Santiago. I know Sosua is an hour and a half away. How easy is it to get there from Santiago, and have any of you made that trip?

I have done that route maybe 5 times.

[Cuba Libre]

I have done that route maybe 5 times.Via bus or taxi? I've done it by taxi, but my next trip I'd like to try the bus.

[Cuba Libre]

taxis should cost $60. no mas! someone will take it. cab to caribe 550 pesos, caribe to charimiscos around 120 pesos, cab from charimiscos to sosua 150-200 pesos. total is around 28 dollars. take the cab since between going to caribe and waiting for the bus you can spend a hour and a half before getting on the bus and another hour and a half to get to sosua. thats 3 hours from ny to dr and 3 hours from sti to sos. demaisado.Do you have a telephone number of a driver willing to make the run for only $60US?

[officemgr]

the posted rate in the airport is $65. i just walk through the line of cab drivers with cash in hand saying $60 para sosua and someone always takes the 60. the last time i did this was only a few weeks ago so i know that prices have not went up that much. also at the cab stand in sosua both jesus, the ex palace driver, and rodolfo will take you from sosua to sti for 60 and they seem very happy to get it. you can try rodolfo 809-844-7128 to see how much he wants to pick you up but he is based in sosua and has limited english

[Rocky]

Unless it has recently changed, the posted rate is $80 US.
I don't have a pic of the STI airport taxi board, but this one at POP airport, shows the ride to Santiago to be $80 US.
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a291/rockybar/POPtaxirates.jpg

[officemgr]

never go by the board or anything else quoting prices in us dollars. does this say $25 to sosua? only a first time tourist would pay that. a twenty will definitely get you to sos and even that is too much

[Rocky]

never go by the board or anything else quoting prices in us dollars. does this say $25 to sosua? only a first time tourist would pay that. a twenty will definitely get you to sos and even that is too much
The sign says $20 for Sosua, and that is the standard rate.
I'm not suggesting that a person should not try to negotiate, rather trying to establish what the true asking rates are, so that one who does not intend to bargain, knows the facts, and he who is planning on making a deal, knows the true starting point.
I once managed to negotiate a taxi from SDQ to Sosua for $100 US, when the going rate was $150.
I had the advantage of speaking the lingo, and explaining that I could easily take a $20 taxi to Boca Chica, spend the night, then take busses back to Sosua the following day, and save myself a fortune.
I then went and sat down on the sidewalk, after telling the drivers to send anyone to me who was willing to take me there for that price, and after 15 minutes or so, a fellow accepted, telling me he wanted to visit his family in Puerto Plata anyhow, so it worked for him.
I suspect that most travelers, once they have arrived here and spent a fortune getting here, might be more prone to just accepting the standard taxi rate, than hassle and waste time.
I pick a lot of people up at the POP airport, and most of them are tired and weary after the trip.
These people, for the most part, just want to get where they are going and they pay the regular price.

[Jimmydr]

Offer less, about $10 and walk away. They will chase after you in Santiago.

[JuanElGriego]

I taxi-d from STI to Sosua in May and the posted rate was 2000 pesos.

[Beads]

I had Jesus bring me to STI from Sosua for 1500 pesos in July. I asked him how much and was suprised when he said 1500 pesos so we accepted.

Guess business for him was slow?

[Jimmydr]

I had Jesus bring me to STI from Sosua for 1500 pesos in July. I asked him how much and was suprised when he said 1500 pesos so we accepted.

Guess business for him was slow?


Business from the Palace slowed a bit.

[Rocky]

I taxi-d from STI to Sosua in May and the posted rate was 2000 pesos.That's pretty good.
If the rate was around 32 at the time, that would make it only $62.50 US.

[eldorob]

Taxis are 80 bucks and make it in 1 1/2 hours, like you said.
If you do it by bus, it will take a lot longer but save you 50 bucks.
We have a taxi driver by the name of JJ, who can be contacted ahead of time and will pick you up and charge $70 US.

Is JJ Sosua based? I'm looking for ph number of a reliable Sosua taxi guy for my december trip. I gotta cut back on the motoconches. Even with my extra padding, it's painful.
Thanks in advance

[Rocky]

Is JJ Sosua based? I'm looking for ph number of a reliable Sosua taxi guy for my december trip. I gotta cut back on the motoconches. Even with my extra padding, it's painful.
Thanks in advanceJJ's based in Santiago.
I know a driver in town, who's kool, but don't have contact info.
I guess we'll have to go out and find him.

[Rocky]

I got in touch with JJ's wife to get the precise info on STi to Sosua taxi rates.
This was her reply.


Hi Rocky, JJ says that there is no sign posted at the airport, he asked the taxi drivers that service the airport...They said they charge $80US or $2400RD(they calculate it at 30x1)

[Jimmydr]

I got in touch with JJ's wife to get the precise info on STi to Sosua taxi rates.
This was her reply.




They all have the rate sheets in their cars. Demand to see them.