Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
gion to have a commuter train system. Line 1 from La Feria (Centro de los Héroes) near
the Malecón to the far northern suburb of Villa Mella is a 14.5km route with 16 stations
running primarily north-south above and below ground along Av Máximo Gómez. In
April 2013, Line 2 which runs east-west for 10.3km (entirely underground) along Av John
F Kennedy, Expreso V Centenario and Av Padre Castellanos began operating. The master
plan calls for six lines.
It's worth a trip for travelers to get a sense of Santo Domingo's size and sprawl, and on
Line 1 for the rather stunning views over the rooftops, and scattered palm trees and moun-
tains in the distance. The entrances, stations and subway cars are modern and clean, cer-
tainly a world away from New York City subways. The fact that stations are named after
well-known Dominicans (and foreigners like John F Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln)
rather than streets may be inconvenient, but it may also lead some to brush up on their his-
tory.
Each ride costs RD$20; however, it's best to purchase a card at one of the ticket booths
for RD$50, which can then be refilled when needed. Place the card on top of the turnstile
to enter the station (6:30am to 11:30pm Monday to Friday, to 10pm Saturday).
Públicos
Even more numerous than buses are the
públicos
- mostly beaten-up minivans and private
cars that follow the same main routes but stop wherever someone flags them down. They
are supposed to have
público
on their license plates, but drivers will beep and wave at you
long before you can make out the writing. Any sort of hand waving will get the driver to
stop, though the preferred gesture is to hold out your arm and point down at the curb in
front of you. The fare is RD$12 - pay when you get in. Be prepared for a tight squeeze.
Taxi
Taxis in Santo Domingo don't have meters, so you should always agree on the price be-
fore climbing in. The standard fare is around RD$200 from one side of the city to another;
rates tend to be higher in the evening. Within the Zona Colonial it should be even cheaper.
Taxi drivers don't typically cruise the streets looking for rides; they park at various major
points and wait for customers to come to them. In the Zona Colonial, Parque Colón and
Parque Duarte are the best spots.
You can also call for a taxi or ask the receptionist at your hotel to do so. Service is usu-
ally quick, the fare should be the same, and you don't have to lug your bags anywhere.
Many of the top hotels have taxis waiting at the ready outside, but expect to pay signific-
antly more for those. Reputable taxi agencies with 24-hour dispatches include
Apolo Taxi
(
