Punta Cana Taxi 101: How Much Is a Taxi in Punta Cana?

Written by Arístides Guerra in Punta Cana

I schedule many taxi trips in Punta Cana as an Airbnb host and how much you pay for a taxi varies greatly depending on the distance of your trip.

A taxi in Punta Cana can cost you anywhere from USD 10 to a whopping USD 80. The cost depends on the driving distance between your departure and arrival points. There are fixed price fares for airport to hotel rides but in general, taxis are quite expensive in Punta Cana unlike in the rest of DR.

Here I’ll share specific taxi fares from and to Popular destinations and hotels in Punta Cana as well as a trick or two on how to get the best prices.

Fixed price taxi fares from the Punta Cana airport

Taxis are the most expensive mode of transportation in Punta Cana due to the fact that it’s a popular tourist destination. A taxi ride in Punta Cana can cost you up to 4 times more than a taxi fare in Santo Domingo, the country’s capital city.

buses in the airport parking lot

However, there are fixed price fares for taxis departing from the Punta Cana airport (PUJ), the price is not based on the time it takes to get to your destination (there is no time meter onboard) but rather it’s calculated by distance.

Here’s a list of common destinations in Punta Cana and their one-way fare from the airport:

DESTINATIONONE-WAY FARE
Le Sivory by PortBlue Boutique hotelUSD 80
Zoetry Agua HotelUSD 80
Excellence HotelUSD 70
Grand Sirenis Resort Casino & AquagamesUSD 70
Dreams Punta Cana ResortUSD 70
Hard Rock Hotel & CasinoUSD 50
Occidental CaribeUSD 40
Amhsa The Club At Grand Paradise Bavaro hotelUSD 40
Grand Bahia Principe hotelsUSD 40
Iberostar hotelsUSD 40
RIU hotelsUSD 40
VIK Arena BlancaUSD 40
Ocean Blue & Sand Beach ResortUSD 40
Punta Cana Princess All Suites & SpaUSD 40
Grand Bavaro PrincessUSD 35
Paradisus Punta Cana ResortUSD 35
Caribe Club Princess Beach ResortUSD 35
Occidental Punta Cana hotelUSD 35
Palladium hotelsUSD 35
Cayacoa hotelUSD 35
Cortecito Inn hotelUSD 35
Captain Cook restaurantUSD 35
Barcelo Dominican BeachUSD 35
Tropical Clubs BavaroUSD 35
Los Sueños resort, condos & villasUSD 35
Los Corales Beach VillageUSD 35
Gran Caribe Resort and Beach ClubUSD 35
Natural Village hotelUSD 35
Secrets Royal Beach hotelUSD 35
NOW Larimar hotelUSD 35
Melia hotelsUSD 30
IFA Villas BavaroUSD 30
Barcelo hotelsUSD 30
Natura Park ECO Beach Resort & SpaUSD 30
Be Live hotelsUSD 30
Dreams Palm Beach hotelUSD 30
Catalonia Bavaro hotelUSD 30
Friusa CrossingUSD 30
Manati ParkUSD 30
Cap CanaUSD 30
Secrets Cap Cana hotelUSD 30
Sanctuary Cap Cana hotelUSD 30
Coco Loco CrossingUSD 25
Hospiten Bavaro hospitalUSD 20
Club Med Punta Cana hotelUSD 20
Los CoralesUSD 20
Westin Punta Cana Resort & ClubUSD 20
Four Points by SheratonUSD 10

Can I haggle the taxi fare?

As a Dominican, I’m used to haggling the price of almost everything. Recently I tried haggling the price for a taxi ride from Downtown Punta Cana to my home in El Cortecito, the fare was USD 25.

Me being from Santo Domingo, I’m used to paying four times less money for a ride of the same distance so I tried to haggle.

The first driver I approached refused to drive me for anything less. He wasn’t rude but he just wouldn’t budge.

The second driver was not budging either but in the end, he agreed to take me home for USD 20.

To this day, that is the most expensive taxi ride I’ve paid in the DR.

I own a car so I don’t need taxis or public transportation to move around but my car was in the shop at the time; needless to say, I took the bus for the remainder of the time my car was unavailable.

Does Punta Cana have UBER?

Nope! Uber is not in Punta Cana at this moment.

The fact there’s no Uber in Punta Cana is tied with why the taxis are so expensive. Transportation in the region is heavily controlled by syndicates and they have not allowed Uber to operate in Punta Cana.

hand holding a cellphone and the uber logo is on the screen

The syndicates are very jealous of their territory and don’t allow any competition, therefore the prices are high because they have a monopoly on the transportation supply.

In my opinion, this will inevitably come to an end and Uber, along with other companies, will eventually operate in Punta Cana and drive the prices down.

Where can I get a cab in Punta Cana?

for day to day errands, you can call a cab to pick you up and drive you to where you need to go. Here’s the number for Taxi Bavaro Punta Cana: 809-552-0617.

According to Google, the busiest time to call for a cab is from 8 to 11 AM and the least busy times are noon and at night after 7 PM.

Taxis are also stationed outside shopping malls, restaurants, plazas, etc. You just tell the driver where you want to go and he’ll take you there.

parked taxis

Always agree on the price BEFORE getting into the cab to avoid any surprises.

For scheduled pickups, like to go to the airport or to be picked up at the airport, I prefer using a shuttle or transfer service that you can book in advance.

  • Click here to see up to date pricing on one-way transfers from the airport
  • Check price here for roundtrip transfers from and to the airport.
  • And click here for a cheaper option: shared one-way airport transfer.

I have used Servicios Turísticos Universal for airport pickups before and have never had a problem. Here’s their Tripadvisor profile.

How do I pay for a taxi?

You can only pay in cash either in Dominican pesos or US dollars. They don’t have the technology on board to accept credit cards or debit cards.

Fare calculator

While not official nor exact fares this site gives a rough estimate for taxi fares in Punta Cana.

What about the moto-taxis?

Here in Punta Cana, almost every local motorcycle rider will offer you a ride for a low fare when you’re walking around in Punta Cana.

A moto-taxi ride can cost you 50 Dominican pesos (USD 1) for short distances and 100 Dominican pesos (2 USD) for longer distances.

To grab a moto-taxi just go out on the street and signal a motorcycle driver, agree on the price and hop-on. I recommend riding with drivers that wear a reflective vest, this means they’re part of the syndicate and guarantees your safety.

Speaking of safety, taxis are very safe in Punta Cana as long as they’re clearly marked as a taxi. Syndicates are very protective of their area and routes so it’s very difficult for someone to impersonate a taxi and go undetected.

Water taxis and taxi boats

taxi boat on the shore

On the beach, you’ll see boats marked as “water taxi” or “taxi boat”, these boats basically offer snorkeling tours, they are not taxis in any way.

What other options are there other than taxis?

Other than taxis and moto-taxis you basically have only two options: catch a bus (click here for our bus riding guide) or rent a car.

bus in El Cortecito Bavaro

Taxi fares to go outside Punta Cana

DESTINATIONONE-WAY FARE
Otra BandaUSD 60
HigüeyUSD 70
Club Dominicus in BayahibeUSD 120
El SeiboUSD 120
Hato MayorUSD 150
La Romana and Bahia Principe hotelUSD 150
San Pedro de MacorísUSD 150
MichesUSD 160
Juan DolioUSD 165
Boca ChicaUSD 175
Las Americas International Airport (AILA)USD 175
Sabana de la MarUSD 200
Santo DomingoUSD 200
San CristobalUSD 220
Villa AltagraciaUSD 225
BonaoUSD 240
CotuiUSD 250
BaniUSD 260
La VegaUSD 260
San Francisco de MacorisUSD 275
MocaUSD 300
JarabacoaUSD 300
ConstanzaUSD 300
SantiagoUSD 300
NaguaUSD 300
SamanaUSD 350
Puerto PlataUSD 375
Las TerrenasUSD 400
SosuaUSD 425
CabareteUSD 425
BarahonaUSD 450
San Juan de la MaguanaUSD 450
Lago EnriquilloUSD 475

Final Thoughts

If you’re coming to Punta Cana, and are not planning on renting a car, taxis can be a convenient and comfortable way of transportation. However, the cost of riding a taxi in Punta Cana can add up really quickly!

I recommend only taking a taxi when absolutely necessary (e.g. you’re carrying many grocery bags or it’s late at night). Otherwise, learn to ride the bus or walk as much as you can.

Moto taxis are also a quick and convenient option but can also be dangerous as a helmet will not be provided to you.

If money is not an obstacle for you, taxis are the most convenient way to move around Punta Cana other than renting a car.

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