Puerto Rico Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Casual dress is acceptable, but shorts should not be worn in hotel dining rooms or casinos, where formal dress is required after 2000. Spanish and American manners and conventions exist side by side on the island. Some hotels require formal dress.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

There is no national airline, but international airlines serving Puerto Rico include American Airlines, Argentina Airlines, Iberia and Mexicana.

Departure Tax

None.

Main Airports

Luis Muñoz Marín (SJU) is 14km (9 miles) northeast of San Juan. To/from the airport: Buses and taxis are available (journey time – 20 to 30 minutes.) Facilities: Restaurants, bars, bank, post office, hotel reservations, duty-free shops and car hire.

Getting There By Water

MainPort: San Juan.

Cruise lines run services to San Juan. Ferry lines include Ferries del Caribe (tel: 725 2643; www.ferriesdelcaribe.com).

Duty Free

Overview

As for the USA; see the USA section.

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

American Eagle (www.aa.com), Vieques Air-Link (www.vieques-island.com/val) and Cape Air (www.flycapeair.com) provide domestic air travel within Puerto Rico.

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the right.

Bus: There are bus terminals in Bayamón, Catano, Country Club and Rio Piedras, as well as the capital. Buses usually tend not to run after 2100. There are also coach services. Several companies offer sightseeing tours by coach.

Taxi: A service called a línea will pick up and drop off passengers where they wish. Líneas operate between San Juan (from Río Piedras líneas station) and most towns, at a fixed rate. Special black and white tourist taxis exist. These charge set rates for travel between the airport and major tourist sites.

Car hire: Available at the airport and city agencies. International and local firms are represented.

Documentation: US or foreign license accepted for 120 days of stay, after which a national license will be required.

Getting Around Towns and Cities

San Juan has local bus services (guaguas). Públicos (share-taxis) have ‘P’ or ‘PD’ at the end of license plate numbers and run regular routes between established points. They usually operate only during daylight hours and depart from the main plaza (central square) of a town. Públicos must be insured by law and the Public Service Commission fixes their routes and reasonable rates. Conventional taxis are hired by the hour, and charges are metered except in charter trips outside the usual taxi zones. They can be hailed in the street, or called by telephone. They are available at the airport and at stands at most hotels. Taxi drivers expect a 15% tip.

Journey Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from San Juan to other major cities and resorts in Puerto Rico.

	Air	Road	Sea
Ponce	0.30	1.30	-
Mayagüez	0.30	2.30	-
Vieques	0.30	0.45*	2.00
Fajardo	-	0.45	-

* As far as Fajardo and then by sea.