APMAC - Bridgetown Shuttle

[lindalo5032]

APLMAC, or anyone who might know:

 

I have read somewhere that there is a Bridgetown Shuttle service that will take us from the pier to the Fairchild Street Terminal. Is the shuttle easy to find, and does it run all year (i.e., September)? We would like to take the bus to the Rockley Beach area but think the walk to the Fairchild station would be a little (or a LOT) hot.

[cruisingbajan]

APLMAC, or anyone who might know:

 

I have read somewhere that there is a Bridgetown Shuttle service that will take us from the pier to the Fairchild Street Terminal. Is the shuttle easy to find, and does it run all year (i.e., September)? We would like to take the bus to the Rockley Beach area but think the walk to the Fairchild station would be a little (or a LOT) hot.

 

Not Aplmac...but yes I believe the shuttle is available all year round. They are quite easy to find as soon as you debark.

[Aplmac]

I have read somewhere that there is a Bridgetown Shuttle service

that will take us from the pier to the Fairchild Street Terminal.

Is the shuttle easy to find, and does it run all year (i.e., September)?

We would like to take the bus to the Rockley Beach area

but think the walk to the Fairchild Street station would be a little (or a LOT) hot.

Thanks to B.Keith for clarification re. the handy shuttle service!

 

 

Your assessment of likely weather conditions for September are bang-on! ;)

One thing I can just about guarantee you is

that September will be hot as hell, low wind speeds, sticky with humidity

-definitely not conditions for walking across Bridgetown, to start your day..

 

_________________________________

 

 

 

 

This small bus pictured here is the shuttle that runs within the Port area

taking cruisers from their ships to the cruise terminal

(Barbados Port is bigger than mere 'piers' in other Caribbean islands..you'll see..)

 

Chances are the cross-town shuttle you seek will be a similar-lookin vehicle

perhaps displaying that same color scheme?

 

I'm not sure if the cross-town shuttle operation is run by our local Transport Board -or not. Keith may know?

 

The colors you see here are Transport Board colors,btw..

.

[lindalo5032]

Thanks to both of you for your helpful information!! We look forward to visiting your beautiful island! :)

[cruisingbajan]

 

I'm not sure if the cross-town shuttle operation is run by our local Transport Board -or not. Keith may know?

 

The colors you see here are Transport Board colors,btw..

.

 

Last time I knew it was being run by the transport board buses. It may or may nit be still status quo. Best bet is to asked a question when you debark:)

[lindalo5032]

This is the e-mail I received from the Transportation Board. I e-mailed them with my further questions but did not hear back from them. Can you please clarify for me:

 

It looks like the shuttle takes you to the Princess Alice Terminal, and from there you get a transfer to the Sam Lord Castle bus at gate 12? Or is the princess Alice Terminal where you get on the shuttle? I thought we needed to catch the bus at the Fairchild terminal??

 

Thanks for your help!

 

 

 

Our Bridgetown Shuttle service can be boarded outside the cruise terminal. The departure times are as follows from Princess Alice Terminal:

 

 

 

006:15, 06:40, 07:20, 08:40, 09:40, 10:40, 11:40, 12:40, 13:40, 14:30, 15:30, 16:20, 17:20, 18:20, 19:20, 20:15, 21:45, 22:15, 22:45

 

 

 

The Operator will issue you with a transfer tickets which have a two hour window. You can then catch the SamLordsCastle bus at gate 12 which depart on the hour. The transfer ticket can be shown to the operator of that service (once in the two hour window) and you don’t have to pay.

[cruisingbajan]

This is the e-mail I received from the Transportation Board. I e-mailed them with my further questions but did not hear back from them. Can you please clarify for me:

 

It looks like the shuttle takes you to the Princess Alice Terminal, and from there you get a transfer to the Sam Lord Castle bus at gate 12? Or is the princess Alice Terminal where you get on the shuttle? I thought we needed to catch the bus at the Fairchild terminal??

 

Thanks for your help!

 

 

 

Our Bridgetown Shuttle service can be boarded outside the cruise terminal. The departure times are as follows from Princess Alice Terminal:

 

 

 

006:15, 06:40, 07:20, 08:40, 09:40, 10:40, 11:40, 12:40, 13:40, 14:30, 15:30, 16:20, 17:20, 18:20, 19:20, 20:15, 21:45, 22:15, 22:45

 

 

 

The Operator will issue you with a transfer tickets which have a two hour window. You can then catch the SamLordsCastle bus at gate 12 which depart on the hour. The transfer ticket can be shown to the operator of that service (once in the two hour window) and you don’t have to pay.

 

The Princess Alice Terminal is actually just outside the port...Based on the response you received from the Transport Board there is a shuttle running from there to the Fairchild Street terminal (which is where you get the Sam Lord's Castle bus).

 

I know the shuttles use to pick you up from inside the port but this apparently has changed.

[lindalo5032]

Thanks, Keith! That was a bit confusing--appreciate your clarification! :)

[Aplmac]

You must let us know what the whole experience was like, when you get back.

Was it worth the hassle? Or would it have been easier to just get a taxi?

 

Let us know.

.

[lindalo5032]

You must let us know what the whole experience was like, when you get back.

Was it worth the hassle? Or would it have been easier to just get a taxi?

 

Let us know.

.

 

I will do that!! When we get there, if it seems like too much trouble I'm sure we will just go with the taxi. But if it isn't a big deal to catch the shuttle, we may try that. We shall see! :)

[lindalo5032]

Okay, here's the scoop about buses/shuttles--it's kind of a long story. :)

 

Never found the shuttle. Walked outside the gate and talked to a taxi driver, who said the fare to Accra Beach is $15.00 each way. He sent us to another driver, who tried to charge us $20.00 each way, but finally agreed to the $15.00/one way fare. We didn't know how long we wanted to stay, so he said we could pay him $15.00 for the trip out and he would give the guy at Bar Ken'ai his card and he would call him when we were ready to leave. When we got ready to leave, the guy at Bar Ken'ai claimed the taxi driver never gave him his phone number. (Not sure we believe that). Anyway, we walked a couple of blocks and got a taxi back to the port. He charged us $20.00 for the trip back.

 

Bottom Line: If you have the time and patience to figure out the bus transportation, you can save a few $$. On the trip to Accra Beach, we saw the bus station that we would have had to walk to, and we agreed it was way too far to walk on a hot day, even if the buses ran often (which they don't.).

 

By the way, we absolutely LOVED Accra/Rockley Beach. Beautiful, clear turquoise water and powdery beach. It was not crowded and was the highlight of our cruise.

[cruisingbajan]

Okay, here's the scoop about buses/shuttles--it's kind of a long story. :)

 

Never found the shuttle. Walked outside the gate and talked to a taxi driver, who said the fare to Accra Beach is $15.00 each way. He sent us to another driver, who tried to charge us $20.00 each way, but finally agreed to the $15.00/one way fare. We didn't know how long we wanted to stay, so he said we could pay him $15.00 for the trip out and he would give the guy at Bar Ken'ai his card and he would call him when we were ready to leave. When we got ready to leave, the guy at Bar Ken'ai claimed the taxi driver never gave him his phone number. (Not sure we believe that). Anyway, we walked a couple of blocks and got a taxi back to the port. He charged us $20.00 for the trip back.

 

Bottom Line: If you have the time and patience to figure out the bus transportation, you can save a few $$. On the trip to Accra Beach, we saw the bus station that we would have had to walk to, and we agreed it was way too far to walk on a hot day, even if the buses ran often (which they don't.).

 

By the way, we absolutely LOVED Accra/Rockley Beach. Beautiful, clear turquoise water and powdery beach. It was not crowded and was the highlight of our cruise.

 

Thanks for reporting back. So sorry that things did not work out with the shuttle.:(

 

Glad you enjoyed your time on the island though.:)

[MrSidewayz]

Should have seen this sooner.... the shuttle bus that takes you from the Cruise Terminal to Bridgetown, is inside the port right after you exit the Terminal and walk past the Bar and those little shops outside. If you ask Customs or one of the Port Security Guards located around the Terminal they would have directed you.

 

The shuttles are not Transport Board buses, but rather private taxi ZM vans that take turns doing the shuttle route. On the way out directly inline with the Port Gate on the right you may have seen two rows of private taxi's lining up. Those would be the vehicles for the Shuttle to town the other row for private tours etc.

[MrSidewayz]

The Bridgetown Shuttle Service offered by the Transport Board is not the same Shuttle Service offered inside the Bridgetown Port to Cruise Ship passengers.

[HappyCampers3]

Okay, here's the scoop about buses/shuttles--it's kind of a long story. :)

 

Never found the shuttle. Walked outside the gate and talked to a taxi driver, who said the fare to Accra Beach is $15.00 each way. He sent us to another driver, who tried to charge us $20.00 each way, but finally agreed to the $15.00/one way fare. We didn't know how long we wanted to stay, so he said we could pay him $15.00 for the trip out and he would give the guy at Bar Ken'ai his card and he would call him when we were ready to leave. When we got ready to leave, the guy at Bar Ken'ai claimed the taxi driver never gave him his phone number. (Not sure we believe that). Anyway, we walked a couple of blocks and got a taxi back to the port. He charged us $20.00 for the trip back.

 

Bottom Line: If you have the time and patience to figure out the bus transportation, you can save a few $$. On the trip to Accra Beach, we saw the bus station that we would have had to walk to, and we agreed it was way too far to walk on a hot day, even if the buses ran often (which they don't.).

 

By the way, we absolutely LOVED Accra/Rockley Beach. Beautiful, clear turquoise water and powdery beach. It was not crowded and was the highlight of our cruise.

 

A few questions.....Did you or can you rent chairs and an umbrella? If so, were the readily available? Were you charged a fee to use Rockley Beach? Also, what types of vendors were available at Rockley Beach....food, clothing, etc.? Restrooms?

[cruisingbajan]

The Bridgetown Shuttle Service offered by the Transport Board is not the same Shuttle Service offered inside the Bridgetown Port to Cruise Ship passengers.

 

Mrsidewayz....I notice you are on the Independence in 9 months. Be sure to come back and let me know how it was. The wife wants to do Oasis but this may work just as well and maybe less expensive to boot.