Public bus to Maho beach?

[sh1955]

I read an article about taking public transport to Maho Beach, and I was wanting to get some more detailed information.

So do you walk  to downtown Phillipsburg or do you take the water taxi? Where do 

you get off if you take the water taxi?

Is it still $2.50  per person yo ride the bus and do they take American money?

Would like to know if someone has actual experienced riding the bus  and would you recommend it. 
Thanks!

[PORT ROYAL]

1 hour ago, sh1955 said:

I read an article about taking public transport to Maho Beach, and I was wanting to get some more detailed information.

So do you walk  to downtown Phillipsburg or do you take the water taxi? Where do 

you get off if you take the water taxi?

Is it still $2.50  per person yo ride the bus and do they take American money?

Would like to know if someone has actual experienced riding the bus  and would you recommend it. 
Thanks!

One will not recommend it, but many on CC love it for the price.

Okay, let’s give facts about the $2/2.50alleged public bus (private minivan- aka Jintys)

Off ferry at Midtown, down pier, walk to main road (Front Street) turn left down Front Street, turn 1st right, walk down side street, at main T junction you’ll meet Back Street, search up and down Back Street for a Jinty with a sign in windscreen for the required destination, board, wait until full before departing.  
 

Journey will encompass on/off main roads, stopping to drop people off and pick-up.  
 

On arrival at destination agree where the best Jinty pickup point is for regular passing Jintys for return destination.

 

Returning one has to stand at the pickup point, view from distance/search the windscreens of approaching Jintys for the destination sign required, flag down the Jinty, which may not stop if full.  
 

Repeat until one stops, board.  Arrive at destination (Back Street)

 

Note the time taken to arrive, from the time one left the ship, walked to ferry, queued, paid, queued, boarded, sailed etc.. to destination.  Then allow an extra 30 minutes minimum for the return journey for flagging down and heavy port traffic.  

[crewsweeper]

How to Explore St. Maarten with Public Transport (st-maarten.com)

 

Get a simple map of the island, something that shows you at least the major roads. If you want to go say from Philipsburg to Maho pick a bus stop (there are quite a few Dutch side at least) on the right side of the road and watch for a bus with a placard in the window that says Maho. Hold your hand out. From there the drivers will help if you have any questions. The map helps you determine which way you have to go.

[sh1955]

On 3/30/2023 at 9:30 AM, PORT ROYAL said:

One will not recommend it, but many on CC love it for the price.

Okay, let’s give facts about the $2/2.50alleged public bus (private minivan- aka Jintys)

Off ferry at Midtown, down pier, walk to main road (Front Street) turn left down Front Street, turn 1st right, walk down side street, at main T junction you’ll meet Back Street, search up and down Back Street for a Jinty with a sign in windscreen for the required destination, board, wait until full before departing.  
 

Journey will encompass on/off main roads, stopping to drop people off and pick-up.  
 

On arrival at destination agree where the best Jinty pickup point is for regular passing Jintys for return destination.

 

Returning one has to stand at the pickup point, view from distance/search the windscreens of approaching Jintys for the destination sign required, flag down the Jinty, which may not stop if full.  
 

Repeat until one stops, board.  Arrive at destination (Back Street)

 

Note the time taken to arrive, from the time one left the ship, walked to ferry, queued, paid, queued, boarded, sailed etc.. to destination.  Then allow an extra 30 minutes minimum for the return journey for flagging down and heavy port traffic.  

 

[sh1955]

Wow! 
Thanks  for letting me know. You’ve convinced me to get a cab instead.

[PORT ROYAL]

32 minutes ago, sh1955 said:

Wow! 
Thanks  for letting me know. You’ve convinced me to get a cab instead.

Pre COVID 

At the taxi point at port, there used to be a facility where the cab captain arranged for a shared minivan taxis to be fully loaded before departing to one destination.  Where pax were charged pp not per cab.  Identical to the organisation in Barbados, St Kitts etc.

Never taken, but could be worth an ask when there….

[sh1955]

Thank you! 
This is the kind of information I need. I’ll look for that because I am have no doubt they’ll be plenty of people wanting to go to Maho Beach. 

[PORT ROYAL]

3 minutes ago, sh1955 said:

Thank you! 
This is the kind of information I need. I’ll look for that because I am have no doubt they’ll be plenty of people wanting to go to Maho Beach. 

As an aside….
If one is a ‘drinker’ then in the town on Front Street, close to the ferry pier is GULMHORS who have a great selection of rare and top end bottles from Single Malts to Rum/Rhums.  The return minivan from one’s visit will be happy to drop one off outside Gulmhors 

Then one has the choice to either take the sea ferry back to the ship, or another shared minivan from many who ply their trade down Front Street.  Taxi fare will be only $3/4 pp

[Ashland]

7 hours ago, sh1955 said:

Thank you! 
This is the kind of information I need. I’ll look for that because I am have no doubt they’ll be plenty of people wanting to go to Maho Beach. 

We always take a shared taxi (they fill up fast and usually hold about 8 people) from the taxi stand when going to Maho. $12.00pp round trip but we have them drop us off in town and water taxi back.

[jmjmann76]

I personally love taking the bus in St Martin/St Maarten.  However, you have to be on island time and not in a hurry.  On my most recent visit, I was staying in Philipsburg and took the "public bus" from Back Street to Maho.  It was easy and inexpensive.  You may get a few odd glances as they are usually used by locals and not tourists, but the driver and other passengers will be friendly and helpful.  Our driver even advised us as to where best to wait for a return bus when we were ready to head back.