Getting Around Antigua: Taxi Fares, Car Hire, Bus Routes

Antigua is small enough that most point-to-point trips take 45 minutes or less, but you still face a real choice: rent a car and drive on the left, take a taxi at government-fixed rates, ride the informal private bus network, or mix all three. There is no Uber or Bolt here, though a homegrown app called Swyft Taxi has changed how you can book a ride. This guide covers what taxis and buses cost, what a rental car and its permit involve, how to reach Barbuda, and which areas you can cover on foot, with current fares and rules as of 2026.

The short version: staying mostly in one resort area with occasional taxis, you do not need a car. Chasing multiple beaches across the island in a single day, a rental car earns its cost quickly.

Getting around Antigua at a glance

Antigua covers about 108 square miles (281 sq km), small enough that most journeys run 45 minutes or under, with the busiest traffic between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Here is how the main options compare.

Option	Best for	Typical cost	Watch out for
Taxi	Airport transfers, nights out, one-off trips	Fixed fares, roughly US$15 to US$70	Cash-based, agree the fare first
Rental car	Multi-beach days, independent exploring	Roughly US$35 to US$85+/day plus a US$20 permit	Left-hand driving, potholes, speed bumps
Public bus	Budget travel between St John's and towns	Roughly US$0.85 to US$2 one way	No fixed timetable, sparse Sundays
Swyft Taxi app	On-demand rides with upfront fare	Shown in-app before booking	Still building islandwide coverage
Barbuda Express ferry	Day trips or stays on Barbuda	US$60 one way / US$110 round trip (adult)	90-minute crossing, limited departures

Arriving at V.C. Bird International Airport

Every international flight lands at V.C. Bird International Airport (ANU), just north of St. John's. There is no public bus into the terminal, so your options are a taxi, a rental car, or a pre-arranged pickup.

Since December 1, 2025, the Antigua and Barbuda Airport Authority (ABAA) restricts who can collect paying passengers for hire to ABAA-approved taxis, rental companies, and tour operators. Family and friends can still collect you, and Fast Track hotels can collect registered guests, but an Airbnb host cannot without an approved permit, so confirm your pickup plan ahead.

In February 2026, the ABAA opened an expanded car rental and tour hub in the airport's old terminal (Terminal B), housing four rental companies with a combined fleet of around 315 vehicles, plus nine tour operators. Airport taxis run through two named associations, Mill Reef Taxi Association and United Taxi Association, with drivers uniformed and badged.

Taxis and Swyft Taxi: fares and how to book

Antigua taxis run on fixed, government-set rates rather than meters. Licensed taxis carry yellow plates marked "TX" (buses carry yellow "BUS" plates), a quick way to confirm you are in a licensed vehicle.

What a taxi from the airport costs

An older official schedule from 2005 lists low per-car figures some calculators still echo; current operator quotes run meaningfully higher. Treat the ranges below as spanning that old floor to what operators actually charge, and confirm the exact fare at the airport dispatch desk before you get in:

• To St. John's: roughly US$15 to US$31
• To the Dickenson Bay area and other northern resorts: roughly US$15 to US$45
• To Jolly Harbour: roughly US$40 to US$60
• To English Harbour and Nelson's Dockyard, the furthest point south: roughly US$45 to US$70

Fares are quoted per car for up to four passengers, so a solo traveler pays the same as a group of four; extra passengers typically add US$2 to US$4 each. Standard surcharges: waiting time about EC$12 (roughly US$5) per half hour, luggage beyond four pieces at EC$2.50 each, passengers beyond four at 25% of the fare each, and a 50% night surcharge from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

Drivers accept US and Eastern Caribbean dollars (pegged at EC$2.70 to US$1); most street-hailed taxis are cash-only, with cards limited to the airport desk or pre-booked rides. A 10 to 15% tip is customary, and many drivers double as informal tour guides.

Swyft Taxi: the local ride-hailing app

International apps like Uber and Bolt do not operate here. What the island does have is Swyft Taxi, a homegrown app that launched during Antigua Carnival in 2025. You book through the iOS or Android app, track your driver by GPS, see the fare upfront, and pay cashless. Every driver must hold a certified taxi permit, so it will not connect you with an unlicensed vehicle. Swyft works alongside traditional taxis and does not publish a fixed rate card, since fares are calculated and shown in-app before you book.

Public buses: cheap and informal

Antigua's bus network is privately owned minibuses and vans, typically seating around 15, running routes assigned by the government. Two hubs anchor it in St. John's: the West Bus Station on Market Street, serving the south and west, and the East Bus Station near the Botanical Gardens, serving the east.

The standout route for visitors is route 17, running from the West Bus Station to English Harbour, terminating at Nelson's Dockyard, roughly US$1.50 to US$2 one way, the best-value route to the south coast without a car. A bus also connects the West Bus Station with Jolly Harbour at a similarly low fare, though the exact route number is unconfirmed, so ask at the station for the next departure that way.

• Buses run roughly 5:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, no overnight service, and Sunday service sharply reduced.
• No fixed timetable: minibuses leave when full, at the driver's discretion.
• Fares run roughly EC$2.25 to EC$4.25 (about US$0.85 to US$1.60) one way, higher for late travel.
• Buses generally skip the airport and northern hotel belt, connecting St. John's with residential villages, not tourist zones.

For a budget visitor near St. John's, route 17 plus a short taxi or hike from the dockyard reaches Nelson's Dockyard and Shirley Heights cheaply. Our budget guide covers more ways to stretch your money.

Renting a car: the permit, the cost, and the left-hand drive

A rental car gives the most freedom to string together multiple beaches and towns in a single day, hard to do on the bus network. First, though, you need a temporary local permit.

The temporary driving permit

A foreign licence alone does not let you drive in Antigua. Visitors need a temporary local permit, EC$50 (about US$20), valid three months, easiest arranged through your rental agency at pickup when you hand over your home licence; it is also available at specific police stations or the Transport Board. Keep both licences in the vehicle, since police can ask to see them.

What a rental car costs

Expect roughly US$35 to US$55 per day for a compact or economy car, sometimes US$28 to US$35 booked well ahead. Economy SUVs average closer to US$55, standard SUVs US$75 to US$85. October tends cheapest (SUVs around US$66/day), December typically priciest. These are aggregator averages, not fixed rates, so prices vary by company and season.

Driving on the left

Antigua drives on the left, a holdover from British rule, and most rental cars are right-hand drive.

• Roundabouts run clockwise, UK-style; give way to traffic already on the roundabout.
• Speed limits run about 20 mph in towns and 40 mph elsewhere.
• Main roads are paved but potholed even on major routes; secondary roads have frequent speed bumps and rougher stretches.
• Goats, cattle, chickens, and dogs wander onto unfenced roads often, especially rurally.

Parking is generally easy outside the busiest pockets of St. John's and the marina areas, which fill on cruise-ship days. If left-hand driving worries you, a taxi or a pre-booked driver for the day is a reasonable alternative.

Getting to Barbuda: ferry or short flight

Barbuda, Antigua's low-lying sister island to the north, is reached only by ferry or a short flight, not by road.

The Barbuda Express ferry takes about 90 minutes each way, departing from Jolly Harbour Marina at the dock in front of Sea Dream Restaurant. As of December 2025, adult fares are EC$300 (US$110) round trip or EC$165 (US$60) one way, with lower child fares for ages 0-2 and 3-11. Baggage is limited to two pieces per fare-paying passenger plus a personal bag.

The ferry departs Antigua at 6:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 9:00 a.m. Sunday, and departs Barbuda at 9:00 a.m. Monday and 3:00 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, running daily. A separate cargo-only sailing runs Wednesdays and Fridays from Crabbs at North Sound and is not for passengers. Weather can delay crossings, so build in flexibility, and check our Barbuda travel guide for what to do once you arrive.

A small regional carrier (SVG Air / BMN Air) flies between V.C. Bird International Airport and Codrington Airport in under 30 minutes, the fastest way over. As of January 1, 2026, the round-trip fare is US$220. Once on Barbuda, there is no public bus network: arrange transport through your accommodation, a local taxi, or a rental.

Boat transport on the south coast

Around Nelson's Dockyard in English Harbour, a small water taxi crosses the harbor between the Copper and Lumber Store Historic Inn and Galleon Beach, a few minutes and up to about 10, roughly hourly on demand. Expect around US$4 each way, roughly US$6 to US$8 round trip, confirmed on the spot.

To reach Shirley Heights from Nelson's Dockyard, there is no local bus for that short but steep hop. A taxi runs roughly US$10 each way, or hike up from sea level; some take the water taxi to Galleon Beach first and hike up from there instead.

Day sails and catamaran day cruises run out of both Jolly Harbour and English Harbour. Operator names and prices change often, so our catamaran day cruise page is the better place to check current options.

What you can walk, and what you cannot

Antigua rewards walking in some pockets and punishes it in others.

• St. John's: The cruise-port core is compact and walkable. Redcliffe Quay, Heritage Quay, the cathedral, the markets, and the shops sit within a short flat walk of the cruise berths. Sidewalks are inconsistent or absent outside that core.
• English Harbour: The English Harbour and Falmouth Harbour visitor areas sit within easy walking distance of each other, and Falmouth Harbour's east side is a short walk from Nelson's Dockyard.
• Jolly Harbour and Dickenson Bay: Both are self-contained resort and marina areas, walkable around your accommodation, but not within walking distance of each other or of St. John's. The coastal walk from Runaway Bay to southern Dickenson Bay runs about 30 to 40 minutes.

The takeaway: walk freely inside your resort area or the St. John's waterfront, and taxi, drive, or bus between areas. Our first-timers guide and cruise port guide build this into fuller day plans.

Which option fits your trip

• One resort area, occasional trips out: taxis or Swyft Taxi cover you well; skip the rental and permit entirely.
• St. John's and English Harbour without a car: route 17 handles that leg; pair it with taxis for the last mile to Shirley Heights or a beach.
• Multiple beaches and towns over several days: rent a car. Our sailing and yachting guide covers the kind of flexible, self-driven trip that rewards it.
• Adding Barbuda: book the ferry from Jolly Harbour ahead for the lower cost, or the short flight if your schedule is tight. See our Nelson's Dockyard and English Harbour guide for what to pair with a south-coast base.

Whichever mix you choose, the island's small size works in your favor: even a mistimed taxi or a missed bus rarely costs more than an hour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there Uber in Antigua?

No. Uber, Bolt, and similar international ride-hailing apps do not operate in Antigua and Barbuda. Instead, the island has a homegrown app called Swyft Taxi, which launched in 2025: you book in-app, see the fare upfront, track your driver by GPS, and pay cashless. Traditional street-hailed and dispatched taxis, running on fixed government rates, remain the main on-demand option.

Do buses go to the beaches in Antigua?

Mostly no. The bus network connects St. John's with residential villages and towns rather than tourist beach zones, and buses generally skip the airport and the northern resort belt. The exception is route 17, running from the West Bus Station to Nelson's Dockyard in English Harbour, useful if your beach plan includes the south coast.

How much is a taxi from the airport to my hotel?

It depends on distance. Approximate current fares run roughly US$15 to US$31 to St. John's, US$15 to US$45 to Dickenson Bay, US$40 to US$60 to Jolly Harbour, and US$45 to US$70 to English Harbour, quoted per car for up to four passengers. Confirm the exact fare at the dispatch desk before you get in, since rates vary by operator.

Do I need to rent a car in Antigua?

Not necessarily. If you plan to stay mostly in one resort area and take occasional taxis, you can comfortably skip the rental car. If you want to independently explore multiple beaches and towns over several days, a rental car offers far more freedom than buses or repeated taxi fares, at the cost of a temporary driving permit and adjusting to left-hand driving.

Is driving in Antigua hard for visitors?

It is manageable but takes adjustment. You drive on the left in a mostly right-hand-drive car, roundabouts run clockwise UK-style, and you need a temporary driving permit (EC$50, about US$20, valid three months) from your rental agency, a police station, or the Transport Board. Main roads are paved but can have potholes, secondary roads have speed bumps, and livestock often wanders onto rural roads.

How do I get from Antigua to Barbuda?

Two options: the Barbuda Express ferry, a 90-minute crossing from Jolly Harbour Marina running daily (from EC$165 one way for adults), or a short flight under 30 minutes on a small regional carrier (SVG Air / BMN Air) between V.C. Bird International Airport and Codrington Airport, currently US$220 round trip. The ferry is cheaper; the flight is faster.

What is the water taxi at Nelson's Dockyard?

It is a short boat crossing, a few minutes and up to about 10 minutes, connecting the dock at the Copper and Lumber Store Historic Inn in Nelson's Dockyard to Galleon Beach across the harbor. It runs roughly hourly on an on-demand basis and costs around US$4 each way. It is a convenient way to reach the beach without walking or arranging a taxi around the harbor.

Do I need cash for taxis and buses in Antigua?

Yes, mostly. Street-hailed and dispatched taxis are generally cash-only, accepting both US dollars and Eastern Caribbean dollars, with cards typically limited to the airport taxi desk or rides booked in advance. Public buses are also cash-paid to the driver. Swyft Taxi is the exception, since it takes cashless in-app payment. Carry small bills for taxis, tips, and bus fares.