Jitney Bus, Nassau

1 more image

Check out this option one day on your visit. We rented it for the day and left to city to tour the whole outer edge of the island. A few block form the downtown area and the traffic became minimal. No helmet required like a moped. Great way to venture at your own pace. Felt safe, more like a vehicle.

Mini buses (jitneys) run round the island, connecting Nassau to everywhere else. Set price - $1 in town, $2 outside. Flag one down, jump aboard. But it's day time only - after 6.30pm or so, other methods of transport are required. Sundays there is a limited service.

But location of 'bus stops' are in places out of this world :) (This is Orange Hill Beach bus stop)

Major form of transportation around Nassau are jitney buses that seat about twenty-five(?) passengers. They ran rather frequently and fairs were a dollar each way. The downfall..many of the routes go out of service early in the evening, making it necessary to take cabs...which necessitated fare negotiations.

Before I went on my cruise to Nassau I did a lot of research about the trip, such as where the buses are, what bus to take to get where, etc. BUT, I can not stress enough that research is very hard to apply when stepping off of a boat into a place you have never been before. When I first arrived, I looked up and down the street after getting past the 'hair ladies' and felt clueless. The very best thing to do if you don't want to be clueless is to start talking to the locals AS SOON as you can. They are usually friendly and helpful (don't be scared, they don't bite, lol). I asked a nice man on the street where the buses run, where the bus I wanted could be found, and where it would take me. He was very nice and helpful. Also, when I couldn't quite figure out the next street to turn onto, I asked another nice man, and he actually walked me to where I needed to go. Also, when you get on the bus, ask to make sure it is a dollar. I've heard fake buses coming around and charging more, and the taxis in Nassau look just like Jitneys.

When you get on the bus, be quick about it. It seems to be considered rude to take a long time getting on the bus. One Bahamian man hopped on the bus but his friend was a little slow getting on, so the bus driver left him behind! The man and the driver had a big argument. It made me feel a little guilty because I found it to be a little entertaining. I could only understand half of what was said (they had thick accents), but the man who's friend was left kept saying, "Hey mon, why ya not stop for me friend, mon". The buses are always in a hurry, and drive very fast.

Jitney's are small minibuses that can carry about 20 or so people and cost a set price of $1 for any single journey. They are very useful if you're staying on Cable Beach for getting in/out of downtown Nassau (No's 10 & 10A). They terminate on the corner of Frederick St and Bay St near the Straw Market. My only gripe with them is that they stop at 7 or 8pm which means you have to take a taxi back if spending the night in Nassau.

Hey for only a $1 the Jitney is the way to go. Of course, you have to wait until 9 a.m. to take the Jitney around Nassau. The Jitney ends at 7 p.m. For a $1, you can't go wrong. Taxicabs can be a little expensive, unless you are going to share it with others. The Jitney will stop almost anywhere you wave it down lol.

Our hotel was situated on Cable Beach, which is about a 15 minute drive from the main part of Nassau. Nassau has a great bus transportation system using small buses called Jitneys. If you're staying on Cable Beach you'll take the #10 bus to Downtown. The best thing about these buses is that it's only $1 per person each way, while the taxi would be $12 each way. Not all Jitneys are created equal. Some are quite old, dented and dirty. One even had a WRENCH to open the door from the inside! All buses had those pine-tree shaped air fresheners. Don't take the Jitney if you're claustrophobic. They can pack you in like sardines. But it's a great value if you're on a budget.