Getting from the airport to the city in Jamaica

This is the most useful thing on this page. In Jamaica, red licence plates mean a vehicle is licensed to carry paying passengers. White plates mean private.

• A white-plate car offering you a ride is operating illegally and is uninsured for you.
• JUTA is the Jamaica Tourist Board approved operator and works the airport ranks. Their vehicles are the safe default.
• Agree the fare before you get in. Airport taxis do not use meters, and rates are by destination.

• The airport most visitors use, and it sits close to the resort strip.
• Negril is about 90 minutes, Ocho Rios about 2 hours.
• Private transfers run from roughly USD 30 to USD 50 one way depending on distance, priced per vehicle.
• If your hotel is an all-inclusive package, the transfer is usually included. Check before booking one.
• Knutsford Express has a terminal next to the airport, which is by far the cheapest way onward if you are travelling independently.

• Kingston is a working capital rather than a resort town, and arrivals here are usually business or family visits.
• Take the Humming Bird route into town rather than Mountain View Avenue. The FCDO specifically notes sporadic violence on the Mountain View route, and it is the standard local advice too.
• Knutsford Connect has a desk at the terminal for onward coach travel.
• Do not plan to drive yourself out of Kingston airport on arrival day if you do not know the city.

• Route taxis are the local shared transport, running fixed routes and leaving when full. They are cheap, legal if red-plated, and crowded. Fine for short hops in daylight.
• Uber does not operate in Jamaica. Local apps exist but coverage is thin; a JUTA taxi or a pre-booked transfer is the practical answer.
• Avoid arriving late at night without a transfer already arranged.