Getting around Jamaica: transport and apps

Between towns

• Knutsford Express is the answer for independent travel. Scheduled, air conditioned, reserved seating, reliable, and a fraction of the price of a private transfer. It links Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril and Port Antonio.
• Book online in advance, particularly at weekends and around holidays.
• The alternative is a route taxi or a minibus, which is cheaper again, much less comfortable, and leaves when it fills rather than at a time.

Driving

Jamaica drives on the left, which surprises North American visitors.

• Roads are badly maintained with poor signage, and lane discipline is loose. Potholes are a genuine hazard rather than an inconvenience.
• Do not drive at night outside towns. Unlit roads, unlit pedestrians and animals make it disproportionately dangerous.
• Hurricane Melissa damaged roads across the west of the island in October 2025. Repairs are well advanced but some rural routes remain rough.
• The north coast highway is good. The interior mountain roads are narrow, steep and slow, and a journey that looks short on a map is not.
• You need an International Driving Permit alongside your own licence for stays beyond a short visit, and rental firms will ask.

Apps and practicalities

• Uber does not operate here. Plan around that rather than discovering it on arrival.
• Google Maps works for driving and is unreliable for route taxis.
• WhatsApp is how you book and confirm almost everything, including drivers and tours.
• Agree every fare before the journey, every time. This is normal and not rude.
• Carry small cash for route taxis and roadside stops.