Taxis, Ferries and Buses
Public Transport in St Kitts
Public transport here consists of “H Buses”, these are mini buses, named after the green number plate they carry which starts with an “H”.
There are two bus stations in Basseterre serving the east and west sides of the island.
Fares are in EC$ and are not at all expensive.
Bus stops are in town only, elsewhere buses stop on demand.
There is no bus service between Basseterre and Frigate Bay or the SE Peninsula, as these are the main tourist areas on the island, most visitors prefer to use taxis.
Taxis in St Kitts
Taxis in St Kitts are mostly Toyota Hi-Ace mini vans that seat up to as many as 10 or 12 passengers although there are also some car style vehicles as well.
Rates are fixed for up to 4 persons, surcharges for more passengers.
All our taxi drivers are also licensed tour guides, they carry identification and the taxis themselves can be identified by the yellow license plates with “T” or TA” in the number.
For journeys from the cruise port to our beaches the most economical way is to take a shared taxi, around US$10 per person.
You can hire a Taxi for a specific journey, a set tour, or you can negotiate and tailor to your own needs.
Set journey prices are fixed, charged in US dollars and most taxis do not take credit cards.
There are taxi ranks in Basseterre at “The Circus” and close to the Marriott Hotel in Frigate Bay, but any bar or restaurant will be happy to call a taxi for you.
There is no Uber / Lyft or similar service in St Kitts.
Always check the fare with your driver before commencing the journey. They will quote you in US$
Taxi Fares for St Kitts
These are some sample St Kitts Taxi fares updated for 2022 /2023, fares are for 1 to 4 persons. Fares are based on Zones.
There is an extra luggage charge for airport runs and a 50% surcharge after 10pm. Prices in US Dollars. These are representative fares only, you may quoted a higher or lower fare.
| Basseterre | Frigate Bay Marriott | Park Hyatt | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airport | 15.00 | 25.00 | 65.00 |
| Basseterre | 25.00 | 65.00 | |
| Brimstone Hill | 60.00 | 65.00 | |
| Caribelle Batik | 40.00 | 55.00 | |
| Cockleshell Majors Bay (Shared Taxis available) | 28.00 | 25.00 | 25.00 |
| Marriott | 25.00 | ||
| South Friars Bay (Shared Taxis available) | 25.00 | 15.00 | 30.00 |
Water Taxis and Ferries from St Kitts to Nevis
There are a number ferries that can transport you to Nevis.
Departures from the Basseterre Ferry Terminal (next to Port Zante) will take you to the pier in the heart of Charlestown.
Departures from Christophe Harbour or Cockleshell Bay normally go to Qualie beach.
The “Sea Bridge”, our car ferry leaves from Majors Bay and travels to Cades Bay.
Journey time Basseterre to Charlestown is around 50 – 60 minutes on the larger ferries, 25 -30 minutes on the water taxis.
The car ferry takes around 30 minutes once loaded and the smaller water taxis from the SE Peninsula take about 10 – 15 minutes depending on departure point.
Ferries to Nevis from Basseterre Ferry Port
The Sea Hustler is the largest of the Nevis ferries, it carries 300 passengers and also vehicles.
Journey time is around an hour.
Next Edition is one of the new water taxis. These carry about 30 passengers and the journey time is less than 30 minutes
Carib Surf / Carib Queen
EC$35 one way – First ferry 7.00am
Operated by M&M transportation services.
Allow 50 mins for journey time.
Apple Syder
EC $35 one way – First ferry 7.30am from Nevis
Operated by SKN Executive travel.
Journey time guaranteed 30 mins or less.
Mark Twain / Sea Hustler
EC$30 one way – First ferry around 7.00am
Operated by Wesk Agency Ltd.
Allow 1 hour for journey time.
Next Edition
EC $35 one way – First ferry early am from Nevis.
Operates from Nevis.
Journey time guaranteed 28 mins or less.
- Carib Surf / Carib Queen Tel: 869 662 9811
- Mark Twain / Sea Hustler Tel: 663 5853
- Apple Syder Tel: 869 663 2435
- Next Edition Tel: 869 662 7842
There is no single up to date source to obtain schedules for all the different ferry operators. Nevisdm usually publishes a timetable weekly on Facebook. In the early mornings and late afternoon there is a lot of commuter traffic between Nevis and St Kitts. Schedules are subject to weather conditions.
If you are staying on either island, your hotel will have the latest schedules or go to the newly refurbished Basseterre Ferry Terminal and ask.
To purchase a ticket you need to go to the terminal in Basseterre. Tickets are on sale from 20 – 30 minutes prior to departure. Once you have your ticket you may then enter the waiting area. Tickets must be paid in cash and there is a EC$1 departure fee. There is no advance booking for passengers and no online ticket sales.
There is at least one ferry in each direction every hour from 7 am to 6 pm.
Seabridge Car Ferry from Majors Bay St Kitts to Cades Bay Nevis
Sea Bridge
135 ft reverse on, drive off car ferry. EC$75.00 per car, EC$20.00 per passenger one way. 6 trips each way per day. Contact Tel: 869 662 7002. Most car hire companies prohibit travel on the sea bridge.
Water Taxis from Cockleshell Bay (Reggae Beach) St Kitts to Nevis.
There are a number of water taxis that operate from Cockleshell Bay (Reggae beach) to Nevis. These are primarily used by tourists and the fare is around US$20.00 one way. Operating most days, some on a specific schedule, the journey time can be as little as 10 minutes.
This is a list of operators.
- Paradise Sun Charters Tel: 869 667 6203
- Blue Waves Water Taxi Tel: 869 662 1762
- Water Sports Islander Tel: 869 662 7081
Ferries to nearby islands
Makana Ferry Service started a new St Kitts – Saba – Statia – St Martin during 2023
The ferry operates on Mondays and Fridays, departs from the St Kitts Marina at the side of port Zante
Tickets must be booked online, for more information see their website.
