Getting around Puerto Rico without a car

Trip by trip: what works and the catch

Taxi fares are the official fixed fares from the airport, per trip (not per person), before extras. Details below.

Uber and Lyft: great in San Juan, a gamble beyond it

Uber is the established app in Puerto Rico, and its San Juan page lists the metro towns around the capital: Guaynabo, Carolina, Bayamón, Cataño, Trujillo Alto and nearby areas. Lyft launched on July 8, 2025, and says it is available "across the island", naming San Juan, Bayamón, Carolina, Ceiba, Rincón, Ponce and Cayey.

"Available" means the app opens. It does not mean a driver is nearby when you need one. In the metro area, getting a ride is normal. Outside it, we have not confirmed how long you will wait, or whether anyone accepts the trip back to San Juan. Treat a rideshare out of the city as a one-way ticket unless you have a plan for the return.

Two places where the apps are a known problem:

• El Yunque. The US Forest Service says La Coca gate and El Portal Rainforest Center "are not authorized drop-off or pick-up points" for rideshare, and that visitors "are often forced to walk hours" to find a valid pickup point. See our El Yunque guide.
• Early mornings in the east. The Culebra and Vieques ferries want you at the Ceiba terminal an hour before the 5:30 a.m. boat. Counting on a rideshare at 4 a.m. is a risk we would not take.

[ISAIAH: first-hand note here. An Uber from Condado to Fajardo: did a driver accept, what it cost, and how hard the ride back was.]

Rideshare at SJU airport

Uber says its pickups are "typically located at the Ground Transportation exit", that the spot "may vary by terminal", and that it "may not always be at your nearest exit." The app shows your exact zone once a driver accepts. In August 2026, El Nuevo Día reported that the pickup sits almost at the end of the main arrival doors and that Uber was in talks with the airport operator about moving it. So expect a short walk, and follow the app, not this page.

Uber also warns: don't accept rides from people offering them inside the terminal. Book in the app. If you want a car waiting, Uber lets you reserve ahead, and for UberX the driver waits up to 45 minutes after you land.

[ISAIAH: first-hand note here. How long the walk from baggage claim to the Uber pickup took, and which terminal.]

We could not load the airport's own website (aeropuertosju.com refused our request), so we have not confirmed Lyft's pickup point at SJU.

Taxis: the official fares

Taxis in Puerto Rico are regulated by the Bureau of Transportation and Other Public Services (NTSP). Its current rulebook (Regulation 9358, February 2022) sets two kinds of fare: the meter, which applies island-wide, and fixed fares for trips that start at the airport. Fares are per trip, not per person.

Fixed fares from SJU airport (current):

Inside the municipalities of San Juan and Carolina (other than the named areas above), the regulation says the driver uses the meter or a price you agree on.

The meter: $3.75 to start, then 10 cents for every 1/19 of a mile (about $1.90 a mile), 10 cents for every 25 seconds of waiting, and a $5 minimum. A taxi by the hour costs $36.

The only extras allowed: tolls, $1 per bag, $1 for a phone booking, $1 at night (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.), and $2 per passenger over five. Agree on meter or fixed fare before the car moves; the regulation requires it.

New fares are coming, maybe. On September 16, 2026, the NTSP published a proposed new rulebook that would raise these fares (for example, Old San Juan $25, Isla Verde $15, Fajardo $85, Rincón $175) and add a $2 fee for paying by card. When we checked, it was still a proposal. If a driver quotes the higher number, it may be because it has taken effect; ask to see the rate card.

For El Yunque, the Forest Service warns that "not all cab drivers have a permit" to operate in the forest. Ask before you hire, and set the pickup time for the return trip before the driver leaves.

Buses and the Tren Urbano

Public transit in the San Juan area is run by the Integrated Transportation Authority (ATI). It is cheap and useful inside the metro area. It does not reach El Yunque, Fajardo, Ceiba or the west coast on any route we could find.

Buses. Most routes cost 75 cents; the express routes E20 and E30 cost $2. Children 2 and under ride free. Unlimited cards run $5 a day or $15 a week. Two routes matter most to visitors:

• Route 53 (San Juan to the airport) runs along Avenida Ashford and Avenida Magdalena in Condado, Calle Loíza and Avenida Isla Verde. It runs about every hour (every 67 minutes on weekdays), from about 6 a.m. to about 8 p.m.
• Route 40 (airport express) links the airport with the Mall of San Juan and the Piñero train station, every 60 minutes. On weekdays it leaves the airport from 5:20 a.m. to 8:20 p.m. (weekends and holidays from 6:20 a.m.).

Tren Urbano. One line, 16 stations, from Bayamón to Sagrado Corazón in Santurce, about 30 minutes end to end. It runs every day from 5:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. It does not go to Old San Juan, Condado, Isla Verde or the airport, so for most visitors it is a connection, not a ride to the beach. Ticket machines take cash only; a quick-sale card costs $3 and covers a round trip. With a card, a transfer from the train to a bus within two hours is free.

Ferry to Cataño. ATI's small ferry crosses from Old San Juan to Cataño in about 12 minutes for $2 each way.

To plan a trip, ATI points riders to the Transit app.

[ISAIAH: first-hand note here, only if you ride it. Route 53 from the airport to Condado: how long it took, and whether a suitcase was a problem.]

Tours with pickup: the no-stress option

For the two classic day trips east of San Juan, letting the tour company drive is the easiest answer.

El Yunque. Several companies sell tours with San Juan hotel pickup. Before you book one, check that the company is on the Forest Service's list of authorized tour operators, and ask whether the tour enters the national forest itself or visits rivers in the foothills.

For El Yunque, pick a company on the Forest Service's list of authorized tour operators (last updated August 26, 2026) and ask whether it includes San Juan pickup.

Fajardo boat days. Most catamaran companies sell round-trip hotel pickup as an add-on when you book the boat. Al Este charges $35 per person; Salty Dog charges $50 per person with a six-person minimum. Book it with the boat. See our Fajardo catamaran guide.

When to rent a car

Rent one if you are doing two or more of these: the Ceiba ferry, a west coast stay, El Yunque on your own schedule, or a beach-hopping day along the north or south coast. Skip it if you are staying in San Juan and adding one tour. A car in Old San Juan is more trouble than help.

Your license. Puerto Rico's traffic law (Ley 22-2000, Article 3.05) lets visitors drive on a valid license from a US state or territory for their first 180 days after arriving. A license from another country works only if that country has a reciprocity agreement with Puerto Rico, and only for the first 90 days. We could not find an official list of those countries, or an official rule on International Driving Permits. If your license is not from the US, ask the rental company in writing before you fly.

Tolls (AutoExpreso). The main highways out of San Juan have electronic tolls under the AutoExpreso system. Rental cars come with a toll sticker, and the company bills you later. Enterprise, for example, says every car it rents in Puerto Rico has an AutoExpreso sticker that needs no activation, and charges $4.95 per day you use a toll road, capped at $24.75 per rental, plus the tolls themselves, billed 10 to 15 days after you return the car. Other companies set their own fees, so ask at the counter. We could not confirm whether any toll plazas still take cash, so do not plan on it.

Insurance. Before you buy coverage at the counter, ask your own auto insurer and your credit card company whether they cover rentals in Puerto Rico. We have not checked any company's policy.

[ISAIAH: first-hand note here. What the rental counter at SJU charged for tolls and insurance, and how long pickup took.]

On the road. Speed limits are in miles per hour: by law, 25 mph in urban areas and 45 mph on rural roads unless signs say otherwise (up to 55 on some highways). School zones drop to 15 mph in town during school hours. Right turn on red is allowed from the far-right lane unless a sign prohibits it. Phones are hands-free only while driving. Everyone wears a seat belt, and children under 8 need a car seat or booster suited to their age and size (ask for one when you book). Gas is sold by the liter, not the gallon; Puerto Rico's consumer affairs department (DACO) publishes its gas price sheets in cents per liter.

On the islands. Rental cars cannot go on the Culebra or Vieques ferry; only vehicles owned by island residents can. See our Culebra guide.

FAQ

Is there Uber in Puerto Rico? Yes. Uber covers San Juan and the towns around it, and Lyft launched island-wide in July 2025. Outside the metro area, a driver may not be nearby, so plan your ride back.

How much is a taxi from the San Juan airport to Condado? $17 fixed for Condado, Ocean Park or Miramar; $12 to Isla Verde; $21 to Old San Juan. Add $1 per bag and $1 at night (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.). The fare is per taxi, not per person. The government has proposed higher fares, so check the rate card.

Can I get to El Yunque without a car? Yes, with a tour that includes pickup or a taxi that has a forest permit. You can take an Uber there, but rideshare cannot pick you up at La Coca gate or El Portal.

Is there a bus from the airport? Yes. Route 53 goes to Isla Verde and Condado, and Route 40 goes to the Tren Urbano at Piñero. Both run about once an hour, until about 8 p.m. Most rides cost 75 cents.

Do I need an international driving permit? Not with a US license. With a license from another country, Puerto Rico's law accepts it for 90 days only if your country has a reciprocity agreement. Confirm with your rental company before you go.

Can I pay tolls in cash? Plan on electronic tolls. Rental cars carry an AutoExpreso sticker and the company bills you after the trip, with a daily fee on top.

How do I get to the Ceiba ferry at 4:30 a.m. without a car? Book a taxi the night before and agree on the price. From the airport, the fixed fare to Ceiba is $82. No bus or train runs that early.

Still planning? El Yunque: do you need a reservation? Fajardo: which catamaran? Culebra: ferry or catamaran?