How to Get Around Jamaica

Jamaica drives on the left, a British inheritance. Roads are narrow, potholed in places, and the driving style is assertive — overtaking on blind corners is normal. Renting a car gives real freedom on the south coast and in the mountains, and is not for a nervous driver.

The Knutsford Express is the answer for intercity travel: a scheduled coach network linking Kingston, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril and Port Antonio, air-conditioned, reliable, bookable online and cheap. It is what Jamaicans use and it is the easiest thing in the country.

Route taxis — shared cars running fixed routes, legally identified by red licence plates — are how most people get between towns and villages. They are very cheap, they leave when full, and they are perfectly usable. A white-plate car soliciting your business is unlicensed; use red plates, or a hotel-arranged or JUTA driver.

There is no passenger rail; the network closed in 1992. Domestic flights are limited, and the drive from Montego Bay to Kingston is about three and a half hours on the toll highway.

Most visitors fly into Montego Bay for the north coast and Kingston for everything else. Choosing the right airport saves several hours.