www.vinow.com/stjohn/getting_around_stj/taxi.php

Have your hubbie check out the taxi rates linked above and then see how he feels about the price of a Jeep rental! For instance, a taxi from Cruz Bay to Coral Bay is $9 per person one way and you can see how those fares add up very quickly. Also there aren't too many taxis available to make a night run to Coral Bay from Cruz Bay. Although there are taxis to hand at such as Cinnamon Bay and Trunk Bay, not so much at others and you'll be standing on the side of the road in the heat waiting for one to happen by. Don't even consider public transportation which is pretty unreliable at best. You will have so much better of a vacation with a rental at your disposal so you can explore to your heart's content and relax doing so. Cheers!

Depending on where you are staying in Coral Bay you will have no choice but to rent a jeep.
Taxis don't really like to go to Coral Bay and if you will be hard pressed to find one that will come out there to pick you up and take you somewhere.
Safari buses do not run like they do in STT
The Bus service, while somewhat reliable, does not run the North Shore, so you would have to walk to the bus, ride it to Cruz Bay and then get a taxi to the North Shore and back again. and the bus does not run at night.

No one on STJ rents cars, that I am aware of. There is a good reason for that. The roads are steep and curvy and can be tough to manage when wet.

If you were staying in Cruz bay, i would say that you could get away with it, but in my opinion, there is no way I would ever stay in Coral Bay without a jeep.

Go see Thomas at Hospitality Jeep Rental, across from the Post Office, have rented from him for years, never an issue, plus he always has room for you to park.

Definities rent a Jeep!!! A can't image not renting a Jeep. You'll understand once you get there.

100% rent a jeep. I live in Coral Bay and there is no way I would rely on the bus for transportation - for instance today they did not run the noon bus so the next one was to leave Cruz Bay to Coral Bay (I was in town trying to get home) at 1:25pm but actually left at 1:40pm and the one before was 11:20am. The last bus at night is 7:25pm from Cruz to Coral so if you want to have dinner you would need to be finished by 7pm. You will still have to taxi to the beaches $$$, and just because you are on a paved road you might be a 15 min walk to the road the bus runs on and down half a mountain (lol) - so in short you need a jeep for Coral Bay.

Pia

ps: if you want to send me the name of your villa you can and 99% I will know it and I can let you know if it is even close to walkable to the bus route.

Thank you all so much for all the advice. I'll definitely make sure we get a jeep rented so we don't miss out on anything. As mentioned in my initial post it is our first trip to STJ and hopefully not our last, but if it is I don't want to have any regrets!

I really appreciate it!
Mary Beth

You need to rent your jeep NOW for February as we have a limited number on STJ and when they are gone they are gone.

Pia

Pia wrote:
You need to rent your jeep NOW for February as we have a limited number on STJ and when they are gone they are gone.

Pia

Sound advice.

Of all the things we spent money on down there, the Jeep was perhaps the best purchase. Freedom to do what you want, toss some things in back and head to the beach. Fun to drive around. I'd just consider it a necessary expense to a STJ trip, no way around it.

toes in the sand wrote:
[quote=Pia]
You need to rent your jeep NOW for February as we have a limited number on STJ and when they are gone they are gone.

Pia

Sound advice.

I have to second this advise. Rent your Jeep NOW. February is very busy on STJ and the Jeeps rent way in advance. Don't wait. Seriously.

dbjj wrote:
Good Morning everyone!

We are coming to STJ for the 1st time in February and are staying over in the Coral Bay area. I see many recommendations to rent a vehicle - preferably a jeep. In an effort to save several hundred dollars, is it at all possible to get around using VITran, taxis or safari buses? I don't want to miss out seeing things, but my hubby is cringing at the jeep rental prices. Would a car be feasible with just the 2 of us? Our house rental is on paved roads.

Thanks so much for your input!
Mary Beth

You will save money by renting a car. The eastend is deserted and using a taxi every time you want to go somewhere will be outragously expensive. We spent 10 days at a villa called The Retreat in Feb 2010 and having a vehicle is just a must. Once you see where you are going you will understand, As it turned out all the jeeps were gone (reservations don't matter) by the time we landed and we had to take a Nissan Sentra. Even with the super hilly terrain, the car did fine. This would be cheaper and I promise a Nissan Sentra sedan will get you anywhere on St. John you want to go as we went everywhere. About $500.00 compared to 700.00+ for a jeep. Remember, your car insurance will not be effective (usually) once you leave the continental US.....so double check with your agency and then purchase car ins. when you get the car/jeep. Have fun.

get the jeep.

Check the STT companies too, you could rent a jeep there and take the car ferry over to STJ, then you have transportation all the way to and from the airport.

Thanks for all the advice!! We have reserved a jeep on STJ and are counting the days (even though it's a few months...lol)!! I'm on STJ and Jost daily it seems.....via the webcams.

Thanks again!
Mary Beth

We rented a car, the roads are rough and there are large speed bumps but the speed limit is 30 MPH I think, our car calculated our average speed for the week and it was 8 MPH, if you are staying on the main roads then I think a car is fine. We rented from E-Z Car Rental near our resort....oh, they do drive on the opposite side of the road. Have fun!