Helpful Tips on
Getting From There to Here
No Passport Required for US Residents to St. John, St. Thomas
& St. Croix!
By PlaneFlights are into St. Thomas as St. John does not have an airport, but is easily accessible via St. Thomas.
Many flights connect through San Juan, Puerto Rico, but direct flights from the continental U.S. involve less hassle and flying time. There are daily non-stop flights from major east-coast airports which make connections easy from almost anywhere. There are also frequent direct flights from other Caribbean islands and connecting flights from Puerto Rico and St. Maarten which serve as a hubs for North American, European and South American airlines.
Planning a trip to St. John; check out our
travel site and compare prices:
www.ytbtravel.com/FirstChoiceInternationalTravel
By Ferry
Ferries run between all three US Virgin Islands, as well as to and from the British Virgin Islands and, on a seasonal basis, Puerto Rico.
Passenger ferries operate between St. Thomas (Red Hook & Charlotte Amalie) and
St. John (Cruz Bay).There is also a ferry boat which transports cars between Red Hook, St. Thomas and Cruz Bay, St. John. The dock is separate from the passenger ferries. The sign is really small, so if you can't find the dock, ask the workers by the passenger ferries.
Check out the Traffic and Travel Tips Provided by the Virgin Islands National Park
- Transportation Services
(340) 776-6282 and Varlack Ventures (340) 776-6412
From Red Hook:
Rates: One-way, $5/Adults and $1.00/Children ages 2-11. Seniors are $1.25 (VI Residents only, 62 years and up, proof of age must be shown). There is a charge of $2/piece for luggage/boxes.
Time: 15 to 20 minutes
St. Thomas6:30 am, 7:30 am
then hourly from 8:00 am
to MidnightHourly from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm
From Charlotte Amalie:
Rates: One-way, $10/Adults and $3.00/Children ages 2-11. Seniors are $5 (VI Residents only, 62 years and up, proof of age must be shown). There is a charge of $2/piece for luggage/boxes.
Time: 40 to 45 minutes
St. Thomas9:00 am
11:00 am
1:00 pm
3:00 pm
4:00 pm
5:30 pm7:15 am
9:15 am
11:15 am
1:15 pm
2:15 pm
3:45 pm
If you are arriving by ferry from The British Virgin Islands - you'll clear customs and immigration in Cruz Bay, St. John for boats to Red Hook or at the dock in downtown Charlotte Amalie if your boat travels directly to St. Thomas.
Getting around any of the Virgin Islands is fairly easy. All of the islands have bus service and/or a regulated taxi service. Upon docking at Cruz Bay, taxis, rental cars, and scooters are available.
By Car
With plenty to explore on all the islands, car rental agencies are recommended. From the lush rainforest to the quaint Christiansted, driving the St Croix island is both scenic and a visual pleasure. Stick to the left-hand side and with a good handful of sharp curves, take your time navigating the roads. Remember that you're on "island time."
Generally car rental rates will be comparable to the mainland U.S. (about $500 per week or $80 per day). If you make advanced reservations, the rates are generally lower. Take out the insurance if you plan to go four wheeling up the steep mountain roads. Throughout St. Thomas, there are colored directional signs to major destinations. Unlike other US territories, traffic on the Virgin Islands moves on the left. To add to the confusion, unlike most other places where traffic moves on the left, most cars in the Virgin Islands are left-hand drive as they are usually imported from the US mainland. A combination of these two factors accounts for the relatively high accident rate among American drivers on the Virgin Islands. As such, one should always pay extra attention when driving and watch out for drivers who drive on the wrong side of the road.
By Taxi & Bus
Upon landing at the Cyril E. King Airport on St. Thomas, one could rent a taxi or take buses to Charlotte Amalie, or to Red Hook, either of which have ferry service to Cruz Bay, St. John.
You can "bargain" for most things on the islands, but the taxi and bus rates are regulated. Taxi rates are published by the Virgin Islands Taxicab Commission. Taxi rates are charged per person one way. For example, a one way trip from Charlotte Amalie to Magens Bay is $10; round trip for four people will cost $80.If you plan on visiting multiple destinations, renting a car might be more economical.
By Boat
Sailboat rentals at Red Hook will allow you to get around by water. If you plan to sail to the British Virgin Islands, a passport is required as of 2007. Although passports are not required for American citizens to travel to the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (IRTPA) has made the documentation requirements must stricter.
On St. John, get the best idea of the island by chartering a boat for a full day. By doing this not only will one get a wonderful day of snorkeling in, but also see the island from a local's perspective.
Islanders follow a system of greeting which depends on the time of day. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night are the norm. When entering a room with others it is customary to greet people. You may also be greeted with "ya arright?", to which an appropriate response would be "arright!" or "OK".
This is the only US possession where driving on the left side (British) of the road is practiced. There are many theories as to why this is. One theory is due to the prior use of the donkey as a main mode of transportation.
Islanders would drive on the left to see how close they were getting to the edge of the many steep and cliff-like roadways. The original donkey trails were then paved over to create what are now the roadways today. Another theory is that as a Danish colony, the Danish West Indies were heavily British-influenced, due to an unwillingness among Danish people to relocate to the Danish colony. This British influence explains the widespread use of the English language even before the United States purchased the islands from Denmark in 1917.
