It's quite easy to get around Barbados by public transport as there is a well established public transportation system as well as private buses and vans.

The standard bus fare in Barbados is BDS$3.50. This is the equivalent of US$1.75, but use local currency; no foreign coins are accepted on the Transport Board buses.

Getting Familiar With The Public Transport

The buses of the government's Barbados Transport Board are easily recognized by their blue color with yellow stripe. These buses traverse most of the island and have 3 terminals - 2 in the capital city of Bridgetown (at Fairchild Street and Princess Alice Highway) and 1 in the northern town of Speightstown. There is also a smaller sub-terminal at Oistins on the south coast.

These buses will take you across the island including popular visitor sites such as Farley Hill National Park, Bathsheba, Harrison's Cave, Gun Hill Signal Station and Oistins. Look out for the red, white and black signs that indicating scheduled bus stops. Visit the Barbados Transport Board website for schedules and to plan your journey.

🚌 See routes to popular attractions

The Board's fleet of vehicles include numerous electric buses, which offer a quiet ride, free WiFi, and air conditioned comfort.

Private Transport Options

In addition to the government's buses, there are many privately run Barbados transport options. Minibuses are painted yellow with a blue stripe. These are about the same size as the smaller Transport Board buses.

Another option are the ZR (pronounced Zed-R) vans (also known as route taxis) which are painted white with a maroon stripe. These vans are much smaller than the minibuses and buses and typically run shorter routes concentrated in highly trafficked and highly populated areas. They are a great choice for travelling along the island's south coast. Travelling by ZR van is quite an experience as they are known for their high speed, loud music, sudden stops and packing in as many passengers as possible!

Minibuses and ZR vans operate from the Cheapside Terminal and River Road Terminal in Bridgetown, as well as the Oistins terminal.

🚍 See routes for buses, minibus and route taxis

Barbados Bus Terminals

Cultural Connections

Many of the bus stops are accompanied by bus shelters and benches. You may notice that the shelters bear ladies names! Why is this? It all began with a Mother's Day promotion giving Bajans the opportunity to have a bus shelter renamed in honour of their mother. This was so successful that they decided to stick with it.

The iconic "To City" and "Out of City" bus stops have made their way on to many items of clothing, pottery, housewares, stationery and more!