Car hire and driving in Puerto Plata
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Dominican Republic traffic drives on the right. Picking up at STI means 44 km (27 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q533806.
Drives from Puerto Plata
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Plata to Santiago de los Caballeros | Dominican Republic | 38 km (24 mi) | about 35 min |
| Puerto Plata to La Vega | Dominican Republic | 66 km (41 mi) | about 1 h |
| Puerto Plata to San Francisco de Macorís | Dominican Republic | 72 km (45 mi) | about 1 h 6 min |
| Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo Oeste | Dominican Republic | 161 km (100 mi) | about 2 h 27 min |
| Puerto Plata to San Cristóbal | Dominican Republic | 165 km (102 mi) | about 2 h 31 min |
| Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo | Dominican Republic | 169 km (105 mi) | about 2 h 35 min |
| Puerto Plata to Santo Domingo Este | Dominican Republic | 170 km (106 mi) | about 2 h 36 min |
| Puerto Plata to San Pedro de Macorís | Dominican Republic | 208 km (129 mi) | about 3 h 10 min |
| Puerto Plata to La Romana | Dominican Republic | 237 km (147 mi) | about 3 h 36 min |
| Puerto Plata to Salvaleón de Higüey | Dominican Republic | 246 km (153 mi) | about 3 h 45 min |
| Puerto Plata to Punta Cana | Dominican Republic | 275 km (171 mi) | about 4 h 12 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Puerto Plata?
The right, as everywhere in Dominican Republic.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.