禁漫天堂

If you are going by taxi or uber no problems.

We are actually renting a car

Check

I would settle in a hotel that night and drive the next morning. Have you driven in DR before?听 It is much much worse at night. Denise and I have a policy that we make every attempt to not be on the roads after sunset. Risk goes up exponentially after dark.

I use to fly in late at night (2am) to Santo Domingo and people told me I was crazy that it was unsafe. They would say good chance to be robbed in Uber or taxi but I had never had a problem.

Curfew for private vehicles including hired cars is midnight now on the basis you are returning home after curfew starts at 10pm weekdays and 9pm weekends. It is a 2.5 hour drive at best plus pick up car time and so assuming your flight is not delayed it is a very risky bet.

Driving at night in DR not knowing the roads is definitely not recommended.

Stay overnight at one of the hotels near the airport seems your only option. Or change your flight to Punta Cana.

Anyone going to the airport of from the airport can be on the roads past midnight.听 You will be stopped and you will need your flight details in writing.

Santo Domingo to punta cana is not a difficult drive.听 Be ready for high beams in your eyes.听 If you don't know where you are going then don't do it!听

I also generally do not drive at night!

With a taxi they are authorized to transit tourists between airports and hotels after curfew. Not so individuals driving a vehicle even if hired.

There have been taxis stopped and robbed on Autopista Las Americas at night.

But at least they know the challenges of driving around DR at night and that includes unlit vehicles and motos.

Even if your ticket gets a free pass after being stopped, perhaps a few times, I would strongly not recommend a tourist to start such a long jouney so late at night under current restrictions.

No drive is straightforward in DR at daytime, let alone at night.

Sorry that information is not accurate. Anyone with a flight can be in transit with a private vehicle or a taxi!听 Otherwise flights at night would be stopped!

I don't necessarily recommend it but you are authorized as long as you have the plane tickets etc in hand!!!

For sure they allow international transfers after curfew, but I think it is best we give the poster details of what is written on the government tourist website:

To control the outbreak of COVID-19 in country, there is an established curfew in place Monday through Friday from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. There will be a free transit from 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. throughout the country to ensure that citizens and tourists can return to their homes or hotels. Saturdays and Sundays there will be an established curfew in place from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. with free transit from 9:00 p.m. until 12:00 a.m.听 听While hotel guests will not be required to follow these guidelines within their resort property, they will be limited to stay within the property during the associated hours. During this timeline, authorities will allow the transit of international visitors and vehicle operators who transport them, as well as properly identified employees of maritime and air transport companies, if they are moving to / from a port or airport.
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I don't have any experience/knowledge of people doing this in private/hired vehicles and so I prefer to stick with what is clear (or perhaps unclear) in government text.

I do!!! I live in SD and we have had to arrange several transports to and from the airport both very early and very late!

Travel with copies of flights and you are FINE!

Planner is correct. The 鈥渧ehicle operator鈥� can be the passenger on their way to/from a flight or a family member transporting them. The exception is not just for hired vehicles. Additional passengers are not allowed - so mom and dad can鈥檛 both drive to the airport to pick up a kid flying in late at night.

But again, as most others have said, even though you could legally drive yourselves to Punta Cana that night, I would not recommend it!

RockyM wrote:

I would settle in a hotel that night and drive the next morning. Have you driven in DR before?听 It is much much worse at night. Denise and I have a policy that we make every attempt to not be on the roads after sunset. Risk goes up exponentially after dark.

Ditto from me.听

Our observation is that the highways are actually in great condition -- many are fairly new.

However, they don't have many听 of the safety features for driving or night driving, that you're probably used to.听

Add in your probable fatigue and the time to collect luggage, process through officialdom and get your car rented -- you're not out of the airport till 10:30 pm, at best.听 That could wasily turn out to be 11 pm or even after midnight, with just a little bit of friction.听
>> Then, if this is your first trip to the DR, you'll be unfamiliar with the roads and signage.听
>> For example, on our last trip to SDQ, something in the airport听 luggage process went awry..instead of the normal 15 minutes, we didn't get bags for 75 minutes!
>> Then, our rental car agency held us up for an additional 90 minutes, trying to make us pay $800+ in unnecessary insurance!!听

Perhaps I'm overly cautious....but our personal experience suggests your best option would be to plan to get a local hotel and plenty of sleep.

So you can continue your journey...manana!!

IMHO,

Jim
ExpatRusher

Absolutely agree.听 Stay in SD overnight.听 Wherever you are going doesn't want to receive you during those hours anyways.听 You are best to wait until the following day.听 Just chill and relax and you will take your first step towards becoming Dominican. Manana all the way...lol

ddmcghee wrote:

Planner is correct. The 鈥渧ehicle operator鈥� can be the passenger on their way to/from a flight or a family member transporting them. The exception is not just for hired vehicles. Additional passengers are not allowed - so mom and dad can鈥檛 both drive to the airport to pick up a kid flying in late at night.

But again, as most others have said, even though you could legally drive yourselves to Punta Cana that night, I would not recommend it!

Having a Dominican driver whether taxi or otherwise, addresses the issue that the police and military will almost certainly not read or speak any english and as such he can explain the reason for the journey after curfew.

Another question for the OP to ask, is at what time do the car hire desks in SDQ close and at what time does the depot close with curfews in place?

Good question Lennox.听 I have had numerous clients tell me after 6PM that their car rental will be available.听 I have yet to have one that didn't have to call me to come and get them at the airport because no one works after 6PM.听 But, try to tell them that.听 That's another story...

Okay I think we have beat this to death!

Sort of important when the rental company closes....

Stranded wouldn't be fun !!

Keep your boarding pass/itinerary for the road trip -
if you do it after curfew
Driver or no driver....

Hi everyone,

Following the conversation I had with the initiator of the thread, I am now closing this topic.

Thank you,

Priscilla
禁漫天堂 Team

[ Topic closed ]