How the vehicle is sized
For 7–14 passengers on local routes to Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata city, Costambar, Cofresí, Maimón, Sosúa or Cabarete, add $20 Standard or $40 VIP per vehicle per journey. Larger groups and all longer group routes require a written custom quote. Declare all luggage and child seats before confirming the vehicle.
The surcharge is per vehicle, not per extra passenger: +$20 on Standard, +$40 on VIP, added to the zone's base rate. A group of nine to Sosúa pays the $35 Sosúa rate plus $20, not a per-head calculation. That is the same whether the group is nine or fourteen, because it is one van either way.
We do not split a group of eight into two Standard cars unless you ask for it. Splitting the party usually costs more than the van and means two pickup times to coordinate at the airport door, so the van is almost always the simpler and cheaper answer.
What actually fits
A Standard SUV or minivan handles four large 23kg checked suitcases plus four carry-ons and a stroller without anyone holding a bag on their lap. Push past that — a fifth large case, a car seat and a stroller together, or two large duffels on top of the four suitcases — and the trunk runs out before the seats do.
The van (seven to fourteen passengers) carries roughly double that: eight to ten large suitcases plus carry-ons is routine. It is also the right call for six passengers with an unusually heavy bag count, even though six people alone would normally be Standard — tell us the case count and we will suggest the van if the math needs it.
Oversized items do not count against the suitcase total but they do take a seat's worth of floor or roof space: a golf bag, a surfboard bag, a folded wheelchair or a full-size stroller each effectively use the room of one extra passenger. Two golf bags in a four-person Standard car is fine; two golf bags plus a surfboard in the same car usually is not, and we will tell you that before you fly rather than at the curb.
Sporting gear, mobility equipment and strollers
Flying to POP with a powered wheelchair or mobility scooter: what to confirm →
Golf bags travel free and are common on Playa Dorada and Puerto Plata city runs. A hard travel case is easier to load than a soft bag with loose clubs, but either works — just tell us the number of bags so we send a vehicle with the trunk depth for it.
Surfboards and paddleboards need the same advance notice, mainly because a board bag over 7 feet does not fold and needs either a van's rear bench folded down or the roof. Wheelchairs, whether manual and foldable or a larger power chair, ride free; a power chair that does not disassemble may need the van even for a couple traveling alone, so mention the model or weight when you book.
Child seats cost $5 per seat, per journey ($10 per seat for a round trip). Request the seats when booking and tell us each child’s age and weight. The seat fee is added after any round-trip discount.
Two-hotel drops and split parties
Groups traveling together but staying at two different resorts are common — a wedding group, or grandparents at a different property than the rest of the family. One van can do both drops on one pickup; we add about 20 minutes to the run for the second stop and confirm a single price that covers the whole trip.
Tell us both hotel names and the order you would prefer at booking. We generally drop the property that is first along the route regardless of who books the trip, so the driver is not backtracking across Sosúa or doubling past Playa Dorada to reach the second stop.
If the two hotels are in different zones entirely — say, Playa Dorada and Cabarete — this stops being a single fare and becomes two bookings, because the drive time and price genuinely double. We will flag that on WhatsApp before you confirm anything.
Car seats and children
Child seats cost $5 per seat, per journey ($10 per seat for a round trip). Request the seats when booking and tell us each child’s age and weight. The seat fee is added after any round-trip discount.
What to send us at booking
One WhatsApp message covers it: flight number, total passenger count, number of large suitcases, any golf bags/boards/wheelchairs/strollers, whether it is one hotel or two, and the ages of any children needing a car seat. That is enough for us to confirm Standard or van and the exact price before you fly.
The only thing we cannot fix after the fact is a vehicle sized wrong at the curb — if six adults and eight suitcases turn up expecting a car we quoted for four, the driver cannot conjure a second vehicle on the spot. The details above are the difference between a smooth pickup and a delay at arrivals.
Local-zone rates with the group surcharge
| Zone | Drive time | Standard | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playa Dorada / Costa Dorada | 10–15 min | $30 | $65 |
| Puerto Plata city | 15–20 min | $30 | $65 |
| Costambar | 20–25 min | $35 | $70 |
| Cofresí | 25–30 min | $40 | $79 |
| Maimón / Amber Cove | 30–35 min | $45 | $85 |
| Sosúa | 15–20 min | $35 | $70 |
| Cabarete | 25–35 min | $45 | $85 |
| Río San Juan / Playa Grande | 60–75 min | $110 | $160 |
| Santiago (city or STI) | 60–75 min | $120 | $175 |
| Las Terrenas / Samaná | 2.5–3 h | $210 | $280 |
| Santo Domingo (city or SDQ) | 3.5–4 h | $225 | $300 |
For 7–14 passengers on local routes to Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata city, Costambar, Cofresí, Maimón, Sosúa or Cabarete, add $20 Standard or $40 VIP per vehicle per journey. Larger groups and all longer group routes require a written custom quote. Declare all luggage and child seats before confirming the vehicle.
For 7–14 passengers on local routes to Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata city, Costambar, Cofresí, Maimón, Sosúa or Cabarete, add $20 Standard or $40 VIP per vehicle per journey. Larger groups and all longer group routes require a written custom quote. Declare all luggage and child seats before confirming the vehicle.
Send the flight, get the price in writing
After immigration, baggage collection and customs, leave through the arrivals exit. Your driver meets you outside the arrivals exit with your booking name on a sign. Follow your written pickup instructions; if you cannot find the driver, contact dispatch on WhatsApp.
Book on WhatsAppQuestions we get on this
- How many suitcases fit in a Standard car?
- About four large 23kg suitcases plus four carry-ons and a stroller, for up to six passengers. Add a golf bag or a fifth large case and mention it at booking — we may suggest the van.
- What does the van cost compared to a Standard car?
- The van (7-14 passengers) adds $20 to the Standard zone rate or $40 to VIP, on local zones. Punta Rucia is quoted separately on WhatsApp because of the distance.
- Do golf bags or surfboards cost extra?
- No, they ride free, but each takes roughly the space of one extra passenger. Tell us the count so we send a vehicle with room for them.
- Can one van pick up from two hotels?
- Yes. We add about 20 minutes to the run and confirm one price covering both stops, provided the hotels are in the same zone.
- Do wheelchairs and strollers cost extra?
- No, both are free. A power wheelchair that does not fold may push a small group toward the van — mention the model or weight at booking.
- What should I send you before booking a group transfer?
- Flight number, passenger count, suitcase count, any golf bags/boards/wheelchairs/strollers, one or two hotels, and children's ages for car seats. That is enough to confirm the vehicle and price in writing.