Getting around Aruba: car, bus, taxi and streetcar

Aruba is about 32 km long and 10 km wide, so nothing on the island is far: by car the airport is roughly 15–20 minutes from the Eagle Beach and Palm Beach hotels, and Baby Beach at the south-eastern tip is about 35–45 minutes from Palm Beach. You can get around with a rental car, the Arubus public buses, taxis with fixed government-approved fares, and a free streetcar in downtown Oranjestad. Which one suits you depends on how much of the island beyond the west-coast hotel strip you want to see.

Do you need a rental car in Aruba?

If you plan to stay mostly on the west coast — Eagle Beach, Palm Beach, Oranjestad — you can manage without one: the hotel strip has frequent buses, and taxis are easy to find. A car pays off as soon as you want the north-west tip at your own pace, the interior rock formations, the south coast or the edges of Arikok National Park. Buses reach the main towns and the most popular beaches, but not most of the island's viewpoints, ruins and caves.

Things visitors commonly misjudge:

• Traffic drives on the right, and you overtake on the left.
• Speed limits are 30 km/h in urban areas, 60 km/h outside towns and 80 km/h on faster roads, according to the Aruba Tourism Authority.
• Roundabouts: cars already on the roundabout have right of way. At crossroads without signs, traffic from the right has priority.
• Fuel: at most stations an attendant pumps the fuel; at self-service stations you pay first. Prices are regulated by the government and are the same at every station.
• Arikok has its own rules. Inside the national park the speed limit is 20 km/h, you must stay on park roads and use only marked parking, and drones are prohibited. A valid conservation pass is required to enter; it is sold at the Visitor Center in San Fuego, open daily 8:00–15:30.
• The Natural Pool is 4×4 territory. The official tourism site says the Natural Pool is accessible only by 4×4 because of the rough, rocky terrain, and standard cars are not permitted beyond the park checkpoints leading to it. If you rent an ordinary car, see it on a guided jeep or UTV tour, on horseback or on foot.

Check your rental contract for where the car may be driven: unpaved tracks are a common exclusion.

How does the Arubus bus work?

Arubus is the public bus company. Its main stations are in Oranjestad — across from the cruise terminal — and San Nicolas. Fares published by Arubus in 2026:

Arubus says you can pay cash on board, or use a retour card or day pass. Retour cards and day passes are sold at resellers including hotel gift shops and at the Arubus booth at the Oranjestad bus station (open Monday to Friday, 6:00–14:00). Residents can use rechargeable Smartcards.

The lines most visitors use, according to Arubus:

• Line 10 runs through the hotel area to Eagle Beach, Palm Beach and Arashi Beach. The Aruba Tourism Authority describes a bus every 15 minutes from 5:45 to 18:00 along the hotel strip, then every 40 minutes until 23:30 — buses do not run around the clock.
• Lines 1, 2 and 3 connect the Oranjestad bus station with San Nicolas.
• Line 900 runs from the San Nicolas bus station to Baby Beach.
• Line 2 also serves the airport — but Arubus does not accept luggage on its buses, only carry-on items, so the bus is not an arrival or departure option for most visitors.

Timetables change; check the routes page on arubus.com before relying on a late bus back.

How much does a taxi cost in Aruba?

Aruban taxis have no meters. Rates are fixed and government-approved, and the Aruba Tourism Authority advises checking the fare in advance. The figures it publishes (in US$, converted at Afl 1.80 to US$ 1.00):

• Minimum fare: Afl 18 / US$ 10.
• Airport to Oranjestad: US$ 26; to the low-rise hotel area (Eagle Beach): US$ 37; to the high-rise area (Palm Beach): US$ 40–41, before surcharges.
• Surcharge: Afl 9 / US$ 5 on Sundays, official holidays and every night from 23:00 to 7:00.
• Passengers: the base fare covers four passengers; each additional passenger adds US$ 3 (up to seven, children under two not counted).
• Luggage: one piece per passenger is included to or from the airport; each extra piece costs Afl 3.60 / US$ 2.

Taxis run 24 hours a day and registered taxis queue at the airport stand. The official fare calculator at taxi.aw shows the full price including surcharges; complaints go to +297 594 8660 (phone or WhatsApp, 8:00–21:00).

Is the Oranjestad streetcar free?

Yes. The Aruba Tourism Authority describes the open-air streetcar on Oranjestad's main shopping street as free of charge. The line is operated by Arubus, is 1.9 km long and runs between Welcome Plaza by the cruise terminal and Plaza Nicky, so it is handy for the shops, Fort Zoutman and the downtown museums. Hours have changed several times since it opened in 2012; the tourism authority's 2022 guide listed Monday to Saturday, 10:00–16:30. Treat that as a guide and check locally. For a walking route through the same streets, see the Oranjestad walking tour.

How long does it take to drive around Aruba?

Approximate driving times without traffic, calculated from OpenStreetMap road data (allow extra time at rush hour and in Oranjestad):

A full loop of the main sights fits comfortably in a day — see our island highlights drive.

Which option should you choose?

• Beach-focused stay on the west coast: buses on Line 10 plus the occasional taxi.
• First visit, wanting to see the whole island: rent a car for two or three days rather than the whole trip, and add a guided tour for the Natural Pool.
• Arriving and leaving: a taxi, a hotel transfer or a rental car — remember the bus does not take luggage.

For more planning basics, see Plan your trip and our best time to visit Aruba.