The Grand Cayman bus is a fantastic way to travel

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We visited Grand Cayman in June 2023 for snorkeling, diving, and beach days. Despite staying in West Bay a good distance from George Town and Seven Mile Beach, we were determined to get around Grand Cayman without renting a car. The Grand Cayman bus system turned out to be fantastic! Let’s talk about the bus system, bus routes, how to ride the bus, and why the bus is an affordable convenient option for Grand Cayman transportation.

Grand Cayman buses

The buses in Grand Cayman aren’t the large buses you may be used to seeing in other metropolitan areas. Grand Cayman buses are larger passenger vans that make frequent runs through the island.

Public buses are identified by a colored stripe with “Public Bus” written in it along with a route number in a circular colored badge. Local fares are generally CI$2 or USD $2.50 with longer routes being a little higher in price. They only accept cash for fares.

The buses were air-conditioned, generally clean, and in good repair. The vibe on the bus varied based on the driver and passengers. Some were fairly quiet. Others had music played by the driver or passengers. One bus we took even had The Rock’s Jungle Cruise movie playing!

In general, the bus system here felt more personal than what we were used to in other cities. Talking to the driver, telling them where you’re going, and asking questions are all common and help make for a smooth trip.

How to ride the bus

Unlike other cities with fixed bus stops, you can board and get off the bus anywhere along the route that you like! Fares are usually paid when getting off the bus.

If you see a bus coming, just wave to flag it down and the driver will stop to pick you up. Note: if they don’t stop for you it may mean that that bus is full or that they didn’t see you. In our experience, the drivers are great at spotting people who are flagging a bus so the bus was likely full. Drivers may honk at pedestrians to ask if they need a ride.

I highly recommend telling the driver your destination when you board the bus. That ensures they know to go by that area. It also helps if you’re not familiar with the destination as the driver will usually alert you when you’ve arrived. The drivers will also sometimes deviate from the route to drop you right at your destination if it’s close to the route.

When you’re ready to get off simply say “stop please” or “one stop please” and the bus will pull over. If you need change, it’s common to call out “change for 5” when the bus is coming to a stop so the driver can prepare.

Grand Cayman bus routes

There is a Grand Cayman bus route serving nearly all parts of the island. Each route is designated by a color and a number like the Yellow #1 line which serves West Bay and Seven Mile Beach.

All routes go through the Grand Cayman bus depot in George Town located next to the George Town Public Library. If your nearest bus line doesn’t serve the parts of the island you need, you can ride to the bus depot and then transfer to the necessary line.

caymanresident.com has a bus route map that we found helpful. There is also a map on the official caymantransport.ky. However, we found the former more helpful.

You’ll see that routes along Seven Mile Beach are extremely frequent running every 4, 6, or 15 minutes!

From the info we found, the buses generally run until 7 pm Monday – Saturday. They have reduced schedules on Sundays and holidays. We had some trouble nailing down specifics but that seemed accurate. You might take the bus to your destination and take a cab home when going out for the night.

Routes serving the Grand Cayman cruise port and Seven Mile Beach

Routes 1 (yellow), 2 (green), and 3 (purple) all run between the bus depot in George Town, north along the Seven Mile Beach area, and up to West Bay attractions like the Turtle Center. 1 and 2 run right along the beach serving various Grand Cayman resorts and Grand Cayman hotels like the Westin Grand Cayman, Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman, and Marriott Grand Cayman. They also serve attractions like the Governor’s Mansion and Governor’s Beach, the Gamma shipwreck, Cheeseburger Reef, and Cemetery Beach.

There are public beach access points all along 7 Mile Beach between the resorts and residences. You can ask the bus to stop in front of a resort and use the public beach access. We particularly liked Governor’s Beach for the soft sand, natural shade, and proximity to the Westin’s publicly accessible coffee shop and outdoor bar. There’s also a great sushi spot across the street called Yoshi Sushi.

The bus depot is only a 4-minute walk from the Grand Cayman cruise terminal. Consider taking a walk over and using the bus to see whatever part of the island you’d like to visit!

Grand Cayman bus depot

The bus depot is a long parking area that all buses go through. Drivers stop here to take a break. You can board the buses while they are parked and wait for the driver to return.

Bus depot location

Using the bus for Grand Cayman Airport transportation

Route 3 (purple) stops at the Grand Cayman Airport and is much cheaper than a cab! This fact isn’t well advertised at the airport from what we saw. To find the bus stop, turn left when you walk out of the airport and walk down the sidewalk to the crosswalk.

Airport bus drop/pickup

The bus doesn’t have a ton of space for large luggage. We were able to fit our carry-ons and personal items. However, large suitcases may prove more difficult.

A summary of the Grand Cayman bus

• Fares start at CI$2 / USD $2.50. Exact change is common but drivers can give change with bills.
• All routes go through the bus depot allowing you to access the entire island
• Flag an approaching bus anywhere along the route
• Make sure to tell your driver your destination when you get on the bus
• Ask for a stop when you’re ready by saying “Stop please” or “One stop please”. Pay the fare when exiting
• If you’re going to a location further from George Town on the north or east ends, verify with the driver when a return bus is coming by
• Listen for honks if you’re looking for a bus. Many drivers will give a quick horn chirp if they see people who appear to be in want of a bus. That honk is your signal a ride is coming! Just give them a wave if that is the line you’d like and they’ll stop
• Many passengers will greet everyone when boarding the bus with a “good morning” or “good evening” if you’d like to do the same
• Consider taking route 3 (purple) to/from the airport rather than a cab
• We successfully brought a beach chair, umbrella, and bag on the bus. You’ll see people with their groceries as well.

Ideas for activities to ride the bus to in Grand Cayman

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What should you do with all that mobility and money you’re saving?! Check out what sites like Viator and TripAdvisor have to offer for guided Grand Cayman activities! Also, see my ideas for things to do in Grand Cayman on my Grand Cayman travel guide.

Wrapping up

We found that riding the bus between West Bay where we stayed, Seven Mile Beach, and George Town was extremely convenient! For the places we wanted to visit, the bus was great and saved us money on a Grand Cayman car rental and fuel.

What do you think? Will you try the Grand Cayman bus? Have you ridden it already? Tell us below!

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