One of the blessings for visitors of San Juan is that moving around town is a breeze. From the moment you step out of your plane, several convenient options for transportation are available. Taxis and rentals are readily at your disposal at the airport to get you right into the Old City and to Decanter Hotel. From our hotel, most places of interest are easy to reach. Uber and taxi services are just a phone call or app command away and can get you anywhere within the metropolitan area. For those wanting to explore the Old City, the free trolley can get you effortlessly to those distant parts of town.
If your plan were to visit several places around the island, our recommendation would be to rent a car, especially if those destinations are outside the metro area. Public transportation outside of the capital city is not really a dependable option.
Here are some tips and useful information on the basics of getting to places around Old San Juan and beyond.
Airport and Cruise Port Transportation
Decanter Hotel does not offer private shuttles to or from our hotel in Old San Juan. However, once you have landed at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, in the area of Isla Verde, catching a taxi ride to the hotel should be fairly easy. Several fleets of taxicabs are awaiting for passengers right where you hit the street level, at the end of the arriving terminal.
Current price fares from the airport to our hotel should be around $25, plus $1 for each bag. With clear roads, the trip should take you around 15 minutes.
For those partial to using Uber services, please bear in mind that, even though this popular transport company does operate in San Juan and its surrounding areas, they are not allowed to pick up passengers at the airport, only to drop them.
The distance from our hotel to the cruise ports is around 6 to 8 blocks, depending on which pier your cruise ship is docked. We recommend that you take an Uber or taxi from the hotel to the port. Taxis can be arrange at the Front Desk of the hotel’s lobby.
Hop On!
Exploring the City by Trolley
Although the city’s intimate scale makes it easy to walk, hot temperatures and steep hills could pose a challenge. One of the best alternatives to beat the heat and move around is the free trolley system. Convenient and efficient, the trolley is a comfortable way to getting to the city’s top attractions and becoming acquainted with its layout quickly.
Here are the trolley’s routes, stops and running times.
Running times
The trolley runs every day of the week and it is free of cost.
Monday—Friday: 7:00am—6:00pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00am—7:00pm
Trolley runs about every 15 minutes when all the trolleys are properly functioning.
You may get on or off at every trolley stop.
Trolley Routes
The yellow trolley stops at or within a block or two of the following places, listed in no particular order: Paseo de la Princesa, Felisa Rincón de Gautier Museum, La Rogativa, San Juan Gate, La Fortaleza, Parke de las Palomas, Capilla del Cristo and El Morro Fort.
The red trolley stops at or within a block or two of the following places, listed in no particular order: Paseo de la Princesa, San Juan Tourism Office, Plaza Colón, Teatro Tapia, Alcaldía, Plaza de Armas and San Juan Cathedral.
The green trolley stops within a block or two of the following places, listed in no particular order: El Capitolio, San Cristobal Fort, San Juan Art & History Museum, Plaza Quinto Centenario, Plaza San José, Pablo Casals Museum, Cuartel de Ballajá, El Morro Fort, Paseo de la Princesa, Plaza Colón and Teatro Tapia.
The blue trolley route is the longest of all and stops at all of the red and green stops.
All trolleys stop at the cruise ship pier.
Tips on Finding Parking
As most hotels in town, Decanter Hotel does not own a private parking. It is important that you familiarize yourself with the local parking regulations, since parking tickets are considerably high. Read the parking signs indicating those regulations, usually located at the beginning and at the end of each street block. When in doubt, ask a local police officer.
For safety and peace of mind, we strongly recommend that you use one of the available private or public parking lots around the city. Here is a detailed list of establishments that are close to our hotel. (Prices do not include taxes.)
El Convento Parking
Entrance at corner of Cristo and Luna Streets
Hours of Operation: 24 hours
Cost: $20 per day
(discounted price with official evidence of your stay with Decanter Hotel)
Type: Outdoors
This is the closest parking lot (less than a block away) to our hotel, managed by El Convento Hotel. It is a valet parking, but you can take your car in and out, as many times as you like, if you pay in advanced.
La Cochera
204 Luna Street or 205 San Francisco Street
Hours of Operation: 24 hours
Cost: $25, per day
$5 for the first hour
$1 for each additional quarter of an hour
Type: Indoors
Parking entrance can be accessed from two points: 204 Luna Street or 205 San Francisco Street. La Cochera is located about two and half blocks from our hotel.
Ballajá Parking
Norzagaray Street, under Plaza del Quinto Centenario
Hours of Operation: 24 hours
Cost: $25 per day
$2 for the first hour
$1 for additional hour or fraction
Type: Indoors
Located approximately three blocks from our hotel (up the hill), its main entrance can be reached thru Norzagaray Street, turning into Morovis Street.
La Puntilla Parking
Paseo de La Princesa
Hours of Operation: Sun. to Thur. 6:00am—12:00am
Fri. and Sat. 6:00am—2:00am
Cost: $3 per day (flat rate)
$5 per day (on special day events)
Type: Outdoors
Located approximately six blocks away, this parking lot is managed by the city of San Juan. It is the least expensive parking in town; however, you have to watch for their hours of operation.
Galería Paseo Portuario Parking
Recinto Sur Street And 5 Comercio Street
Hours of Operation: 24 hours
Cost: $13.38 per day
(Price valid until 6:00 am next day. In order to take advantage of this rate, you will need to show official evidence of your stay with Decanter Hotel.)
$2.75 for the first hour
$2.50 for each additional hour or fraction
Type: Indoors
Next to Doña Fela, It is also about seven blocks distance from our hotel.
Doña Fela Parking
315 Recinto Sur Street
Hours of Operation: 24 hours
Cost: $25 per day
$2 per hour
$1 for each additional hour or fraction
Type: Indoors
It is located about seven blocks distance from our hotel.