✈️ How to Get There
Getting to and around Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
✈️ Flying to Saint Vincent
Argyle International Airport (SVD)
Argyle International Airport on the east coast of Saint Vincent is the country’s only international gateway. Opened in February 2017, it replaced the old E.T. Joshua Airport in Kingstown and brought direct long-haul flights from North America and the UK for the first time. The 9,000-foot runway handles everything from twin-engine inter-island planes to wide-body jets.
From the airport, Kingstown is around 35 minutes by road and Bequia is reached by road plus ferry (1 hour 20 minutes total). The terminal has duty-free, currency exchange, ATMs, and a small selection of cafes. Wi-Fi is free.
Direct flights to Argyle (SVD):
- Virgin Atlantic — Direct from London Heathrow (around 9 hours), Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays in summer schedule
- American Airlines — Daily from Miami (MIA); also from New York JFK and seasonal Charlotte (CLT) December–March
- JetBlue — From New York JFK and Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
- Delta Air Lines — Daily from Atlanta (ATL)
- Air Canada Rouge — From Toronto (YYZ), Mondays and Fridays
- Caribbean Airlines — Regional connections from Trinidad and Barbados
- InterCaribbean Airways — Smaller hops to Saint Lucia, Barbados, and Grenada
💡 Booking Tip
If your home airport has no direct flight, route through Barbados (BGI). It’s the busiest hub in the Eastern Caribbean and SVG Air’s seven-minute hop from Barbados can drop you straight onto Bequia, Canouan, or Union Island the same day — bypassing Saint Vincent entirely.
🚕 From Argyle Airport to Your Destination
Taxi
Authorised taxis wait outside arrivals at Argyle. Rates are fixed and quoted per vehicle, not per person. The journey to Kingstown takes around 35 minutes; to the Villa/Indian Bay area on the south coast around 25 minutes; to Wallilabou Bay on the leeward coast about 75 minutes. Always confirm the total fare before getting in — taxis here are not metered. Hotel pickup, when arranged in advance, is usually no more expensive than walking up to the rank.
Hotel Transfer
Most hotels and villa companies offer pre-booked airport transfers. Worth the small premium for a first arrival in the country, especially if your flight lands after dark or if you are continuing onwards by ferry to Bequia. Drivers usually help locate the right ferry queue and can wait at the dock if required.
Ferry Connection
If you are heading directly to Bequia, take a taxi or hotel transfer 30 minutes from Argyle to the Kingstown ferry terminal at Grenadines Wharf, then board Bequia Express. The crossing takes 60 minutes. Tickets are bought onboard. Schedule your arriving flight to land at least 90 minutes before the ferry departure if you want to make it the same day.
🎋 Cash for the Ferry
Bequia Express tickets are usually paid in cash — East Caribbean Dollars or US Dollars accepted. ATMs are available in the airport arrivals hall before you head down to Kingstown. Pull EC$ out at the airport rather than at the ferry dock, where there is no ATM.
⛴️ Inter-island Travel — Ferries and Small Planes
Bequia Express is the main inter-island ferry, operating since 1997. Five departures a day Monday–Friday between Kingstown and Bequia (8:00, 9:30, 13:00, 16:00, 17:00 from Kingstown), with three on Sundays. The crossing takes around 1 hour, fare is $9.3 one way. The same operator runs less frequent service to Canouan ($22 one way) and Mayreau ($30 one way). Book at bequiaexpress.com.
Admiralty Transport is the second Kingstown–Bequia ferry operator, with similar timings and fares. Tickets are bought at the dock. Both operators run from the Grenadines Wharf in central Kingstown, a five-minute walk from the cruise terminal.
SVG Air is the country’s domestic airline, founded in 1990, flying Twin Otters and Britten-Norman Islanders between Saint Vincent, Bequia, Canouan, Union Island, and Mustique — plus connecting hops to Barbados, Saint Lucia, and Grenada. Note that some Grenadine airports have been affected by Hurricane Beryl (July 2024) damage and reduced operations — check current status at flysvgair.com before booking.
Mustique Airways serves Mustique with private and scheduled flights, mostly via Barbados. The island’s 950-metre runway is private, and access is restricted to homeowners, hotel guests, and chartered visitors. Day trips are possible but must be arranged through the Mustique Company in advance.
Yacht charter: The Grenadines have been a sailing destination for sixty years. Bareboat (self-skipper) and crewed charters depart from Blue Lagoon Marina on Saint Vincent or Clifton Harbour on Union Island. Most charters run a week-long loop south through Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau, the Tobago Cays, and Union Island. The trade winds blow steady from the northeast December–June; this is the country’s peak sailing season.
🛂 Visa & Entry Requirements
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is visa-free for over 95 nationalities. Citizens of the US, UK, EU countries, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most Commonwealth countries can enter without a visa for tourism stays of up to 3–6 months on arrival.
A valid passport (with at least 6 months remaining), proof of onward or return travel, and proof of accommodation are required at immigration. Citizens of countries not on the visa-free list can apply for an eVisa online (30 days, extendable) before arrival. The country gained independence from the UK in 1979 and has its own immigration rules separate from the British Overseas Territories.
Check visa requirements for SVG →🚗 Getting Around Saint Vincent
Minibuses (“Vans”)
The local public transport on Saint Vincent is a fleet of privately-owned minibuses, easy to spot by an “H” on the licence plate. They follow defined routes between Kingstown and the rest of the island, but they don’t run on a fixed timetable — they leave when full. The conductor handles fares; pay in cash directly to him. Fares run from $0.7 for short hops in Kingstown to $3.0 for the longest cross-island routes. The central van terminal is next to the Kingstown Fish Market on Bay Street.
Taxis
Authorised taxis carry an “H” on the plate too — technically the same registration class as minibuses, but in practice taxis are sedans rather than vans. There is no metering. Always agree the fare in EC$ or US$ before departing. Most hotel front desks can call a regular driver for guests, and several Saint Vincent taxi drivers run their own WhatsApp-based booking systems.
Car Rental
A rental car gives the most flexibility for exploring the leeward (west) coast, the Mesopotamia Valley, and the road north toward La Soufrière. Driving is on the left side, and visiting drivers must purchase a temporary Vincentian driver’s permit ($37) on arrival, valid for up to six months. The rental company can usually arrange this on your behalf, or you can buy it from the police station on Bay Street, the Licensing Authority on Halifax Street, or a special branch officer at Argyle Airport.
🏗 Road Tip
Saint Vincent’s roads are narrow, steep, and winding. The Windward Highway (east coast) is in better condition than the leeward road but still demands attention — goats, school kids, and minibuses pulling out abruptly are normal. Allow far more time than your map suggests and never drive after dark on rural roads if you can avoid it.
⛵ Getting Around the Grenadines
Each Grenadine island works differently. Distances are short but always involve water.
On Bequia
- The island is small enough that walking covers most of Port Elizabeth and the Belmont Walkway.
- Open-sided dollar vans run between Port Elizabeth, Lower Bay, Friendship Bay and Paget Farm. Fares around $1.1.
- Water taxis run between Port Elizabeth and the south-coast beaches (Princess Margaret, Lower Bay) for around $7.4 per person.
- Taxis from Port Elizabeth to most points cost $11 to $22.
On Other Grenadine Islands
- Mustique: Visitors hire “Mules” (electric carts) at the Mustique Company office. There are no taxis. The island is private.
- Canouan: Taxis at the airport and ferry dock. The southern resort estate runs its own internal shuttles for Mandarin Oriental guests.
- Union Island: Taxis from Clifton airport and dock. The island is small enough to walk most distances.
- Mayreau: One paved road, no formal taxis. Walking is the standard. Boat transfers for the Tobago Cays leave from the dock at Saline Bay.
🚙 Renting a Car
A rental car is genuinely useful only on Saint Vincent — the Grenadine islands are too small or too restricted (Mustique is private) for a hire car to make sense.
Things to Know
- Drive on the left side of the road
- A temporary Vincentian driver’s permit is required ($37) — available at police stations, the Licensing Authority on Halifax Street, or via the rental company
- Fuel stations are mainly in and around Kingstown — fill up before heading north or to remote west-coast bays
- 4WD is rarely necessary — a small sedan handles most paved roads, but the route up to La Soufrière trail or onto interior tracks needs higher clearance
- Most rental companies are local operators (Greg’s Auto Rental, Avis on-island affiliate, Star Garage) rather than international chains
- Book in advance for December–April — the fleet is small and peak-season demand is high
⚠️ Don’t Drive on Bequia or the Other Islands
Bequia, Canouan, Union and Mayreau have either tiny road networks, no formal car-hire businesses, or both. Use water taxis, dollar vans, walking or the local hired drivers instead. Renting a car only makes sense for Saint Vincent itself.
🚗 Compare Rental Cars in Saint Vincent
💰 Money-Saving Tips
- Route through Barbados: Flights into BGI are usually cheaper than direct to Argyle, and SVG Air’s 7-minute hop into Bequia or Canouan is quicker and more reliable than a Saint Vincent connection plus ferry
- Take the ferry over the inter-island plane: Bequia Express at $9.3 one-way is dramatically cheaper than the $167+ flight, even if it takes an extra 50 minutes
- Use minibuses on Saint Vincent: The route from Kingstown to Argyle is around $1.1 versus $30–$37 by taxi — but only practical with light luggage
- Avoid Christmas–New Year: The most expensive week of the year for both flights and accommodation. May, June, October and November give the best fares
- Bring some US Dollars: Both EC$ and US$ are accepted everywhere. Carry small US bills for ferry tickets and taxis to avoid getting suboptimal change in EC$