Nassau Transportation

By Air: The Lynden Pindling International Airport (+1 242 377 7281), formerly known as the Nassau International Airport, offers easy access to the Bahamas. The following airlines provide service to and from the airport:

American Airlines (+ 1 800 433 7300/ http://www.aa.com)

Air Canada (+1 800 776 3000/ http://www.aircanada.com)

Bahamasair (+1 800 222 4262/ http://www.bahamasair.com)

British Airways (+1 800 247 9297/ http://www.british-airways.com/)

Continental (+1 800 525 0280/ http://www.continental.com )

Delta (+1 800 221 1212/ http://www.delta.com )

US Airways (+1 800 428 4322/ http://www.usairways.com )

There are no public transit options to and from the airport. Taxis and rental cars are the best means to reach your final destination. Taxis are available just outside the airport terminal. You can call for Eddie Major's Taxi E. Majors' Tour & Taxi-Cab Service

Taxi 516 Taxi 516

The following rental agencies operate out of Nassau:

Avis (+1 800 831 2847/ http://www.avis.com )

Budget (+1 800 527 0700/ http://www.budget.com )

Hertz (+1 800 654 3131/ http://www.hertz.com)

By Train:

There are no train services in Nassau or Paradise Island.

By Bus:

Visitors must reach Nassau via boat or air.

By Car:

Visitors must reach Nassau via boat or air.

Getting Around:

Jitney buses provide service around Nassau from the early morning hours until about 7p. Ferries and charter boats are also a common method of transportation. Bahamas Fast Ferries (+1 242 323 2166/ www.bahamasferries.com ) is the largest provider.

Planning a Trip

Arriving

Most visitors to Paradise Island arrive in Nassau and commute to Paradise Island by ground transport.

When you arrive at Lynden Pindling International Airport (formerly known as Nassau International Airport), you won't find bus service to take you to Paradise Island. Many package deals include hotel transfers from the airport. Otherwise, if you're not renting a car, you'll need to take a taxi. Taxis in Nassau are metered and take cash only; it usually costs around US$30 to go from the airport to your hotel. The driver will also ask you to pay the northbound one-way US$1 bridge toll, a charge that will be added onto your metered fare at the end of the ride.

Visitor Information

Paradise Island does not have a visitor information office, so refer to the tourist facilities in downtown Nassau. The concierge or guest-services staff at your hotel can also give you information about local attractions.

Island Layout

Paradise Island's finest beaches lie on the Atlantic (northern) coastline, while the docks, wharves, and marinas are on the southern side. Most of the island's largest and glossiest hotels and restaurants, as well as the casino and a lagoon with landscaped borders, lie west and north of the roundabout. The area east of the roundabout is less congested, with only a handful of smaller hotels, a golf course, the Versailles Gardens, the cloister, the airport, and many of the island's privately owned villas.

Getting Around

You don't need to rent a car here. Most visitors walk around Paradise Island's most densely developed sections and hire a taxi for the occasional longer haul.

The most popular way to reach nearby Nassau is to walk across the toll bridge. There is no charge for pedestrians.

To tour Paradise Island or New Providence by taxi, make arrangements with either a taxi driver or your hotel's reception desk. Taxis wait at the entrances to all the major hotels. The hourly rate is about US$60 in cars or small vans.

If you are without a car and don't want to take a taxi or walk, you can hop one of the ferryboats to Nassau, which leave from the dock on Casino Drive every 30 minutes between 9am and 6pm daily; the 10-minute ride costs US$4 one-way. Quicker and easier than a taxi, the ferry deposits you right at Prince George Wharf, in downtown Nassau.

Water taxis also operate between Paradise Island and Nassau's Prince George Wharf. They depart at 20-minute intervals from 8:30am to 6pm daily. Round-trip fare is US$6.

If you're a guest at one of the properties associated with Atlantis, hop aboard one of the complimentary shuttle buses for drop-offs at any of the resort's accommodations. Atlantis guests can also take a complimentary tour of the island, which departs daily at noon.

Unlike New Providence, no public buses are allowed on Paradise Island.