First- Fly to San Juan International Airport (SJU)
Planes, Ferries and Automobiles
There are a couple of ways to get to Vieques Island after you arrive at San Juan International Airport (SJU). The costs and travel times vary.
Puddle Jumper Flights
You can fly directly from San Juan International Airport (SJU) to Vieques. SJU is where all flights arrive from the 50 states and overseas. There are several puddle-jumper airlines that fly this route. It takes 20 minutes and costs approx. $220 roundtrip.
Vieques Air Link 888-901-9247
Cape Air 800-352-0714
Seaborne Airlines 866-359-8784
Air Sunshine 800-327-8900
MN Aviation 787-791-7090
Air Flamenco 877-535-2636
You can save money by flying to Vieques from the little Isla Grande Airport in Old San Juan. You just hop in a taxi when you leave baggage claim at SJU and go over to the little airport. The taxi ride takes 20 minutes and is about $20 for two people. Flight time to Vieques is 30 minutes and costs $120 roundtrip. Vieques Airlink and Seaborne Airlines also fly this route. Seaborne has larger planes and can be a great alternative for people afraid of tiny airplanes.
The Ferry
There are two types of ferries that run from Fajardo to Vieques – passenger and cargo – but they BOTH CARRY PASSENGERS. Both cost $2 each way. We recommend you buy a roundtrip ticket for yourself so that you don’t have to arrive so early for your return trip.
Passenger ferries run on the same schedule 7-days a week, and the trip takes 45 minutes to an hour depending which boat you’re on.
Fajardo to Vieques: 9 am, 1 pm, 4:45 pm, and 8:15 pm.
Vieques to Fajardo: 6 am, 11 am, 3 pm, and 6:30 pm.
There is an additional ferry from Vieques to Fajardo at 6 am on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays
Cargo ferries run different schedules weekdays and weekends and take about the same amount of time. The cargo ferries also have lots of passenger seating and we strongly recommend you always buy your ticket for the next boat departing, regardless of style. DO NOT plan on renting a car on the main island and taking over on the cargo ferry, they won’t allow rental cars on the ferry and the car passes are hard to obtain.
You can jump in any “publico” at the airport and negotiate the rate to the Fajardo ferry dock (usually about $60 for two people), or you can call and reserve a van in advance Luquillo Taxi (www.luquillotaxi.com). Please tell them Sandy Malone Weddings sent you and they'll take extra special care of you.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO RENT A CAR IN SAN JUAN AND BRING IT TO VIEQUES. The cargo ferry is fully booked all the time and it’s very difficult to get a slot, plus the car rental places do not want their cars taken to Vieques. Usually, the ferry won’t permit rental cars on the cargo ferry.
Rental Cars
We strongly recommend you rent a car for your stay on Vieques. Although the island is small, there is no public transportation and the “publicos” are unreliable. All of the beautiful beaches are inside Fish & Wildlife protected areas, and cannot be reached on foot. Having your own transportation will also be good for exploring the wildlife refuge and other "outback" areas of the island.
Car rental rates vary from $35 to $90 per day, depending on the agency and the type of vehicle you rent. At the time this was written, the following rental car companies still had cars available:
Acevedo’s 787-741-4380
B&E Car Rental 787-435-6488 or 787-435-6020
Cheppito’s 787-649-2542
Coqui Car Rental 787-741-3696 (located at the ferry)
Maritza’s 787-741-0078
Marco’s 787-741-1388
Martineau Bay 787-741-0087
Island Car Rental 787-741-1666
Island Jeep Rental 787-741-3318
Vieques Car Rental 787-741-1037
Avis 787-855-0505
