Dominican Republic: travel information
How do you get to the Dominican Republic?
The fastest way to get to the Dominican Republic is by plane. There is practically no alternative to flying from Europe. But cruise ships and cargo ships also call at the island.
Travel in the country
Air connections
Charter flights within the country exist between Santo Domingo and Barahona, La Romana, Monte Christi, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Santa Barbara de Samana and Santiago de los Caballeros.
Railway
The small railway in the Dominican Republic is only intended for freight traffic.
Bus
The bus network of the OMSA – a state transport company in Santo Domingo – is well developed, whereby the approx. 135 buses of the OMSA have fixed stops – however no fixed timetable. In the OMSA area, there are also express buses that only stop at every third stop.
The regular bus routes that travel across the country have fixed stops and also (reasonably) fixed departure times. These buses are often also air-conditioned
Roads
The road network is generally well developed, around 75% of the roads are paved and in relatively good condition.
Rental
cars Rental cars are available at the airports and in the larger hotels.
Ferry
connections There are ferry connections along the Dominican coast. Worth mentioning is, for example, the daily ferry connection from the port of the capital Santo Domingo to Puerto Rico.
Traffic rules
The Dominican Republic is known to drive right-hand traffic. In order to avoid trouble with the police or even the courts, one should strictly adhere to the traffic rules applicable in the country. The maximum speeds shown can of course be reduced or increased by traffic signs. Regardless of the information given here, it is advisable to obtain detailed information from the ADAC from the AvD before starting your journey.
Maximum speeds
In addition to the general speed limits shown, the speed limits indicated by signs must be strictly observed.
- Urban: in built-up areas there is a speed limit for motorists of 40 km/ h
- Country roads: there is a speed limit for drivers of 60 km/h on country roads
Blood
alcohol limit In the Dominican Republic, drivers of motor vehicles have a blood alcohol limit of 0.2 parts per thousand.
International license plate
The Dominican Republic’s international license plate is:
| DOM |
Diplomatic missions, tourist office
Representations of the Dominican Republic in Germany
German representations in the Dominican Republic
Embassy in Santo Domingo
Edificio Torre Piantini Piso 16
Calle Gustavo Mejia Ricart, esq. Ave. Abraham Lincoln
Santo Domingo
Tel: 001 – 809 – 542 89 49
001 – 809 – 542 89 50
Email: info@santo-domingo.diplo.de
Web: www.santo-domingo.diplo.de
Austrian representations in the Dominican Republic
The embassy in Venzuela is responsible.
Honorary Consulate in Santo Domingo
KM 11 Autopista Duarte
Santo Domingo
Tel: 001 – 809 – 947 78 88
Email: cdo.austria@codetel.net.do
www.cdo-austria.org.do
Representations of the Dominican Republic in Austria
Embassy in Vienna
Prinz Eugen Strasse 18
1040 Vienna
Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 505 85 55
Email: mprdoiv@yahoo.com
Honorary Consulate in Vienna
Möllwaldplatz 5
1040 Vienna
Tel: 0043 – (0) 1 – 504 64 37
Email: consudom.viena@iip.at
Swiss representations in the Dominican Republic
Swiss Embassy in Santo Domingo
Ave. Jimenez Moya 71
Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic
Tel: 001 – 809 – 533 3781
001 – 809 – 534 6944
Email: sdd.vertretung@eda.admin.ch
www.eda.admin.ch/santodomingo
The Swiss Embassy in the Dominican Republic is still responsible for:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Dominica
Representations of the Dominican Republic in Switzerland
Embassy
Weltpoststrasse 4
3000 Bern 15
Tel: 0041 – (0) 31 – 351 15 85
Email: embaj.rep-dom@freesurf.ch
Consulate General in Zurich
Löwenstrasse 65
8001 Zurich
Tel: 0041 – (0) 43 – 818 93
44/45 Email: infodom@consuldomzh.ch
Consulate General in Geneva
Rue Grenus 16
1211 Geneva 1
Tel: 0041 – (0) 22 – 738 00 18
Email: Isabel.Cretton@tiu.itu.int
Tourist office
Tourist Office of the Dominican Republic in Germany
Hochstra0e 54
60313 Frankfurt
Tel: 0049 – (0) 69 – 91 39 78 78
Email: germany@godominicanrepublic.vom
www.godominicanrepublic.com
Dominican Republic: entry and exit requirements
Formalities, visas
German, Austrian and Swiss citizens do not require a visa to enter the country and stay for up to 90 days. You can enter the country with your passport, which must be valid for at least 3 months. A valid passport should be carried.
Children’s ID cards are recognized. From the age of 3, a photo must be attached to the child’s ID; after the age of 16, a separate passport is required.
Visa department of the embassy
Dessauer Straße 28 – 29
10963 Berlin
Tel: +49 – (0) 30 – 257 57 76 0
Email: embajadomal@t-online.de
Issuing of visas in Austria and Switzerland
See under Representations of the Dominican Republic in Austria and Representations of the Dominican Republic in Switzerland.
Local currency, foreign exchange
The local currency of the Dominican Republic is the Dominican Peso:
1 peso = 100 centavos.
The peso may neither be imported nor exported as a pure domestic currency.
Import and export of foreign currency
- Foreigncurrencies Foreign currencies can be imported, but must be declared. The export may only take place in the amount of the amount declared on entry.
Departure fee
A tourist card must be purchased upon entry.
A fee will be charged for stays of more than 15 to 90 days. An airport tax must be paid in US dollars upon departure. However, some airlines have already included these taxes in their airfare.
Import and export of goods The import and export of weapons, ammunition or explosives is strictly prohibited. In addition, the import and export of plants and animals protected under the Washington Species Protection Act is prohibited. Violation can result in severe penalties.
The import of food is also prohibited.
Shopping, souvenirs
Shop opening
times There are no fixed opening times. Most of the time the shops are open from 09:00 to 20:00.
Cheap or country-specific goods, souvenirs
Beautiful Dominican souvenirs are handicraft objects such as amber and larimar jewelry, wood or stone sculptures and lime dolls (colored glazed clay figures), but also rum, cigars, coffee and merengue music.
Infectious Diseases
Current warnings
In the British Virgin Islands, the following infectious diseases, which are not or less widespread in Germany or Central and Northern Europe, are to be expected:
- Malaria, there is no risk of infection with the malaria pathogen.
- Amoebic dysentery
- Bacterial agitation
- Schistosomiasis
- Ciguatera fish poisoning
- Cholera, an infection risk only exists for travelers who can come into contact with contaminated water or contaminated food
- Dengue fever disease
- Intestinal infections from contaminated food or water, including amoeba, lamblia, salmonella, shigella and worm infestation, as well as all kinds of viruses and bacteria
- Hepatitis A and B, an infection with hepatitis B, is only to be expected in people who may come into contact with blood or those who seek sexual contact
- tetanus
- Typhoid fever, an infection risk only exists for travelers who come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
Vaccination recommendations
When traveling there are the following vaccinations recommended:
- Cholera, but only among travelers who can come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
- Diphtheria, a vaccination against diphtheria should always exist in your home country
- Hepatitis A and B, a vaccination against hepatitis B, is only required for people who may come into contact with blood or for those who seek sexual contact.
- Polio, polio, a vaccination against polio should always exist, also in the home country
- Tetanus, a vaccination against tetanus should always exist in the home country
- Typhoid, but only in travelers who may come into contact with polluted water or contaminated food
Vaccination requirements There are no vaccination requirements when entering or staying in the country.
Foreign Office (AA) of the Federal Republic of Germany
Citizen Service
Tel: 0049 – (0) 30 – 5000 – 2000
www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de
