Car rental in Santo Domingo Este: a practical guide

People looking for car rental in Santo Domingo Este are usually in one of two situations: they have just landed and want to get around on their own, or they have been here a few days and are tired of depending on taxis. Either way, this side of the city works in your favour. Here is the guide we give our guests before handing over the keys.

Why renting on this side of the city makes sense

Santo Domingo Este is the municipality east of the Ozama river, part of Greater Santo Domingo, and it sits between the two points every visitor cares about: Las Américas International Airport and the centre of the capital. We are based in the Brisas Las Américas district, right off the Las Américas highway, so picking up the car is not a detour — it is on your way.

• Airport to Santo Domingo Este: 15 to 30 minutes.
• Santo Domingo Este to the Colonial City: 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the bridge and the hour.
• To Boca Chica: about 20 minutes on the Las Américas highway.
• To Punta Cana or Bávaro: two and a half hours via the Autovía del Este and the Coral highway.

That position also means you leave the city without crossing downtown. If you are heading for the beaches or the east coast, that is forty minutes of traffic you skip every single time.

Getting around

Three bridges cross the Ozama and link Santo Domingo Este with the capital: the Juan Pablo Duarte, the Francisco del Rosario Sánchez — the old floating bridge sits beside it — and the Juan Bosch, further north. At rush hour it pays to check the map before setting off, because which one is clear changes by the day.

The roads you will use daily are the Las Américas highway towards the airport and the coast, Avenida España along the sea, Charles de Gaulle heading north, and San Vicente de Paúl, the commercial spine of the municipality. Parking is easy compared with the capital: malls such as Megacentro have plenty of it, and residential streets almost always have space.

What to see without leaving the area

• Los Tres Ojos: caves with clear turquoise lagoons, inside the Mirador del Este national park.
• The Columbus Lighthouse (Faro a Colón): the monument that dominates the park, visible from half the city.
• Avenida España and the eastern beaches: the natural way out to Boca Chica and Juan Dolio.
• The Colonial City, across the bridge: the first city in the Americas, less than half an hour away.

What to ask before you book

Renting a car here is straightforward, but four things are worth pinning down in writing before you confirm. These are the ones we always settle on WhatsApp:

• Which documents are required and what the minimum rental age is.
• What deposit or guarantee is asked for, and how it comes back.
• What the included insurance covers and what it leaves out.
• How pick-up and drop-off work, and whether delivery to the airport or your hotel is possible.

A local company or a big brand

International chains have a counter at the airport and the same process worldwide. A local company like ours plays a different game: the same person answers you from start to finish, arranges the handover wherever suits you, and knows the city you are about to drive. If something happens on the road, you talk to the person who gave you the car, not to a call centre.

You can see who we are and where we are, map included, on our About page.

Which vehicle fits your plan

The fleet is almost all Honda, built around compact SUVs. For city and highway without fuss, a 2023 CR-V EX AWD is more than enough. If you want something more economical and proven, the 2017 CR-V Touring AWD is still a great pick. And for business trips, briefcase and jacket included, the Honda Accord Sport is the comfortable sedan it has always been. The whole catalogue, with photos and specs, is on Vehicles.

Arriving by plane? Start with renting a car for Las Américas Airport. Never driven here before? Read Is it safe to drive in the Dominican Republic? first.

Updated on September 23, 2026.