All three highway entrances to town - the Autopista Duarte, the Carretera Duarte and the Carretera Turística - lead directly to the city centre. If you're arriving by bus , your station will likely be on the north or east side of town, from where you can get a RD$40 taxi closer to the heart of downtown. There are also guagua stations on the corner of 30 de Marzo and Cucurullo ( guaguas to Mao and Monciòn), and on Calle Valerio a block west of Parque Valerio (to San José de Las Matas). Another arrival option is the Cibao International Airport (tel 809/226-0664), a twenty-minute drive from the centre.

A complex system of battered public taxis - referred to locally as motoconchos - should cover most city transport needs; a one-way ride runs RD$5. Private taxis wait at the city parks, though you can call directly for pickup: reliable operators include Camino (tel 809/971-7788). As always, you're best off sticking with an established international firm for car rental . Options include Budget, 27 de Febrero (tel 809/566-6666); Honda, Estrella Sadhalá and 27 de Febrero (tel 809/575-6077); Metro, Carr Jacagua 42 (tel 809/570-5911); and Nelly, Av Salvador E. Sadhalá 204 (tel 809/583-6695).