World Country Guide

Travel - International

Air
Barbados is served by a number of international airlines including Air Canada, Air Jamaica, American Airlines, British Airways, BWIA, Canadian Airlines and Virgin Atlantic. BWIA, Caribbean Star and LIAT run flights to most of the neighbouring islands.

Approximate flight times
From Barbados to Miami is 3 hours 30 minutes, to New York is 5 hours, to London is 7 hours 30 minutes and to Los Angeles is 9 hours.

International airports
Barbados (BGI) (Grantley Adams International) is 16km (10 miles) southeast of Bridgetown, in Christ Church. Airport porters are ubiquitous and charge Bd$1 for transporting luggage between the luggage claim area and the street. Facilities include a bank, post office, bureaux de change, bar, shops and restaurant. The outgoing duty-free shop carries a range of items including jewellery, perfumes, china, crystal, cameras, shoes and clothing. There is a regular bus service to the city (travel time – 45 minutes) which departs every 30 minutes (0600-2400), and a 24-hour taxi service (travel time – 30 minutes).

Departure tax
Bd$25 for all departures. Passengers in transit who will be remaining in Barbados for less than 24 hours and children aged under 12 are exempt.

Sea
Barbados, which has a deep-water harbour at Bridgetown, is a port of call for a number of British, European and US cruise lines. Cruises call at the Bridgetown Cruise Ship Terminal, which is a multi-purpose marketplace containing duty-free shops, a local goods market, restaurant and bar, customs, immigration, health services and police facilities. Other services include a bureau de change, car hire, ATM and a communications centre with telephones, facsimile machines and mobile phone hire. For details, contact the Tourist Office. There is a small departure tax.