Car Rental on St. John or St. Thomas?

The ultimate guide to car and jeep rentals for your trip St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.

One of the things that many visitors ask when they are planning travel to St. John, USVI is should I rent a car? Depending on the type of vacation you are looking to have, typically the answer I give is “Yes.” Renting a car to get around on St. John gives you flexibility to see all of the beauty and wonder this island has to offer. Many of the beaches are in the Virgin Islands National Park, away from lodging options, so to reach them the best bet is to drive. There are taxi options to take you from Cruz Bay to many of the beaches but getting back can sometimes be a challenge. Also, depending on the number of people in your party, taking taxis from beach to beach can get expensive. Aside from taxis, there are different parts of the island that offer different experiences which could be missed out on without having a car.

If you have made the decision to rent a car, there are typically two options that people choose from when deciding where to rent the car. Should you rent a car on St. Thomas and take a car barge over or should you rent a car on St. John and take a passenger ferry over?

There are pros and cons to both so I will go into each of the options below.

Renting a car or Jeep on St. Thomas and taking a car barge to St. John:

One thing to note: since Hurricanes Irma and Maria wreaked havoc on the islands there has been a lot of construction going on and car barges help carry needed supplies between St. Thomas and St. John which is critical in getting the work done. There are currently only 2 car barges that are running and sometimes one of them will break and be put out of service causing only 1 car barge to operate. As a result, there may be very long waits and locals are requesting visitors to consider renting on St. John instead of St. Thomas and supporting the local car rental companies on St. John. This can save you time and stress in case there is only 1 car barge running while you are there while also helping the local economy and the locals that need the barge to bring supplies back and forth.

There are several benefits to renting a car at the St. Thomas airport. If you are traveling with a larger group you can fit them all in the car and stop by a grocery store or Kmart to stock up on supplies for the week before heading over to St. John. Since you pay by the car versus per person you could save some money on the cost of the passenger ferry and paying per person for a taxi to Red Hook.

The downside to this is the car barges are often times quite busy so you need to make sure you leave a bit earlier so you don’t get stuck on the way back and miss your flight. They also don’t run as late so make sure to check the schedule here in advance of your trip and if your flight comes in too late don’t risk it: http://www.vinow.com/travel/virgin-islands-ferry-schedules/#panel2v

Car Rental Companies that serve St. Thomas Airport (Cyril E. King Airport). The below rental cars either have in airport pick-up or they will pick you up from the airport and drop you back off. 

Budget (in airport) – 340-776-5774

Hertz (in airport) – 340-774-1879

Thrifty/Dollar– 340-776-1500, 340-774-0111

Amalie Car Rental – 340-774-0688

Paradise Car Rental – 340-643-2692

Dependable Car Rental –  340-774-2253

Discount Car Rental – 340-643-4222

Make sure to check your rental agreement if you plan to take the car to St. John to make sure there are no restrictions in place against that. 

Renting a jeep or car on St. John: 

There are a number of benefits to renting a car on St. John. You get to support the local economy and companies on the island, if you have any issues with the car breaking down they are already on Island and can assist you and you don’t have to depend on the sometimes inconsistent schedule of the car barge. Many Saint John rental car companies will meet you right in Cruz Bay at the passenger ferry dock when you arrive with the car ready to go so you can begin your adventure. Once you pick up the car you can go grocery shopping at either Dolphin Market or Star Fish Market located right in Cruz Ba on the way to your vacation villa on St. John or hotel.

Car Rental Companies that serve St. John.

L&L Jeep Rentals – 340-776-1120

St. John Car Rental – 340-776-6103

Conrad Sutton – 340-776-6479

Varlack – 1-340-776-6412

Denzil Clyne – 1-340-776-6715

Courtesy Rentals – 340-776-6650

Mr. Piper Jeeps – 340-693-7580

Aquarius Rentals – 340-514-5262

Destiny Rentals – 340 777 5337

Sunshine Jeeps – 340-690-1786

Lionel Jeep Rental – 340-693-8764

Aqua blu Car Rental – 340-776-2782

Cool Breeze Jeep Rental -758-459-7931

O’Connor Rentals – (340) 776-6343

Hospitality Car Rental

As you can see, Saint John, USVI has many car and jeep rental options for you to choose from! So rent a jeep or 4X4 and enjoy everything this incredible island has to offer!

When traveling to St. Thomas and St. John you will be surprised to find that Verizon’s reliable network no longer applies when you get to the islands. In fact, the national carrier that has by far the best coverage on St. John is AT&T.  Below is a breakdown of each of the 3 largest U.S. networks and how they fair on St. John. … Read More

One of the most common questions we get asked is “how do I get to St. John from St. Thomas?” Most likely you will be arriving to St. John, (U.S. Virgin Islands) from St. Thomas airport. The airport in St. Thomas is located on the opposing end of St. Thomas from the side facing St John. There are three main ways of getting from the Cyril E. King airport in St. Thomas to St. John and each has their advantages.

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