Nassau Airport to Atlantis and Paradise Island: Taxis, Transfers, Rental Cars and Arrivals

You push through the doors of arrivals at Lynden Pindling International Airport with your bags in tow, and the taxi stands are already waiting at the curb. Somewhere ahead are the harbor of Nassau, the long beaches of New Providence and, on its own island across the water, the towers of Atlantis. The ride into town is the first decision of the trip, and it depends on where you sleep and how many of you there are.

How do you get from the airport to Nassau?

For most travelers the easiest way is a taxi from the rank outside the terminal, because taxis wait outside the U.S., International and Domestic terminals at any hour and charge set zone fares. You do not negotiate, and you do not need a reservation. You say where you are going, whether a hotel in Nassau, a villa on the west end or a tower at Atlantis, and the zone decides the fare.

The airport sits on the western end of New Providence, about 10 miles from downtown Nassau. That distance is why the choice matters more here than at an airport tucked against its city. You are crossing a good part of the island, so the question is less which road than which kind of ride suits your party.

Group size comes first, since taxi fares are built around two passengers and grow with each extra person. Luggage comes second, because the airport’s taxi rules count bags. Your hour of arrival matters too, since the local jitney buses wind down their day early. If you want a name on a sign waiting for you, or a vehicle of your own for the whole stay, there are other ways in, and each one is laid out in the sections that follow.

Where you are staying changes the picture as well. Paradise Island is a separate island from New Providence, and Atlantis sits on it, so a trip from the airport to the resort is a different run from a trip to a Nassau hotel. Taxi zone fares, a pre-arranged driver or a rental car all handle it, but a public bus does not.

Your options from the airport

Taxis outside the terminals

The taxi rank is the first thing you meet. Cars line up outside the U.S., International and Domestic terminals, and they run at any hour, which makes this the option that works whatever time your flight lands. The fare comes from the zone you are going to, not from a meter you have to watch.

The fare is based on two passengers, and each additional passenger adds US $5.00. Children under three ride free. Bags are counted as well. Anything beyond two pieces per person costs US $2.20 each, and oversized bags, golf bags and boxes carry a US $3.30 charge. A family with strollers, a golf trip and a couple with only carry-ons will therefore pay quite differently for the same ride.

Taxis suit anyone heading to a Nassau hotel, a stay on Paradise Island, or a first visit when you just want to be dropped at the door. For questions about taxi service you can reach the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union at 242-323-5818.

Pre-arranged and chauffeured transfers

Airport transfers can be arranged through an extensive list of livery and tour operators, and a private or chauffeured car service is also available for those who want to travel in luxury and style. This is the choice for people who prefer to settle the ride before they leave home, so that a driver is part of the plan rather than a decision made at the curb.

It fits a larger group, a honeymoon arriving at one of the Atlantis hotels, or anyone who would rather skip the line at the rank. Because the operators differ, what a transfer includes depends on the one you choose, so ask the operator or your resort what is covered when you arrange it.

Rental cars at the airport

Avis, Budget, Dollar Car Rental / Thrifty and Hertz all have offices at Lynden Pindling International Airport, and together they offer a wide selection of vehicles for exploring New Providence. The island is about 21 miles long and under 7 miles across at its widest, so a car lets you reach different corners of it on your own schedule.

Each company can be contacted directly by phone or email, and the numbers are listed on their airport pages. A rental makes sense when you plan to move around the island a lot rather than stay at a single resort. If your whole trip is a few days at Atlantis, the other options above may simply fit better.

Jitney buses and public transport

Jitneys are the small local buses of Nassau, and they are how many residents get around town. They stop running between 6PM and 7PM daily, so an evening arrival will not match their hours.

They suit a traveler staying in Nassau itself who is happy to ride with locals during the day. For a late flight, a heavy suitcase or a stay on Paradise Island, one of the other options will serve you better.

Airport transfer options compared

The taxi is the middle path. It needs no planning, it works at any hour, and the cost follows your party size and your bags, so a couple with carry-ons and a family of five with golf clubs will see very different totals. Its weak point is that you decide at the curb, tired from the flight, rather than at home with time to think.

A pre-arranged or chauffeured transfer trades that spontaneity for certainty. Someone is expecting you, and the plan is settled before you land. A rental car trades the ride for freedom, at the price of having to manage a vehicle on an island you may not know.

If Atlantis is your destination, the useful split is between the taxi, which goes straight there on a zone fare, and the pre-arranged car, which makes the arrival feel like part of the resort stay. Both end at the resort’s door, and the five hotels of Atlantis (The Cove, The Royal, The Coral, The Reef and Harborside Resort) all share the same island.

Arriving at the airport

Lynden Pindling International Airport is the largest airport in the Bahamas and the country’s main international gateway. It was once known as Nassau International Airport, and it is named for Lynden Pindling, the first prime minister of the Bahamas. It sits only about 16 feet above sea level on the western end of New Providence, and a U.S. terminal was renovated to serve as the new U.S./International Arrivals Terminal.

When you land, your first stop is Bahamas Immigration. After that you collect your checked luggage, go through Bahamas Customs, and you are ready for your vacation. Past customs you meet the terminal exits and, outside them, the taxi ranks described above.

Several services are inside the airport. ABM machines provide banking and currency exchange, a nurse’s station looks after medical needs, and a post office lets you send mail before and after flights.

The Travel & Luggage Centre offers luggage storage, which is handy if your room is not ready or your flight leaves late. Smoking is allowed only in designated curbside areas outside the arrivals and departure terminals, and there are no smoking areas past security.

Many airlines serve the airport, among them Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Caribbean Airlines, Copa Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Bahamasair, Western Air, Flamingo Air, Southern Air Charter and Pineapple Air have their hub here, which is how many travelers continue to other islands. For live flight information you can use the Aerocloud app, available on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

On the way home, the airport has a U.S. Customs and Border Protection preclearance facility. You complete U.S. customs and immigration before boarding, so you bypass those inspections when you land in the United States. The facility runs daily from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. U.S. returning residents and green card holders can use Mobile Passport Control and Global Entry in the U.S. Customs hall.

Good to know before you go

The U.S. State Department rates the Bahamas Level 2, “Exercise increased caution”, and says most crime occurs in Nassau on New Providence and in Freeport on Grand Bahama.

The Bahamian dollar is the legal tender, and it trades one to one with the U.S. dollar. U.S. currency is widely accepted around Nassau, as are most major credit cards. A 15% tip is automatically added to restaurant and hotel food and beverage bills in Nassau and on Paradise Island, so check your bill before adding more.

Tap water in Nassau and on Paradise Island is safe to drink, and bottled water is easy to find. Outlets use the standard North American current, so American visitors need no adapter. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, which covers this time of year, so keep an eye on the forecast as your trip approaches.