STI airport transfer with a baby: car seats and strollers

Car seats are free, but they have to be requested

Every car seat we carry is included in the fixed price. There is no rental fee, no per-day charge and no deposit. What we do need is notice: seats live at the depot, not in the boot of every car, so the driver collects and installs the right one before heading to the airport. A seat requested at the last minute on WhatsApp usually still works, but a seat requested when you book always works.

Send the child's age and approximate weight rather than just "a baby". A nine-month-old and a three-year-old need different equipment. If you have two children, say two, and say the ages of both.

Seats are cleaned between uses and installed by the driver, who does it several times a day. You are welcome to check the fit and tighten it yourself before you sit down.

Which seat for which age

Newborn to roughly 12 months, up to about 10 kg: a rear-facing infant carrier, belted into the rear seat. This is the one that most often needs to be requested in advance because it is age-specific.

Roughly one to four years, 9 to 18 kg: a forward-facing convertible seat with a five-point harness. This is the workhorse seat and the one we carry most of.

Roughly four to eight years, 15 to 36 kg: a booster that positions the adult belt across the child's shoulder and hips.

If you prefer your own seat, bring it — it rides free as part of your luggage, and the driver will help fit it. Just tell us, so we do not bring a duplicate that takes up space.

Where the stroller goes

In the boot, and it does not count against your luggage allowance. A folding umbrella stroller disappears into any vehicle. A full-size travel system with a detachable carrycot fits a standard car, but it eats most of the boot, so if you also have three or four large suitcases the maths stops working.

That is the single most common family miscount: two adults, one baby, three large cases, a travel system and a car seat is not a sedan. Tell the desk what you actually have and we send a minivan on VIP or an executive van on VIP.

Fold the stroller at the curb; the driver loads it.

The airport part of the day with a baby

STI is a small, single-terminal airport, which is good news with an infant: short walks, no sprawling concourses. From aircraft door to curb, plan 30 to 45 minutes in a normal arrival window — immigration, baggage, customs.

There are toilets with changing facilities in the arrivals area. Do not count on finding formula, specific baby food or a particular brand of nappies at the airport — buy those on the first supermarket run instead.

Your driver waits inside arrivals with a name sign and takes the trolley from you as soon as you are through. Waiting time is included and tracked against your flight number.

A supermarket stop on the way to the hotel

Nappies, formula, wipes, water and snacks are cheaper at a supermarket than at a hotel shop, and the drive from the airport into Santiago passes La Sirena, Jumbo and Supermercado Nacional. A stop of 20 to 30 minutes on the way in is one of the most useful things a family with a baby can do on arrival day. See the supermarket-stop guide for how it is arranged.

Boiled or bottled water is what most visitors use for making up formula. Bottled water is in the vehicle, and every supermarket sells large bottles cheaply.

The drive itself: 15 minutes or 90

How long your baby has to sit in a seat depends entirely on the destination. Santiago city and Licey/Tamboril are 15 to 25 minutes. La Vega and Moca are 30 to 45. Jarabacoa and Puerto Plata are 60 to 80. Sosúa and Cabarete run 75 to 105 minutes over the Cordillera Septentrional.

For anything over about 45 minutes with an infant, a short stop is normal — the driver will pull over somewhere sensible for a feed or a nappy change if you ask. It is a private car; nobody else is waiting.

Air conditioning is on in every vehicle and the driver will adjust it. Say if the vents are blowing straight at the baby.

Prices with children

Share the child's age and seat requirements alongside the flight and accommodation. A stroller and checked bags also affect the vehicle arrangement; send that information before the pickup is confirmed.

VIP prices are one-way, per vehicle for 1–6 passengers. Taxes included. Santiago $59; La Vega $89; Jarabacoa $149; Puerto Plata $145; Sosúa $159; Cabarete $169 USD. VIP 7–14: +$40 USD.

Seven to fourteen passengers move to a van, which adds $20 to the VIP rate and $40 to VIP on local destinations. Car seats, bottled water, flight tracking, meet-and-greet and waiting time are all included; see the full table on the price list.

The return leg with a child

Book the return at the same time. Lobby pickup buffers vary by destination — the departure buffers guide lists every zone. With a small child, take the earlier end of the window.

Ask for the car seat again on the return; the desk usually carries the request over when both legs are booked together.

Booking it

Send the arrival date, flight number, hotel name, number of adults and children with ages, the number of suitcases, the stroller, and how many car seats you need, to WhatsApp +1 849 377 5889 — or use the quote form on any destination page. You get a written confirmation with the fixed price, the vehicle and the seats listed on it.

Nothing is charged at booking. Payment is in cash to the driver or by the card options described in the money and tipping guide.

Questions we get on this

Do you provide car seats for babies at STI?

Yes, free of charge — infant carriers, forward-facing convertible seats and boosters. They must be requested when you book so the driver can collect and fit the right seat before going to the airport.

Does a car seat cost extra?

No. Car seats are included in the fixed transfer price, with no rental fee or deposit. There is no infant surcharge either; children are counted only for vehicle sizing.

Can I bring my own car seat from home?

Yes. Your own seat travels free as luggage and the driver will help fit it. Tell the desk so we do not bring a duplicate seat.

Where does the stroller go?

In the boot, and it does not count as a suitcase. A folding stroller fits anything; a full-size travel system plus four large cases means the desk sends a minivan or van instead of a car.

Are children counted as passengers for the price?

They are counted for vehicle size, not for the fare. One to six passengers of any age travel at the fixed destination rate — Santiago $59 VIP. Seven to fourteen move to a van at $20 more on VIP or $40 on VIP.

Can the driver stop for a supermarket or a feed on the way?

Yes. A 20 to 30 minute stop at La Sirena, Jumbo or Supermercado Nacional can be arranged when booking or in the car, and on longer runs the driver will pull over for a feed or nappy change whenever you ask.