Grenada Route Buses Explained: Zones 1 to 9 and Where They Go

Grenada has no state bus company and no timetable. Public transport is a fleet of privately owned minibuses, each licensed to run a particular route and each carrying a large number on the windscreen that tells you, broadly, where it goes. Grenadians simply call them route buses, and on the main corridors one passes every few minutes from early morning until evening.

The system looks chaotic for the first half hour and logical after that. The numbers are zones radiating out from the capital, the fares are fixed by the authorities rather than haggled, and almost every route starts or ends at the bus terminal on Melville Street in St George's. Once you know the zone you need, you can reach most of the island for a few EC dollars.

How the zone system works

Each route bus displays a zone number, usually on a sticker or painted panel at the top of the windscreen. The number tells you the corridor the bus serves from St George's, not a precise list of stops. Within a zone there are often two or more branches that share the first part of the journey and then split, so a number 2 bus might be heading for Woburn or continuing along the south-east coast towards Grenville. The final destination is usually called out by the conductor, and a quick question before you board settles it.

Buses do not follow a printed timetable. They leave the terminal when they have enough passengers, then pick up and drop off anywhere along the route. On the busiest corridor, from St George's to Grand Anse, the wait is rarely more than a few minutes in daytime. On rural branches, especially in the north and east, gaps of half an hour or more are normal outside school and work rush hours.

The fleet is licensed and regulated by the national transport authorities, which set routes and fares. Route numbers and branches have been adjusted over the years, so a guidebook list can be slightly out of date; drivers and conductors are the best source of current information.

The zones at a glance

Most routes radiate from the Melville Street terminal in St George's. The outline below is the broad pattern; branches and exact stops vary, so confirm with the conductor.

• Zone 1 — St George's via the Lagoon Road or Belmont to Grand Anse, Calliste and Grand Anse Valley. The busiest route and the one most visitors use. A separate service runs through Lance aux Epines towards St George's University at True Blue.
• Zone 2 — south and south-east: towards Springs, Woodlands and Woburn, with a long branch via Calivigny and Westerhall along the south-east coast to Grenville.
• Zone 3 — up the hills behind town via Richmond Hill and Morne Jaloux.
• Zone 4 — inland St George and St John villages such as St Paul's and Vincennes, with branches towards the west coast.
• Zone 5 — the west coast: Grand Roy, Gouyave, Victoria and on to Sauteurs in the far north.
• Zone 6 — across the mountains via Grand Etang and Birch Grove to Grenville.
• Zone 7 — northern suburbs including Tempe and Mount Parnassus, and Annandale.
• Zone 8 — hillside communities north of town via Cherry Hill.
• Zone 9 — a cross-country link in the north between Sauteurs and Grenville, through the farming villages of St Patrick and St Andrew.

Fares and paying

Fares are set by the government and depend on distance. Short hops within the Zone 1 corridor cost a few EC dollars, and the longest journeys from St George's to the far north or the east coast cost several times that. Published fares have generally ranged from about EC$2.50 to around EC$6.50, but a review of fares has been under discussion, so check the current rate with the conductor rather than relying on old figures. Fares are the same for visitors and residents.

Pay in cash, in Eastern Caribbean dollars. Conductors will often accept US dollars, but change comes back in EC dollars and small US notes are easier than large ones. Have coins or small notes ready; nobody wants to break a hundred-dollar note for a short ride.

Most passengers pay the conductor when they get off, although on some routes the conductor collects once the bus is under way. Large bags may attract a small extra charge if they take up a seat.

Hours, frequency and when buses thin out

Early mornings. Buses start around six in the morning, earlier on routes that carry workers into St George's. The first hours are busy with commuters and school children, and buses into town fill quickly.

Daytime. Late morning and early afternoon are the easiest times to travel. On Zone 1, buses run every few minutes. Rural routes are less frequent but steady.

Evenings. Service drops away after about seven in the evening on many routes, and rural buses can stop well before then. Zone 1 between St George's and Grand Anse runs later than the others. If you need to be back from the north or east, catch an afternoon bus.

Sundays and public holidays. Fewer buses run on Sundays, especially in the afternoon, and some rural routes barely operate. Plan Sunday trips around a taxi or a hire car.

Carnival and big events. Around Spicemas and major events at the National Stadium, routes may be diverted and buses crowded. Allow extra time.

Changing buses and reaching the far corners

For trips between two places outside St George's, you usually change buses. To go from Grand Anse to Gouyave, for example, take a Zone 1 bus into the Melville Street terminal, then walk to the bay where Zone 5 buses wait. Each zone has its own loading area at the terminal, and people waiting there will point you in the right direction if you ask.

Grenville, the main town on the east coast, is the second hub. From there buses run north towards Sauteurs and the villages of St Andrew and St Patrick, and back to St George's by the Grand Etang road or the south-east coast. Sauteurs is the hub for the far north. A full loop of the island by bus, St George's to Sauteurs along the west coast, Sauteurs to Grenville, and Grenville back over the mountains, is possible in a day if you start early and do not linger.

Carriacou has its own small network of minibuses, numbered differently, running between Hillsborough and the main villages. They follow the same principles: flag them down, pay in cash and check the destination before boarding.

Common mistakes on route buses

Assuming the number tells you the exact destination. Several branches share a zone number. Always confirm the final stop before boarding, especially on Zones 2, 4 and 5.

Waiting at a bus stop that buses do not use. Official stops exist, but buses stop anywhere it is safe. Stand where you are visible and wave a hand when the right bus approaches.

Leaving the return too late. Missing the last bus from a rural area can mean an expensive taxi. Ask the conductor what time the last bus back usually runs.

Carrying only large notes. Conductors often lack change early in the day. Keep a supply of small EC notes and coins.

Expecting a bus straight to the beach car park. Some beaches, such as La Sagesse or Bathway, are a walk from the nearest road a bus uses. Ask the conductor to drop you at the closest junction and check how far you will have to walk.

Frequently asked questions