lolavix Posted January 27, 2016 #1 Share Posted January 27, 2016 _____________________________________ (fill in the blank with your favorite US city). I keep reading how horrific the traffic is in St. Maarten, near Maho. It's making me nervous. :o Can anyone compare it to something in the US? On par with LA/New York/Boston/DC? Easier? Worse? As a rule of thumb, how long would you give yourself to get back to your ship if Maho is the last thing you have planned? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtaylor Posted January 28, 2016 #2 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Here's the traffic headed back to Philipsburg from Maho/Simpson Bay. Personally, I'd allow two hours, depending on 'all-aboard' and when you plan to leave Maho. (click) gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lolavix Posted January 28, 2016 Author #3 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Thanks for the photos. All aboard is at 4:30, so we're looking at leaving by 2:30 at the latest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtaylor Posted January 28, 2016 #4 Share Posted January 28, 2016 You'd probably be ok, but with a 4:30 all-aboard, I'd probably be out by 2:00. At 2:30, you'd be up against a Simpson Bay Bridge opening at 3:00, though your taxi driver should know to divert to the Causeway crossing. Simpson Bay Bridge: 08.30 hrs - Outbound 09.30 hrs - Inbound 10.30 hrs - Outbound 11.30 hrs - Inbound 15.00 hrs - Inbound 16.00 hrs - Outbound 17.00 hrs - Inbound Simpson Bay Causeway: 07.30 hrs - on call on weekends 08.15 hrs - In & Outbound traffic 09.45 hrs - In & Outbound traffic 10.15 hrs - In & Outbound traffic 11.45 hrs - In & Outbound traffic 15.15 hrs - on call. In & Outbound traffic 15.45 hrs - In & Outbound traffic 17.15 hrs - In & Outbound traffic gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruiser 4 Life 66 Posted January 28, 2016 #5 Share Posted January 28, 2016 (edited) Can't really compare it with a US city. Different kinds of roads. Narrow, windy, potholes. Typical Caribbean island roads. Give yourself 90 minutes to two hours to get back from Maho. We made it all the way back to Philipsburg and got stuck in traffic there for 30 minutes within site of the ship down in the Front Street area mess. Edited January 28, 2016 by Cruiser 4 Life 66 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shine Posted February 2, 2016 #6 Share Posted February 2, 2016 We went to Maho on Thursday. Headed back to the ship around 4:20, took an hour and a half. Our ship wasn't leaving until the next day so we didn't have to worry about that, but it was a very long ride back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted February 2, 2016 #7 Share Posted February 2, 2016 To answer OP's question with a comparison to a particular US traffic situation, I would suggest that he visualize what eight blocks on US 1 (the Boston Post Road) in downtown Stamford , CT would be like on a Friday afternoon if word had gone out that there had been a semi flipped over on the parallel I-95. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anung Un Rama Posted February 11, 2016 #8 Share Posted February 11, 2016 So I've seen a lot of people complaining about the traffic getting back from Maho Beach. How about getting back from Orient Beach? We're there the last day of our vacation and I really don't want to have to sit in a cab for 2 hours either way. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare fletch1027 Posted February 11, 2016 #9 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I'll be there for the 1st time next week. I have read that there's a water taxi that can get you from downtown to the port - bypassing the street traffic. Is that correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCruisers Posted February 12, 2016 #10 Share Posted February 12, 2016 _Any city at rush hour ___________________________________ (fill in the blank with your favorite US city). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Hlitner Posted February 12, 2016 #11 Share Posted February 12, 2016 The problem with driving on St Maarten is that there are very few roads connecting point A to point B (substutute Maho and Phillispburg) and the existing roads are 2 lanes that are often somewhat congested. If going from Maho back to the port we would allow at least an hour (to be very safe) but the trip will likely take no more then 30 min. Hank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karysa Posted February 12, 2016 #12 Share Posted February 12, 2016 The problem with driving on St Maarten is that there are very few roads connecting point A to point B (substutute Maho and Phillispburg) and the existing roads are 2 lanes that are often somewhat congested. If going from Maho back to the port we would allow at least an hour (to be very safe) but the trip will likely take no more then 30 min. Hank Even with the new bridge we would leave a 2 hrs window to get back to the port from Maho with a ship on the line. When it's bad it is crawling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karysa Posted February 12, 2016 #13 Share Posted February 12, 2016 I'll be there for the 1st time next week. I have read that there's a water taxi that can get you from downtown to the port - bypassing the street traffic. Is that correct? You can take a water taxi or even walk to town. Most folks use the water taxi or walk it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
navybankerteacher Posted February 12, 2016 #14 Share Posted February 12, 2016 So I've seen a lot of people complaining about the traffic getting back from Maho Beach. How about getting back from Orient Beach? We're there the last day of our vacation and I really don't want to have to sit in a cab for 2 hours either way. Thanks in advance. Coming back from Orient is likely to be much easier than from Maho. The road runs down the east side of the island - without any possible open draw bridge or heavily built up area , other than the last mile or so just north of the port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anung Un Rama Posted February 12, 2016 #15 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Coming back from Orient is likely to be much easier than from Maho. The road runs down the east side of the island - without any possible open draw bridge or heavily built up area , other than the last mile or so just north of the port. Thank you. I think we may want to target Orient beach instead. I could really care less about the planes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karysa Posted February 12, 2016 #16 Share Posted February 12, 2016 Coming back from Orient is likely to be much easier than from Maho. The road runs down the east side of the island - without any possible open draw bridge or heavily built up area , other than the last mile or so just north of the port. Much more predictable. Usually less than 30 minutes and 1/2hr buffer would be OK to me on this route. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sebas030 Posted February 12, 2016 #17 Share Posted February 12, 2016 We were there Wednesday 2 weeks ago and it took us 30 minutes from Maho to the pier leaving Maho at 2:45. Our tour guide explained that now the school busses cause the majority of the traffic because they have to block both lanes of the road when letting kids off the bus as an added security procedure. The good news is if you miss the ship and your next port is Tortola or an other Island close, it's a short inexpensive flight to catch the ship the next day ;) Have fun ! . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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