North America > 🇸🇽 Sint Maarten
The city by city Car or no Car advice for Sint Maarten can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Sint Maarten ; is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Sint Maarten ?
These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.
💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Sint Maarten ?
These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.🏙️ Main Cities in Sint Maarten
| CITY | IATA | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Philipsburg | SXM |
🇸🇽🇫🇷 Should You Rent a Car in St Martin (Sint Maarten / Saint-Martin)?
If you want total freedom to explore the island’s beaches, food stops, lookouts, and quiet coves, renting a car is useful 🚗✨. But if you prefer to relax, stay in one or two hubs, and take occasional boat trips, you can absolutely visit without one 🌴🚐.
🚗 Driving in Sint Maarten / Saint-Martin
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Roads are paved, but traffic jams are common around Simpson Bay, Cole Bay, Marigot and Philipsburg.
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Parking can be tight near beaches, especially Maho Beach.
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The island loop is small enough to drive in about an hour ⏱️.
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A compact car is usually enough. SUVs help only if you want rural track access.
👉 The biggest advantage of a car: flexibility to stop anywhere — hidden beaches, lolo grills, roadside views, and bakery runs on the French side 🥐🌊.
🚐 Getting Around Without a Car
It’s entirely possible — and sometimes easier.
🚌 1. Minibuses (cheap + local)
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Frequent on the main roads
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Very inexpensive
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Good for hopping between Phillipburg, Simpson Bay, Marigot, Grand Case
You flag them down anywhere and shout where you want to get off. Easy and fun 😄.
🚕 2. Taxis (reliable but pricey)
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Readily available at airports, hotels and tourist hubs
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Set prices between major points
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Not cheap, but great for short hops or night-time returns
🛵 3. Scooters
Widely available but only for confident riders.
🛥️ Ferries & Boat Trips — What Actually Runs Today?
The map doesn’t always show it correctly, so here is the real situation ⬇️
🟢 Scheduled Ferries (No Charter Needed)
🚤 Pinel Island (Îlet Pinel)
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5-minute boat from Cul-de-Sac
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Runs every 20–30 mins
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Very easy + very popular
🚤 Anguilla
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Marigot → Blowing Point
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Several times daily
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Passport required
🚤 St Barths
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Ferries run from Philipsburg and Marigot
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Rougher seas, but perfectly doable
- Passport required
🚤 Saba
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Ferry from Simpson Bay (The Edge)
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A superb hiking day trip
- Passport required
🔵 Charter Required
🚤 Tintamarre (Îlet Tintamarre)
No scheduled ferry.
Access only via:
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Charter catamaran
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Snorkelling trip
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Private speedboat
🛂 Passport Rules (The Confusing Part, Explained Simply!)
This always trips people up. Here’s the clean version:
🟢 NO passport needed to cross the Dutch/French border on the island.
You can walk/drive freely — there is no checkpoint.
🔴 Passport IS needed when you leave the island, even to another French territory.
Examples:
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Saint-Martin → Saint-Barths = passport
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Saint-Martin → Guadeloupe = passport
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Sint Maarten → Anguilla = passport
The Dutch and French sides share a borderless island, but not a shared external border policy.
⭐ Verdict: Should You Rent a Car in Sint Maarten / Saint-Martin?
👍 YES, rent a car if:
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You want to beach-hop freely
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You enjoy exploring backroads
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You’re staying in multiple locations
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You value convenience over cost
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You want flexibility for food, sunsets, and errands
👎 NO, skip the car if:
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You prefer a relaxed base-and-boat holiday
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You’ll stay mainly in Simpson Bay, Grand Case, Marigot or Philipsburg
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You’re happy using buses + taxis
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You love boat trips to Pinel, Saba, Anguilla, St Barths
🌴 Balanced Answer
Many travellers do rent a car, but you don’t need one.
For an active week: car = freedom
For a chilled beach + boat week: no car = perfect