Five-minute rides and no taxi haggling: hotel shuttles at TAB
Most hotel “shuttles” at A.N.R. Robinson (TAB) are pre-booked transfers in cars or vans, taking 5–15 minutes to reach Crown Point resorts like Coco Reef and nearby package-tour hotels. They suit guests whose airport transfer is already bundled with a room or tour price, especially landing on late LIAT, Caribbean Airlines, or British Airways flights when you don’t want to argue over fares outside.
There’s no fixed-schedule hotel bus line-up outside TAB; regulars note that most properties around Crown Point contract standard taxis on demand instead. Your transfer cost may appear as a separate line item on the hotel bill or be buried in the package rate, so ask the front desk or tour rep directly if you’re paying extra beyond your nightly room cost.
One TripAdvisor guest at Coco Reef described a driver meeting them in the arrivals hall with a name sign, then a ride of just a few minutes door to door. Another reviewer on a package holiday reported a small shuttle van shared with other passengers from the same flight, and said they never saw a general “hotel bus” you could just walk up and board at the curb.
How to use hotel shuttles at A.N.R. Robinson (TAB)
- 1. Confirm with your hotel before you fly. Email or call your Crown Point hotel at least 24 hours before arrival and ask if airport transfer is included, the exact cost in TT$ or US$, and whether it’s a private car or shared van.
- 2. Send your flight number and arrival time. Several Tobago guesthouse owners say they only dispatch a car if they have your flight number and ETA, especially for late-night arrivals after 21:00, so give them the details in writing.
- 3. On landing, walk straight to arrivals. After baggage claim, head into the public arrivals area at TAB and look for your name or hotel name on a handheld sign; contract drivers typically wait just beyond the exit doors.
- 4. Double-check the driver identity. Because both hotel drivers and independent taxis tout here, ask the person to confirm your name, hotel, and approximate price before following them to a vehicle.
- 5. Expect a quick 5–15 minute ride. For Crown Point and Store Bay properties, the drive usually stays under 10 minutes; only more distant spots toward Scarborough push closer to the 15-minute mark.
- 6. Build in wait time for shared vans. Package-tour shuttles sometimes sit at the curb for 20–30 extra minutes while other guests clear immigration or are located by the rep, so don’t count on being at the hotel within five minutes of reaching arrivals.
- 7. Have a backup plan after delays. If your flight arrives very late and no driver appears within 15–20 minutes of exiting customs, follow what Tobago regulars suggest and use the official taxi rank outside, where fares to Crown Point are regulated for the short run.
Final tip: before you land, write down your hotel’s phone number and confirmation of transfer on paper or a screenshot, so if the arrivals area is crowded or confusing you can call from the curb and confirm which driver is actually yours.