The Dominican Republic Is Set To Become More Accessible

A rising number of tourists are eager to delve deeper into the areas they visit, setting out in quest of the local history and culture.

The absence of public transit, expensive taxi prices, and safety concerns are common obstacles for anyone seeking authenticity in the Caribbean.

However, if all goes according to plan, vacationers visiting the Dominican Republic will have an easier time adding authentic themes into their beach getaway. A train connection between Punta Cana and Santo Domingo has been announced by the government. The privately financed project is expected to begin construction by the end of the year and is estimated to cost $3 billion.

For less than the price of a bus ticket, passengers may travel from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo in only 58 minutes, according to Jose Alberto Ares, president of Empresas Ares, the company responsible for building the project.

According to Ares, there will be five stages to the project, with the first linking Santo Domingo, the capital, to Santiago de los Caballeros, the second biggest city in the nation. The second phase will link the capital with Punta Cana, a trip that may take up to 2.5 hours, using a network of six stations spread out over a distance of 93 miles.

In the opinion of Ares, the first two stages of the project will link Punta Cana and Santo Domingo within three years. It might take up to 15 years, but the line will ultimately cover the whole nation, linking ports and airports in all of the regions. In addition, services including food courts, banking, and entertainment facilities would be available at each stop.

Punta Cana had an increase in air travel arrivals of around 4.1 million compared to Santo Domingo last year, as reported by Tourism Analytics. Linda Welch, owner and chief executive officer of Blue Ash Travel in Cincinnati, sees the potential in the rail route to Punta Cana.

Welch speculated that some visitors staying at all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana could be interested in visiting Santo Domingo to learn more about the Dominican Republic's history and culture. The railway system, it is hoped, will be very clean, very economical, and very safe, so if advertised well it is expected to become the main transportation method for visitors.

 

source: travelweekly.com