Transport in Trinidad and Tobago


Trinidad and Tobago, a country that relies heavily on industrialisation and tourism, has various transport systems.

Air service

is the larger island, with a business-oriented economy and the seat of the country's government and Piarco International Airport, the country's most major airport. A smaller number of international flights from fly directly to Tobago's Arthur Napoleon Raymond Robinson International Airport. There is also a small airfield name Camden Airstrip in Couva, which is mainly used for cropdusting planes.

Public transport

Public transport is provided by a bus service operated by government-owned Public Transport Service Corporation, privately owned mini-buses and privately owned cars. Maxi-taxis and some cars carry passengers along fixed routes for a fixed fare, although cars are slightly more expensive for similar routes carried by maxi-taxis because of their much smaller passenger capacities. Car taxis are not allowed to utilise the Priority Bus Route, and as such maxi-taxis and buses are preferable for speedily entering and exiting the cities during rush hour.
In downtown Port of Spain on a street referred to as South Quay is the historic site of the Trinidad Government Rail building at. This former railway facility is now the current administrative and bus loading headquarters of the Public Transport Service Corporation. The compound also houses the Maxi Taxi loading facility which is located in its north- eastern quadrant. The Maxi Taxi loading facility is utilized by both route two or red banded Maxi Taxis and route three which are green banded. The red banded Maxi Taxis ply for hire from Port of Spain eastward to as far as the town of Sangre Grande. Green banded Maxi Taxis ply for hire from Port of Spain in a southern direction to either Chaguanas which is considered central Trinidad or to the region of San Fernando located along the South- western coast of Trinidad. The entire PTSC compound located on South Quay Port of Spain is officially referred to as The Port of Spain Transit Centre. The name "City Gate" to which the facility is popularly referred cannot be legally of officially used by the PTSC of on any official documentation used to refer to this facility.
Other Maxi Taxis such as the Route one or yellow banded Maxis ply for hire from Port of Spain to West/ North- West Trinidad. This loading facility is located on #19- 21 South Quay in downtown Port of Spain approximately two hundred meters West of the PTSC. This Route one facility caters to persons travelling to locations such as; Diego Martin, Petit Valley, St. James, Caranage, Chagaramas and Maraval.
In all other locations and for Port of Spain Intra-city transportation, taxi-stands are scattered at various streets of the town or region, and after sunset some of these taxi-stands may change location, although this changed location is also fixed. Recently there has also been a growth in popularity of American-style taxi-cabs that do not work along a fixed route and they can be booked for specific times for specific journeys.

Ferry service

operate between Port of Spain and Scarborough. Cars can be brought onto the ferries and kept in the cargo areas. Ferries run daily, Sundays to Sunday. The ferries are inexpensive, in spite of the minimum 2½–3 hour travel time between Port of Spain and Scarborough.
The Water Taxi Service operates between the cities of Port of Spain and San Fernando at a peak rate of five sailings from San Fernando to Port of Spain per morning. Each sailing carries approximately 400 passengers. Travel time is 50 mins and the cost of the service is heavily subsidized.

Railways

There is a minimal agricultural railway system near San Fernando, but the Trinidad Government Railway that was built while Trinidad and Tobago was a colony of the United Kingdom was gradually scaled back until it was discontinued in 1968. .
On April 11, 2008 the Trinitrain consortium announced it would plan and build 105 km two line Trinidad Rapid Railway. It was claimed that the new railways were needed to overcome growing road congestion. However the project was cancelled in September 2010.

Roads

total:
8,320 km
paved:
8,320 km
unpaved:
0 km
Trinidad Island also has a large and complex highway network that consists of three 6-lane freeways:
Other Major Highways
Tobago Highways
Minor Highways
Pipelines:
crude oil 1,032 km; petroleum products 19 km; natural gas 904 km
Ports and harbours:
Pointe-à-Pierre, Point Fortin, Point Lisas, Port of Spain, Scarborough, Tembladora
Merchant marine:
total:
2 ships totaling /
ships by type:
Airports:
6
Airports - with paved runways:
total:
over 3,047 m:
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total:
914 to 1,523 m:
under 914 m:
2