Grand Cayman Public Bus Routes

Grand Cayman's public bus network is operated by licensed minibus drivers under the Public Transport Unit (PTU), which sits under the Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure. The network has nine numbered routes (WB1, WB2, WB3, 4A, 7A, 7B, 8A, 8B, and 9A), of which eight currently run; route 7B is suspended as of June 2026. Every route starts and ends at a central depot at 68 Edward Street in George Town and runs bidirectionally: the same bus that heads east in the morning turns around and heads west in the afternoon. The interactive map above is the only one of its kind for the Cayman bus network, built from the PTU's own street-by-street routings (June 2026 Freedom of Information response) and current enough to reflect 7B's suspension, which the official illustrated map still lists.

The system is informal compared to public transit in most cities. There are no fixed bus stops outside the George Town depot. Passengers flag the bus down from the side of the road with an outstretched arm, and signal the driver verbally when they want to get off. Buses are recognisable minivans, typically white with a coloured stripe or route number placard. There is no official app, no schedule display, and no real-time tracking; the closest thing to an app is the interactive route map above, which you can pull up on your phone. You stand by the roadside on a known route and wait for the next bus to pass.

Despite the informality, the system is reliable during weekday daytime hours. West Bay routes (WB1, WB2) run as frequently as every two to five minutes during peak times. Eastern and northern routes (7A, 8A, 9A) run every five to ten minutes. Routes with lower demand (4A, 7B, 8B) run approximately every 30 minutes. Coverage extends to almost every populated part of Grand Cayman, from Rum Point and Cayman Kai in the north to East End and Gun Bay in the east.

There is no fixed printed timetable: Grand Cayman's buses run on frequency within the hours above rather than to set departure times. A bus passes every few minutes on the busy George Town, Seven Mile Beach and West Bay corridors at peak times, and roughly every half hour on the eastern and northern routes, thinning out in the evenings and on Saturdays. Instead of a schedule you pick your route on the map above and wait at the roadside for the next bus.

Fares are charged per journey and rise with distance. Most everyday trips, within George Town, Seven Mile Beach, West Bay, and Bodden Town, are the standard CI$2.00 fare; only the longer eastern and north-coast journeys cost more. The Public Transport Unit publishes the fares as follows:

Drivers expect cash and may not carry change for large notes, so keep small bills or exact change ready. There are no day passes, weekly passes, or transfer tickets; each ride is a separate fare. Fares are set under the Traffic (Public Passenger Vehicles) Regulations and the fare table approved by the Public Transport Board; the amounts above are as published by the Public Transport Unit.

All eight active routes depart from the George Town depot at 68 Edward Street and run in both directions. The map above shows the exact traced path for each route. Here is what each one covers:

West Bay routes (WB1, WB2, WB3)

WB1 · Seven Mile Beach / Turtle Centre. The most popular route for visitors. Runs north along West Bay Road through the Seven Mile Beach hotel strip, then up to Northwest Point Road, the Cayman Turtle Centre, the Hell postal station, Birch Tree Hill Road, Conch Point Road and Mount Pleasant before looping back. Frequency: every 2 to 5 minutes during peak hours. If you are staying on Seven Mile Beach and want to reach George Town without a taxi, this is your route.

WB2 · Seven Mile Beach / Watercourse / Turtle Centre. A complementary West Bay route. It runs up the Seven Mile Beach corridor, then into West Bay via Northwest Point, with an out-and-back along Watercourse Road to the Turtle Centre (Turtle Farm Way), continuing through Hell, Conch Point Road, Powery Road and Mount Pleasant. Frequency: every 2 to 5 minutes. Between WB1 and WB2, a bus toward West Bay passes through the Seven Mile Beach corridor roughly every 1 to 3 minutes on weekday mornings.

WB3 · Airport / Seven Mile Beach / Mount Pleasant. The only route that passes near Owen Roberts International Airport, though it does not enter the airport grounds. Runs via Crewe Road, Dorcy Drive and Owen Roberts Drive past the airport, then up to Seven Mile Beach and deep into the West Bay interior (Batabano Road, Morgan's Harbour, Mount Pleasant, the Turtle Farm, Hell and Thistle Lane) before returning the same way. Frequency: every 15 minutes. Useful for airport-area workers and for reaching the West Bay interior.

George Town (4A)

4A · Hospital / Walkers Road / Fairbanks. A shorter loop serving the George Town residential core: the Cayman Islands Hospital, Walkers Road, the University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI), the Field of Dreams and Fairbanks Road. Frequency: every 30 minutes. Primarily used by residents and hospital visitors rather than tourists.

Eastern routes (7A and 9A)

7A · East End via Wreck of the Ten Sails. The main eastern route. Out from George Town via Crewe Road, Shamrock Road and Bodden Town Road, then along the coast on Sea View Drive (the Blow Holes) and Austin Conolly Drive (Colliers Public Beach and the Wreck of the Ten Sails) to Queen's Highway at East End, returning inland on Frank Sound Road past the Botanic Park. Frequency: every 5 to 10 minutes.

9A · East End via Botanic Park. The same East End loop as 7A, run in the opposite direction: out via Frank Sound Road (passing the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park) to Queen's Highway, then back along the coast via Austin Conolly Drive and Sea View Drive. Frequency: every 5 to 10 minutes. Take this one if you want the Botanic Park early in the trip.

7B · East End via South Sound (suspended). Route 7B is no longer running as of June 2026, according to the Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure. It is not yet known whether the suspension is temporary or permanent. When it ran, it took the southern coastal route via Walkers Road, Smith Cove and South Sound before joining the eastern corridor.

Northern routes (8A, 8B)

8A · Cayman Kai via Crewe Road. Runs east through Bodden Town, then turns north on Frank Sound Road and continues to the Cayman Kai area, Rum Point and Water Cay (Starfish Point). Frequency: every 30 minutes. One of two routes serving the north-coast beaches without a rental car.

8B · Cayman Kai via South Sound. Reaches the same Cayman Kai area as 8A but via a different George Town approach: South Church Street, South Sound and Prospect, then the East-West Arterial Highway and Hirst Road to Shamrock Road and up Frank Sound Road. Frequency: every 30 minutes. The scenic South Sound alternative to 8A.

No fixed stops. Outside the George Town depot, there are no marked bus stops. Stand on the roadside of a bus route, face oncoming traffic, and extend your arm when you see the bus approaching. Drivers will pull over anywhere it's safe to stop.

Signal to get off. Tell the driver your destination when you board, or call out "stopping" or "right here, driver" a short distance before your stop. Locals press the call button if the bus has one, or simply call out.

Carry exact change. Drivers may not have change for a CI$25 or US$20 note. Small bills and coins are best. US dollars are accepted at face value.

The airport gap. No bus route enters Owen Roberts International Airport. WB3 passes nearby on Crewe Road, but there is no walkway from the terminal to the road. For airport arrivals and departures, use a taxi from the stand outside the arrivals door or arrange a rental car pickup.

Transfers at the depot. If you're travelling from one end of the island to the other, say Seven Mile Beach to Rum Point, you'll need to change buses at the George Town depot. Take WB1 or WB2 into George Town, then board an 8A northbound. There is no transfer ticket; you pay a separate fare for each leg, for example CI$2.00 from Seven Mile Beach into George Town, then CI$8.00 on the 8A out to Rum Point.

Weekend and evening limitations. Saturday service exists but is limited: frequencies drop and most routes stop running by mid-afternoon. There is no Sunday service and no public holiday service. After 7:00 pm on weekdays, there are no buses. For evenings and weekends, the alternatives are taxis (use the Daily.ky fare calculator for the regulated rate) or a rental car.

Disabled access. Most minibuses are not wheelchair-accessible. Passengers with mobility needs should contact the Public Transport Unit directly at 1-345-946-1323 to discuss options.

Cruise visitors. The George Town cruise tender landing is a short walk from the bus depot on Edward Street. WB1 and WB2 to Seven Mile Beach cost CI$2.00 each way, significantly cheaper than the CI$20 taxi fare for the same trip. If your ship is in port on a weekday, the bus is a practical and inexpensive way to reach the beach without booking an excursion.