Jamaica has no rail service and the road network, while improving, ranges from good dual carriageways to genuinely terrible parish roads. How you get around depends heavily on where you're going and how flexible you want to be.
Route Taxis
Route taxis — shared minibuses and cars that run fixed routes — are the cheapest and most ubiquitous way to travel between towns. They depart when full, not on a timetable, and stop anywhere along the route on request. Fares are very low. The downside is that they can be crowded and the driving erratic. For short distances between nearby towns they're hard to beat.
Buses
The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) operates formal bus services mainly in Kingston and Montego Bay. Intercity coaster buses (privately operated minibuses) fill most gaps in the network and serve every town of any size. They're cheap and genuinely useful for getting off the resort strip, but expect waits and full vehicles. There's no central booking — you find the right bus station in each town and ask.
Car Rental
Numerous local and international operators rent cars. Driving is on the left. The main highways (notably the North Coast Highway and the toll highway between Kingston and Montego Bay) are in good condition; secondary roads less so. Driving standards vary dramatically from cautious to startlingly aggressive — expect to be overtaken on blind corners. Keep calm and don't get drawn into confrontations.
Taxis
Licensed taxis (red plates) and ride-hailing apps operate in Kingston and the resort towns. Always agree on a fare before you start the journey, or use the meter where one exists. Unofficial taxis are common; they can be fine but there's no recourse if something goes wrong.
Domestic Flights
Air link flights connect Kingston, Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios, and Port Antonio. They're relatively expensive but save a lot of time — the road journey between Kingston and Port Antonio, for example, takes over 2 hours each way.