Best Way to Get From Dumaguete to Bacolod (Quickest & Cheapest!)

Dumaguete and Bacolod are two destinations on Negros Island in the Philippines. There are two ways you can travel the 220km between Dumaguete and Bacolod:

1. Bus & Taxi
2. Taxi

The best way to get from Dumaguete to Bacolod is by bus and taxi. There is no longer a bus route (direct or indirect) between Dumaguete and Bacolod. As such you will have to transfer to a taxi to travel between these two locations.

⏱️ Time: 6 Hours
💵 Cost: 1,500 PHP – 2,300 PHP

The bus and taxi journey from Dumaguete to Bacolod begins at Dumaguete Bus Terminal. From the Dumaguete Bus Terminal, you’ll want to take a Ceres Liner bus to the San Carlos Bus Terminal.

The Ceres Liner buses from Dumaguete to San Carlos leave almost every hour daily between 2:30 am and 6:00 pm.

The journey takes 3 hours and costs 100 PHP. Tickets for the bus can not be purchased in advance. Instead, you’ll need to buy tickets on the bus.

San Carlos Bus Terminal is the final stop for this bus, and sadly, there is no bus from San Carlos Bus Terminal to Bacolod. Instead, you’ll need to take a taxi.

Taxis usually wait outside the bus terminal. The journey will take just over an hour and should cost between 1,400 PHP and 2,200 PHP, depending on your haggling.

⏱️ Time: 4 Hours
💵 Cost: 3,200 PHP – 4,500 PHP

Instead of transferring to the San Carlos Bus Terminal, you can take a taxi direct from Dumaguete to Bacolod. A taxi from Dumaguete to Bacolod will take around 4 hours and cost between 3,200 PHP and 4,500 PHP.

The only Grab offered between Dumaguete and Bacolod is a trike.

I’ve not tested this personally, but given the 4-hour distance, it’s unlikely the driver will take you. Instead, you’ll need to haggle with a white taxi or try to order a taxi in advance.