Transport in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize

Mexico transport - Meet people on the buses!

Mexico transport by car

Mexico and particularly the Yucatan peninsula are easy to travel by car. Travelling in Mexico is easy, roads are well paved, safe and petrol is widely available in the larger towns and cities. You can determine your own pace and when and where you want to stop. Traffic isn't too heavy, particularly on the toll roads. All in all, driving in Mexico isn't a bad choice.

In Mexico most roads are relatively flat, dual carriageways. The north of Yucatan is flat and open, while Chiapas is more hilly with dense vegetation. You could compare driving in Mexico with the south of Europe, but in Mexico we'd recommend driving only in daylight.

Mexico transport - Topes (Speedbumps)

When planning your route take into account that your average speed in Mexico will be around 60km/per hour. You won't be able to go much faster than that thanks to the 'topes', the infamous Mexican speed bumps which you'll encounter in every village you pass through. Nine out of ten times these topes are clearly marked, like in the picture, but sometimes they're not. They seem innocent but you don't want to miss them.

For more information on Mexico transport see our car hire Mexico information page. On our travelling in Mexico page we've listed some examples of the most popular routes.

Mexico transport - Cuotas and libres

The major cities in Mexico are linked by 'cuotas' (toll roads) and 'libres', normal (free) roads. The benefit of driving on the cuota is that they're faster and you won't come across any nasty topes. The libres however takes you through the Mexican countryside and are more scenic, which makes the trip more fun. Because driving distances on your trip can be quite big, it's better to take the cuota on the following routes: the fast route from Merida to Campeche (toll approx £3) and from Campeche to Palenque (approx £6) and Villahermosa to Tuxtla (direction San Cristobal, approx £6). To keep Mexico transport efficient, a new cuota is currently being built on the route from Chetumal to Tulum.

The libre is better between Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Holbox, Valladolid, Chichen Itza, Merida, Lagartos and Tulum and if you're travelling from Merida to Campeche via the Mayan ruins at Uxmal, the so-called Puuc Route.

Mexico transport - Scheduled bus

If you don't have a driver's licence or don't want to do any driving yourself, but also if you want to visit Mexico's neighbouring countries (where you can't take your rental car), then we can arrange your Mexico transport by first-class bus.

The buses depart on a fixed schedule (usually early morning) directly to your destination and have comfortable reclining seats and a/c. Overnight buses run on some routes. Where it's easy to arrange locally we'll leave the transfer from/to the bus station up to you. That way you won't waste time waiting for your transfer and won't need to have everything pre-arranged for you. With some broken Spanish and a bit of flexibility this is the best way to travel. A two-week trip by bus will cost around £80 per person less than a self-drive trip.

Mexico transport - This isn't a first class bus!

Mexico transport - Plane

Cancun International Airport is very small so you'll be through customs in no time, after which it's a 15 minute drive to the Zona Hotelera (the beach) or Cancun centre. Playa del Carmen is 1 hour south. In Mexico City the international airport is quite a way out of the city so in rush hour it'll take about an hour to get to your hotel.

Mexico has several airlines of which AeroMexico and Mexicana fly most domestic routes, for example Mexico City to Oaxaca, Cancun or Merida. Palenque and San Cristobal de las Casas don't have an airport. Flights to Guatemala City, Flores in Guatemala and Belize City depart from Mexico City and Cancun. Local flights start around US$120 per person (approx £75).

Mexico transport - Taxi

You won't have much trouble finding a taxi in Mexico and they're very affordable and easy to spot. Most rides within a city cost US$2 - $5. Some taxis have a meter, if not then agree on the fare beforehand and make sure you have small change.

Radio taxis, which you'll find at the hotels are more expensive than the street taxis. Nowhere in the world has as many taxis as Mexico City and the roads are literally green with Beetles chugging round the city. There are plenty of illegal taxis so to be safe take a licenced (radio) taxi from one of the official taxi stands (hotel, shopping centre), or ask the hotel reception to call you a taxi for your transport in Mexico.

Other transport in Mexico:

Train
Mexico does have a rail network but trains are slow, uncomfortable and unreliable. They're not used much by tourists.

Metro (Mexico City only)
Mexico City is an immense city but you can easily get from one end to the other by using the metro system. Avoid rush hour though, when it's incredibly busy and you'll probably be crammed into the carriages like sardines, as well as becoming an easy target for pickpockets. We thought the metro system was very efficient and safe. In every train you'll see someone trying to sell you something, be it the best shoe-shine or best salsa CD. Metro (Mexico City only)

City buses
City buses are generally not recommended; they're very busy and cramped. Besides, taxis are barely more expensive so spare yourself the hassle.

Route	Travel Time (approximate)
Cancun - Playa del Carmen	1 Hour
Cancun - Holbox	3 Hours
Holbox - San Felipe	3 Hours
San Felipe - Izamal	3 Hours
Izamal - Chichen Itza	1 Hours
Chichen Itza - San Felipe	3 Hours
Izamal - Campeche	5 Hours
Cancun - Chichen Itza	4 Hours
Campeche - Palenque	6 Hours
Palenque - San Cristobal	5 Hours
Campeche - Villahermosa	6 Hours
Palenque - Calakmul	5 Hours
Calakmul - Tulum	6 Hours
Calakmul - Playa del Carmen	7 Hours

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