By Air

The easiest way to get to Playa del Carmen is to fly to the Cancun International Airport (airport code CUN). There are multiple daily direct flights from many international cities as well as from other Mexican cities.

From the Cancun airport, there are numerous ways to get to Playa del Carmen. Here are some:

• Take a bus. The cheapest option. Take a red ADO bus that leaves frequently from the airport to Playa del Carmen (about US$9). In less than an hour, you'll get off at one of the two bus stations in Playa del Carmen, the one at Quinta Avenida and Juarez. From there you can walk to many places, but if you have luggage or your destination is a little farther, take an authorized taxi.
• Take a taxi, or private car or shuttle service. Generally somewhere around US$60 one-way or US$110 round-trip. You can arrange this in advance online with some providers.
• Have your hotel or school pick you up. This is really #2, for the same approximate prices.
• Rent a car. You might want to arrange this in advance too. We don't really find it necessary, since taxis are affordable and plentiful, and you can walk around Playa easily, but having a car certainly affords some comforts. Dollar, Hertz, Thrifty, and Budget all rent vehicles from the Cancun airport. Drive straight down coastal highway 307 to Playa.

Have a question about flying to Playa del Carmen? Ask us!

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By Land

• By Bus
  

  There are two terminales de autobuses in Playa del Carmen: a “new” one called ADO at 20 Avenida and Calle 12, and an “old” one called “del Centro” because of its location at Quinta Avenida and Juarez. Longer-distance, first-class busses arrive at and depart from the ADO station, while you’d go to the Terminal del Centro to take a bus to Tulum or someplace else relatively close, for example.

  ADO is also not coincidentally the name of the main bus line that services Playa del Carmen, although there are other smaller, regional lines too. There are ADO busses direct to Playa from some other large central and southern cities in Mexico, including Mexico City, Mérida, and Oaxaca.

• Driving
  Mexico has quality highways between major cities. We especially recommend the toll roads (cuotas). Many do not have lights, however. For that and general safety reasons, we recommend you drive only during daylight hours. Military checkpoints and ridiculously high speed bumps are both common. Stop for both!

Plan on driving to Playa del Carmen? Click here to get driving directions.

Questions on how to get to Playa? Or ready to start living and loving Spanish at the beach? Contact us today!

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