How to get from Cancun to Playa del Carmen
Are you looking for the best way to get from Cancun to Playa del Carmen?
Known for its bustling streets and fun atmosphere, Playa is an awesome destination to visit in the Riviera Maya. It’s located roughly 68km south of Cancún, which is around an hour of driving.
Aside from its endless array of entertainment options, Playa is also a great place to chill out on its long beach.
It’s also close to many sprawling Mayan temples, vibrant beach towns and also cool cenotes, which all make for some spectacular day trips.
Playa del Carmen Quick Summary:
- 📍 Where is it: Southern Mexico
- 🗺 Difficulty Getting There: Very Easy
- ⏱ Time needed: 5+ days
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: January/February
- 🍴 Top Food/Drink: Cochinita Pibil, Fruit Smoothies
- 🔥 Our Favourite Gem: Aktun Chen Cenote
Cancun to Playa del Carmen
In this guide, we’ll explore the 5 different ways of getting from Cancún to Playa del Carmen.
As well as this, we’ll also look at how to stay safe, when to visit and other good things to know before heading to Playa.
Quick Answer: The Best Way to get from Cancún to Playa del Carmen overall, having compared all routes and also making the trip ourselves countless times, is with the ADO bus.
With buses leaving every half an hour, you’ll never need to wait that long (which can also be pre-booked online too).
As well as being one of the cheapest methods at 225MXP ($ 11USD), the bus is also pretty comfortable with large seats and air-conditioning onboard.
Arriving to Playa del Carmen (Things to Know)
Below we’ll cover a few points when it comes to visiting Playa del Carmen. If you want more ideas on where to go see our Riviera Maya itinerary for more tips.
Safety in Playa del Carmen
Safety is one of your top priorities when heading to Mexico, and Playa is no different. Whilst certainly safer than Cancún, Playa can somewhat vary in safety.
The Quinta Avenida up until the Avenida 20 Norte is a pretty safe area, which is usually bustling with tourists. You can walk alone here both during the day and night, just be sure to keep valuables at home since pickpocketing is a risk. The beach is also pretty safe too.
Anywhere onwards from Avenida 20 Norte starts to get a little less safe (especially at night). Avoid going any further than the motorway bridge, as it can be quite unsafe here!
Getting Money Out
Playa del Carmen is full of ATMs, which dispense either Mexican Pesos or USD. In fact, due to its strong crowds of American Tourists, dollars are also accepted in many restaurants and top rated hotels here and in the region.
In the majority of cases, though, you’ll want to take out Mexican Pesos (100% needed for when traveling around the region). Some of the best banks to use include BBVA and Scotiabank. These have some of the smallest withdrawal charges, and there are many ATMs dotted around town.
When is Best to Visit Playa del Carmen?
Playa del Carmen has both a dry and wet season, each varying the kind of experience you’ll have here.
The dry season starts in November and lasts up until April. Average daily temperatures range from 72-78°F, with highs of up to 88°F and lows of down to 65°F.
This is the driest time to visit Playa, with between 1-2 inches falling throughout each of these months (March is the overall driest month). Heading during the dry season is best for those who want a classic beach experience with hardly any rains, and temperatures that are not too overbearing.
The wet season usually begins in May, and lasts until November. This season gets much hotter than the dry season. Average daily temperatures range from 76-81°F, with highs of up to 90°F and lows of down to 68°F.
Rainfall also gets much heavier, with between 3-6 inches falling throughout each of these months (September is the wettest month of the year).
This time of year is better for those looking for cheaper prices since it’s off-peak. It’s also great for seeing the sceneries transform with much brighter greens due to the rains.
Pre-booking Transport
Playa is probably one of the easiest destinations to pre-book transport for when heading to the Riviera Maya.
With 95%+ tourists arriving into Cancún airport, there’s many private companies that have sprung up here, offering direct trips to your accommodation in Playa del Carmen. These can easily be booked online in advance.
The ADO bus is another popular, and much more affordable way of getting from Cancún to Playa del Carmen. These leave every 30 minutes, and you can book directly through their online booking site here. This is a favorite method.
The other popular option to book in advance is Car Rental, and again there are many companies to choose from such as Alamo and Car Enterprise (usually with their pick-up points inside the airport for extra ease).
How to Get from Cancun to Playa del Carmen
The following options will assume you’re landing in Cancún Airport, and looking to make your way directly to Playa del Carmen.
All of these options are also available in the city centre (it has its own ADO terminal), and will be cheaper too.
Cancun to Playa del Carmen By Colectivo
The local colectivos are a good way to make this trip, and can be found within the airport hopping between terminals. Once you’ve left the arrivals, you’ll see lots of vendors outside offering transport.
It’s the cheapest way of getting to Playa, costing around 200MXP ($10USD). Due to the more informal nature of this method (there’s no actual schedules), it often takes a while waiting for these as they wait to fill up a van before leaving.
If you don’t mind a slight wait, then this option is perfect for you. Depending on who you choose, they’ll either drop you off at your accommodation or at the colectivo gathering point in Playa (drivers speak English so you just need to ask where they’re heading).
Cancun to Playa del Carmen By ADO Bus
This option is also very popular, especially since it leaves on marked times, unlike the colectivos. Costing 225MXP ($11USD), its slightly more expensive, however is a much more comfortable way of getting there.
Since you can pre-book with ADO, you can arrive without worrying about waiting a long time to leave the airport. The buses are also equipped with spacious seats and air con, which is a much needed break from the hot Mexican sun.
They depart every half an hour, and stop off at both ADO terminals in Playa (in town and also along the popular Quinta Avenida).
Cancun to Playa del Carmen By Taxi
This is by the easiest option, since there’s a never-ending stream of taxis circling the taxi ring in Cancún’s airport.
It’s preferable since you’ll be waiting very little time compared to other transport methods, and they’ll drop you directly at your accommodation. Prices start around 1000MXP ($50USD), although this can be negotiated if you can speak Spanish. Carry this handy Spanish book to help you practice along the way.
You can also contact your hotel prior and get a contact who can pick you up, as this tends to be cheaper than arranging a private transport with a company.
Cancun to Playa del Carmen By Car
Another popular method is to rent a car since you’ll have more freedom to explore (and is better for those who plan to visit more of the Riviera Maya during their stay).
There are many desks just after arrivals inside the airport that offer car rental, right next to the ADO desk. The best car rental companies include Alamo and Enterprise, and prices can be as cheap as 300MXP ($15USD) per day.
Of course, you can pre-book this before arriving, meaning you can save time and be off without much delay. If you decide to drive, we recommend avoiding driving at night since it can be less safe (if you don’t speak Spanish, you’ll want to get a good map or directions to avoid getting lost).
Cancun to Playa del Carmen by Private Transport
For those who want the comfiest ride of all, then booking a private ride will be your best bet. This can easily be arranged via your hostel or hotel before you arrive to Cancún airport, who will also be in constant contact with the driver.
Private transfers from Cancún airport tend to start from around 1250MXP ($62USD), however, tend to be more expensive depending on who takes you.
The benefits include no hassle at the airport, and also getting to your hotel in the most efficient way too. Why not book your private transfer here?
Cancun to Playa del Carmen
And that’s all for our guide on how to get from Cancún to Playa del Carmen.
This beach town is a popular hit amongst both tourists and locals alike. With its palm-fringed beach, endless entertainment options and nearby spectacles, Playa is the perfect holiday destination!
In this guide we’ve looked at the 5 different ways of getting from Cancún to Playa del Carmen. This includes the advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as what we most recommend.
We’ve also covered the most important things to know about Playa, which include staying safe, taking out money and pre-booking transport. Why not see our backpacking Mexico guide for more ideas on what to do in the country?
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