How to get from Cozumel to Tulum
Tulum is by far one of the most popular destinations to visit in Mexico.
Known for its awesome beaches, lively streets and parties, it’s surely guaranteed to give you a good time, regardless of when you visit.
Tulum is located roughly 65km from the island of Cozumel.
Tulum Quick Summary:
- 📍 Where is it: Southern Mexico
- 🗺 Difficulty Getting There: Very Easy
- ⏱ Time needed: 4+ days
- ☀️ Best Time to Visit: January/February
How to get from Cozumel to Tulum
In this guide, we’ll explore the 5 different options for getting from Cozumel to Tulum. We’ll also cover other important topics like safety and when is best to visit, as well as how to choose the right travel option for you.
Quick Answer: Taking into account the price and the time taken, the overall best option for getting from Cozumel to Tulum is by Taking the Ferry + ADO Bus.
You’ll pay roughly 255MXP (which is around $13USD), and it will take you around 3 hours to get to Tulum from the ferry terminal in Cozumel.
Things to know BEFORE visiting Tulum
If you’re already backpacking Mexico you’ll already be used to some of these precautions, but whatever you do, do not let your guard down in Tulum.
Tulum is a relatively safe town, especially along the main tourist strip and on its beaches. However pickpocketing has become somewhat more of an issue in recent times, so be sure that leave all valuables at home when heading out. Using a quality Money Belt is also a great choice too
Whilst the main strip is fine at night, be careful wandering off into alleys and into the lesser touristy areas of town (the real Tulum), as it can be a little less safe for tourists there.
Getting money out in Tulum
The national currency in Mexico is the Mexican Peso (MXP). Of course, since you’ll already be in Cozumel, in an ideal world you’ll have enough money on you to last you throughout your entire trip.
If not, there are tons of ATMs in Tulum that you can use. We recommend using the ones along the main road (307) that cuts through the town, with the best bank providers including Santander and Scotiabank.
When is the best time to visit Tulum?
We have written a lot about the best time to visit Mexico and like most of Mexico’s Caribbean destinations, Tulum has both a distinct dry and wet season.
The dry season runs from November until April. Average daily temperatures in this period range from 72-78°F, with highs of 90°F and lows of 62°F. Rainfall during this time is low, with only 1.5-3 inches falling in each month.
The wet season runs from May onwards to October. Average daily temperatures range from 77-80°F, with highs of up to 92°F and lows of 69°F.
Rainfall increases during this time of the year, with between 3-6.5 inches falling throughout each month. There’s also a risk of hurricanes during this time too – however, these are more likely between August and October.
Pre-booking Transport
Most of the different ways to get from Cozumel to Tulum will include taking the ferry to the mainland first.
This can be booked online with the two major (and our recommended) ferry providers; Ultramar and Winjet. You can also book Private Transport in advance too, so you’ll be picked up upon arrival in Playa del Carmen.
Getting from Cozumel to Tulum
Let’s now explore 5 options you can take to get from Cozumel to Tulum.
Ferry from Cozumel + ADO Bus
This is the cheapest option possible. Like with the majority of the ways of getting from Cozumel to Tulum, you’ll first need to use the ferry to get to Playa del Carmen.
The price for an adult is 135MXP (roughly $7USD), and for a child, it’s 70MXP (roughly $3.50USD). A similar option can also be booked online (sometimes even cheaper).
Once you’ve arrived in Playa, you’ll then need to head to the ADO bus terminal (literally a couple of blocks from the ferry port), where you can then buy a bus ticket heading to Tulum.
The bus will cost around 120MXP ($6USD), and takes a couple of hours. The buses leave pretty much every hour, and in total this option will take you 3 hours+.
Total Cost: 255MXP+ ($13USD+)
Time Taken: 3 Hours+
Ferry from Cozumel + Taxi
After using the ferry to get to Playa, you can then opt to take a taxi.
The advantage of this over the bus is less waiting time, and also that taxis wait outside the ferry terminal so you won’t have to walk anywhere with your luggage.
A Taxi from Playa del Carmen to Tulum will cost around 600 MXP (which is roughly $ 30 USD).
The obvious advantages of this option are that you’ll be waiting less time between the ferry and transport, and also that you won’t need to walk too far.
Total Cost: 735MXP+ ($37USD+)
Time Taken: 2.5 Hours
Ferry from Cozumel + Private Transfer
This is another popular option, and especially for those who have already booked a hotel in Tulum that offers hotel transfers.
Once you’ve taken the ferry from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen, you can then have your hotel (or another company) pick you up from the ferry terminal and take you directly to your accommodation in Tulum.
Private Transfers from Playa to Tulum start around 700MXP ($33USD).
Total Cost: 835MXP+ ($40USD+)
Time Taken: 2.5 Hours
Ferry from Cozumel + Car Rental
Another popular option once arriving to Playa from Cozumel is to rent a car to get to Tulum, and to also explore the mainland with more ease.
Rentals start from 300MXP+ per day (which is around $15USD+).
The obvious advantage of this is the extra freedom that having your own car brings, however, it will take a bit longer to get to the rental car location, time to fill out the paperwork etc.
Total Cost: 435MXP+ ($21USD+)
Time Taken: 3.5 Hours+
Flight from Cozumel + Overland to Tulum
Despite being an island, Cozumel does in fact have an international airport that welcomes flights in from all over the North American continent.
In this option, it’s possible to fly from Cozumel to Cancún, and then take the ADO Bus down to Tulum (or combine the flight with any of these other above options, such as Car Rental or Private Transportation).
This is by far the least practical and also the most expensive option you can pick, but I guess you never know (maybe all the ferries are closed for the week so this will be the only way).
The flight will cost around 1800-2700MXP ($90-130USD), and takes around 20 minutes.
Total Cost: 2500MXP+ ($120USD+)
Time Taken: 4 Hours+
You can also pre-book a shuttle to take you from Cancun Airport to Tulum too.
How to get from Cozumel to Tulum
And that’s all for our guide on how to get from Cozumel to Tulum.
Tulum is a perfect getaway with its beautiful palm-fringed beaches and its lively center full of restaurants and nightlife options.
In this guide, we’ve explored the 5 ways you can get from Cozumel to Tulum, the pros and cons of each, as well as our overall recommended option.
We’ve also covered important tips and info that you’ll need to know before heading to Tulum, which includes staying safe on your travels.
Be sure to see our Tulum itinerary for more ideas on things to do.
👉🏽 P.S. If you’ve found this guide helpful, buy us a coffee here to say thanks! Or, support us by downloading our South America Travel Bible to get our best content.
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