Getting around · Playa del Carmen · Mexico
Getting around Playa del Carmen
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Central Playa is compact and walkable, with the beach, Quinta Avenida, the ferry and the bus terminal close together. Colectivo vans run along the highway to cenotes, Akumal and Tulum, and ferries cross to Cozumel throughout the day. No for the town, where walking, colectivos and the ferry cover the basics.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- CUN, CZM
- Need a car?
- No
Ways to get around
Walking
Most visitors walk everywhere in the centre; Quinta Avenida and the beach run side by side for several kilometres.
Bus
White colectivo vans leave from the centre for Tulum, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal and Cancún, stopping anywhere on the highway; ADO coaches serve Cancún airport and the wider Yucatán.
Tell the colectivo driver your stop; pay in pesos when you get off.
Ferry
Passenger ferries cross from the pier near Parque Fundadores to Cozumel several times a day in about 45 minutes; seas can be choppy on windy days.
Taxi
Taxis are unmetered and charge by zone; fares inside town are moderate.
Confirm the fare before getting in.
Train
The Tren Maya has a station on the edge of town with services to Cancún airport, Tulum and inland towards Valladolid and Chichén Itzá.
Car
Car hire is useful for cenotes, Cobá and Chichén Itzá; the highway is good, but parking in the centre is limited.
From the airport
Cancún International Airport (CUN) is about 55 km north; ADO coaches run directly to Playa's bus terminals in about 45–60 minutes, and shuttles and private transfers are widely available. Cozumel's airport (CZM) is across the strait and linked by ferry.
Do you need a car?
No for the town, where walking, colectivos and the ferry cover the basics. A car helps for multiple cenotes and inland ruins, though tours, ADO coaches and the Tren Maya also reach the main sites.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Cozumel | About 45 minutes by ferry | Passenger ferry from the Playa del Carmen pier |
| Tulum | About 50 minutes by colectivo or car | Colectivo, ADO bus, Tren Maya or car |
| Akumal | About 30 minutes by colectivo | Colectivo along the highway, or car |
| Cobá | About 1.5 hours by car | Car, tour or bus via Tulum |
| Chichén Itzá | About 2.5 hours by car | Tour, car or Tren Maya |
| Isla Mujeres | About 1.5–2 hours by road and ferry | Bus or car to Cancún, then ferry from Puerto Juárez |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Playa del Carmen?
No for the town, where walking, colectivos and the ferry cover the basics. A car helps for multiple cenotes and inland ruins, though tours, ADO coaches and the Tren Maya also reach the main sites.
+How do you get from the airport to Playa del Carmen?
Cancún International Airport (CUN) is about 55 km north; ADO coaches run directly to Playa's bus terminals in about 45–60 minutes, and shuttles and private transfers are widely available. Cozumel's airport (CZM) is across the strait and linked by ferry.
+What is the best way to get around Playa del Carmen?
Walking: Most visitors walk everywhere in the centre; Quinta Avenida and the beach run side by side for several kilometres.