How to get from Cancun to Tijuana

Why visit Tijuana?

Tijuana is Mexico’s most significant border city to the United States. It’s located in the Mexican state of Baja California, right next to the city of San Diego in the US.

The border crossing of San Ysidro is one of the most transited in the world. Many travellers going to the US prefer to fly into Tijuana and then cross the border by land because flying from Mexico to San Diego or Los Angeles directly is often 1,5 times as expensive.

The border crossing between Mexico and the USA isn’t the only reason people visit Tijuana. The city is a thriving cultural hub with a well-known and vibrant nightlife centred mainly in the downtown area around Avenida Revolucion. Or as Manu Chau would put it: Welcome to Tijuana, Tequila, sex and marijuana.

Tijuana also claims to be Latin America’s capital for craft beer and FYI, the place where Caesar salad originated.

The flight is the only suitable way for travellers to cross the distance of 440 kilometre (273 miles) from Cancun to Tijuana. The journey takes around 5 hours 45 minutes to 6 hours, and ticket prices start from 1,540 MXN ($85).

Travelling from Cancun to Tijuana is quite a journey because you’re going from the eastern tip of Mexico to the most western part of the country.

Direct flights take around 6 hours, including airport transfers.

Your departure airport is Cancun International Airport, 30 km from Cancun city centre.

Tijuana’s airport is conveniently located next to the border with the United States and you can actually cross the border without leaving the airport. If you do want to visit Tijuana, the city centre is just 15 minutes away by car.

TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.

To get to Cancun Airport, you can catch an ADO bus from ADO Centro Cancun. Buses begin operating as early as 01:00, with departures every 30 minutes from 04:00 to 22:30. Travel time is around 30 - 45 minutes. You can book your tickets directly at the bus station or online via BookAway, starting at 135 MXN ($7.50).

Uber is also available with rates starting at 335 MXN ($18.70). But if you want to pre-book your private transfer, you can do so via BookAway, where you can get a 5-seater car for 660 MXN ($36.50).

See our Cancun Airport page for a more extensive guide.

Two airlines fly direct flights from Cancun International Airport to Tijuana: Viva Aerobus and Volaris. Flight time is around 5 hours.

Prices for airline tickets start from 1,210 MXN ($67). Make sure to check Skyscanner for the cheapest flights!

The arrival airport is Tijuana International Airport on the northern side of Tijuana, next to the border with the United States. It takes around 15 minutes to get to the city centre by car/taxi.

Authorised taxi counters are located in the airport arrival hall and a taxi to the city centre will cost around 350 MXN ($19.50).

For cheaper rates, you can always book an Uber. They are available in Tijuana, and a ride from the airport to the city centre starts from 190 MXN ($10.60).

But just a heads-up: there have been reports that Uber drivers aren’t officially allowed to pick up passengers at the airport. You might need to walk a bit away from the terminal to meet your driver, and prices can sometimes be higher because of this.

Both taxis and Uber are available 24/7.

Border crossing into the United States

If you want to travel into the United States, you can cross the border through CBX (Cross Border Express), which connects directly to Tijuana Airport and is located after the baggage claim.

To use CBX, you need to buy a special ticket through your airline for 520 MXN ($29), and you have two hours from the time of arrival to cross. Note that you must not exit the airport, or you will lose the right to use the CBX.

The paperwork takes around 15 minutes, significantly less than if you go through the San Ysidro crossing, where the waiting time is between 1-2 hours. As San Ysidro is the main crossing point where the rest of the travellers go, there are usually long lines and the vehicle inspection usually delays traffic.

After you pass through customs, you will arrive at the CBX bus terminal. There are different buses and shuttles departing constantly for cities in California like San Diego or Los Angeles.

Travelling this route round trip? You can also check out our guide for Tijuana to Cancun.