How to get from Mexico City to Acapulco

Why visit Acapulco?

Acapulco is a popular destination on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. It is relatively close to Mexico City and therefore a local favourite beach destination. Some of its most popular beaches are Punta Diamante, Playa Caleta, La Condesa and Puerto Marques.

The beaches in Acapulco are calm and pleasant, perfect for water activities like paddleboarding and kayaking. But if they’re not enough for you, you can always take a boat to explore the lovely shores of nearby Isla Roqueta. The surf isn’t so great except for a few spots in the south by Punta Diamante.

You shouldn’t miss the traditional cliff diving show at a spot known as La Quebrada, where experienced divers jump from heights of 25m to 35m after climbing the cliff without any ropes. We recommend spending your sunsets at any of the restaurants by the bay, admiring the skyline backdropped by the sky’s changing hues.

Beyond the beaches, Acapulco also offers interesting historic and cultural spots like the Fort of San Diego, the Acapulco Historical Museum and the area around the Zocalo. If you are interested in wildlife and bird watching, Tres Palos Lagoon is home to beautiful mangroves, lush flowers, countless fish and colourful birds.

There are 3 ways to travel the 380 kilometre (236 miles) distance from Mexico City to Acapulco. You can choose between the bus, shared minivan and flight. The journey takes 2 hours 30 minutes to 7 hours 50 minutes and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by shared minivan with tickets starting at 300 MXN ($17.10).

A minivan ride from Mexico City to Acapulco isn’t just convenient — it’s also the cheapest way to travel this route. With fares from 300 MXN ($17.10), it’s more than 50% cheaper than what you’d pay for a luxury bus. The minivan ride takes about 5 hours 10 minutes, depending on traffic.

Only one company is operating on this route: Reserv Van. What we like about this option is the free hotel pickup and drop-off. This saves you the hassle and extra cost of finding your way to and from bus stations.

Shared Minivan options from Mexico City to Acapulco

You can choose from three bus companies when travelling from Mexico City to Acapulco: Edo Pluss, Estrella de Oro Diamante and ETN.

With several bus departures from early morning to late at night, you can be quite flexible with your schedule. The entire trip takes around 5 hours 35 minutes to 7 hours 50 minutes. That includes the transfers to and from the bus stations, which are easily accessible by public transport.

Most buses to Acapulco depart from Mexico City’s southern bus terminal, also known as Terminal Taxqueña. This terminal is near Coyoacan, a well-known tourist area, and about 12km south of the Centro.

Getting there is easy if you’re coming from the city centre. The Metro is a budget-friendly option, with tickets costing 5 MXN ($0.30). You can hop on Line #2 at Zocalo or Pino Suarez Station. It’s a direct ride to Taxqueña, the last stop on the line. The train station is conveniently located right in front of the southern bus terminal.

If you prefer, you can also use a taxi or Uber to get to the bus station. Rates from the city centre cost around 160 MXN ($9.10).

You have a few options when travelling by bus from Mexico City to Acapulco.

Edo Pluss and Estrella de Oro Diamante are part of the same company, but Diamante offers a more premium experience. Both buses have air conditioning, reclining seats and toilets. Diamante elevates the experience with bed-style seats, refreshments upon boarding, charging ports and individual screens.

ETN is another luxury option. Its buses have extra legroom, premium seats with leg rests, separate toilets and personal entertainment screens.

The bus trip from Mexico City to Acapulco takes around 5h - 7h 15m. Ticket prices start from 755 MXN ($43).

Your bus trip ends at Acapulco de Juarez Central Bus Station, which is close to the city centre and just a few blocks from the beach. Many accommodations are within walking distance.

If your hotel is located outside of the city centre, you can take a taxi. The rate will depend on the distance but starts at around 50 MXN ($2.80).

Both cities have their own airports, but flying from Mexico City to Acapulco doesn’t save as much time as you might think.

The flight itself takes just over an hour, but when you factor in airport transfers, the total journey is at least 2 hours 30 minutes. Add the waiting time at the airport and that’s almost as long as taking a direct bus.

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

Flights to Acapulco depart from Benito Juarez or Mexico City International Airport (MEX), which you can find 10 km east of Mexico City. You can get there in 3 ways: via Metrobus (45 minutes), Metro (50 minutes), or taxi/Uber (25 minutes).

If you’re staying in the city centre, the easiest option to reach the airport is the Metrobus (Line #4). The nearest stop to the main square is Republica de Argentina and a bus ticket costs 30 MXN ($1.70). The Metrobus serves both Terminals 1 and 2 of Mexico City Airport.

For more comfort, you can use Uber/Taxi. Fares from the city centre to the airport start at around 110 MXN ($6.30).

Coming from outside of Mexico City and looking for the cheapest way? The Metro costs only 5 MXN ($0.30). But keep in mind that bulky luggage isn’t allowed in the Metro and there are no direct trains to the airport.

For more info, check out our detailed guide for Mexico City Airport.

Direct flights from Mexico City to Acapulco are available three times a day, between 06:05 and 16:55. Flight duration is about 1h 15m.

Two airlines fly this route daily: Aeromexico and Volaris. If you’re open to layovers, you can also find flights with stops in Tijuana or Guadalajara.

Volaris offers the lowest fares, starting from 800 MXN ($45.50). Since this route is in high demand, we recommend booking a few weeks in advance to get the best rates.

Acapulco International Airport is about 25km southeast of the city centre. Taxis are the most common way to reach your hotel, with airport taxis charging around 400 MXN ($23).

A better option is booking a private car with BookAway. It’s more convenient since you can pre-book your ride. It’s also cheaper, with rates for 3-seater cars starting at 290 MXN ($16.50).

For larger groups, private minivans for up to nine people are also available through BookAway.

Travel time takes about 30 minutes.