How to get fromMexico City to Oaxaca

What to expect when visiting Oaxaca

Oaxaca (pronounced wah-haak-kah) is a city filled with colourful colonial streets, architecturally-beautiful churches, communal squares, archaeological sites, and welcoming people. It’s also famous for its stunning embroidery and textile crafts. And those are only a few of the reasons why it has landed itself on the UNESCO world heritage list.

Also called Oaxaca de Juárez, the city is well-known for its exciting food scene, offering several dishes that are unique to just the Oaxaca region. A tip when visiting Oaxaca: eat your heart out! One dish you can’t leave without trying is the stew-like Mole, best paired with the popular Mezcal — a strong upgrade from Tequila!

3 ways to get from Mexico City to Oaxaca

The 3 ways to travel the distance of 462 kilometers (287 miles) from Mexico City to Oaxaca are by: bus (6 hours 30 minutes to 8 hours 30 minutes), private transport (6 hours to 6 hours 30 minutes) and flight (2 hours 15 minutes). The journey duration ranges between 2 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 30 minutes and the quickest way is by flight. The lowest priced tickets start from 420 MXN ($21) for the bus.

There are many direct buses operating from Mexico City to Oaxaca. The bus ride itself takes 6 hours 30 minutes to 8 hours 30 minutes. Quite long, but it’s a scenic route so you can just think of it as a road trip.

Buses depart from different locations, but the most popular and most convenient is Mexico City’s main station, Terminal de Autobuses de Oriente TAPO. TAPO bus station is about 15 minutes away from the city centre.

You can easily get there by Metrobus or Metro for just 6 MXN ($0.30).

If you’re not quite sure what the difference is, the Metro is a train that goes underground, whilst the Metrobus is a big bus that has its own lane on the roads and has set stops. Most of the time, this makes the Metrobus a quicker transport option than normal buses.

To get from the city centre to Mexico Terminal TAPO, you can either take Metro line #1 or Metrobus line #4. In both cases, the journey will take around 20 minutes and you should get off at San Lazaro Station. From there, it’s just a 2-minute walk to TAPO Bus Station.

ADO, Mexico’s most popular bus company, is the main operator of buses from Mexico City to Oaxaca. ADO offers a reliable and comfortable bus service with a lot of legroom.

Also available are ADO’s sub-bus companies:

• AU – the cheapest and most basic bus that doesn’t have a toilet on board
• ADO – an upgraded version of the basic AU buses
• ADO Platino – a luxury bus offering comfortable seats, individual screens, snacks and Wi-Fi, but also the most expensive

All of them are first-class buses with AC and reclining seats. The ADO GL and ADO Platino buses offer a few additions like separate toilets for men and women, coffee onboard and charging ports.

The journey time also varies slightly depending on the bus company you choose. ADO GL and ADO Platino offer the fastest travel time, whilst AU is the slowest.

Another option is via Dolphins Autobuses. Their rates are competitive and it will mainly depend on your preferred time of travel and your hotel’s distance to the bus terminal. Note that their terminal is located in Moctezuma Calle Francisco Espejel, less than 2 kilometres from TAPO.

Prices for a bus ticket from Mexico City to Oaxaca start from 365 MXN ($18.10). The bus trip takes around 6h 5m - 8h 5m.

Depending on where your hotel is located, you may either walk or take a short taxi ride to your final destination in Oaxaca – whether your bus made its last stop at the main bus station in Central Autobuses de Oaxaca or at Terminal Periferico.

The taxi rates, of course, depend on where you’re headed but fares start from 50 MXN ($2.50).

Travelling from Mexico City to Oaxaca by flight is pretty easy because both airports are located close to the city centre. Also, if you book well in advance, you can get a flight ticket that’s just a few dollars more expensive than the much slower bus.

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

Mexico City Airport is big and busy, so make sure you know which terminal you are departing from. It’s also a good idea to arrive with plenty of time before your departure time.

Flights from Mexico City to Oaxaca depart from Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX). This airport is accessible from the city centre with line #4 on the Metrobus. This shuttle bus service can take you to Mexico City Airport in around 45 minutes. A bus ticket costs 30 MXN ($1.50).

If you prefer, you can use Uber or hire a taxi, which can cut your journey time to around 25 minutes, depending on traffic. Rates start at 200 MXN ($9.90).

For more details and transport options, check out our guide on Mexico City Airport.

A number of flights operate from Mexico City to Oaxaca daily between 07:30 and 21:30. Flight time is around 1 hour.

Several airlines fly between the two cities, such as AeroMexico, Viva Aerobus and Volaris.

In terms of service, AeroMexico is the largest airline. It has great service and departs to Oaxaca around 3-4 times a day, but they come with slightly higher rates. Viva Aerobus and Volaris are more affordable options, but only have one departure a day for the Mexico City to Oaxaca route.

If you’re looking to save money, book your direct flight in advance as fares tend to increase closer to the travel date.

Oaxaca International Airport is about 10 km south of the city centre. There are a few ways you can get to your hotel from Oaxaca’s airport, but we recommend taking either a 50-minute colectivo or a 30-minute taxi.

Colectivos are easily available at the airport and they will take you right to your hotel in Oaxaca. The only disadvantage is that travel time may take longer depending on how many passengers are dropped off at their hotels before you. One-way tickets cost 90 MXN ($4.50) and you can buy them at the airport’s main hall.

If you prefer speed and comfort, you can take a taxi with rates from 350 MXN ($17.30). The actual price will depend on the location of your hotel. You’ll have to prepay your ride at the taxi office in the arrivals hall.

Unfortunately, Uber or similar apps don’t work in Oaxaca. As for public transport, you can get a bus outside the airport. It’s the cheapest way to get to the city centre for only around 10 MXN ($0.50). But you’ll have to walk a bit going to the bus stop and then walk again (or take a taxi) upon arrival at the city centre. We don’t think that’s a great idea when you’re possibly carrying bulky luggage.

A private transfer is a convenient option when travelling in a group from Mexico City to Oaxaca.

Rates start from 9,000 MXN ($445) for a 3-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s about3,010 MXN ($150) per person. Travel time is around 6 hours to 6 hours 30 minutes.

Private Transport options from Mexico City to Oaxaca