Oaxaca to Mexico City

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How to get from Oaxaca to Mexico City

Mexico City, the capital of Mexico, is one of the biggest cities in the world. Over the years, it’s collected an impressive mix of pre-Columbian, Spanish colonial and modern history that can be seen in any of its 150 museums and galleries.

With so many attractions to visit, our favourites include the National Anthropology Museum, the Fine Arts Palace and Soumaya Collection Museum.

Mexico City has something for all types of travellers from history, culture, sports and shopping, to amazing cuisine and fun nightlife. Some of the most authentic activities you can enjoy include watching a Lucha Libre fight or sampling all sorts of delicious tacos at the city centre’s taquerias.

New to Mexico City? Our compact Mexico City guide shows you the best areas to stay, restaurants you don’t want to miss and many more tips for your visit to Mexico City!

2 ways to get from Oaxaca to Mexico City

There are 2 ways to travel the distance of 462 km (287 miles) from Oaxaca to Mexico City. These are a 7.5-hour bus ride and a 2-hour-10-minute flight (including transfers). Rates start from 696 MXN ($40.50) and 1,080 MXN ($63.00), respectively.

Apart from being the cheapest option, buses will also save you money on accommodation if you choose to travel at night. Most buses in Mexico come with great service so you can expect a smooth ride in an air-conditioned bus from Oaxaca to Mexico City. You can also get a decent night’s rest while saving time and money.

If you don’t feel like spending 7 hours on the bus, then flying is a much faster way to get from Oaxaca to Mexico City. It takes only a little over 2 hours (including airport transfers) and combined fares start from 1,080 MXN ($63.00). You can get a better deal if you book really early — plane fares can cost just around the same price as a bus ticket.

Something to consider about flying is its impact on the environment. We recommend adding a carbon compensation fee to reduce the impact of your flight.

There are several buses departing every day from Oaxaca to Mexico City, with the journey taking around 7 hours. The good thing is that most of these are overnight buses, which means you’ll get to save day time as well as one night on accommodation.

Different bus companies have varying departure points in Oaxaca. So it’s important to know beforehand which bus company you’re travelling with.

• ADO, ADO GL and ADO Platino depart from Central de Autobuses de Oaxaca in the city centre.
• AU has 2 departure points. One is Terminal Periferico, which is also located near the tourist area.
• The other AU bus station is at Terminal Santa Rosa, situated some 5 km northwest of the city centre.

The best way to get to any of the 3 bus stations is to take a taxi. Rates start from 50 MXN ($2.90). If you’re staying close to Terminal Periférico, you’ll be able to walk because it’s just 15 minutes from Oaxaca’s main square.

The main company covering the Oaxaca-Mexico City route is Mexico’s most popular bus company, ADO. It offers good service and comfortable bus trips. Besides the main ADO buses, some of ADO’s sub-branches also operate on this route, including:

• AU – the cheapest option, basic and doesn’t have a toilet on board.
• ADO GL – an upgraded version of the basic ADO buses.
• ADO Platino – a luxury bus offering comfortable seats, individual screens, snacks and Wi-Fi. It’s the most expensive, but it also gets good reviews.

All of these buses come with AC and comfy seats. The ADO GL and ADO Platino buses offer additional perks like separate toilets for men and women, coffee onboard and charging ports.

There are a good number of bus trips you can choose from daily so you can be flexible with your schedule. Bus ticket prices from Oaxaca to Mexico City start from 640 MXN ($37.00) and travel time is more or less 7 hours.

Bus schedules from Oaxaca to Mexico City

We highly recommend booking your ticket at least a day before for guaranteed seats on your target travel dates — especially if you’re travelling around big holidays like Christmas, Easter and the Day of the Dead.

If you prefer to buy tickets at the bus station, try your best to get there around 30 minutes prior to your desired travel time. Otherwise, tickets may be sold out and you’ll have to wait for the next trip.

In Mexico City, you’ll be dropped off at Terminal de Autobuses de Oriente or TAPO. It’s located about 10 km east of downtown Mexico City, between the city centre and the airport.

The great thing about this bus station is that it’s the closest to the city centre and the 20-minute taxi/Uber ride costs only around 70 MXN ($4.00).

You can also get to the city centre by Metrobus for just 6 MXN ($0.30). You’ll need to board the Metrobus at San Lazaro Station, right in front of TAPO Bus Terminal. Take line #4 and you’ll reach the city centre in about 20 minutes.

Taking a direct flight from Oaxaca to Mexico City is a lot quicker. From Oaxaca city centre to the airport takes about 30 minutes, followed by the 1-hour flight to Mexico City, and then another 45 minutes from Mexico City Airport to the centre. Total travel time is a little over 2 hours.

If you’re worried about the cost, taking a flight between the two cities is also not that more expensive than the bus when you book your tickets early.

All flights from Oaxaca to Mexico City depart from Oaxaca International Airport, located about 8 km south of the city. It takes around 25 minutes to get there by car.

The fastest and most comfortable option is to take a taxi for around 250 MXN ($14.50).

Flights from Oaxaca to Mexico City are available daily from 06:40 to 20:00. Flight time is approximately 1 hour.

There are 3 airlines covering this route; AeroMexico, Viva Aerobus and Volaris.

In terms of service, AeroMexico is a bigger airline and offers 3 or more departures a day with superior service, but this usually comes at a higher price. Viva Aerobus and Volaris offer only one departure a day each but are the most affordable options.

Keep in mind that the earlier you book your tickets, the higher the chance of getting a low price. Airfares generally range from 800 MXN ($46.50) to 1,000 MXN ($58.00). Good deals await when you book early, though. Rates can go as low as 640 MXN ($37.00).

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There are a few airports in Mexico City, but you will arrive at Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX), about 15 km east of the city centre. It’s easily accessible by many different public transport options: a 45-minute bus, a 25-minute taxi/Uber, a 30-minute shared minivan, and a 50-minute Metro.

The MetroBus offers the most value for money. Take line #4, which departs right outside of Terminals 1 and 2. The rate is just 30 MXN ($1.70) and it takes about 45 minutes to reach Republica de Argentina, the closest stop to the main square Zocalo.

The most convenient option is a 20-minute taxi or Uber. Taxis are prepaid via the taxi counter at the airport. Rates depend on your destination, but prices start from 300 MXN ($17.50). If you have internet access, Uber is a cheaper alternative with fares from 200 MXN ($11.50).

You can check our Mexico City Airport page for more detailed information on how to get to the city from the airport.