Playa del Carmen to Tulum

What to expect when visiting Tulum

Cancun might be the most famous destination on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, but many people actually prefer to spend their time in the Riviera Maya in Tulum. Lying by the Caribbean coast, Tulum is becoming an ever-more popular beach destination in the Riviera Maya. It used to be overshadowed by bigger cities nearby like Playa del Carmen and Cancun. But as more people want to escape the bustle of these places, many are now heading to Tulum for a more laidback, bohemian vibe.

The town of Tulum was named after its stunning Mayan ruins perched on top of a cliff, overlooking the ocean below. But as beautiful as these ruins are, for us the best thing to do in Tulum is to go cenote-hopping! Some of the most beautiful cenotes in Mexico can be found here.

3 ways to get from Playa del Carmen to Tulum

The bus is the best option if you’re travelling with luggage. Unlike the colectivo, most buses allow one large piece of luggage and one hand luggage per passenger.

Although a bit more expensive than the colectivo, you’ll have plenty of space for your stuff (in the luggage compartment), as well as good legroom. Another advantage is that they go straight from Playa del Carmen to Tulum.

The bus companies operating from Playa del Carmen to Tulum are AU (Autobuses Unidos), ADO Conecta and ADO. All buses offer air conditioning, a toilet and reclining seats.

Both ADO bus and OCC bus are good in terms of quality. AU, on the other hand, is cheap but does not receive as good reviews. Thus, we recommend taking either ADO bus or OCC for this route.

A bus ticket costs only 80 MXN ($4.10).

Departure

When booking, pay attention to the departure and arrival points.

You can find an ADO bus station from two terminals in downtown Playa del Carmen – Turistica and Alterna. Turistica is the main bus terminal located just across Parque Los Fundadores and is surrounded by many Playa del Carmen hotels.

All bus companies depart from Turistica. But if you are able to reserve a seat in Alterna (located 1 km away from Turistica), the bus will also stop there to pick you up.

Arrival

In Tulum, the buses make a last stop at two different locations. The ADO bus station is located in the town centre, while the Tulum Ruins are about 4 km east of downtown Tulum. Depending on where you’re staying, you may have to take a 20-minute taxi to or from the bus stations.

The cheapest option is the colectivo. However, they don’t have any room for luggage and will stop on the way to pick up and drop off passengers, so the ride is longer.

If you’re planning on taking just a day trip from Playa del Carmen to Tulum, then the colectivo may be the better option because it also allows you to visit any of the attractions along the way.

Colectivos are also the cheapest way to get to any of the cenotes, archaeological ruins, or beaches on the way. Unlike buses, colectivos are allowed to stop everywhere.

As they are used mostly by local workers and not by tourists, they don’t have space for luggage. Therefore, the colectivos are only a good option for day trips to Tulum or if you are travelling with just hand luggage. Also if you are already in Tulum, it’s a great way to reach the Tulum ruins site.

The colectivo ride from Playa del Carmen to Tulum (which takes 1 hour) costs around 45 MXN ($2.30), but prices can increase during peak tourist seasons, from December to February.

Departure

Playa Express and Colectivos Foraneos depart from the colectivo bus stop in Playa del Carmen. This bus stop is located in the tourist area, just a couple of blocks away from the main bus terminal.

Sindicato Lazaro Cardenas departs from a few blocks away, at Benito Juarez Avenue.

Arrival

All colectivos park at the bus terminal in Tulum. However, unlike buses, you can get off prior to the last stop if your accommodation is on the way or if you want to go to the archaeological ruins before entering the town.

Colectivo companies

The two main companies operating from Playa del Carmen to Tulum are Playa Express and Colectivos Foraneos. These colectivos run every 15 minutes or when the vehicle reaches its capacity.

• Playa Express operates from 04:00 to 23:00. More comfortable than Foraneos with more space between seats and working AC.
• Colectivos Foraneos run 24 hours.

An alternative to the local colectivos is the shared minivans operated by Chiquila Holbox Extreme, which you can book online through BookAway. These minivans cater more to tourists, so the ride will be tons more comfortable than the ordinary colectivos. This option is a bit more expensive at 165 MXN ($8.40).

If you don’t want to travel by public transport, you can take a taxi. With a taxi, you can ask to be dropped off anywhere in Tulum. You can go straight to the Mayan ruins or to one of Tulum’s beautiful beaches like Playa Paraiso.

Also if you only want to explore Tulum on a day trip, then the taxi is the best choice.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tulum are in the Riviera Maya, so rates aren’t that expensive especially if you’re with a group. Prices start from 1,480 MXN ($76) and the taxi ride takes 45 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.

Rates start from 1,270 MXN ($65) for a 4-seater car. You can hail a taxi from the street, but we recommend getting one outside of 5th Avenue as prices are often more expensive in the tourist area.

Note that taxis are not metered in Playa del Carmen, so make sure you agree on a price before getting in!

Taxi options from Playa del Carmen to Tulum