Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca

How to get from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca?

Once you’ve had enough of lazing on the beach or surfing for hours on end, you can switch things up and head to the city of Oaxaca. If you like wandering around gorgeous buildings, learning about history and taking stunning pictures, then you will love Oaxaca city centre.

Don’t forget to visit the traditional markets for both delicious food and beautiful handicrafts. Oaxaca has plenty of famous sites to visit, including the archaeological ruins of Monte Alban, the Ethnobotanical Garden and the Santo Domingo de Guzman temple. Oaxaca is also famous for its traditional weaving and embroidery, so make sure you visit the textile museum to get a glimpse of this fabulous work.

There are three main options to cover the 256km (159 miles) between Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca. These include a 7-hour colectivo, a 10.5-hour bus ride, or a more expensive, 25-minute flight. Tickets for the microbus cost 250 MXN ($12) while bus fares start from 580 MXN ($29). Flight tickets cost around 2500 MXN ($118).

Colectivo, Bus or Flight?

Colectivos are the cheapest option but do keep in mind that they are smaller, so you’ll have less space between the seats. They are the fastest out of the land options as they follow the most direct route. Unfortunately for some, the direct route is a curvy and bumpy one. The Colectivo will get you to Oaxaca a bit faster, but it may not be the most pleasant ride if you are prone to travel sickness.

The buses offer a more comfortable journey but do take longer as they are unable to travel on the winding road that the Colectivos use. A big bonus of the bus is that it’s an overnight bus, allowing you to save money on accommodation and not waste a day travelling.

If budget is not an issue, then the third option is probably for you. You can actually take a 30-minute flight between Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca, but it costs at least 2500 MXN ($118).

However, the planes are small and carry only 6-15 passengers, so make sure you are not afraid of flying in this type of aircraft before choosing them. Also, small planes like this are very polluting. Therefore, if you choose to fly, consider paying an emission compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.

Itinerary from Puerto Escondio to Oaxaca

Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca by Colectivo

Duration: 7 hours
Cost: From 250 MXN ($12)

Colectivos take the most direct road to get to Oaxaca and the vehicles are usually sprinter type minivans.

Since you will be riding on a windy and bumpy road, it’s probably best to avoid this option or to take some medication before departure if you are prone to motion sickness.

Step 1: Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca

Duration: 7 hours
Cost: From 250 MXN ($12)

Some of the most popular companies travelling between Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca are ‘Villa del Pacífico’ and ‘Service Express’. Both companies offer multiple departures every day, so you can buy your ticket on short notice without the worry of them selling out.

Both companies offer a similar standard of quality, but Villa del Pacifico has a few more departures a day. Both will depart from ‘Terminal TUR’ near Puerto Escondido’s main beach. If you are staying nearby you can walk to the station, otherwise, you can take a taxi with rates starting around 50 MXN ($2).

You will have at least one chance to stretch your legs during the ride, as the Colectivo will stop for about 30 minutes for eating and using the toilet.

Unfortunately, there’s no option to book online. This means the only way to purchase tickets for the Colectivo is from the ticket office at each bus stop. The average price is 250 MXN ($12) but can vary a bit depending on demand.

Step 2: Oaxaca Bus Terminal to City Centre

Duration: 5 minutes
Cost: 50 MXN ($2)

The Colectivos will drop you at their own stop or you can also ask the driver to get off earlier on in the journey. Both Villa Playa and Service Express’s stops are within the city centre, meaning most people will be able to walk to their accommodation.

If you prefer, you can also take a taxi, which starts at around 50 MXN ($2.30).

Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca by Bus

Duration: 10 hours 45 minutes
Cost: From 630 MXN ($31.30)

If you value having space to stretch your legs and a toilet on board, then the bus is a better option for you. However, be prepared to spend 10.5 hours on the road. We recommend stocking up on water, snacks, a good book or playlist to make the journey more pleasant.

Step 1: Bus from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca

Duration: 10.5 hours
Cost: From 580 MXN ($29)

Buses going to Oaxaca depart from the Main Bus Terminal in Puerto Escondido, located just a few blocks from the main beach.

The company that runs this service is OCC, a sub-branch of ADO (Mexico’s largest bus company).To make the journey a bit more bearable, buses have reclining comfortable seats, an onboard toilet and AC.

Buses operate every day and have two departures in the evening, meaning you’ll get to Oaxaca the next morning.

Check Bus Tickets on ClickBus

Step 2: Oaxaca Bus Terminal to City Centre

Duration: 15 minutes
Cost: From 50 MXN ($2)

Once you arrive in Oaxaca, you’ll be dropped at the main station, ‘Central de Autobuses de Oaxaca’, located on the northeast, around 10-15 minutes by car from the city centre.

It takes around 30 minutes to walk to the city centre, so for most people, the best option is to take a taxi. There are authorised taxis right outside of the terminal entrance, where you’ll find that an average rate to the city centre costs between 50 – 80 MXN ($2.30 – $3.70).

Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca by Flight

Duration: 25 minutes
Cost: From 2500 MXN ($118)

If you look on booking platforms such as Skyscanner you’ll notice that there are no direct flights for this route.

This is not because they don’t exist, but because they are operated by two small local airlines called Aerotucan and Aerovega.

Flying from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca is the fastest way, but also an expensive one.

Step 1: Flight from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

Duration: 25 minutes
Cost: From 2500 MXN ($118)

All flights depart from Puerto Escondido’s International Airport. If you chose this option, don’t expect the big jumbo-jets that most of us are used to flying on, these planes are small!. If you are not comfortable with single propeller planes, it’s probably better to avoid this and stick to any of the land options or make a layover.

Since the planes for both airlines flying directly are small, they tend to sell out quickly so it’s better to book ahead.

Indirect option with a layover in Mexico city

If you still don’t fancy the idea of bumpy roads and a long journey but want to fly on a  bigger plane, you can consider a layover in Mexico City. This will increase the travel time to at least six hours. If this sounds ok for you, you can check flights on Skyscanner.

Booking with Aerotucan

If you want to fly with one of the small airlines, they both offer one departure a day. Aerotucan usually departs in the mornings and costs around 3205 MXN ($150). You can check the availability on their website and book online, or you can go to the airport counter and book there directly.

Booking with Aerovega

Aerovega is an even smaller airline with just one 6 passenger plane. Their information online is almost non-existent and the pilot does most of the duties including the booking. Don’t worry, Don Vega is a well known and experienced pilot in the area and many travellers recommend flying with him over Aerotucan.

To check availability and prices you’ll need to send an email to aerovegapto@hotmail.com or message them on WhatsApp +529545880062. If you don’t succeed, it’s best to call him directly. The pilot speaks English, and his rates are often cheaper than Aerotucan, starting around 2500 MXN ($118).

Step 2: Oaxaca Airport to City Centre

Duration: 25 minutes
Cost: From 90 MXN ($4)

Oaxaca’s International Airport is located about 8 km south of the city centre and it takes around 25 minutes to get there by car. Unfortunately, Uber or similar apps don’t work in Oaxaca and no public transport operates from the airport.

The fastest and most comfortable option is to take a taxi for around 350 MXN ($16). The actual price will depend on the distance as you’ll need to prepay at the taxi office in the arrivals hall.

If you want a cheaper option, there is a service of shared minivans also known as ‘Colectivos’ that depart from the airport and take you to your accommodation. The only downside is that it may take a little longer than the taxi, as it will drop other passengers off too. The ticket office is in the airport’s main hall and a ticket costs 90 MXN ($4).