Here’s How to Go to Tulum from Cancun (By Bus, Train, Car or Taxi)
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👉 Jump to: Cancun Airport to Tulum | Cancun Hotel Zone to Tulum | Cancun Town to Tulum | Where to Stay in Tulum | Tulum Beach Guide | FAQ
I’ve done the Cancun to Tulum journey more times than I can count.
Here’s one thing most travelers don’t realize: it all really depends upon where you start! Your options are different if you start at Cancun Airport, downtown, or in the hotel zone.
These days, the best ways to go to Tulum from Cancun for most travelers will be the train, bus, or a private transfer via Cancun Airport Transportation (a family-owned service I personally use and love.
But there are other transport options to Tulum.
Here’s a handy chart summarizing the main ways to go:
How to Get From Cancun Airport to Tulum
Headed straight to Tulum after getting off your flight? That’s a great choice (personally, I’m not a huge fan of Cancun).
Next, let’s break down your 3 main options for transportation – bus, private transfer, or renting a car:
Method 1: Take the Mayan Train from Cancun Airport
The newest way to get to Tulum is by hopping on Mexico’s fancy new “Tren Maya.” I’ve taken the train twice. It’s super modern. Similar to something you’d expect to see in Europe, not Mexico.
The train stops right at Cancun Airport, which makes it super convenient. With that said, the main issue is that service to Tulum currently only runs a handful of times per day. So, depending on when your flight arrives, you may prefer the bus or another method.
- Times: Check schedule here.
- How Long: About 100 minutes, plus time to go from the Tulum station to your hotel.
- How Much It Costs: Varies, but tickets for non-Mexican tourists start around ~430 MXN (about $23 USD).
- Where to Buy Tickets: Buy directly on the official site here (beware spammy unofficial sites with convincing names).
- Arriving in Tulum: Get off at “Estación Tren Maya Tulum,” which is just outside the town center. Note the train continues on to Tulum’s airport, which is fairly far out of town. You’ll need to take a taxi from the station, but the journey isn’t too far (10-15 minutes to town, 15-20 minutes to the beach).
Method 2: ADO Bus from Cancun Airport to Tulum
The most popular method from the airport is probably still to take the bus from Cancun to the Tulum bus station.
The main bus company is called “ADO” and ADO buses are comfortable and air conditioned, with space underneath for your luggage. The journey takes about 2 hours.
- Times: Check the ADO website. If these times don’t work, you can take one of the frequent buses to Playa del Carmen (leaving every half hour) and switch from there to a connecting bus from Playa del Carmen to Tulum.
- How Long: About 2 hours, plus time to go from the Tulum bus terminal to your hotel.
- How Much It Costs: ~430 MXN (about $23 USD, but sometimes you can find it cheaper).
- Where to Buy Tickets: You can check the ADO bus website, though many USA credit cards have trouble with that site. If you have trouble, an easy way to reserve is through the excellent Bookaway site instead. You can also buy tickets directly at the airport ADO counters, though sometimes that means waiting in lines for a while. One trick is to skip the main lines and go directly to the ADO kiosk right next to the buses. It usually has a much shorter line because most don’t know about it.
- Arriving in Tulum: The Tulum bus station is located on the far edge of Tulum town. If you’re staying at the beach, be prepared to take a taxi to your hotel (which can take more than ~30 minutes, especially later in the day during sunset traffic jams).
Method 3: Private Transfer from Cancun Airport to Tulum
On vacation and can’t be bothered with the hassle? The shortest, simplest, and most comfortable way to travel from Cancun airport to your Tulum hotel is via private transportation. A bilingual English-speaking driver will meet you at the airport and take you directly to your Tulum hotel.
Our recommended service is Cancun Airport Transportation because of their 4.5 star review on Tripadvisor.
Cancun Airport Transportation
My preferred service for getting from Cancun airport (and, yes, I pay just like a regular customer). I think it’s the fastest, safest & easiest service there is. Just be sure to pre-book!
- How Long: 90 minutes.
- How Much It Costs: $165 one-way, or $320 round trip per vehicle (which is actually pretty economical for larger groups splitting the cost).
- Where to Book: Reserve in advance on the Cancun Airport Transportation website.
- More Info: See our Cancun Airport Transportation Review.
Method 4: Renting a Car from Cancun International Airport to Tulum
Another easy method to go from Cancun airport to Tulum is to simply rent a car in Mexico.
The highway from Cancun to Tulum is wide, well-paved. It is very similar to roads in the USA. Renting a car means you can stop along the way to check out Playa del Carmen. Most importantly, having a car in Tulum comes in very handy so you don’t have to fight for taxis when trying to get from Tulum beach to town.
- How Long: 90 minute drive (plus ~30 minutes to get a vehicle at the airport).
- How Much It Costs: varies, starting from $25/day with insurance.
- Where to Book: We recommend Discover Car Hire to compare prices from all the providers.
- Pro Tip: Make sure you have travel insurance covering Mexico!
How to Go From the Cancun Beach Hotel Zone to Tulum
Already staying in the Cancun hotel zone and looking to get to Tulum? Your options are a little limited because there is no ADO bus terminal in the Cancun Hotel Zone.
Either first taxi to the airport and go with one of the above options or, otherwise, your two options to get from Cancun’s hotel zone to Tulum are:
Private Tulum Transfer from Hotel Zone
Cancun Airport Transportation
My preferred service for getting from Cancun airport (and, yes, I pay just like a regular customer). I think it’s the fastest, safest & easiest service there is. Just be sure to pre-book!
The simplest, most comfortable, most direct way to get from your Cancun hotel to your Tulum hotel is to book a private transfer.
- How Long: ~2 hours straight drive.
- How Much It Costs: $165 one-way, or $320 round trip per vehicle.
- Where to Book: Reserve in advance on Cancun Airport Transportation website.
Rent a Car from Cancun Airport to Tulum
Again, my preferred method to get from Cancun airport to Tulum is to simply rent a car and make the easy drive to Tulum yourself. Several agencies, including America Car Rental and Hertz, have offices directly in the Cancun Hotel Zone.
- How Long: ~2 hour drive (plus time to arrange vehicle).
- How Much It Costs: varies, starting from $20/day with insurance.
- Where to Book: We suggest Discover Car Hire to compare the best prices from various rental agencies.
How to Get to Tulum From Downtown Cancun
There are more options to Tulum from Cancun if you are already located in downtown Cancun. With more frequent buses, collectivos, and more multiple rental agencies, you’ve got choices:
How to Take the ADO Bus
There are actually three bus stations in downtown Cancun, but you’ll want to go to the main ADO bus station in Cancun located at the intersection of Uxmal and Tulum Aves. From here, you’ll find frequent ADO buses to Tulum at cheaper rates than taking the bus from Cancun International Airport.
- Times: Frequently through the day (usually every hour or so).
- How Long: About 2.5 hours.
- How Much It Costs: Varies, starting from ~250 MXN (about $8 USD).
- Where to Buy Tickets: Check times on the ADO bus website.
By Rental Car
If you can drive, my top suggested way to travel from Cancun town to Tulum is to rent a car. You’ll find lots of options in town for rental agencies, and if you reserve in advance the whole process should be pretty quick.
- How Long: ~2 hour drive.
- How Much It Costs: varies, starting from $25/day with insurance.
- Where to Book: Avoid scams by comparing agencies using Discover Car Hire.
By Public Transportation (“Collectivos”)
I hesitate to even mention this one because, while I love taking collectivos, I can’t honestly recommend this particular method to get to Tulum. Collectivos are the local form of public transportation and are basically shared minibusses that ply the route along the Riviera Maya between Cancun and Tulum.
Collectivos are a great way to get from Cancun to Playa del Carmen or from Playa del Carmen to Tulum – and everywhere in between. But for transportation to Tulum, they just really don’t make any practical sense.
You’ll only save at most a couple bucks over the ADO bus, the journey will involve numerous stops along the way, air conditioning is at best unlikely, and you’ll need to gamble on there being enough space for your luggage. Most problematically, you’ll need to switch in Playa del Carmen – meaning the entire trip could easily top 4 hours in length.
If you really insist on taking this form of public transportation, you can start at the collectivo station across the state from the main ADO bus station. Ask for a collectivo to Playa del Carmen, and then switch there for a ride to Tulum.
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I hope this guide to how to get from the Cancun Airport to Tulum has been helpful! If you’re headed elsewhere in the Yucatan peninsula, be sure to check out our epic travel guides:
- Valladolid, Mexico Guide (check our article on How to Go from Cancun to Valladolid or from Tulum to Valladolid)
- Best Travel Tips for Mexico
- Best Chichen Itza Tours
- How to Stay Safe in Tulum
Safe travels!
