How to get to Tulum.
Tulum's location was the main reason why this beautiful, magical paradise with the gorgeous turquoise beach was hidden from the rest of the world for a very long time.
Known only to backpackers and adventurers, a tiny village tucked away in Mayan Jungle remained hidden up until the explosion of photo-sharing social media platforms.
Once the world saw that a place like this exists, the faith of Tulum got sealed, and just in a matter of a few years, Tulum became the number one destination wonder of the world.
But how do you get to Tulum? Even though the word about Mayan paradise spread the world with ease, Tulum itself did not get more accessible.
In this article, we will share with you all possible ways that you can get to Tulum.
Table of content:
Travel to Tulum via Cancun.
This is the easiest and the most common way to get to Tulum.
Located two hours drive away from Tulum, Cancun is the first city in Yucatan Peninsula that became the most famous tourist destination globally. Because of that, it has a large international airport taking flights from all over the world.
To get from Cancun airport itself to Tulum, you have several options at your disposal:
1) Via ADO bus.
Every half an hour or so, there is a bus departing Cancun airport directly to Tulum. It is big, comfortable, fast, and cheap. Even if you are a picky person regarding experiences and transportation, I would argue that the ADO bus is even more comfortable than taking a cab.
How to take the bus? On the way out of the airport, you will walk down the hall past many stands with local companies offering you transportation, ignore them, and go all the way to the end - one of the last stands will have a big red banner with ADO on it. Ask for a bus to Tulum. The price is about 150-200 pesos per person, which is about $7.5-$10. After buying a ticket, the bus itself will be at a visible distance, just ask to point you a direction to it.
Tip: The stand is located inside the airport, not outside.
The bus arrives to the Tulum Pueblo bus terminal. There are always cabs around, and you can grab one to take you to your hotel. The price for a cab from the Bus terminal to Zona Hotelera is about 250 pesos ($12.5)
Terminal Autobuses Tulum ADO
2) Book a cab or a mini-wan in advance.
Even though it is possible to grab transportation right upon arrival, I recommend you do it in advance as you might save a few bucks and nerves.
Several companies are offering transportation services that can be booked in advance via Expedia. Look for brands like: "Expedia local expert" and "Best day travel."
The mini-wan will drive you right to your hotel, and the service cost will average in at about $40-$200 per person, depending on the vehicle you chose.
3) Cab or a mini-wan upon arrival.
Our least favorite option for several reasons:
You will most probably pay the premium, and the least price you can expect is $75 for a mini-wan.
You will be swarmed by taxi drivers and transportation companies' salesmen offering you their services upon exiting the airport. They know you are tired and eager to start your vacation as soon as possible, so they will use many different tactics to get the most out of you.
4) Rent a car.
A very common option is to rent a vehicle for a period of your stay, as it will also allow you freely explore not only Tulum but its surrounding areas, ruins, and cenotes. Not recommended if the only thing you want to do is to kick back at the beach as the car will add extra worries to you.
You can rent a car in advance, or you can rent it right at the airport. Just be aware that, same as with taking a cab on the spot, the car leasing salesman will try to upsell you.
Tip: Car rental is cheap, but if you want to book on the spot, make sure to educate yourself on Mexico car renting insurance policies as this will be the biggest upsell salesman will try to pitch to you while, in reality, most necessary insurance already should be priced in.
Tulum Via Cozumel.
Cozumel is an island located 45 minutes away from Playa Del Carmen - the second biggest vacation city after Cancun, located right in the middle between Cancun and Tulum.
Cozumel has its own airport and an extensive docking port - a very popular station for cruise ships.
Most of the Cruise ships station in Cozumel for about a day, and tourists vacationing on these ships have enough time to travel around.
Total time from Cozumel to Tulum can take about one hour and 45 minutes (45 minutes bout trip from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen and 1-hour drive from Playa to Tulum)
It is effortless to orient yourself in Cozumel and Playa, and you shouldn't experience any difficulties with transportation methods.
The only way to get to Playa from Cozumel is via boat. They are departing every 30 minutes. Important: There are no boats at night! Make sure you know the schedule if you need to be back at a specific time.
Playa has busses, taxis, and mini-vans to Tulum. All are located in the same spot.
All options are good and comfortable. It comes down to price and your own preferences. Some things to consider if you take a bus: it will drive you to the Tulum ADA bus terminal from which it is easy to take a cab to whatever hotel you are going to.
ADO Terminal Turistica Playa Del Carmen
These are the two most common and easiest ways to get to Tulum. But it wouldn't be a complete article without some formidable mentioned:
An ADO bus trip from other cities within Mexico. It extreme scenario, but you can actually take a 48-hour bus from Mexico City.
Taxi and mini-vans from Merida. Merida currently is a less popular destination, but in case it is where you are coming from, the city has mini-vans that go directly to Tulum.
In conclusion:
Tulum might not have its own airport or a docking port, and it might take you 2 hours of additional drive to get there from the closest airport, but the experience you are receiving in return is totally worth it. Otherwise, Tulum wouldn't be the most spoken of destination around the world.
If you are decided on your trip to Tulum but do not know when to go, where to stay, or what places to visit, consider checking out the following arteries:
Tulum Hotels VS Tulum Airbnb: Which is better?
Where to stay? Zona Hotelera vs Pueblo.
Is it safe to go to Tulum in 2020/2021?
What is the best time of year to go to Tulum Mexico?
The best way to spend one day in Tulum. Perfect Tulum guide.
For any questions related to Tulum, you can contact me using the form below.
Best regards,
Alex, your personal Tulum insider.