How To Get To/From Cancun And Tulum Mexico (All The Options)
Planning A Trip To The Yucatan Area In Mexico And Need More Details About Getting To/From Tulum And Cancun?
I’ve visited the Riviera Maya area of Mexico a couple of times, and most recently had to fly into Cancun and then drive to Tulum, but it was not the easiest or most stress-free way to get to/from these two towns, so here are some more details, plus all the other transportation options that might be better for getting in between the two.
🚗 How To Get To/From Cancun And Tulum, Mexico
⭐️ Overall, the safest and most stress-free way to get to and from Cancun and Tulum, Mexico is with private transportation. It might be a little more than taxis or Ubers, but I think the safety and convenience of it is worth it.
See below for more details on those private transports and all the other ways to get to and around Tulum, Mexico.
Car Rental
A lot of people recommend renting a car when visiting this area of the Riviera Maya (since it’s pretty far from the airport), and my family took that advice and rented a car for our trip to Tulum, but after going through the experience, I would not recommend it.
I agree it can be more convenient to rent a car here so you can go where you want when you want, but because of road conditions, car qualities, police targeting, rental company overcharges, gas station scams, and general directions, I don’t think it’s worth it.
➡️ Wondering Whether Or Not You Should Stay In An Airbnb In Tulum? here is a guide with some personal experiences I’ve had here with Airbnb and some alternatives you might want to consider
Private Transportation
Especially when talking about going to/from the airport in Cancun to Tulum with all your belongings, I think the safest and best option is to get private transportation.
The moment you walk out those airport doors, it’s very chaotic and drivers are yelling at you and grabbing at you to use their service, so having a legitimate driver holding a sign with your name feels much better.
Guided Tours
I know they can be cheesy and touristy, but guided tours are just the best, easiest, and most stress-free way to get to Tulum from Cancun if you are only looking to spend a day here.
They usually include multiple stops, are pretty reasonably priced, and keep you from having to deal with directions, driving with these road conditions, or parking.
➡️ Need help deciding what to take with you to Tulum? To be prepared for the weather, activities, and rugged terrain, here are some suggestions on what to pack for Tulum
Shuttle
Although the airport in Cancun is over an hour away from Tulum, because Tulum is a very popular tourist destination, the hotel you choose to stay at may have a paid or free airport shuttle service.
Even if it’s paid, I think it’s probably easiest to use their service so you can go straight to your hotel, unless they ridiculously overcharge, in that case I’d still recommend private transportation.
Taxi/Uber
Ubers are generally the safer option all over Mexico when they’re available, but Uber and taxi drivers have had serious issues in this part of Mexico, so even Uber is not always super safe in the Cancun area.
Although Uber technically “exists” in Tulum (at least on their website), there really aren’t Uber drivers in Tulum so you might be able to get here from Cancun, but you likely won’t find any rides leaving out of Tulum.
Taxis aren’t usually very safe anywhere in Mexico, but sometimes they’re necessary, so if you have to use one, make sure you get an official certified taxi and don’t hail any off the street (hotels and restaurants can usually help with that).
*️⃣ Renting bicycles is a popular way to get around Tulum, but beware that no matter what time of year you visit, it’s hot and humid, and rain is pretty common so riding bikes might not be super enjoyable
🏝️ Is It Worth Visiting Tulum From Cancun, Mexico?
The Riviera Maya area, and Tulum in particular, aren’t my personal favorite parts of Mexico to visit, but I’ve still enjoyed my time here, especially at some of the historical sites.
Because it’s closer to Chichen Itza, it has some beautiful beaches, and has a few interesting sites of its own, I think Tulum can definitely be worth a visit, but I also think it can be easily done in a day so you don’t necessarily have to stay overnight (especially with all those day trip tour options).
🔁 Sum Up: How To Get To/From Cancun And Tulum, Mexico
Tulum is about an hour and a half from Cancun (which can take a lot longer on these roads) so it’s not the easiest or most simple place to reach, but because it’s such a popular place to visit, there are a few options for getting yourself here, of which I recommend private transportation or hotel shuttle services for the safest experiences.
