How to get around Mexico
Navigating Mexico is straightforward with a variety of public and private transport options. Here's what you need to know about getting between and within its cities and towns.
Inter-City Travel
For traveling between cities in Mexico, buses, domestic flights, and car rentals are the main options. Buses are generally the most common and cost-effective method. Luxury or Executive class buses, such as ETN or ADO Platino/GL, offer comfortable reclining seats, air conditioning, and sometimes amenities like restrooms and entertainment.
A 4-hour luxury bus journey from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende can cost over 600 pesos. Longer trips, like Mexico City to Monterrey, might range from 800 to 1,000 pesos (approximately US$46-US$56). First-class buses, like those offered by ADO and Primera Plus, are slightly less expensive, with a trip from Mexico City to Oaxaca costing around 560 pesos.
Booking 3-4 days in advance can often provide discounts of up to 50% on first-class fares. Second-class buses are the cheapest, costing about 200-400 pesos (US$10-US$20) for moderate distances or about US$5-US$6 per hour of travel, but they may be older and make more stops.
Domestic flights are the fastest option for covering long distances in this large country. While airfares are not as cheap as they once were, low-cost carriers like Volaris and VivaAerobus offer more affordable routes, with some one-way flights costing under US$100.
Car rental offers flexibility, but it is generally a more expensive option due to mandatory Mexican liability insurance, which can add over US$20 per day. Daily rental prices typically range from US$10 for a compact car to US$18 for a standard car, with an average daily cost around US$30-US$50.
Travel Within Cities
Within Mexican cities, several transport options cater to different budgets. The metro systems in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey are the most economical choices for urban travel. A single metro ride in Mexico City costs 5 Mexican pesos (approximately €0.2).
Local buses, also known as camiones or microbuses, are another very cheap way to navigate cities and nearby towns, with fares typically a few pesos, often between 4 and 8 Mexican pesos (€0.2-€0.4) per ride.
Colectivos, combis, or minibuses are shared vans or minibuses that follow set routes, offering a balance between the speed of a taxi and the cost of a bus. Their fares are slightly higher than local buses, depending on the distance, with some trips, like Mexico City to Cuernavaca, costing under US$4.
Taxis are widely available and can be surprisingly affordable for city travel, with fares around M$20-M$25 per kilometer. For convenience and often better pricing, ride-sharing apps like Uber, DiDi, and inDrive are popular, particularly in larger cities.
