How to Get from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos
Traveling from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos is one of the easiest transfers in the Riviera Maya, but choosing the right option can save you time, money, and stress. This complete guide explains every transportation option, prices, travel times, and insider tips so you can get to Puerto Morelos smoothly.
I have been living in Mexico for 15 years. Cancun Airport is my home airport, and I have used every form of transport to and from the airport. So, I understand what it is like for someone to arrive for the first time and trying to navigate the transportation options. Let’s start with a simple comparison chart that I made for you to easily see what options you have and what might work best for you.
Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos Transportation Comparison
What is the best way to get from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos?
The best way to get from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos is by private transfer. It offers the fastest travel time, door-to-door service, and flat-rate pricing, making it ideal for most travelers.
Private Transfers from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos
The most popular option for visitors is booking a private airport transfer. These are vans that take you and those traveling with you direct to your hotel. Once you reserve, you will have a driver waiting for you at the airport. The driver helps with your luggage and takes you directly to your hotel. This is the easiest and most comfortable way to reach Puerto Morelos.
How much are transfer vans from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos?
Prices for private car service or van service is as follows:
- $67 USD one way or $121 USD round trip from the Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos hotels for up to 8 people. This includes all taxes and fees. You do save 10% if you book a round trip! So, we recommend doing this!
Private transfers are popular for several reasons:
• Direct service to your hotel
• No waiting for other passengers
• Air-conditioned vehicles
• Flat rate per vehicle rather than per person
• Option to book round trip transportation with discount
Many travelers like this option because after a long flight you can go straight to your resort without stopping at other hotels.
This is the same option we recommend for travelers going south to Playa del Carmen. If you want to see how that trip works, read our full guide on how to get from the Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen. How to get from the Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen
Luxury Transfers Available Also to Puerto Morelos
If you are traveling for a special occasion or just want to make your trip a little more special, there are luxury transfers available from the Cancun Airport going to the Puerto Morelos area in the Riviera Maya. Cancun luxury transportation is regularly provided with Suburbans or Similar vehicles, like Expeditions. This is for transportation of up to six people.
Prices for the luxury transfer from the Cancun Airport to the Puerto Morelos are:
- $120 USD one way or $204 USD round trip. To save money you just need to book a round trip at time of booking. Click the reserve now button below to go to the official booking website.
Shared Shuttle from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos
Shared airport shuttles are another option if you are traveling on a budget. These are small vans that sell individual tickets for a seat and drop people off at their hotels. These vans transport several groups of passengers who are staying at different hotels in one area. They are cheaper than private transfers but can take longer. This is the best option if you are one or two people traveling since the price of the shared shuttle is cheaper for one or two people.
How Much Are Shuttles and How to Reserve a Shared Shuttle
Shared shuttles from the Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos area range in price depending on the company you go with. Here are two options for shared shuttles. Important note: Be aware that some shares shuttle companies offer very low introductory prices but may add fees, have fewer departures daily, or charge more for exact destinations. We only refer readers to reputable companies that will offer good service.
Option 1 Prices are $25 USD per person ($50 USD for two, going one way. but this company has a minimum of two people to book this shared shuttle.
Details for this shared shuttle options:
- Shared vehicle – VW Transporter or similar.
- Perfect for 1 person, couples or small groups.
- Our bilingual staff will be at the airport to welcome you upon your arrival.
- The vehicle is shared use (not exclusive).
- Taxes and Airport charges are included.
- Traveler insurance included.
- Bilingual driver.
- The service leaves every hour on the hour from Cancun Airport.
Option 2 This shared shuttle offers round trip to and from the airport for $22.07 USD per person. This shuttle allows one person to book a transfer.
If this transportation option looks good for you, you can click the reserve now button and go directly to the booking page. Once you put in your arrival information and hotel, they will reserve your spot and be waiting at the airport with a sign for you.
Things to consider with shared shuttles:
• You may need to wait for other passengers at the airport
• The shuttle may stop at several resorts before yours
• Travel time can increase depending on the route
Shared shuttles are often used by solo travelers or couples who want to save money.
If you want to see typical shuttle prices in the region, see our guide about shared shuttle transportation from Cancun Airport. How Much Are Shared Shuttles from the Cancun Airport?
Taking the ADO Bus to Puerto Morelos
There is only one public bus service from the Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos. This is the ADO bus company. These are modern, air-conditioned buses that have a schedule for pickups at the airport. The three main destinations for the bus from the Cancun Airport are downtown Cancun, Puerto Morelos (along the highway), and Playa Del Carmen. Some of the Playa Del Carmen bound buses are scheduled to stop along the highway in Puerto Morelos for passengers.
What is the Schedule for the Airport Bus to Puerto Morelos?
There are currently 9 buses a day that leave the Cancun Airport and make a stop in Puerto Morelos. the first one is around 10:20 am and the last one is around 6:20pm. There is roughly one bus per hour between these times. The complete schedule is here on the ADO website. The website is in Spanish, but fairly easy to navigate to find schedules and other information.
Note: If you arrive early in the morning or after 6pm, the ADO bus is not available. You will need to plan other transportation.
How Long Does the ADO Bus Take to Get from the Airport to Puerto Morelos?
It will take between 25 minutes and 45minutes to get to Puerto Morelos from the airport. Why the range of times? It is because there are multiple terminals at the Cancun Airport and the bus stops at each of them. The journey starts from Terminal 3, then goes to Terminal 4, and then to Terminal 2 (Currently Terminal 1 in in renovations).
This means that travel time will depend on what terminal you arrive at. From Terminal 3 it takes 45 minutes to get to Puerto Morelos. Terminal 4 takes 35 minutes, and Terminal 3 is just 25 minutes to Puerto Morelos.
How much is the ADO Bus to Puerto Morelos?
The current price for the ADO bus to Puerto Morelos is 210 Pesos. That is roughly about $12.35 USD according to the current exchange rate.
For more information and a complete step by step guide on how to take the ADO bus from the Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos, see our guide here.
Renting a Car at Cancun Airport
Renting a car is another option for getting to Puerto Morelos. This can be a good choice if you plan on exploring the region during your trip.
One good place to check for a rental car online is Discovery Cars. This website searches all the rentals and offers good prices on Cancun Airport rentals.
Here are our best tips for renting a car at the Cancun Airport:
- There are rental car companies inside the airport property and some just outside along the highway. If you rent from a company outside the airport you will need to take their shuttle both ways. This does add about 20 minutes to the process of pick up and drop off. For the convenience fee, we prefer the rental car companies in the airport.
- Liability insurance is required in Mexico. Your credit card company might not cover Mexico, or you might need proof of coverage. You can buy it locally when you rent. It is recommended you buy it locally because you have local agents to help you if something happens.
- In general, we prefer the larger car rental companies because they have more options, and in general a more streamlined check out and in.
The drive to the Puerto Morelos area is usually about 25 minutes depending on which area you are going to.
However, if you are staying at an all-inclusive resort and do not plan on leaving the property often, renting a car may not be necessary.
Taking a Taxi from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos
Taxis are available outside all terminals at Cancun International Airport. However, most people do not like to have to deal with taxis at the Cancun Airport. Taxi drivers have a bad reputation for overcharging tourists arriving at the airport. Even locals do not like to use the taxis at the Cancun Airport. I have had to use taxis a few times at the Cancun Airport. Even after talking to several drivers, they would not offer real prices. Sometimes quoting a price 4 times the going rate.
There are no set prices nor meters in the taxis at the Cancun Airport. This means you need to ask and also be prepared to negotiate or walk away from a taxi driver that is trying to charge too much.
How Much are Taxis from the Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos?
However, taxis are usually more expensive than pre-booking a private transfer, and prices can vary depending on demand. Taxis at the airport also do not operate on meters, so the price is typically negotiated. Most of the time taxi drivers will try to charge between $70 USD to $100 USD for a one-way transfer. Of course, taxis cannot offer a round-trip discount because the same taxi will not be taking you back to the airport.
Because of this, many travelers prefer to reserve transportation ahead of time, so they know the exact price and get a discount on a round trip.
Can You Take Uber from Cancun Airport?
Ride share services like Uber have had limited service in the Cancun area and currently cannot reliably pick up passengers directly at Cancun Airport. Uber has clashed with the taxi unions and airport pickups have been especially controversial.
Uber also does not have services in areas south of Cancun, Uber is not an option to return to the airport. For most places in the Riviera Maya, like Puerto Morelos, there are no rides available. The few rides that are available are often more expensive than booking a private transfer.
Because of local transportation regulations and conflicts with taxi unions, most travelers still rely on private transfers, taxis, or shuttles to get from the airport to their hotel.
Can I take the Tren Maya from the Airport to Puerto Morelos?
It is possible to connect to the Tren Maya and get to the Puerto Morelos Train Station. We wish this was an efficient way to get to Puerto Morelos. Unfortunately, it takes about twice as long as taking the ADO and is more expensive. Here is how it works.
Even though the Cancun Tren Maya Station is “at” the airport, it does take 10 minutes by shuttle or taxi to get there. There are shuttles from each terminal of the Cancun Airport to the Cancun Tren Maya Station. You can buy the 35 pesos ticket at the ADO Bus counter. The shuttles only run 30 min. before the train leaves. So, if there are no shuttles, you will need to take a taxi. Taxis can try to charge up to $60 USD to get the short ways to the station. By the time you get to the station, it will have taken at least 40 minutes.
Then you need to know the train schedule, because there are only a few trains a day going south. If you do take a train, the Puerto Morelos Tren Maya Station is 6 km (3.73 miles) from the center of the part of Puerto Morelos around the 307 Highway. From the station you would most likely need to take a taxi to your final destination.
Really the Tren Maya only works for long haul trips. If you want more details on how to take the Tren Maya from the airport, we have an article about How to Take the Tren Maya from the Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen. It is basically all the same information; you just get off one stop before Playa Del Carmen.
How Far is Puerto Morelos from the Cancun Airport?
Puerto Morelos is located about 25 km (15 miles) south of the Cancun Airport, and the drive normally takes 25 minutes depending on traffic. The area is known for newer all-inclusive resorts, beautiful beaches, and a quieter atmosphere compared to the Cancun Hotel Zone.
What Hotels are in Puerto Morelos?
It is first important to understand that the town of Puerto Morelos is different from the municipality of Puerto Morelos. The town itself is small, but the area of the Riviera Maya that Puerto Morelos oversees is has about 17kn (10.5 miles) of coastline and extends inland quite far. This is why some hotels are close to Cancun but actually in the municipality of Puerto Morelos.
- Excellence Riviera Cancun
- Moon Palace Cancun (technically in the municipality even though branded Cancun)
- Ocean Coral & Turquesa
- Hotel Marina El Cid Spa & Beach Resort
- Ventus at Marina El Cid
- Ventus Ha at Marina El Cid
- Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
- Dreams Sapphire Resort & Spa
- Dreams Jade Resort & Spa (formerly Now Jade)
- Breathless Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
- Secrets Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa
- Dreams Natura Resort & Spa
- Royalton Riviera Cancun
- Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun
- Hideaway at Royalton Riviera Cancun
- Sensira Resort & Spa Riviera Maya
- Desire Riviera Maya Resort
- Desire Pearl Riviera Maya Resort
- Paraiso de la Bonita
- The Fives Oceanfront Riviera Maya
- Iberostar Selection Riviera Cancun
- Grand Residences Riviera Cancun (AI optional)
- Margaritaville Island Reserve Riviera Maya
- Azul Beach Resort Riviera Cancun
- Azul Sensatori Riviera Cancun
Final Recommendation for Puerto Morelos
The best way to get from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos is a pre-booked private transfer. It’s fast, reliable, and often costs only slightly more than a shared shuttle. Don’t rely on just getting to the airport and jumping in a taxi. Even locals avoid using the taxis at the Cancun airport.
Booking ahead ensures a stress-free arrival and avoids overpriced taxis at the airport. We hope this guide helps you with your transportation options to and from the Cancun Airport. We hope you have an amazing trip to the area.
About The Author
We have been thinking of staying in Puerto Morelos at one of the resorts but don’t know what it is like compared to Cancun. What are the main differences? Please advise.
Hello Mary
If you are going to stay at a resort, you might only leave for a tour or two, so it depends more on the resort property. The beach is better in the Hotel Zone of Cancun. There are less hotels in Puerto Morelos for the most part. If you are going to take some tours, you are a little closer to things in Puerto Morelos but other than that, there is not much difference.
Cancun is party town.Puerto Moreles is much more Mexican and totally laid back.There are lots of decent places to eat.
This is a good description of the two places. Puerto Morelos has grown steadily in the past half decade but still remains small and charming.
Very good info. We arrive on Tuesday and hope that not too much is closed for the orange traffic light. What things might we expect?
Hello Frances
Hotels have lower occupancy rates and so do theme parks like Xcaret. In general, you wont notice too much different. The bars are closed but some will just serve food and have table service. Things will be spaces out more but people can still enjoy their trips.
Some of the hotels are very spread out and good not to take a bus there because you will need to take a taxi with all your luggage.