What is the distance from Cancun to Playa Del Carmen?

You are probably asking what is the distance from Cancun to Playa Del Carmen for one of two reasons:

1. You are flying into Cancun International Airport and want to get to Playa Del Carmen or….
2. Your vacation is in Cancun but you want to visit Playa Del Carmen.

Here are details instructions for both these questions and how best to get between these two cities in the Riviera Maya.

You are flying into Cancun Airport and want to get to Playa Del Carmen

Since Cancun Airport is the only airport that passengers coming to the Riviera Maya fly into you might want to know the distance from Cancun to Playa Del Carmen. The airport is just south of Cancun City and a direct drive down the 307 Highway. The distance is 52 km or 32 miles. It is about a 45 minute drive.

What is the best transportation from the Cancun Airport to Playa Del Carmen?

If you are not going to be renting a car for our holiday you will need to book transportation to your hotel. The best way is a private transfer that will take just you and whoever is traveling with you directly to your hotel.

Here are sample prices to Playa Del Carmen from the Cancun Airport:

• 1-3 people it is $60 USD one way or $110 USD round trip.
• 4-7 people it is $70 USD one way or $120USD round trip.
• 8-10 people it is $85USD one way or $135 USD round trip.

We do recommend booking these ahead of time so you are all set. You get a guaranteed price and a driver waiting for you at the airport. We have been recommending this company for years and happily ever had one complaint. Just click the button below to reserve

For more about Cancun Airport transfers see our article here.

You are staying in Cancun and want to visit Playa Del Carmen

Cancun is very different feeling than Playa Del Carmen. Playa Del Carmen is more European feeling and much more walkable. Cancun in the Hotel Zone is 100% for tourist and mainly large all inclusive hotels. You might want to go shopping on Playa Del Carmen’s famous 5th Avenue or just visit this charming town for the day. Here are options one how to get between the two areas.

If you are staying in the Cancun Hotel Zone the distance is about 73 km or 45 miles. It will take about one hour and 11 minutes driving. If you have a rental car, it is a pretty straight drive down the 307 Highway. Just look out for speed bumps as you exit and enter populated areas. You will also pass through several police check points. These are more for safety and should not make you nervous.

Taxi between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen

This is how most of you will get between the two locations. Because there is no real public transportation between the Hotel Zone and Playa Del Carmen, a taxi is the easiest way. Depending on what kilometer of the Hotel Zone you are staying at and how many people are traveling with you, the price is a little different for a taxi. It also will depend if you get a taxi on the street or from your hotel lobby. A basic ball park is 800 pesos each way for 1-3 people. Not all drivers will want to make this trip since they might not get a return fare or they are going to be off shift soon.

ADO Bus between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen

There is a public bus company that runs busses from the Cancun Bus Station to Playa Del Carmen. These busses leave and arrive in the downtown section of Cancun only. These busses leave about ever 30 minutes ad cost about 74 pesos each way. the ADO bus only makes one stop on the way and will take about one hour and 20 minutes. To check the schedules see the ADO website here.

Colectivos between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen

Also leaving from the downtown of Cancun are colectivos. These are minivans that leave when full and are a low cost transportation method. Colectivos are faster than the ADO bus but you have less space and usually are not as well air conditioned. They take about one hour to make the trip.

How to get to the bus station in Cancun

If you are staying in the Cancun and want to take a local public bus to the ADO bus station, here is a good website for an interactive map of the bus routes. We will say that public buses within Cancun are slow and a taxi is a much faster way to get around. Perhaps the main route would be from the Hotel Zone to the ADO bus station because this is an expensive taxi trip. Other local routes in the downtown are better serviced by taxis. 

Conclusion

We hope you have a great trip to Cancun, Playa Del Carmen or wherever in the Riviera Maya you are visiting. Since you will be in the area be sure to read our Playa Del Carmen Guides article with dozens of helpful guides for your trip. If you will only be in Cancun, check out our Cancun excursions article for the best day trips for your time here.

Thanks for reading our article about the distance between Cancun and Playa Del Carmen ad how to get between the two locations. If you have any questions or comments, let us know below. We would love to hear from you!

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Mr.Yucatan

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