One common question that travelers ask us when arriving at the Cancun Airport is which is the best and safest option to get affordable transportation to their hotel, Airbnb or vacation rental in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum or Riviera Maya.
Airports like the Cancun Airport, due to their size are almost always outside the cities, so the transfer can be a bit complicated or not very cheap if you don’t plan it before arriving.
Cancun Airport is located about 10 minutes away from the Cancun Hotel Zone, the easiest way to get out of it is using private transportation such as taxis, shuttles, vans, or by bus.
The public bus or the ADO is mainly for the airport staff, people who live in Cancun, or those who stay in Cancun Downtown and know how to move in the city, since it arrives directly at the Cancun bus station without going through the beach area.
And the same happens if you need a transfer to Playa del Carmen, Tulum or the Riviera Maya.
To hotels/accommodations located in the hotel zone or downtown Cancun, it costs around 700 pesos (35usd) one-way Airport Shuttle, to Playa del Carmen or Riviera Maya depending on the exact location it starts at around 70usd and more.
Taxis in Cancun?
As in most of the airports in Mexico, to rent a taxi from the Cancun Airport to your hotel you must do it with special taxis, which are usually more expensive than a conventional taxi in the city since the latter will only leave a passenger on the airport and leave immediately as they are not authorized to pick up people at the airport.
Normal Taxi or private Cancun Airport transportation?
Many companies sell you the taxi service to your hotel or Cancun airport shuttle directly at the airport but it is usually more expensive than if you book it online in advance, that is because these companies must pay very high rents to have a sales base at the airport and normally reflect these costs in their prices.
Also because once you arrive to Cancun Airport you can’t take an Uber and you have more limited transportation options.
And for taking a taxi from the hotel zone to the airport (or downtown Cancun), better ask your hotel concierge or Airbnb host for a list of current taxi fares. In this cases we also recommend you to better take a private transportation in advance.
Avoid surprises and don’t let them see you as a “tourist face” by overcharging you. =)
Also, avoid taking a taxi in the street because it can be not as safe as a base taxi or private transportation.
TIP: If you travel short distances within the Hotel Zone or want to go to Cancun Downtown from your hotel or Airbnb during the day, it may be convenient for you to take a bus, public transportation works 24 hours a day in the Hotel Zone and it will only cost you around 10 pesos each fare.
You will save a lot if you use this transportation method instead of paying for taxis on short distances, plus it is very easy to locate everything because the Cancun Hotel Zone only has 2 lanes up and 2 lanes back, without intersections or streets that could confuse you.
Renting a car in Cancun
It can be a great option to rent a car in Cancun to transport from the airport to the hotel zone, Cancun Downtown or Riviera Maya/Playa del Carmen especially if you already know what to visit in Cancun during your stay and you plan to go out a lot every day.
However, as in any other place, driving implies certain risks if you do not know the roads and the traffic regulations.
In general, the speed limit in Cancun Hotel Zone is between 40 and 70km per hour, while in the city it is around 40km. Particularly in Cancun, be careful with the pedestrian crossings, they are similar to the speed bumps but with a longer floor. In these pedestrian crossings people have right of way.
When you see a "bump" pedestrian crossing, come to a complete stop to make sure that no one wants to cross at that moment.
Booking Cancun Airport Shuttle
Without a doubt, it is one of the best options for transfers from Cancun Airport to any point, hotel or Airbnb, especially if you travel with several people since it will be cheaper compared to the taxi fares at the Cancun airport.
Among the advantages of booking a private transportation service to your hotel is that when you arrive at the airport you can immediately go to your hotel without delay and without waiting for the van or truck to fill up with other passengers since this type of service only you and your family travel in the vehicle.
There are also shared transportation services (shared airport shuttles), but in these, you normally have to wait for the van to fill up and it will deliver other tourists to their respective hotels during the journey, which can take an extra 45 to 90 minutes if you have bad luck and your hotel is the last one on the road.
This transportation option is normally available just for hotels not Airbnb.
Another big advantage of a Cancun private transfer is that if your flight arrives late, they monitor it and wait for you in the airport until you arrive (24 hours a day, 365 days a year).
These private transportation services in Cancun are often offered in recent model vans with air conditioning, which are very comfortable and operated by qualified personnel, here you can book a private transfer in Cancun.
Officially, there is Uber in Cancun but the reality is that there are few drivers in the city due to the problems that Uber had with taxi drivers, so it is very difficult (almost impossible) to get one at the airport or in any busy area of the city, so is not a great idea to rely on finding an Uber in Cancun.
In summary, if you have already thought about taking a well-deserved vacation with your family in Cancun and you already have everything ready but you have not booked a transfer to your hotel or Airbnb, do not take risks having to wait and see what rate you can get once you arrive at the airport, is better to play it safe, at the end is cheaper and safer!