Updated November 2026 with the new colectivo terminals at both ends, the Tulum ruins fees and hours, and Uber.
Playa del Carmen to Tulum is the easiest hop on the Riviera Maya. It’s one flat, toll-free hour down Highway 307, with a van leaving every 5 to 15 minutes in daytime. The only real ways to get it wrong are overpaying for a taxi or turning up at the wrong bus terminal. Backpackers should take the colectivo for 60 pesos. Anyone with a suitcase should book the ADO.
Playa to Tulum in a minute
Cheapest. the colectivo from the van terminal on Calle 1 Sur, 60 pesos, an hour. Cash, small bills.
Most comfortable. the ADO bus, 100 to 160 pesos, 50 to 90 minutes, bags under the bus. Check which of Playa’s two terminals your ticket names.
Door to door. a taxi, 700 to 1,100 pesos per car. There are no meters, so agree on the fare first.
Skip. the Tren Maya. Both stations are outside town.
Prices checked November 2026.
This guide contains affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclaimer.
Playa del Carmen to Tulum at a glance
All the options we’ve listed are tried and true, but the best way to travel will depend on a few key things. Some are better for cost while some are better for comfort, but all of them will get you to Tulum safe and sound. The Tren Maya is the one option here we’d skip.
| Option | Time | Cost, one way | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colectivo | 1 hour | 60 pesos ($3.25) | Light bags, tight budgets |
| ADO bus | 50 to 90 minutes | 100 to 160 pesos ($5.40 to 8.65) | Suitcases, air-con, a booked seat |
| Taxi | 1 hour | 700 to 1,100 pesos ($38 to 59) per car | Door to door |
| Rental car | 1 hour | 300 to 700 pesos a day before insurance | Adding cenotes, Akumal or Cobá |
| Tren Maya | 45 minutes on the train, plus taxis at both ends | 246 pesos (185 for Mexican nationals) | Nobody, on this route |
What it costs per person
| One way, pesos per person | Traveling alone | Four people sharing |
|---|---|---|
| Colectivo | 60 | 60 |
| ADO bus | 100 to 160 | 100 to 160 |
| Street taxi (700 to 1,100 per car) | 700 to 1,100 | 175 to 275 |
| 12Go private car ($59 to 115 per car) | 1,090 to 2,130 | 270 to 530 |
| Tren Maya (246) + Tulum taxi (100 to 150 per car) | 346 to 396 | 271 to 284 |
Even split four ways, a taxi costs more per head than the bus. You pay for it to skip the walk from the station, which is a fair trade at midnight and a poor one at noon.
1. Colectivo from Playa del Carmen to Tulum (cheapest)
Colectivos are the white shared vans that work Highway 307 all day. There’s no timetable. They leave when they’re full, which in daytime takes 5 to 15 minutes, so if there’s no van waiting, another will be along shortly.
Tulum vans leave from the Terminal Única de Vans Foráneas, the aquamarine arched entrance on Calle 1 Sur between Avenidas 45 and 50, opposite the Chedraui supermarket and next to McDonald’s. That’s eight blocks inland from Quinta Avenida. Older guides send you to Avenida Juárez or Calle 2 Norte. Calle 2 still sees the odd van, but the terminal is where you’ll find one fast.
Take a “Directo” van for Tulum town, or a “Vía Cenotes” van if you’re stopping at Xcaret, Puerto Aventuras, Akumal or Chemuyil. Even if you don’t speak Spanish, figuring out the shuttles is relatively easy. Just look for the sign in the front of the bus, and listen for someone calling “Tulum”.
The fare to Tulum is 60 pesos. Pay cash in small bills, since drivers rarely have change for a big bill. Expect an hour, nearer 90 minutes if the driver makes a lot of stops. Vans run from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. (7 p.m. on Sundays), but they thin out after 9, so don’t plan your evening around the last one.
In Tulum they drop you on Avenida Tulum, the main road through town, near the ADO station.
The downside is space. The vans are small, many have no air-con, and there’s no luggage hold, so a backpack on your lap is fine but a big suitcase is not. Still, taking a colectivo while in Mexico is basically a rite of passage, and if you’re trying to stay cheap, this is the way to go.
2. ADO bus from Playa del Carmen to Tulum (most comfortable)
ADO is Mexico’s main intercity bus company, and with numbered seats, air-con and bags underneath, it’s the answer for anyone with a suitcase. One-way fares run 100 to 160 pesos.
The ride takes 50 to 90 minutes. Counting ADO, ADO Aeropuerto, the smaller ADO Conecta vans and Autobuses Unidos, there are 28 to 31 departures a day, from 12:30 a.m. to 10:07 p.m.
The mistake people make is the terminal. Playa has two of them. Terminal Turística is on 5th Avenue at Avenida Juárez, near the ferry pier, and Terminal Alterna is on 20th Avenue at Calle 12. Your ticket says which. Go to the wrong one and you’ll be watching your bus leave from the other side of town.
Buses arrive at the ADO station in Tulum town. Some also stop at the ruins, so if that’s where you’re going, check that “Tulum Zona Arqueológica” is printed on your ticket.
Buy at the counter or online. We recommend comparing fares on 12Go to get the best possible deal. It puts ADO, ADO Conecta and Autobuses Unidos on one page with times and prices, so you see the whole day at once.
3. Taxi or private transfer from Playa del Carmen to Tulum
Short of driving yourself, a taxi or private car is the only door-to-door option, whether that’s your hotel gate, a beach club or a restaurant. Expect 700 to 1,100 pesos per car to Tulum town. Taxis in Playa don’t have meters, so agree on the price before you get in.
Unfortunately, taxi drivers in this area have a bad reputation for swindling gringos, so depending on how opulent and foreign you look, you might end up paying even more for this mode of transportation. Whatever you do, don’t hail a cab from the touristy areas of Playa del Carmen. Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue) is a pedestrian street, so no taxi or Uber can reach you on it, and the taxi stands at its corners charge more than a cab flagged on the street. Walk one block inland to Avenida 10, or out to a cross street, and flag a cab or drop your pin there.
The better move is to have your hotel call a taxi and settle the fare, or to pre-book a private car. A private car through 12Go costs $59 to 115 for up to four people. That’s more than a street taxi, but the price is fixed and the driver finds you.
What about Uber? Uber started in Playa del Carmen and Tulum on October 20, 2026, joining DiDi, inDrive and Itaxi, which were already running. Order from Avenida 10 or a cross street, never Quinta. The taxi unions are fighting it, and in late October a Tulum taxi driver assaulted an Uber driver he accused of picking up in the beach zone, so in Tulum request app rides from town, not the beach road. With a bus or flight to catch, pre-book the private car instead.
Wondering if Tulum is safe to travel or if Playa Del Carmen is Safe? Read our guides to find out.
4. Rent a car in Playa del Carmen
A car is worth it if you want more than Tulum town, such as the cenotes north of Tulum, the turtle bay at Akumal, or the Cobá ruins inland, all of them awkward by bus. The drive is an hour on Highway 307. Watch for speed bumps (topes) wherever the highway runs through a town.
Small cars cost 300 to 700 pesos a day, before insurance. Mexican third-party liability cover is mandatory and missing from most headline prices, so compare totals with insurance included. Staying overnight? Book a hotel with free parking and confirm it, because spaces in town fill up in high season. Xscape Tulum, below, has free on-site parking, but Kanté has none.
Going to Tulum to stay put? Skip the car and take the bus. If you want the cenotes and Cobá too, a car pays for itself in a day.
At the risk of sounding like your parents, make sure you get travel insurance before hitting the road. Trust us, it’s one of those things you don’t want to leave home without.
5. Tren Maya from Playa del Carmen to Tulum (skip it)
The Tren Maya stops at both towns, and on this route it manages to be slower and pricier than the bus. Foreign visitors pay 246 pesos in Turista class, and Mexican nationals and permanent residents pay 185. Both stations sit outside town (Tulum’s is 6 km from the center), so you need a taxi at each end, 100 to 150 pesos in Tulum. Only some trains stop at both, so add the wait for the right one too.
The train makes sense for longer legs, such as Cancún airport to Tulum or Tulum to Bacalar. Times and tickets are on the official site, reservas.ventaboletostrenmaya.com.mx, and foreign passengers have to show a passport to board.
Getting to the Tulum ruins from Playa del Carmen
The archaeological zone sits on the coast 3 km north of Tulum town, and plenty of people skip the town and come just for the ruins. Every option above gets you there.
- Colectivo. take a Vía Cenotes van, not a Directo (Directos run nonstop to the town terminal), and tell the driver “las ruinas” before you get in. The ruins turnoff is the first stop in Tulum, and drivers pull over there only when asked. The fare is the same, so don’t get off in town and pay a taxi for the last bit. From the turnoff, walk or take the electric shuttle (20 pesos, 10 for children) to the entrance. For the ride back, take a taxi (150 to 200 pesos) or a DiDi (60 to 80 pesos) into town and board there, because vans pass the ruins full and no longer stop on the highway.
- ADO. check that your bus stops at “Tulum Zona Arqueológica”.
- Car. Parque del Jaguar has no public car park, and its restaurants and beach clubs let cars in only with a reservation. Leave the car in town and take a taxi or DiDi the last 3 km.
The ruins sit inside Parque del Jaguar, and since July 20, 2026 foreign visitors pay 265 pesos for the full route, made up of 100 to enter the park, 65 for Tulum National Park and 100 for the archaeological zone. Mexican nationals enter the park free and pay 80 pesos for the rest Monday to Saturday, nothing on Sundays. Foreign residents of Mexico skip the 100-peso archaeological zone fee on Sundays. The site is open every day from 8:00 to 17:00, and the last entry is at 15:30. Colectivos start at 5:00, and a van out of Playa by 6:30 gets you to the gate for 8:00, ahead of the heat and the tour buses.
Tulum ruins, Akumal turtles and cenote day tour
Only one free day and no wish to juggle three vans? This tour picks you up at your Playa hotel between 7:00 and 8:30 and covers the ruins, a swim at Cenote Yax-Muul and snorkeling with turtles at Akumal. At $129 it costs 40 times the colectivo fare, and the 8-hour day leaves little for the evening. Bring $25 in cash per person for the government park and marine-conservation fee, which the operator collects at pickup and which isn’t in the $129. At Akumal the crew also rents long-sleeved tops for $25 each, so pack your own rash guard.
From Playa del Carmen · 8 hours · from $129 with hotel pickup, plus $25 government fee in cash · 4.9/5 on Viator (2,342 reviews)
Stops on the way
Akumal, a string of cenotes and the turnoff for Cobá are all on or near Highway 307, so with a car you can turn the transfer into a day out.
- Akumal. a shallow bay where green sea turtles graze on seagrass. Inside the buoyed turtle zone you need an authorized guide (six swimmers per guide) and a life vest, and beach access costs 120 pesos without a tour. Guided swims run 9:00 to 17:00, and turtle swimming stops for all of September. Go early.
- Cenotes. the area around Tulum has several, including Gran Cenote (on the Cobá road, 5 km from town) and Dos Ojos (25 km north on Highway 307). See the best Tulum cenotes.
- Cobá. a jungle Maya site inland from Tulum. Its tall pyramid, Nohoch Mul, reopened to visitors in December 2025.
Also read Things to do in the Riviera Maya and Mayan ruins in Mexico
The return trip from Tulum to Playa del Carmen
The bus runs in reverse too. ADO leaves from the Tulum station on Avenida Tulum 31 times a day, from 12:17 a.m. to the last evening bus at 10:17 p.m. (see the return times on 12Go). If you’re staying in the hotel zone, you’ll need a taxi into town first.
The colectivo back is where the rules changed. Since late July 2026, Tulum lets intercity vans pick up only at authorized terminals, and the old roadside bays on Highway 307, in front of El Bronco and near Avenida Satélite, are closed. Waving at vans from the highway no longer works.
Northbound vans now board on Avenida Tulum near the ADO station, where the Playa vans drop you. Ask at the ADO desk for the exact colectivo stop, and look for a van with a “Playa” sign. A free municipal bus now links Aldea Tulum and Las Palmas with the terminals, which saves a taxi if you’re staying out there. After 9 p.m., or with a suitcase, take the ADO.
Where to stay in Tulum
Tulum comes in two parts. The town, Tulum Pueblo, is cheaper and walkable, and it’s where the buses stop. The hotel zone strings along the beach 3.5 km away and charges for the view. Without a car, stay in town or in La Veleta and rent a bike for the beach.
Xscape Tulum
Swipe for more photos. Photos from Xscape Tulum on Expedia
A gated garden hotel in the middle of town, with a pool and rooms that run from compact doubles to apartments, some with their own hot tub. Restaurants are a short walk away and the beach is 20 minutes by bike, which is the right way to do Tulum on a budget. Rooms at the front pick up street noise at night, so ask for one at the back.
Tulum town · from $34 a night in November, $72 in January, before 22% tax · free parking · 8.6/10 on Booking.com (1,381 reviews)
Kanté Hotel Downtown
Swipe for more photos. Photos from Kanté Hotel Downtown on Expedia
Kanté sits on Calle Polar directly behind Tulum’s ADO terminal, so you can step off the bus, walk round the corner and be there. The 24-hour front desk checks in late arrivals and holds bags, the air-conditioned rooms have kitchenettes, and there’s an outdoor pool. The catches all come with the building and the location, with buses coming and going through the night, no elevator to the third floor and no on-site parking. Book it if you’re arriving by bus for a night or two and want to pay less than Xscape. Drivers and light sleepers should pay the difference and stay at Xscape.
Behind the ADO station · from $24 a night in November, $69 in January, before 21% tax · 8.3/10 on Booking.com (304 reviews)
Rather be on the sand? Search all of Tulum on Booking.com.
Coming from Cancún instead?
If you’re flying into Cancun (make sure you read our guide on the best time to go to Cancun) and need to make your way to Playa del Carmen, you’ll have a few different options. You’ll find options for private transfers, buses, taxis, or car rentals at the airport.
Playa del Carmen is halfway between Cancún and Tulum. If you’re flying into Cancún and heading straight for Tulum, you don’t need to change in Playa, because ADO runs buses from the airport to Tulum, 278 to 475 pesos and 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours. See Cancun to Tulum and Cancun to Playa del Carmen.
Playa del Carmen to Tulum FAQs
It’s 65 km (40 miles) on Highway 307. Driving takes an hour, the bus 50 to 90 minutes.
The colectivo, at 60 pesos, from the Terminal Única de Vans Foráneas on Calle 1 Sur, opposite Chedraui. Pay cash in small bills.
One-way fares run 100 to 160 pesos, and the ride takes 50 to 90 minutes.
Yes. Uber started in both towns on October 20, 2026, joining DiDi, inDrive and Itaxi. Order from Avenida 10 or a cross street, never on Quinta Avenida, and in Tulum request rides from town, not the beach road. Check the fare in the app against the 700 to 1,100 pesos a street taxi charges, and with a bus or flight to catch, pre-book a private car.
No. Both stations are outside town, only some trains stop at both, and the fare is higher than the bus.
ADO buses leave the Tulum station until 10:17 p.m. Colectivos board on Avenida Tulum near the ADO station (ask at the ADO desk for the stop). Since July 2026 vans no longer pick up at the roadside bays on Highway 307. After 9 p.m. colectivos are hard to find, so take the ADO or a taxi.
For the ruins and one cenote, yes. To add the beach and the town, stay two nights.
Read our guides to Is Tulum safe? and Is Playa del Carmen safe?
Backpack only? Walk to the van terminal on Calle 1 Sur and get in the next van marked Tulum. Suitcase? Book the ADO and check which terminal it leaves from. Either way you’ll be in Tulum by lunch, with the taxi money left over for dinner.
More Riviera Maya guides
Confused about where to go in Mexico? Check out a few of our guides comparing a few of its most popular destinations.
Inspired? Pin it!
