From the airport to downtown
At Mérida International Airport, ASUR, the airport operator, lists ADO buses, taxis and car rental companies as ground transportation options. Without a car, a taxi or the bus is the easiest way to get downtown.
Getting around Mérida
The historic center is walkable: the Plaza Grande, the cathedral, the parks and the old neighborhoods are a few blocks apart. For longer distances, the city runs the Va y Ven bus system; its mobility plan (PIMUS) reported 17 Va y Ven routes and more than 230 conventional bus routes as of December 2023.
According to the Maya Train, Parque La Plancha connects the Va y Ven and the IE-TRAM with routes to Mérida-Teya station, the airport and other parts of the city.
Leaving Mérida: three options
| Option | Upside | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Maya Train | Connects cities and some destinations | Stations aren't always at the attractions; you'll need road transport to finish |
| Day tour | Transportation, a guide and almost everything sorted | Fixed schedule and a group |
| Private transfer | A van and driver just for your group, waiting at each stop | Priced per van; entry fees and food extra |
Maya Train schedules vary by service and are listed on its official site.
Destinations that are easy without a car
- Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid, on a tour or with the Maya Train to Izamal.
- The Homún cenotes and Hacienda Mucuyché, which would be hard by public transport.
- Celestún, Sisal, the north coast and Las Coloradas, where you also need a boat.
- Bacalar, Isla Mujeres and Tulum, too far to do by public transport in a single day.
Fun facts
- Mérida's Va y Ven had 17 routes at the end of 2023, according to the city's mobility plan.
- From Parque La Plancha you can take the IE-TRAM to the Mérida-Teya Maya Train station.
- Mérida's historic center is easy to explore on foot.
Related tours
Archaeology · 11 h
Maya Train, Chichén Itzá and Izamal
The Mérida–Izamal leg by train, the rest by road
from $1,600 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 7:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Transfer to the station — From the office to the Maya Train station in Mérida.
- 9:18 AM Maya Train ride — Forty minutes from Mérida to Izamal. Ticket included.
- 10:15 AM Izamal — The yellow town, the three-tier Baroque altarpiece and free time on the main square.
- 12:30 PM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Sacred Cenote, the Temple of Kukulkán, the Jaguars and Eagles platform and the Ball Court.
- 2:30 PM Lunch in Kaua — Buffet of typical regional dishes.
- 3:45 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim of the day, with the heat already easing off.
- 5:00 PM Back to Mérida — Two hours on the road back.
Included: Transport, General culture guide, Maya Train ticket Mérida–Izamal, Midday meal
Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
Archaeology · 11 h
Chichén Itzá, Izamal and Valladolid
Four stops in one day, and none of them rushed
from $1,200 MXN per person
See itinerary
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM · daily
- 8:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Izamal. The guide uses the drive to set up what comes next.
- 9:00 AM San Antonio de Padua Convent — The story of the 16th-century Franciscan convent told in its atrium, then free time to walk the yellow town.
- 11:15 AM Chichén Itzá — Guided walk through the Temple of Kukulkán, the Sacred Cenote, the Ball Court, the Tzompantli and the Jaguars and Eagles platform.
- 1:45 PM Regional lunch in Kaua — Buffet of Yucatecan dishes: cochinita, relleno negro, lime soup and meat-free options.
- 3:00 PM Selva Maya cenote — The swim lands exactly when the sun is at its worst. Changing rooms and showers on site.
- 4:20 PM Valladolid — Francisco Cantón Rosado park with its original railings, the church of San Servacio and the murals in the town hall.
- 8:00 PM Back in Mérida — We drop you off where the day started.
Included: Air-conditioned transport, General culture guide, Regional buffet lunch
Not included: Chichén Itzá entrance, Cenote entrance, Drinks
Cenotes · 7 h
The four cenotes of Santa Bárbara
Four different cenotes and a lunch made by hand
from $1,450 MXN per person
See itinerary
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM · daily
- 10:00 AM Departure from the office — An hour on the road to Homún, through the ring of cenotes.
- 11:00 AM Cascabel cenote — Closed, cave type. You descend inside and the water sits in half-light: the most striking of the four.
- 11:30 AM Chaksikín cenote — Semi-open. You go down between limestone walls painted with Maya-themed murals.
- 12:00 PM Xooch cenote — Semi-open, with a shaft of light that falls straight onto the water mid-morning.
- 12:30 PM Pool Cocom cenote — Open and surrounded by vegetation. You swim along a channel out to the wide part.
- 1:30 PM Regional lunch — Home cooking with hand-made tortillas. Plenty of time to eat without rushing.
- 4:00 PM Back to Mérida — An hour back, arriving around five.
Included: Transport, Certified guide, Entry to all four cenotes, Regional lunch
Not included: Drinks with lunch
Transfers · 10.5 h
Transfer to Uxmal and Yaxcopoil
The Puuc route at your own pace, with the van waiting
from $2,550 MXN per vehicle
Frequently asked questions
Can you travel around Yucatán without a car?
Yes. Combine walking downtown Mérida, public transport, the Maya Train and tours or private transfers for day trips.
How do I get from the airport to downtown Mérida?
By taxi or the ADO bus that operates at the airport, according to ASUR.
Does the Maya Train go to Chichén Itzá?
It has a station called Chichén Itzá, but it's outside the archaeological zone; you finish the trip by road.
Tour or transfer?
A tour if you want a guide and everything included; a transfer if you want freedom and there are several of you.
