Mexico City To Cancún: The Best, Fastest, Cheapest Way 2024
Last Updated on April 27, 2024 by Ashlea J. Russell
Wondering how to get from Mexico City to Cancún?
Whether you found cheap flights from Cancún or you’re tacking on a bit of beach time at the end of your trip to Mexico, if you’re here you’re wondering how to get from Mexico City to Cancún.
The good news for you is, I’m a Mexico pro and I’ve done this route myself!
This article is a one stop shop for information on the different ways to get from Mexico City to Cancún. I’ll also cover the fastest, cheapest, and best way to make this journey.
How To Get From Mexico City To Cancún
After spending a few weeks in Mexico City I decided to make my way to Cancún for a little sand and sea. This meant doing a lot of research to explore my options and figure out what works best. Now I’m going to make it easy for you to do the same.
By Air: The Fastest, Cheapest & Best Way
Travelling from Mexico City to Cancún by plane is by far the fastest and most convenient way to make this journey. In fact, you can find a flight from Mexico City to Cancún about every hour of the day.
The flight takes approximately 2hrs 20mins. There are several services per day operated by Aeromexico, Volaris and VivaAerobus.
On average flights on this route cost about $930MXN [$50USD/$70CAD].
While any airline is fine, I suggest you skip VivaAeroBus. They tend to have more schedule changes and cancellations than the other airlines and have had some safety issues in the past.
My go-to domestic airline in Mexico is Volaris because they are affordable, reliable, and I’ve never had a bad experience with them.
Mexico City’s Other Airport
It is important to realize that there are two airports in Mexico City that operate daily flights to Cancún International Airport, so make sure you’re choosing the right one.
Mexico City International Airport (also known as Benito Juárez) is the major international airport of the city. There is another new airport called AIFA or Felipe Ángeles International Airport [IATA Code: NLU].
This airport is located on the northern outskirts of Mexico City and is the newest airport in the whole country (opened in 2022)! Because this airport is so new they are still building a lot of the supporting infrastructure.
It is a large and super modern airport, but it’s also pretty quiet and there aren’t a lot of business or flights operating from here yet.
Getting to this airport can be tricky and currently the easiest way is by Uber.
An electric train service connecting NLU to downtown Mexico City is expected to be completed in April 2024.
By Bus: The Slowest Way
While I am a big fan of bus travel in Mexico I don’t recommend taking the bus from Mexico City to Cancún and there are a couple of reasons for that:
Yes, I said 30 hours. Mexico City is located approximately 1,600km/1,000 miles from Cancún. As if that weren’t bad enough, there is a great deal of road and rail construction work happening in the Yucatán Peninsula which can cause long delays.
The bus typically costs $2,000MXN [$110USD/$150CAD], which about twice the cost of a flight. Although these buses do go on sale quite often they are rarely priced as low as a flight.
The direct buses are operated by ADO but their website is Spanish only. If you’d like to explore or purchase tickets in English check out BusBud.
By Car: The Adventurous Way
Who doesn’t love a good road trip?! But before you head out on the road in Mexico you should consider a few things. First of all, Mexico is a long country and it doesn’t have a huge number of roads. This means driving can take a lot longer than you may think.
It’s also important to remember that Mexico is still developing which means lots of road construction and lots of very rural areas.
Before you jump in a car in Mexico consider these driving tips:
The distance from Mexico City to Cancún is about 1,600km/1,000 miles and this journey takes about 24 hours by car.
There is a lot of ongoing road and rail construction on this journey, particularly in the Yucatán Peninsula which will definitely slow you down. There are also toll roads along the way so you’ll want to factor that in to your budget.
Car rentals in Mexico can vary in price and that’s usually down to the cost of insuring non-Mexican drivers. Make sure you compare prices and check for hidden costs before booking.
Can You Get A Train From Mexico City To Cancún?
Sadly, you can’t get a train from Mexico City to Cancún. Train travel in Mexico used to be a thing but unfortunately due to the privatization of the rail system by US companies, these days the tracks are reserved for freight and people travel by bus and air.
You can still see evidence of the golden age of Mexican train travel in the old-fashioned train stations known as ferrocarriles dotted across the country.
But, unfortunately there are currently no passenger trains that operate this route.
Tren Maya Route
The Tren Maya is a new passenger train that is currently under construction and recently opened it’s first section in 2024. While this train does connect to Cancún it doesn’t reach Mexico City. The complete Tren Maya route will reach from Cancún to Palenque.
Mexico City To Cancún FAQs
You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers.
How Far in Mexico City from Cancún Flying?
Mexico City is located approximately 1,300km/800 miles from Cancún by air and 1,600km/1,000 miles by road.
What is the Best Way to Travel from Mexico City to Cancún?
The best way to make this journey is definitely by air. Air travel is the cheapest and most convenient way to make this journey. When I travelled from Mexico City to Cancún I took a Volaris flight and this was definitely the best choice.
What is the Fastest Way to Travel from Mexico City to Cancún?
The fastest way to travel to Cancún from Mexico City is by air. Flights generally take around 2hrs 20mins which is about 28 hours faster than the bus!
What is the Cheapest Way to Travel from Mexico City to Cancún?
The cheapest way to travel to Cancún from Mexico City is by plane. Flights cost around $930MXN [$50USD/$70CAD]. Be sure to check your baggage allowance as checked bags aren’t usually included on domestic flights in Mexico.
Can I Take a Bus from Mexico City to Cancún?
Yes, you can take the bus from Mexico City to Cancún but I don’t recommend it. Buses cost about twice as much as flights on this route and the journey takes around 30 hours.
Where To Stay In Mexico City And Cancún
Mexico City is one of my favourite cities on earth and Cancún is a safe paradise and one of the world’s top beach destinations, so you’re probably going to want to spend a night or two.
Mexico City Accommodations
Cancún Accommodations
Summary: Mexico City To Cancún
Mexico is a beautiful country, so of course you want to explore more of it! But because Mexico is a big place getting from A to B can take some research.
First class buses are a fantastic way to get around Mexico, even if you don’t speak Spanish and they’re my top recommendation when making journeys longer than hour. However, for some routes around Mexico the best option is just to catch a cheap and cheerful domestic flight.
Hopefully this article has helped you figure out how best to get from Mexico City to Cancún so you can spend more time planning the fun stuff like visiting Chichén Itzá.