Getting There By Air:Cancun International Airport (CUN) Tel: (998) 848 7200.
Website:
www.cancun-airport.com Located just 22km (14 miles) from the city center, the airport is served by more than 20 international and regional airlines, including the two main carriers
Mexicana (tel: (998) 887 2333; website:
www.mexicana.com) and
Aero Mexico (tel: (998) 884 1097
or 1 800 021 4010; website:
www.aeromexico.com).
Airport facilities include ATMs, bureau de change, duty-free and convenience shops, restaurants, bars, food court, video arcade, lockers, tourist information, beauty parlour and car hire. Executive and VIP lounges and meeting areas can be booked through
Cancun Air (tel: (998) 8860183). There is also a business center, Internet access, limousine and hotel booking.
There are three services from the airport: shuttle, taxi or private (deluxe) vehicles. All can be booked through a central reservation number (tel: 1 866 922 6286). The public shuttle is cheapest, but you have to wait until it is full to depart. It can be booked online (website:
www.cancunshuttle.com). Taxis and private cars have to be booked in advance, either or from a desk at arrivals. Car hire is available in the arrivals hall. Some hotels have a free pick-up from the airport.
Getting There By Road:There are two main highways out of Cancun. Highway 307 follows the coast south through Tulum to Chetumal and the Belize border. Highway 180 heads down the peninsula to Valladolid where it branches out, forming connections to Chichen Itza, Merida and on to the rest of the country, including the capital, Mexico City. The highways are generally of good quality. Mexico has an extensive, fast and comfortable bus network. First and second-class buses leave from the bus station on the junction of the avenidas Uxmal and Tulum. Main destinations include Merida, Campeche, Chetumal and Mexico City. Tourist destinations such as Chichen Itza, Tulum and Valladolid are also well served by
Playa Express (tel: (998) 884 0994). Two of the most reliable companies are
Uno (website:
www.uno.com.mx) and
Ado GL (website:
www.adogl.com.mx). Tickets for these and any operators in the country can be bought online through
Ticket Bus (tel: 1 800 702 8000; website:
www.ticketbus.com.mx). The bus station can be reached on (tel: (998) 8845542).
Getting There By Rail:There are no rail services to and from Cancun.
Getting Around:Public Transport There are two bus companies that are responsible for public transport in Cancun:
Autocar (tel: (998) 888 6858; website:
www.autocarcancun.com) and
Turican (tel: (998) 888 2271). The most useful routes in the city are Ruta 1 and Ruta 2, which run frequent services between the mainland and the beaches along Avenida Tulum to Punta Nizuc at the end of the
zona hotelera; and Ruta 13 that goes from Avenida Tulum (eastside) to Puerto Juarez where ferries for Isla Mujeres depart.
Taxis Taxis in Cancun fall into two main types - those that cruise looking for fares and those working from stands, outside hotels and restaurants. There is a flat rate for journeys in the
zona hotelera and by law the driver should have a card with rates, although this will be printed in Spanish. You should fix a price before you start your journey. If you are looking for something a bit more special,
Cancun Limo and Transfer (tel: (998) 880 8200; website:
www.cancunlimo.com) rents out limousines.
Car Hire Car hire is relatively expensive in Mexico and driving conditions are more chaotic than in many Western countries. Speed limits are generally ignored and mirrors are seldom used. Speed limits in the downtown area are 40kph (25mph) and 60kph (37mph) in the
zona hotelera. Highway speed limits vary between 90kph (55mph) and 110kph (68mph). Drive on the right, and be careful of vicious speed bumps – especially on the outskirts of villages and towns. You should avoid driving at night and be careful when overtaking. You will need to be at least 21 when hiring a car in Mexico and although an international driving license will help, a national license should be sufficient. You should ensure that you have adequate Mexican insurance, as any accident will be considered your fault, and that might be all that keeps you out of a Mexican jail. Drink driving is taken as a serious matter in Mexico and can land you in jail. Even if you are not over the limit, if a traffic accident is judged to have been caused by alcohol, your insurance will be deemed to be invalid. You should also be careful of other drivers and pedestrians who may have been drinking. Major providers with desks at the airport include:
Alamo (tel: (998) 886 0448; website:
www.alamo.com),
Avis (tel: (998) 886 0221; website:
www.avis.com),
Hertz (tel: (998) 886 0045; website:
www.hertz.com) and
Thrifty (tel: (998) 886 0333; website:
www.thrifty.com).
Bicycle & Scooter Hire EagleRider (tel: (998) 885 0988; website:
www.eagleridercancun.com) rent out a range of Harley Davidson motorbikes. A number of hotels and shops offer bicycle hire in Cancun.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Mexico Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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