Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen Transfer

Playa del Carmen is about 68 km (42 miles) south of Cancun International Airport (CUN). The whole drive is on Federal Highway 307, a four-lane highway, and takes 50–60 minutes door to door. There are no ferries, tolls or transfers on the way: your driver takes you from the terminal straight to your hotel, condo or Airbnb.

Traffic is usually lightest late at night and early in the morning. Between 5 and 7 PM, and on Saturdays in high season, expect the longer end of the range. Arriving from Playacar or the north end of town (Coco Beach, Playa Norte) adds only a few minutes.

• Clear immigration and pick up your bags. Most international flights arrive at Terminal 3 or Terminal 4, and domestic flights at Terminal 2.
• Walk through customs. Right after it you will pass a hall of timeshare and transport sellers. You do not need to stop: your transfer is already paid.
• Your driver waits at the arrivals exit with a sign showing your name. We track your flight number, so an early or late landing is no problem and costs nothing extra.
• Load your luggage and go. 50–60 minutes later you are at your door in Playa del Carmen.

These are the four ways travelers get from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen, and what each one really means on arrival day:

• Private transfer (what we do): a vehicle only for your group, fixed price paid in advance, straight to your address, no stops. The price is per vehicle, so for 2 or more people it is often close to the shuttle price per person.
• Airport taxi: available at the counters after customs, but there is no price you can lock in before you land, and you wait in line outside for a car. Agree on the fare before you get in.
• ADO bus: the cheapest option. It leaves from the terminals and stops at the ADO station in downtown Playa del Carmen, not at your hotel, so you still need a taxi from there. Good if you travel light.
• Shared shuttle: cheaper per seat, but it waits to fill up and stops at several hotels on the way, which can add 30–60 minutes.

We drive to any address in Playa del Carmen, door to door. The most requested areas are:

• Downtown and Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue): hotels, condos and Airbnbs in the walkable center.
• Playacar: the gated resort and residential area south of downtown (Phase 1 and Phase 2).
• Coco Beach and Playa Norte: quieter beaches and condos north of the center.
• Resorts on the highway north and south of town, and the Cozumel ferry pier if you continue to the island.

For an international flight, plan to be picked up about 3 hours before departure; for a domestic flight, about 2.5 hours. That covers the 50–60 minute drive plus check-in and security lines at Cancun Airport.

If you book a round trip, both rides are confirmed together and we set the return pickup time from your departure flight. You can also book the return on its own at any time.

Baby seats and booster seats can be added as extras when you book. For 4–6 people the VW Transporter van has room for the whole family's luggage, and groups of 7 to 16 travel together in a Crafter van, which also fits golf bags and strollers. Weddings and larger groups use a minibus or bus.