How To Get Around Playa Del Carmen Like A Local

If you have plans to explore Playa del Carmen from bottom to top and move as a local, by using public transportation to wander around town, I would like to share some insider advice with you…

First things first, Playa del Carmen’s downtown is a straight-up grid of ‘Streets’ that go from east to west or west to east, and ‘Avenues’ that go from the north to the south and the other way around, except for four big avenues that go in the same direction as the streets, these three are the only roads with names, the rest of them have numbers.

The first and most important of those is Playa’s Main Avenue, Avenida Benito Juarez. This big road is the one that connects Highway 307 with the Ferry Docks to go to the island of Cozumel. You see, Playa was originally the inland part of Cozumel, and many years ago it was nothing but a few shops around the docks and the beach. The touristic traffic between Cancún and Cozumel is what made Playa del Carmen quickly grow to become the center of touristic activity in the Mayan Riviera. (Fun fact, the corner of Juarez and 5th avenue is the meeting point for our Authentic Local Experience)

Parallel to Juarez Av. you’ll find streets or calles in Spanish, going in the north direction they are numbered by even numbers. That means the next street after Juarez is Calle 2, the next is Calle 4, and so on. The only three numbers you won’t find are 18, 46, and 72. These are the other three big avenues with names on them: Av. Constituyentes (18), Av. CTM (46) and Av. Colosio (72).

South to Juarez, the streets are numbered with odd numbers, Calle 1 being the first, then Calle 3, 5, and 7… and that’s it, the northern part of Playa’s downtown is way bigger than the south.

The rest of the avenues are located parallel to the beach, starting with the famous 5th and then they keep progressing by fives, which means the next one is 10th, then 15th, and so on. There is also a short 1st avenue located between the beach and 5th  that only goes from Calle 10 to Calle 30

[leaflet-map width=”100%”]

I recommend having a list with the exact address of the places you consider important, like your accommodations, cenotes, restaurants, and perhaps a couple of grocery stores (don’t miss the Local Groceries Experience Guide we made for you). This might help you decide which means of transportation suits your schedule best.

I want to make sure you don’t miss any of the magic our beloved town has to offer!! 

As soon as you get to Cancún Airport, make sure to carry small denomination bills, either Pesos or Dollars. Try to always carry some Mexican coins, getting change in dollars is barely possible, most certainly you’ll get pesos back as change when paying in dollars. 

How to get from Cancún Intl. Airport to Playa del Carmen??

Nowadays there are few ways to make it to Playa del Carmen from Cancún Intl. Airport. You can choose between ADO buses, private shuttles, hotel transfers, or private taxis. For big groups, private transportation might be cheaper.

ADO Buses

I believe the most convenient way to move from Cancún Intl Aiport to Playa del Carmen is by taking an ADO bus. For only $208 Pesos [$9 Dollars] get a nice comfortable seat, AC, bathroom, and enough space for your luggage. 

Once you’ve passed through customs and picked up your luggage, head to the ADO booth and ask for the next departure, don’t worry, buses leave every 30 minutes. Relax, you are in Paradise now.

These buses will take you to the Main ADO Bus Station at the corner of Juarez and 5th Avenue.

If you are extending your stay and want to add some more Mexican Towns to your checklist, ADO has a lot of routes and departures to places like Mérida, Cobá or Chiapas, to mention a few, for very reasonable prices.

www.ado.com.mx 

ADO Main Bus Station: 

5th Avenue/Juarez Avenue

ADO Altern Station:

12 Street/20th Avenue

Taxis are always a good idea.

There is nothing special about Taxis in Playa compared to the ones you can find in New York City or London, but surely they can be very useful. White cars with turquoise stripes, these convenient transports will take you to any of the beautiful beaches, cenotes, XelHa, Xcaret, or get you home after a long party night at the 5th Avenue. 

Taxis in PDC are very helpful but take into account that they are not metered, they work with specific fares based on your final destination. If you are moving within Playa’s downtown area, rates are about $30-$90 Pesos. For longer distances, mention your address to your taxi driver and ask him or her for the official fare printed sheet, this way you know that what you’re paying is actually fair and not some made-up fare. (see what I did there?😎)

What are those Mini-Vans and where do they take you!?

El Colectivo travels in between towns, cenotes, and public beaches, between PDC and Cancún (from 4:00 am to 11:00 pm), and between PDC and Tulum (6:00 am to midnight) You can ride with them all the way around the 307 paying from $25 pesos up to  $60 pesos.

In Playa, they depart from their base located under the bridge that goes over the crossing of Highway 307 and Calle 1 sur. But they will pick you up at any point along the highway, just wave at them and they’ll stop so you can get in.

As soon as you hop in El Colectivo, let the driver know the exact place you are going, most of the drivers speak or understand English, make sure to keep track of the road and with a loud but gentle “Aquí bajan!” Or “Here, Please!” El Colectivo will make your stop.  You’ll pay when you get out, and the fare will be based on where you got in, so the driver will ask you and then will tell you how much you need to pay.

I guess you can also ask how much it will be when you get in, but they’ll ask for your starting point anyway when you make your stop. 

There are also Colectivos that move inside Playa but although cheap, moving around on those might take longer than a cab or even a nice walk.

Bicycle…Bicycle…

Riding a bicycle with the Caribbean breeze to keep you fresh, that’s my favorite way to cruise around town.

Most resorts located close to Downtown offer bicycles for rent or even included on your stay, and there are many bicycle rentals to be found all across the 10th, 5th, and 1st Avenues.

Now, if turning into a local is what you’re planning to do, head to 30th Ave which is packed with bike workshops ready to customize your new ride for a very reasonable price. Local tip: Bikes often change owners a couple of times so buy a good lock and chain to keep yours safe. 

BiciPlaya Rental System

Since September 2019 this new bicycle rental system has completely changed Playenses and travelers’ daily activities.

When downloading BiciPlaya App, new users have to provide basic information like Name, mail, phone number, and passport as an official ID. Add a credit or debit card and choose from the annual membership which is $420 pesos, 7 days for $328, 3 for $196, or $98 for a single day. Some stations provide iPads to enter your username and password, check out the BiciPlaya customer service office to get rechargeable cards. Of course this a blog entry and prices may change between the time I’m writing this and the time you’re reading it so to have the most updated information is best to check their website:

www.biciplaya.com

To properly enjoy your ride, find the bicycle designated areas and lanes. Head to 10th Ave, there is a long bike lane that goes from Calle 7 all the way over to Constituyentes Ave. You might have to dodge some confused pedestrians, but it’s a fun, must-do activity at least once in Playa del Carmen.

Do not ride your bike on 5th Ave!! 

I repeat, do not ride your bike on 5th Ave!!

Crossover to Cozumel!

You are 40 minutes away from the best part of the largest coral reef in the Atlantic Ocean, and definitely shouldn’t miss it.

Winjet and Ultramar are the only ferry companies that part from Playa del Carmen’s dock located next to Parque Fundadores (Founders Par) close to the corner of Juarez Ave and 5th Ave. 

To avoid misunderstandings with your ticket purchase I strongly recommend buying your tickets ONLY at the official booths located on the entrance of the dock, other vendors around the area tend to trick tourists and you really don’t want to waste time with any shenanigans. 

There are two companies that offer this service with different departure times and both work perfectly fine. 

UltraMar has just a few more departures but is just a bit more costly than Winjet. So really there’s no difference between them and that is why I don’t recommend buying round tickets, that way you can find the ride that suits your best schedule, to make your planning easier I made these couple of charts just for you:

Once you get to Cozumel, look for a Taxi or scooter rentals and explore away!

Of course, don’t forget to check the official websites for the most updated information on the Ferrys!

www.winjet.com.mx

www.ultramarferry.com.mx 

COVID UPDATE!

Due to the pandemic and the safety precautions that are being taken into account to make Quintana Roo a safe destination, the Ferry companies are alternating the days they operate. So one day is UltraMar, the next is Winjet, and so on.

So it’s VERY IMPORTANT to consider this while planning your trip. If you’re spending one night, don’t buy a round ticket, because it won’t be good until the next day you want to depart.

I hope in no time things go back to normal and we can just delete this update or just keep it as a memory of how crazy things went.

Think more than twice before renting a car.

Sure, having a car available for you at any time has its advantages, but you’re on vacation! Give yourself a break from the wheel and the stress that this may cause, even though we are a small town, there are also more than 300,000 Playenses, tourists, hotel and services purveyors all over Playa, so choosing other means of transportations can be more convenient, even for long distances.

Mexican rental terms are very confusing about the insurance plans, I’ve personally heard horror stories regarding this subject, believe me.

Most US bank insurance plans do not cover you in Mexico, some credit cards may cover you so it’s best to purchase additional coverage at the rental agencies, which is not cheap at all.

Don’t get tricked by the cheap prices you see at online sites, after all the insurance plans and exhausting extra fares, that price will be only a memory.

Car rentals at Cancún Intl Airport may be less complicated but still, keep in mind all the process. 

(detailed info about insurance plans here: www.gettingstamped.com/renting-a-car-in-cancun-mexico)

Get ready to explore!

Now you have the intell, so dust off that Spanish of yours and get ready to mingle with us locals, it makes us very happy to see adventurous travelers getting more involved with our daily basis activities, do not hesitate to ask anyone for advice if you need it, Mexicans are the some most hospitable people in the world!

See you around town! 

The Juan and Only.