chuston32

We are flying in to Cancan airport this Friday the 4th of December 2009. We need transportation to the hotel and they have offered 130 roundtrip. Is this a good deal?
Cori Huston

bardo1

Not a good deal. You can rent a car for under $30 USD per day.

If you are staying less than a week, this is cheaper even if you park it at the hotel the whole stay and don't have any side trips planned! Reserve ahead to get good prices.

Here is one of many, many agencies with cars at Cancun airport:

http://www.acerentacar.com/default.aspx

succeed

That depends on a few things. How many people are involved? And are you talking about a private transfer or a shuttle (shared with other people)?
I always use (and highly recommend) Best Day for airport transfers - they are highly professional and very reliable.
You can check out their website to see their return prices for "regular" shuttle and for "VIP" private transport:
http://www.bestday.com/Transfers/Cancun/
Many people also like Entertainment-Plus:
http://www.entertainment-plus.net/tour_tpt_pdc.cfm
Cancun Valet is also fairly popular:
http://www.cancunvalet.com/?p=p_2&sN...port-transfers
And so is Cancun Transfers:
http://www.cancuntransfers.com/express/

JeanH

I always just take the Riviera bus from the airport right to downtown Playa del Carmen. Cost is about US$9.00 one way. Then you can catch a cab to your resort, unless you're staying right in Playa, then you can just walk.....

jette

What Jean says. Very very easy, even for a first timer. The ADO bus is first class, AC, comfy seats, plenty of luggage storage underneath and at the equiv of $9 USD on way, saves you enough money to spend it on a great meal and night out in Playa.

colokid

Yes, the ADO is an excellent choice for transport to Playa. When you exit the building turn to your right and walk past the group of people to the parking area for buses. You will see a large red/white bus with the words ADO on the side. There is a bus that goes to Cancun and one that goes to Playa, just ask the attendant who will be standing around selling tickets if that is the bus to Playa. There is storage underneath for your luggage. The bus is air conditioned and has a movie. It will then leave terminal 3 and stop at terminal 2 to pick up additional passengers. The bus will leave you off at the terminal on the corner of 5th Avenue and Juarez in Playa. There is a taxi stand right outside. The cost has just risen to 100 pesos but they will take US dollars also. The bus runs approx. every hour.
Just a note of advice....I fly in and out of Cancun frequently and take both the bus and the Grayline for transport to Playa. The crowd of people at the front doors looking to get you in to their vans for transport is large and can be intimidating if you're not expecting it. If you plan on taking the bus just walk past them and say no thank you. The ADO bus personnel are wearing red shirts with ADO on them and will be over by the bus stop. Do not let anyone take your luggage for you to carry as it may be carried over to another van.
If you plan on renting a car - take the extra insurance! It is quite inexpensive to rent if you don't take the insurance but it is not advisable. If you have an accident your credit card will not take care of the charges at the scene and you will pay if you don't have the insurance. I have rented cars also for many years but will not do so any longer until they get their acts together and stop scamming people. Between the bus, colectivos and taxis I get around just fine and travel all over.

TC

The buses to Playa del Carmen are right outside the Cancun airport.  They are big comfortable buses and even show a movie in route.  The ride to Playa takes about 1-1.5 hours.  My husband had to fly back to the States for business in the middle of our Cozumel holiday last year.  On the return he missed his connection into CZM from Houston and had to do the Cancun/Playa thing to catch the ferry to Cozumel.  We had never done it before, we always fly directly into CZM.  He was quite impressed with how easy the maneuver was.
 
From the <u>International</u> terminal in Cancun you will go to the far end of the <u>domestic</u> terminal to find the buses to Playa.  He said there are lots of people around to help with directions and information, so just ask.  The best is to engage a "skycap" to take your luggage and let him lead you.  That will only cost about $1 per bag and is worth it.  Nearly everyone you will encounter -- especially at airports, ferry, bus, hotels, will speak perfect English, so its easy to get help.
 
Once at the bus location, you'll buy your bus ticket -- $11 pp. one-way.  There are several buses outside - some going into Cancun, but they are marked well with electric signs on the front of each bus.  Its easy to find the one to Playa.
 

colokid

TC - sorry to disagree with you but I do this route all the time. Several of your suggestions will cause problems. You do not need to go to the domestic terminal to find the bus to Playa. I take this bus every six weeks. The bus picks up at the international terminal(terminal 3) and then travels to the domestic terminal (terminal 2) to pick up there also. If you ask people be prepared for them to tell you a bunch of stories including:
the bus does not pick up here
the bus does not run any longer...take my van instead
the bus does not come for a very long time
the bus does not exist

The folks waiting outside the airport have a job and it is to get people to use their transporation services whatever they may be. They will not give you the correct information. The "skycap" may take your bags over to a friend who may have a van and will charge you for that service. Put your bags on a wheeled carrier and wheel them yourself if they are too heavy. The ride to Playa does not take more than an hour unless there is heavy traffic.
On the return trip to the airport if you choose to take the bus back from Playa I would suggest you purchase your ticket a day early at the bus station to make sure you get a seat. The bus might stop at the station on 20th ave before leaving Playa and will also stop in Puerto Morelos to pick up anyone there for the airport. The bus will then drop you off at terminal 2. You will need to collect your luggage and then walk down the outside of the building to your left to find the shuttle over to terminal 3. It is clearly marked and is free. (Sometimes the bus driver will allow passengers to stay on the bus to go over to terminal 3 but it is not the norm). As I said, the bus fare is 100 pesos or whatever the exchange rate is for that day in US.

jette

<<The bus will then drop you off at terminal 2. You will need to collect your luggage and then walk down the outside of the building to your left to find the shuttle over to terminal 3. It is clearly marked and is free. (Sometimes the bus driver will allow passengers to stay on the bus to go over to terminal 3 but it is not the norm)>>>

Too true!! It's so, well, Mexican and one of those quirky "do we get off now or will THIS one take us over to 3?" No big deal but it's a lot like the red/green stop signs when you arrive and go thru customs. Comically random.

TC

I am just reporting the first hand experience of my husband. I guess he didn't run into any of the hucksters that you've encountered -- which, honestly, has always been our experience in Cancun and Cozumel. For 16 years we have found the people of the Yucatan to give an honest answer to a well thought question. I'm sure that is what happened with my husband. He said "I want to take the public bus to Playa in order to catch the ferry to Cozumel" and that is where they took him. Did he walk too far.....maybe, but he did get a seat on the bus with no problem.

I will defer to your knowledge of the process, since you do this route often. I will not agree with the idea that everyone working at the Cancun Airport will lie if asked a direct question.

colokid

No, not everyone but it's good to be prepared and know that it does happen, especially recently since the low season has been very low this year and people are really scrambling. It also happens to folks who look like they are lost and really don't know where they are. But, I've been living in PDC for three years now and have had experiences with great people who live and work there and not so great experiences with people who are trying to take you for a ride.

lifetothefullest

You can get on any shuttle that drops off at several Riviera Maya/Cancun hotels. You can book them earlier on their websites such as bestday.com (mentioned above) or you can usually book it through the same company you booked your airline tickets, unless you booked them direct through the airlines. A shuttle usually costs about $50-$80 roundtrip depending on how far you are going. good luck!
Beth
http://www.riviera-maya-hotels.com

MFNYC

Looks like Cori has probably already coem and gone at this point. Cori, if you are checking back what service did you use?

We just booked a private roundtrip transfer from Entertainment-Plus for a January trip. It seemed to be the best deal for us (party of 5 to Xaman Ha condos).

MFNYC

oops...thate should be "came and gone" not "coem and gone"