Going to Playa del Carmen the first week in February. What's the best way to get there from the Cancun airport?

Cheapest - bus
More expensive and more convenient - shared van
Most expensive and most convenient - private taxi/van

Last time I took the bus-was a bit of a wait for it to fill up and I forget how much it was. Was it about 8 dollars?

The shared van. Is that about twenty??

(going Feb 12th--and need to try to do it cheap)

We've used all 3 (bus, van, taxi) and by far bus has been the best option. We have always had long waits for vans and taxi to leave the airport and regardless of what we reserved or paid for, always ended up sharing with someone else. The bus leaves frequently (you can get a schedule online) was clean enough, cheap, and ultimately we arrive more quickly than if we wait for a van to fill.

Good information in the posts here. To me, the Riviera bus is the best option. It is cheap--and their is no waiting for it to fill up--they operate strictly on a schedule and are usually very much on time. Used it both ways last week with no problems!

We prefer to take a taxi or van - no waiting at all and the least amount of time involved from the hassle of customs to the first drink on the beach.

I'd say that if cost is a concern, the bus is the way to go. If getting to your hotel, getting decompressed and beginning your vacation as stress-free as possible is your goal, then the extra expense of a private taxi is worth it.

We normally pay $45 one way (total) for an A/C van for the two of us (we have a lot of luggage and dive equipment as we usually stay 2+ weeks).

It's five minutes to go out front, negotiate our price, get loaded up, and we're on our way...

We can stop on the way if we like, and the driver helps us with our luggage to the hotel - a big plus since the luggage has to be schlepped a goodly distance over sand.

The bus is a neat experience, but it does not work as well for us...