How to get to Chichén Itzá from Cancun?

If you’re planning to visit Chichén Itzá in Cancun, here are all the options for getting to this iconic Mexican attraction.

1. Getting from Cancun to Chichén Itzá by car

One option is to rent a car in Cancun and drive to Chichén Itzá – you can go there on your own and just buy the ticket separately. This gives you more freedom and flexibility in terms of departure and return times, and the journey is very easy. The journey time by car is approximately 2h30, with a distance of 200 km, traveling along Highway 180D. And there are places to park when you get there.

If you’ve decided to rent a car in Cancun, it’s worth booking in advance and securely online. That way, you can compare the prices of the rental companies, as well as the models, and choose the best option for you.

Given the variety of car rental companies and frequent promotions, it’s worth looking at all of them to find the best deal. Fortunately, there are car price comparators that do the trick, displaying car rental options from the main companies.

If you want to do the search, click here on this Car Rental Comparator that we use a lot. In a few seconds, you’ll have all the options on your screen and just choose the cheapest one. It has very strong partnerships with car rental companies, so you can get unbeatable prices.

More tips: prefer larger and reliable rental companies such as Alamo, Hertz, Dollar, Budget and Avis. Take out basic insurance at the time of booking, which is super important and is usually already included in the price, but don’t fall for the companies who, when you pick up the car, try to push extra insurance on you, which isn’t worth it.

2. Getting from Cancun to Chichén Itzá with a tour – our top choice

One of the most popular ways to visit Chichén Itzá is with an organized bus or van tour. These excursions usually include round-trip transportation, entrance to the archaeological site and a tour guide.

Travel time by bus is between 2 and 3 hours, depending on traffic conditions, and you’ll spend around 2 hours at the site, usually with the guide explaining his stories. When we went to Cancun, we took the excursion to see Chichén Itzá. If you want to know more about it, check the timetable, what it includes and the prices, go here.

• Important tip: Cancun is a city with many beautiful neighborhoods and tourist attractions, such as day trips and tours. That’s why our tip is to always buy your tickets in advance. We buy everything on this website that has the best price.

3. Getting from Cancun to Chichén Itzá by public transport

For budget travelers, it is possible to get to Chichén Itzá by public bus. However, this option can take longer and be less convenient. Buses leave from the Cancun bus station to Valladolid, and from there passengers can take another bus or cab to Chichén Itzá.

The total cost of this option is usually around 25 dollars per person, but the journey time can be up to 4 hours or more, depending on departure times and waiting times. In this sense, for those traveling in 3 or more people, it is worth renting a car.

4. Getting from Cancun to Chichén Itzá by cab

You can, of course, arrange to take a cab to and from Chichén Itzá. But remember that this is a 2.5 hour trip, and the cab fare will be VERY expensive. It’s simply not worth it – plan to do it in the excursion format we mentioned above and you’ll save a lot. What’s more, you’ll have the support of a guide and the comfort of the excursion, guaranteeing the tour before you arrive in Cancun. And finally, it’s safer than taking a cab.

• Important tip: to make the most of your trip to Cancun, staying in the best regions is essential. So, if you want, check out our article explaining the main areas and how you can save a lot on accommodation.

Where to reliably buy tickets for tours in Cancun?

To save time and money, buying travel tickets online is always the best option, in our opinion. And we’ve traveled the world a lot and, after doing a lot of research, testing and getting to know people, we discovered the company that offers the best tours in Cancun, at very good prices.

We use this Cancun tours website in excursions to secure our tickets, as they always get very cheap discounts on various tours around the world, which helped us to visit more sights during our trip. It’s always worth taking a look at their tours when traveling.

Buying on their website helps you save time that would otherwise be wasted queuing at the ticket offices, not to mention the risk of running into sold-out tickets. They also allow each traveler to rate the tours they have already taken so that you can see their real opinions. This way, you can be sure that you’re getting quality and safe tours.

Save money on your trip to Cancun:

Car: if you are thinking about renting one this is the best website. It compares the price at all rental companies and finds unbeatable prices. You can save up to 30%!

Mobile chip: we always use this chip. It’s electronic (eSIM), you install it instantly and you can use your cell phone’s Internet anywhere in the world.

Travel insurance: medical care in another country is very expensive and it is extremely important to take out travel insurance for any trip abroad. This is the website we always take out our insurance on. Reliable and at a good price.

Transfer: do you need one from the airport to the hotel? Find out here how to book and for the lowest price!