One of the world’s ancient wonders, Chichen Itza, is located deep in the Yucatan Jungles, eastern Mexico.
It is nearly 120 miles west of Cancun, the nearest big city. Thus, one of the biggest concerns for all visitors is how to go to Chichen Itza.
The exact Chichen Itza address is Merida, Chichen Itza 97751, Mexico.
Here’s the Chichen Itza map for easy navigation.
If you want to know how to go to Chichen Itza using the various public transportation and tours, check out the video:
Visitors are highly recommended to opt for the Chichen Itza transfer tours from various locations, such as Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Valladolid, etc to avoid travel hassles.
How to go to Chichen Itza from Cancun?
Most people travel from Cancun to Chichen Itza, the nearest big tourist city where most stay.
However, depending on your route and road, the distance from Cancun to Chichen Itza can range from 200 km (124 miles) to 250 km (155 miles).
It will take you about 2 hours 30 minutes to get from Cancun to Chichen Itza using the toll road highway 180D.
Thus, visitors should weigh various transportation options to travel from Cancun to Chichen Itza:
How to go to Chichen Itza from Cancun by Airplane?
There are no direct flights from Cancun International Airport (CUN) to Chichen Itza as the nearest airport to the attraction is Merida International Airport.
You can fly to the Merida Airport from Cancun and then arrange for travel from Merida to Chichen Itza.
The distance from Merida Airport to Chichen Itza is approximately 135 kilometers (84 miles).
You can drive from the airport to Chichen Itza or get a public shuttle.
How to travel from Cancun to Chichen Itza by Car?
Driving directions from Cancun to Chichen Itza are provided below:
The distance from Cancun to Chichen Itza is approximately 200 kilometers (124 miles) and can extend up to 250 kilometers (155 miles) if you choose different routes.
You can drive from Cancun to Chichen Itza by taking Highway 180 toward Tulum and then turning south onto Highway 261 toward Valladolid.
Then, from Valladolid, take Highway 180 west towards Chichen Itza.
The roads are well constructed and in decent shape with proper signage. So, most drivers won’t face a problem.
The journey will take around 2 hours 20 minutes to 3 hours, depending on your speed, route, and traffic.
Visitors driving from Cancun to Chichen Itza should know about the Chichen Itza parking beforehand for a hassle-free visit.
The Cancun to Chichen Itza routes are toll roads, so you must pay using local currency.
How to travel from Cancun to Chichen Itza by Bus / Shuttle?
Since there is little to no rail connectivity between Chichen Itza, Tulum, and Cancun, a shuttle/public bus transport is the best option for reaching Chichen Itza.
It is inexpensive and practical. This way, you don’t need to learn directions to Chichen Itza from Cancun.
However, Cancun to Chichen Itza by bus will consume more time and require you to change your bus at two places.
You must take a bus from Cancun to Valladolid, which will take about 3 to 4 hours. From Valladolid, Chichen Itza is less than 45 km away.
You can get a local bus or taxi from Valladolid to Chichen Itza, which will take 45 to 60 minutes to reach Chichen Itza.
Hence, you must thoroughly know the various routes to travel by bus from Cancun to Chichen Itza.
Chichen Itza tour from Cancun
Instead of driving or taking a bus from Cancun to Chichen Itza, you can choose a more luxurious and comfortable option.
Book a transfer Chichen Itza tour from Cancun and say goodbye to all transportation woes.
Traveling to Chichen Itza with a transfer tour is the most hassle-free way to reach Chichen Itza from Cancun.
You just need to buy the Chichen Itza tour and show up at the pick-up location. Many times, you can arrange pickup from your hotel as well.
So, book a private tour with transportation whether you are on a solo trip to Chichen Itza or with your friends or family.
You will get transportation and hear fascinating stories about Chichen Itza, the Mayan people, and their religious rituals in much more detail.
Note: A convenient tour is best regardless of your itinerary and schedule. You can opt for a half-day or a full-day trip to explore Chichen Itza and much more.
Read about the best time to visit Chichen Itza to avoid making rookie mistakes.
How to get to Chichen Itza from Merida?
Another option to reach Chichen Itza is via Merida.
Merida is more apt than Cancun as it is less touristy, and you will have a lot of options to reach Chichen Itza from Merida.
How to go to Chichen Itza from Merida by Airplane?
You can fly into the Merida International Airport, which is just half the distance away compared to reaching Chichen Itza from Cancun Airport.
It is also the closest airport to Chichen Itza; Merida is 76 miles or 114 kilometers away from Chichen Itza.
And it will take you at most 1-2 hours from Merida to reach Chichen Itza.
How to go to Chichen Itza from Merida by Car?
The directions to Chichen Itza from Merida are easy to navigate for tourists. If you are driving to Chichen Itza, take Highway 180 West towards Chichen Itza.
Take the Valladolid/ Mexico 180 E in San Pablo Oriente and follow Kantunil-Cancun/Mexico 180D.
Remember that there will be road tolls that require you to pay in the local currency.
Depending on the route, you can pay up to 300 pesos in tolls. The journey will take you somewhere around one and a half hours.
How to go to Chichen Itza from Merida by bus?
If you don’t want any hassle, getting to Chichen Itza from Merida by bus is the best option.
You can take a bus from the ADO bus station to Chichen Itza from Merida, which will take about 1-2 hours to reach.
Chichen Itza tour from Merida
Getting a transfer Chichen Itza tour from Merida will be much more convenient than public or private transportation.
Opt for the Private Chichen Itza tour from Merida. This way, you can focus on just exploring the incredible ruins of Chichen Itza and will skip all the hassle of getting there.
You can book a guided Chichen Itza tour from Merida with transportation. Learn about the fascinating and mysterious history of the place with this tour.
This way, you will save time by avoiding all transportation hassles and getting skip-the-line tickets to Chichen Itza.
How to get to Chichen Itza from Playa del Carmen?
The distance from Chichen Itza to Playa del Carmen is approximately 180 km (111 miles).
The easiest way to reach Chichen Itza from Playa del Carmen via public transportation is by simply getting a bus from the ADO bus station.
There are two stations, one on 5th Avenue with Juarez Avenue and the other on 20th Avenue with 12th Street.
A bus leaves from Playa del Carmen in the morning around 8.15 pm and reaches around 12.17 pm. There is a return bus at around 4 pm as well.
The Bus journey will take 3 hours 45 minutes.
But the biggest disadvantage with buses is that you will arrive quite late when there is already a significant crowd and the sun is over your head.
If you want to drive there, the directions to Chichen Itza from Playa del Carmen are tricky. The entire journey will be approximately 200 kilometers.
Take the 305D from Playa del Carmen and head till you merge into the 180D going to Valladolid.
From this point, carry on after you pass Valladolid and finally merge into the Dzitas-Piste/YUC 79 to reach Chichen Itza.
There will be a few tolls on the road that you must pay using local currency.
Chichen Itza Tour from Playa del Carmen
Instead, you can get a transfer Chichen Itza tour from Playa del Carmen.
It’s more convenient and saves you time so that you can focus more on exploring this mysterious place.
You just need to book it and enjoy exploring Chichen Itza.
How to get to Chichen Itza from Tulum?
To get to Chichen Itza from Tulum, you can get a bus at the ADO bus terminal in Tulum. It will take you somewhere around 2 hours and 40 minutes.
But the biggest disadvantage of using the bus is that you will miss out on the early hours of pleasant weather, less sunny, and fewer crowds in Chichen Itza.
You can drive to Chichen Itza from Tulum. It is approximately 150 km away and will take 2 hours to reach.
Take Highway 109 going towards Coba. At Chemax, you need to merge into 180 and go towards Valladolid. From here, the route is straightforward.
Chichen Itza from Tulum Tour
To avoid this, you can book a Chichen Itza tour from Tulum. On this, you will be able to explore Chichen Itza and other nearby sites as well.
The Chichen Itza from Tulum tour will get you to the site at the best time to explore the structures without facing any travel-related hassle.
Visitors can just relax and forget about figuring out how much time to devote to the site and other related issues.
How to get to Chichen Itza from Valladolid?
Two types of buses are running from Valladolid: ADO buses and ADO conecta vans.
You should take an ADO bus over the Conecta vans to Chichen Itza from Valladolid.
There is one bus per day from Valladolid to Chichen Itza, and it leaves at around 11.30 pm and doesn’t arrive until 12.30.
You should rather book a private tour of Chichen Itza with the facility of hotel pick-up to make things easier for you.
How to travel from Cozumel to Chichen Itza?
Cozumel is a small Caribbean island off the eastern coast of Mexico. It is opposite to the coastal town of Playa del Carmen.
Chichen Itza is approximately 250 km away from Cozumel.
Those who want to travel from Cozumel to Chichen Itza first must get to the mainland. The easiest and preferred option is to reach Playa del Carmen.
The ferry terminal on Cozumel Island is located in the Downtown area at Av. Lic. Benito Juarez, across from Palmeras Restaurant.
The ferries operate from 8 am to 8 pm on an hourly basis. It will take you 45 minutes to reach Playa del Carmen.
After that, you can reach Chichen Itza from Playa del Carmen via car or bus.
Instead of Chichen Itza tours from Cozumel, you can pick a transfer Chichen Itza tour from Playa del Carmen to make things extremely easy for yourself.
Chichen Itza Map
Visitors need to keep the Chichen Itza map handy to explore this mysterious piece of the ancient world.
The map of Chichen Itza will guide you about which structures are located in what part of the Chichen Itza archaeological site.
The site is spread over 4 square miles (10 square kilometers). Thus, visitors must be well aware of the location of various structures within the area.
Alternatively, visitors can go for a guided tour to help them discover the mystery of the place and explore it comprehensively.
FAQ
How much does it cost to go to Chichen Itza Mexico?
The skip-the-line Chichen Itza entry tickets cost around MX$1192 or US $65.
But the premium Chichen Itza tour tickets from Cancun or Playa del Carmen will cost you MXN 1565 or US $82.
You can also go for the Chichen Itza multi-attraction tour, Chichen Itza guided tour, or Chichen Itza transfer tour.
Is it hard to get to Chichen Itza?
Chichen Itza is located deep within the jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.
The nearest big tourist city is Cancun, which is around 120 miles away.
Though various public transport is available, a transfer tour from nearby places such as Cancun, Merida, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen is recommended.
Where do you fly into to get to Chichen Itza?
How do you get to Chichen Itza by yourself?
To get to Chichen Itza by yourself, you have three options.
– The first one is you can drive to Chichen Itza if you have a car. Learn about parking if you choose this option.
– Second is using public transportation such as a bus, which will be the most cost-effective way.
– Finally, you can book a transfer tour to Chichen Itza from nearby places such as Cancun, Merida, Playa del Carmen, and more.
What are the best ways to get to Chichen Itza?
The top 5 best ways to get to Chichen Itza depend on your traveling style and from where you want to get to Chichen Itza.
– By Bus – You will find an ADO bus service and an ADO bus station. You can quickly get a bus to Chichen Itza from there.
– By Car – The fastest way to reach Chichen Itza is to drive to it.
– By tour – One of the most convenient ways to reach Chichen Itza is by taking a Chichen Itza transfer trip.
– By combo tour – Visitors also have the flexibility to choose a value-for-money combo Chichen Itza tour.
– By private tour – Lastly, people who want to travel in style and comfort can pick the private tours of Chichen Itza.
What are the ways to get from Cancún to Chichén Itzá?
Here are the top 5 best ways to get to Chichen Itza from Cancun.
– By bus – The ADO bus company offers this service. You can get a shuttle/bus from ADO station Cancun to Chichen Itza. There is a bus at 8.45 am daily.
By car – Depending on your driving and traffic, it will take two to two and a half hours. You need to take Highway 180 from Cancun.
By tour – One of the most convenient ways to reach Chichen Itza from Cancun is by taking a Chichen Itza tour from Cancun.
By combo trips – Combo tours allow you to explore more than just Chichen Itza. For instance, Chichen Itza, Ik Kil, and Valladolid tour from Cancun.
By private tour – The most convenient and comfortable way is to take a private tour of Chichen Itza from Cancun.
What is the best way to go to Chichen Itza?
We recommend going for a transfer tour of Chichen Itza if you don’t want to face the hassles of traveling by public bus or driving yourself.
There are many options for transfer tours from Cancun, Merida, Playa del Carmen, and more. You can also pick multiple attractions tours and private tours as well.
Featured Image: Chichenitza.com