Best Ways: How to Get from Merida to Chichen Itza
Are you looking for the best ways to get from Merida to Chichen Itza, Mexico? Merida is an underrated tourist destination, which makes it one of the best bases for visiting the Mayan Ruins. Chichen Itza is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so don’t miss it on your Yucatan Peninsula Itinerary.
Getting to Chichen Itza may seem difficult, but depending on your time and budget, there are several ways to get there. You can easily get to Chichen Itza by bus, taxi, train, rental car, or private shuttle.
In this ultimate guide, you will find all the ways to get from Merida to Chichen Itza, such as the cheapest and quickest way to travel, journey times, and how much a bus ticket or taxi will cost.
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Merida to Chichen Itza Distance
The distance between Chichen Itza and Merida is about 120 km, which is 1.5-2 hours, depending on traffic and mode of transport.
Scroll down for more information about which transport is the best for you, how long the journey takes, and how much a taxi or train ticket will cost.
Recommended post → Guide to Visiting Chichen Itza
Merida to Chichen Itza by Car
One of the best ways to get from Merida to Chichen Itza is by car. Once you arrive in Merida, you can easily rent a car at the airport/city or pick up your pre-booked car.
Car rental will cost around 30-40 USD daily for a basic car with full coverage. Book your car in advance to get the best price!
Are you thinking of renting a car? Be sure to read our guide to renting a car in Mexico and driving in the Yucatan Peninsula.
Driving from Merida to Chichen Itza
Driving time is usually 2 hours. Between Merida and Chichen Itza, the toll road costs 136 MXN (6.70 USD). They don’t accept credit cards or dollars, so make sure you bring enough Mexican pesos!
If you arrive by car, there are plenty of parking spaces around Chichen Itza, and parking costs 80 MXN (4 USD) for the day.
To learn more about the mysterious Chichen Itza, hire a guide or join a guided walking tour.
Merida to Chichen Itza Tour
Are you looking for the best Chichen Itza tours from Merida? You can easily join group tours from Merida to visit the famous Mayan Ruins, the Yellow City of Izamal, Cenote Ik Kil, and the beautiful colonial town of Valladolid.
The tour price includes roundtrip transportation by air-conditioned vehicle, a bilingual guide, a guided tour in Chichen Itza, a buffet lunch, bottled water, and the entry fee to Cenote Ik Kil.
Book your best Chichen Itza day trips via GetYourGuide or Viator.
How to Get from Merida to Chichen Itza by Taxi, Private Transfer
One of the easiest and fastest ways to get to Chichen Itza is by taxi. The journey takes 1.5-2 hours, depending on traffic.
A taxi cost from Merida Airport (MID) to Chichen Itza starts from 1,800 MXN (89 USD), depending on the number of passengers, time of day, etc. If you are not traveling alone, the price is affordable.
Before you get in the taxi, be sure to agree on a price with the driver. The taxi drivers do not accept card payments, so you should bring local money!
Alternatively, you can book a private transfer from the airport to Chichen Itza starting from 157 USD, and 3 pax are allowed. The journey time is 2 hours, depending on traffic.
Merida to Chichen Itza by Ado Bus
The cheapest way to get to Chichen Itza is by bus. ADO is the largest and most popular bus company in Mexico. The Mexican ADO buses are safe, air-conditioned, comfortable, and cheap.
Unfortunately, there are no ADO buses from Merida Airport to the Mayan Ruins. So you will first have to get to the city center of Merida and then take a bus to Chichen Itza.
The travel time is approximately 2 hours, and the cheapest bus tickets start from 148 MXN (7,30 USD).
Buses only depart three times a day, at 6:30 AM, 9:00 AM, and 11:00 AM, from the Merida ADO Tame bus terminal to the ADO bus station. Once you arrive, it’s about a 20-minute walk or taxi to reach the entrance to Chichen Itza.
We have not found reliable information on whether there is a colectivo from Merida to Chichen Itza, so we suggest you ask the locals.
Merida to Chichen Itza by Train
Another best way to get to Chichen Itza is by train. Travel time is approximately 1 hour 23 minutes. The tourist class train ticket costs 381.50 MXN (19 USD) for foreigners and 190.50 MXN (9.50 USD) for local tourists.
The Merida train station (Estación Mérida Teya) is located outside the city center. You can get to the train station by taxi/Uber or IE-tram (electric bus) from Parque La Plancha.
Although there are 4 daily Maya trains to Chichen Itza, we recommend you book your ticket in advance. You can buy tickets at the train station or on this official site.
Once you arrive at the train station, you can easily reach Chichen Itza by taxi or shuttle bus.
Where to Stay near Chichen Itza
The nearest town to Chichen Itza is Valladolid. Most people take a day trip from Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, or Merida. We recommend staying 1-2 days in Merida and discovering the city’s best attractions. These are our accommodation recommendations.
Best hotels in Merida
- Luxury: Más Palomas Concept House
- Mid-Range: Viva Merida Hotel Boutique or Hotel Santa María Mérida
- Budget: Hotel Caribe Merida Yucatan
Best hotels in Valladolid
- Luxury: Oriundo Luxury Nature Villas
- Mid-Range: Hotel Waye or Meson del Marques
- Budget: Hotel Casa Bamboo
More Travel Guides about Mexico
- Ultimate Yucatan Peninsula Itinerary
- Guide to Visiting Chichen Itza
- Best Tulum Instagram Spots
- 9 Best Things to Do in Merida
- How to spend 3 days in Valladolid
- Best Areas and Hotels in Tulum
We hope our post on how to get from Merida to Chichen Itza will help you plan your next trip to Mexico. If you have any questions or thoughts, let us know in the comment below.
Travel Resources
Hotels – Booking.com
Car Rentals – Discover Cars
Flights – Skyscanner
eSIM – Airalo
Travel Insurance – SafetyWing
Tours & Attractions – GetYourGuide
Bus/Transfer – Bookaway
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nonsense. buses ORIENTE leave every half an hour from the ADO station. And there is collectivo leaving from Merida…
Hi! Thanks for the information. But since we couldn’t find any trustworthy information about Colectivo, we didn’t mention it in the post. Can you give me some information about it? Where does the Colectivo leave from? How often does it run? How much does it cost? In addition, on the official website of the ADO bus, we still found that there are only 3 buses per day from Merida to Chichen Itza.