Mexico City is Mexico’s largest transport hub and one of the main gateways to the whole of Latin America.

Thanks to an extensive network of international flights and long-distance buses, you can reach the city comfortably from virtually anywhere.

For most visitors, the starting point of their journey will be Benito Juárez Airport (MEX), which is situated just a few kilometres from the city centre.

By plane

Most international visitors arrive in Mexico City by air. The main airport, Benito Juárez (MEX), is one of the busiest in the Americas and offers direct flights to dozens of cities around the world.

Direct flights to Europe

From Mexico City, you can fly without a stopover to, for example:

• Madrid – the most flights
• Barcelona
• Paris
• Amsterdam
• London
• Frankfurt
• Munich
• Istanbul
• and more

Direct flights to North America

The network of connections to the USA and Canada is exceptionally extensive. You can fly non-stop todozens of cities across the USA and Canada, for example.

The busiest routes easily have 6–10 flights every day. Typically:

• Houston
• Dallas
• Miami
• Los Angeles
• Chicago
• Atlanta
• New York
• and others

Direct flights to Latin America

Mexico City is, of course, one of the hubs of Latin America, so there are flights to virtually every country in Central and South America.

The most common destinations include:

• Panama City
• Guatemala City
• Bogotá
• Lima
• Buenos Aires
• Medellín
• and more

Direct flights to Asia and Australia

Whilst there are currently no direct flights between Australia and Oceania and Mexico, you can fly to the following cities in Asia without a stopover:

• Tokyo
• Beijing

How much do the flights cost?

Prices vary significantly depending on the season and the departure point.

As a rough guide, you should expect to pay the following amounts for a return ticket:

Region	Standard price
Europe	Around 800 usd
USA and Canada	around 300 usd
South America	around 400 usd

The most expensive periods are usually Christmas, New Year, Easter and Mexican public holidays.

Compare flight prices on skyscanner.com

Which airport should you use?

Mexico City is served by three commercial airports.

Benito Juárez (MEX)

The main international airport and the best choice for most travellers.

It is the closest to the city centre and handles the vast majority of international flights.

• 👉 Uber, the underground or the bus? Our experience with transport

Felipe Ángeles (NLU)

The new airport north of the city.

It is mainly used by certain low-cost and domestic airlines. The journey to the city centre currently takes considerably longer than from Benito Juárez Airport, but a railway line is being built here.

• 👉What’s the quickest way to the city centre?

Toluca (TLC)

A smaller airport to the west of the city (over 100 km).

It has a limited number of flights and most tourists will not use it.

Is it worth flying into Cancún and travelling on from there?

If you’re planning a trip combining Mexico City and the Yucatán, it’s worth checking the option of flying into Cancún and out of Mexico City (or vice versa) when searching for flights.

So-called open-jaw (or multi-city) flights are often only slightly more expensive than a standard return ticket and will save you one domestic flight.

Domestic flights: the best way to travel around Mexico

If you’re planning to travel around Mexico, I’d definitely choose to fly as your first option for transport.

Domestic flight routes are very busy and highly competitive, so flight prices are low and the quality of service is quite good.

In particular, the fleets of the major Mexican airlines are very new and in excellent condition.

There are three major airlines operating in Mexico:

• Volaris
• VivaAerobus
• Aeromexico

Volaris and VivaAerobus tend to be the cheapest, with one-way flights starting at around 50 usd when booked more than two months in advance .

Compare flight prices on skyscanner.com

Long-distance coaches

If you’re planning to visit more places than just Mexico City in the central part of the country, you’ll most likely use a long-distance coach at least once.

Mexico has one of the most extensive bus networks in the world.

Modern, higher-class coaches typically offer air conditioning, reclining seats, Wi-Fi, USB sockets and toilets.

On routes of up to approximately 400 km, the bus is often more comfortable than a plane.

Where can I buy tickets?

The easiest option is to book online.

To compare different transport operators, I recommend the search engine 12go.asia, which I use in many parts of the world.

When booking directly with transport operators, you’ll most often use:

• ADO
• Primera Plus
• ETN
• Estrella Blanca
• Futura

For most routes, it is not necessary to buy tickets weeks in advance. Exceptions are usually weekends, public holidays and busy routes to Puebla, Querétaro or Oaxaca.

The four main bus stations in Mexico City

Unlike most European cities, Mexico City does not have a single central bus station.

Long-distance buses depart from four large terminals located in the four cardinal directions of the city.

TAPO (Terminal de Oriente)

The main bus station for most tourists.

From here, you can travel to cities such as:

• Puebla
• Oaxaca
• Veracruz
• Villahermosa
• Mérida
• Cancún

The terminal is situated next to San Lázaro metro station and is home to most of ADO’s services.

• Location on the map
• Tip for a good hotel near the station:MX Congreso, Trademark Collection by Wyndham

Central del Norte

The city’s largest coach station.

Buses depart from here to the following cities:

• Teotihuacán
• Querétaro
• San Miguel de Allende
• Guanajuato
• León
• Guadalajara
• Monterrey
• Tijuana

The terminal is located right next to the Autobuses del Norte metro station.

• Location on the map
• Tip for a good hotel near the station: Hotel Brasilia

Central del Sur (Taxqueña)

The main railway station for the southern part of the country.

Most common destinations:

• Cuernavaca
• Taxco
• Acapulco

It is directly connected to Tasqueña metro station.

• Location on the map
• Tip for a good hotel near the station: Hotel Montreal

Central Poniente (Observatorio)

Bus station for western Mexico.

Most common destinations:

• Toluca
• Morelia
• Valle de Bravo

For most foreign tourists, it is less important than TAPO or Central del Norte.

• Location on the map

Approximate bus fares

Route	Journey time	Price
Puebla	2 hours	from 250 mxn
Querétaro	3 hours	from 350 mxn
San Miguel de Allende	4–5 hours	from 500 mxn
Oaxaca	6–7 hours	from 700 mxn
Guadalajara	6–7 hours	from 900 mxn

Compare bus prices on 12go.asia

By train

There is currently virtually no regular long-distance passenger rail service to Mexico City.

Air travel and long-distance coaches are the main modes of transport for travelling around Mexico.