ADO bus stations in Central Veracruz: terminal guide

Travelling by bus in Central Veracruz

Central Veracruz runs from the historic port of Veracruz, with its malecón, fort and Afro-Caribbean music, up to Xalapa, the hilly state capital, and on to the coffee towns and cloud forest of the mountains. Córdoba and Orizaba sit beneath Pico de Orizaba, Mexico's highest peak. José Cardel, on the coast north of the port, is a stop for the Cempoala ruins and nearby beaches.

This is where ADO began, and the region still has some of its busiest terminals. CAVE in Veracruz and CAXA in Xalapa handle routes across the country, while smaller stations in the mountain towns keep frequent links with Puebla and Mexico City.

How ADO serves Central Veracruz

ADO's first route, launched in 1939, linked Mexico City with Veracruz via Puebla, Perote and Xalapa. Today the Veracruz CAVE terminal belongs to Mobility ADO and CAXA is Grupo ADO's main terminal in Xalapa. Both are served by ADO, ADO GL, ADO Platino, OCC and AU. ADO, ADO GL, AU and UNO serve Orizaba, and ADO GL runs direct from Mexico City airport (AICM) to Córdoba and Orizaba. ADO also runs frequent shorter services between Veracruz and José Cardel.

Veracruz Central Bus Station (CAVE)

Address: Avenida Salvador Diaz Miron 1698, 91910, Veracruz
Coordinates: 19.17863, -96.13430
ADO lines: ADO, ADO GL, ADO Platino, AU
Departures: about 680 ADO connections a day to 74 cities

The Central de Autobuses de Veracruz is at Av. Salvador Díaz Mirón 1698, opposite the Auditorio Benito Juárez, south of the historic centre. It has a first-class section facing Díaz Mirón and an intermediate (second-class) section entered from Av. Lafragua 1117 at the back. Routes go to all four Mexico City terminals and the airport, plus Puebla, Xalapa, Oaxaca, Villahermosa, Cancún, Mérida, Tampico and Reynosa.

Getting there: Taxis are inexpensive. The station issues taxi vouchers, and for street cabs you should agree the fare first. The 'Boca del Río' city bus runs through downtown towards the beaches.

Facilities: There are about 38 ticket counters and three waiting rooms. In the first-class area, ticket desks are on the ground floor and the waiting rooms are upstairs, reached by escalator. There is a taxi service but no public parking.

Tip: Check whether your ticket is first class or intermediate, because the two sections have different entrances. ADO also has smaller terminals elsewhere in the area, including one at the airport, so confirm where your bus departs.

Xalapa Central Bus Station (CAXA)

Address: Avenida 20 de Noviembre 271, 91030, Xalapa
Coordinates: 19.52550, -96.90375
ADO lines: ADO, ADO Aeropuerto (R), ADO GL, ADO Platino, AU
Departures: about 495 ADO connections a day to 62 cities

The Central de Autobuses de Xalapa opened in 1990 at Av. 20 de Noviembre Oriente 571, about 2.5 km east of the city centre. It is Grupo ADO's main terminal in the area, with routes to Mexico City (TAPO, Norte and AICM Terminal 1), Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Villahermosa, Mérida, Cancún, Tampico and many towns in the state.

Getting there: Buy a ride at the controlled taxi booth (taquilla de taxis) inside the terminal, as the Universidad Veracruzana advises. Colectivos (shared vans) and other taxis also stop outside the terminal.

Facilities: There are 17 ticket counters, two standard waiting rooms and a luxury waiting room, a cafeteria, shops, restrooms and surface parking.

Tip: If you are coming from Mexico City airport, ADO has direct buses from AICM Terminal 1, which saves a late-night transfer to TAPO. Xalapa is hilly, so a taxi is easier than walking with luggage.

Córdoba Central Bus Station (Central de Autobuses Córdoba)

Address: Blvrd. Agustín Millán, 94613, Córdoba
Coordinates: 18.88400, -96.92000
ADO lines: ADO, ADO Aeropuerto (R), ADO GL, AU
Departures: about 384 ADO connections a day to 40 cities

Córdoba's central bus station is on Av. Agustín Millán, with ADO departures to Mexico City (Terminal Norte and TAPO), Veracruz's CAVE and long-distance destinations to the southeast such as Palenque. ADO GL also runs direct between Córdoba and Mexico City airport.

Getting there: Take a local taxi to Parque 21 de Mayo and the historic centre. Smaller bus companies have offices close to the main terminal.

Tip: Córdoba and Orizaba are only about 20 km apart, so you can easily combine them in one trip. Book ahead around 15 September, when the city celebrates the Treaties of Córdoba.

Orizaba Central Bus Station (Terminal ADO Orizaba)

Address: Oriente 6 564, 94300, Orizaba
Coordinates: 18.84709, -97.09930
ADO lines: ADO, ADO Aeropuerto (R), ADO GL, AU
Departures: about 360 ADO connections a day to 33 cities

Orizaba's ADO terminal is in the centre of this Pueblo Mágico, near Oriente 6 and Sur 11, a few steps from the Iglesia de los Dolores. ADO, ADO GL, AU and the premium UNO brand serve Mexico City, Puebla and Veracruz, and ADO GL runs direct to Mexico City airport.

Getting there: The central location means many hotels and the historic centre are reachable on foot. The cable car up Cerro del Borrego starts by the river, across from the Palacio Municipal.

Tip: Fares vary by class: UNO is the top tier, ADO GL is luxury and ADO is standard first class. Resident seniors with an ID card can get a 50% discount on ADO.

Jose Cardel Bus Station (Cardel)

Address: Calle Emiliano Zapata 78, 91680, José Cardel
Coordinates: 19.37072, -96.37980
ADO lines: ADO, AU
Departures: about 182 ADO connections a day to 38 cities

José Cardel, the seat of La Antigua municipality, is about 30 km north of the port of Veracruz, where federal highways 180 and 140 meet. ADO runs frequent services between Cardel and Veracruz, and the town is the jumping-off point for the Cempoala ruins and the beaches at Chachalacas.

Getting there: Frequent local buses run from Cardel to Zempoala, near the Cempoala archaeological site. Taxis serve the nearby beaches.

Tip: Cardel is useful if you are travelling the coast highway north towards Papantla or inland towards Xalapa. Check the ADO timetable for direct services, because many routes simply pass through.