Travelling Mexico by ADO bus with kids
Short rides, a toilet on board, screens for the little ones and room for the stroller. Child fares, the best family routes and practical tips for travelling around Mexico by ADO bus with children.
Family travel at a glance
What families need to know before booking:
Child fare for ages 5 to 12; under 5s ride free on an adult's lap
Easy hops of 45 minutes to 2½ hours between beaches, ruins and cities
Cancún to Playa del Carmen from about US$4 per adult
Taking the bus with children: the essentials
Child fares and tickets
- Ages 5 to 12 travel on a discounted child fare. From age 13, children pay the adult fare.
- Under 5s travel free on the lap of the adult they are with, one child per adult. If you'd like your toddler to have their own seat, buy a ticket for them.
- Bring proof of age, such as a passport, for each child. ADO can check ages at boarding; if a child's age can't be shown, you pay the difference to the adult fare.
- Children under 18 must always travel with an adult.
On board
- ADO, ADO GL and ADO Platino buses all have a toilet, air conditioning and reclining seats.
- ADO Platino has a personal screen with films and music at every seat, plus power sockets: a real help on longer rides.
- Buses are air-conditioned and can feel cold. Pack a sweater and a light blanket for the kids.
- Strollers can go to the bus door, where you hand them over to travel in the luggage hold.
Which ADO bus is which?
- ADO: the standard first-class bus, with air conditioning, reclining seats, screens and a toilet.
- ADO GL: more legroom, power sockets and USB ports, a drink on board and a toilet.
- ADO Platino: the most comfortable option, with fewer and wider seats, a personal screen, Wi-Fi, a power socket and USB ports at every seat, and a toilet.
- AU: a cheaper, simpler service. The booking site does not list a toilet on AU buses, so on longer trips choose ADO, GL or Platino.
The bus type is shown for every departure when you search.
Tips from travelling parents
- Book early so your family can choose seats together.
- Split long journeys: Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Valladolid are all within about 2½ hours of each other.
- Morning departures are usually calmer and cooler, and you arrive with daylight to find your hotel.
- Bring snacks, water and something for motion sickness on winding mountain roads.
Bus times, fares and onboard features on this page come from the ADO booking flow for Saturday, December 5, 2026, and can change. Discounts, luggage rules and accessibility services are set by ADO and can change too: check the conditions shown when you book, or ask at the ADO ticket office. Entry fees and opening hours are set by each site.
Family-friendly trips by ADO bus
Short rides with plenty to do at the other end:
Playa del Carmen
By bus: from Cancún, about 45 minutes–1h 45min, over 60 ADO buses a day, from about US$4
Calm, shallow beaches and an easy pedestrian street. A good base for day trips along the coast.
Tulum
By bus: from Playa del Carmen, about 50 minutes–1h 50min, from about US$7.50
Clifftop ruins by the sea and shallow cenotes for a first swim. How to get to Gran Cenote.
Valladolid
By bus: from Cancún, about 2h 25min, 6 buses a day, from about US$23
A colourful, compact town with a cenote right in the centre. How to get to Cenote Suytun.
Puebla
By bus: from Mexico City, about 2 hours, over 150 ADO buses a day, from about US$14.50
Home of Africam Safari, a drive-through wildlife park just outside the city, plus sweet shops on the Calle de los Dulces.
Campeche
By bus: from Mérida, about 2h 25min, 35 ADO buses a day, from about US$22
Old city walls and bastions to explore, and a long seafront promenade for an evening walk.
Holbox
By bus: from Cancún to Chiquilá, about 2h 35min, then a 20–25 minute ferry
Sandy streets, no cars and shallow water. How to get to Holbox.
Entry fees and free days for children
- INAH archaeological sites and museums are free for Mexican children and children of foreign residents under 13. Visiting children usually pay, so check at the ticket desk.
- On Sundays, INAH sites are free for Mexicans and foreign residents with ID, which also makes them busier.
- Private parks such as Africam Safari, Xcaret and Xel-Há set their own prices and often sell cheaper tickets online.
Sample family day: Cancún to Playa del Carmen
- Mid-morning ADO bus from the Cancún downtown terminal (about 1 hour).
- Walk 5 minutes from the bus station to the beach.
- Lunch on Quinta Avenida, ice cream, then the afternoon bus back. Buses run every few minutes for most of the day.
More ADO guides for every kind of traveller
- Travelling over 60 by ADO bus
- Accessible travel by ADO bus
- Learning Spanish by ADO bus
- Working remotely by ADO bus
Photos via Wikimedia Commons. Photos: August Dominus, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Why families travel with ADO
Book online in English, pay in your own currency and travel together in comfort:
Toilet and screens on board
ADO, GL and Platino buses all have a toilet, and Platino has a personal screen at every seat.
Ultra comfort Seats
Your seat guaranteed — spacious, comfortable, and adjustable.
Bulky luggage included
Your ticket includes 25 kg of checked luggage at no extra cost. Buy extra space at the counter if needed.
Entertainment & Wi-Fi
Selected services offer onboard screens and Wi-Fi. Amenities vary by service class.
Book Online in Advance
Climate Control
Onboard Bathrooms
USB Ports & Power Outlets
Certified Safety Standards
Digital ticket
Directly to your email
Mobile Download
Compatible with your phone
Travel Safely
Certified Vehicles
Travelling with kids by ADO bus: frequently asked questions
Child fares, strollers and onboard comfort
Do you have questions?
Contact us at our customer support channel (in Spanish). We're here to help.
Feel free to check out our Frequently Asked Questions below.