Playa del Carmen to Mérida by bus with ADO

Q: How much is the bus from Playa del Carmen to Mérida?

Fares start from about MX$796; a typical fare is around MX$828. Prices change by date, time and service class, so search your date for the exact fare.

Q: How many buses go from Playa del Carmen to Mérida each day?

ADO and its partner lines run about 24 departures a day on this route. Departures around the clock.

Q: Where does the Playa del Carmen to Mérida bus leave from?

Most departures leave from Playa del Carmen Alterna. Your ticket shows the exact terminal.

Q: Which bus station in Playa del Carmen has buses to Mérida?

Most leave from the ADO Terminal Alterna at Calle 12 Norte and Avenida 20, a few blocks inland from Quinta Avenida; a few depart from the Terminal Turística on 5th Avenue.

Q: Does the Playa del Carmen to Mérida bus stop in Valladolid?

The route passes Valladolid on the toll road, and some services call there. Check the listed stops.

Q: Where does the bus arrive in Mérida?

Usually at the central TAME terminal on Calle 69 near the main square; some services use Paseo 60 north of the centre.

Q: Is the Tren Maya an option from Playa del Carmen to Mérida?

Yes, the train has a station outside Playa del Carmen on Highway 305D and runs to Mérida-Teya on the city's edge, but departures are limited and both stations need onward transfers.

About 24 ADO departures a day, fastest trips around 4h 10min, fares from MX$796.

Next departures are shown below. Pick one to book, or search another date.

Playa del Carmen to Mérida at a glance

Buses per day

About 24 ADO departures

Fastest trip

From around 4h 10min

Fares

From MX$796

Timetable

Departures around the clock

The journey from Playa del Carmen to Mérida

Most buses to Mérida leave Playa del Carmen from the ADO Terminal Alterna at Calle 12 Norte and Avenida 20; a few use the Terminal Turística on Quinta Avenida. The route heads inland on the Highway 305D toll spur through forest to join Highway 180D near Nuevo Xcán at the Quintana Roo–Yucatán border, then runs west past Valladolid and the Chichén Itzá exit to Kantunil and on to Mérida.

Scenery changes from the Riviera's resort sprawl to a long run of unbroken scrub forest, then the open farmland and old henequen country of western Yucatán. In Mérida buses arrive at the central TAME terminal on Calle 69 or, on some services, at Paseo 60 north of the centre.

When the buses leave

Morning (5:00–11:59): about 6 a day
Afternoon (12:00–17:59): about 10 a day
Evening (18:00–23:59): about 6 a day
Night (0:00–4:59): about 2 a day

A typical trip takes around 4h 15min; the fastest services take around 4h 10min. Times and fares come from current ADO timetables for the next 30 days and change by date and service class.

ADO services on this route

ADO: about 18 a day
ADO Platino: about 6 a day

ADO is the standard first-class service; ADO GL adds more legroom and extras, and ADO Platino has the widest seats. AU and ADO Aeropuerto cover regional and airport routes.

Sample departure times

00:30, 02:37, 07:37, 09:27, 10:47, 12:00, 13:07, 13:27, 14:37, 15:30, 16:07, 17:07

Departure times vary by day and station. Search your date above to see every bus, seat availability and the exact fare.

Bus stations in Playa del Carmen and Mérida

The terminals most buses on this route use. Check the station printed on your ticket.

Depart from: Playa del Carmen Alterna

Calle 12 Nte
Coordinates: 20.62937, -87.07427
About 22 ADO departures a day on this route

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Full station guide for this region

Depart from: Playa Del Carmen ADO Bus Station

Av Benito Juárez 251
Coordinates: 20.62290, -87.07530
About 2 ADO departures a day on this route

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Full station guide for this region

Arrive at: Merida Unica Bus Station

Calle 69 554
Coordinates: 20.96253, -89.63030
About 18 ADO departures a day on this route

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Full station guide for this region

Arrive at: Merida Bus Station

Calle 26 202
Coordinates: 21.01480, -89.58420
About 3 ADO departures a day on this route

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Full station guide for this region

Arriving in Mérida

Mérida is where Riviera visitors go for culture and colonial architecture: the Plaza Grande, the Catedral de San Ildefonso, the Casa de Montejo and the mansions of Paseo de Montejo. The Gran Museo del Mundo Maya and the Palacio Cantón explain the region's Maya past, there are free street performances on many evenings, and the city is the base for Uxmal, Dzibilchaltún, Mayapán, the Cuzamá cenotes and the Gulf coast at Progreso.

Tips for the Playa del Carmen–Mérida bus

Tip 1

Most Mérida departures use the Terminal Alterna (Calle 12 Norte and Avenida 20) rather than the 5th Avenue terminal, so check the station on your ticket.

Tip 2

Alterna is a few blocks inland from Quinta Avenida; allow time to walk or take a taxi with luggage.

Tip 3

In Mérida, pick TAME for the historic centre or Paseo 60 for hotels near Paseo de Montejo.

Tip 4

Take a sweater; first-class coaches are strongly air-conditioned on long runs.

Other ways to travel

The Tren Maya connects Playa del Carmen station (on Highway 305D outside the centre) with Mérida-Teya, and driving means paying tolls on 305D and 180D. The ADO bus suits travellers who want a central departure and arrival and more frequent options.