How to Get to Palenque Ruins, Chiapas, Mexico + Tips for Visiting

In this guide, we’re listing all the different ways you can travel from the town of Palenque to Palenque Ruins depending on your budget and travel style. In addition, we’ve also included many useful tips for your visit to this stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site, such as why you have to pay the entry fees in two separate transactions, what the different access points are, our suggested walking route, what to bring with you, and attractions you shouldn’t miss whilst inside this stunning ancient Maya city.

During our first visit to Mexico in 2022, we got sick in San Cristobal, Chiapas, just a few days before our visit to Palenque Ruins. Whilst we made it to Palenque town, we were in no shape or form to visit the site. So, when we were planning our second trip to Mexico in 2024, we knew that we had to incorporate a visit to the ruins in our itinerary. The wait was totally worth it, as Palenque Ruins became our favourite Maya Ruin in Mexico.

Check out our short videos we made about Palenque. If you’re interested in more Mexico content, then watch our Mexico Playlist on our YouTube Channel.

Where are the Palenque Ruins in Mexico?

The Palenque Ruins are located about 10km to the west of Palenque City in the state of Chiapas in southeast Mexico. The city itself is close to the Guatemalan border, and is over 200km northeast of San Cristobal de las Casas.

How to Get to Palenque Ruins, Chiapas, Mexico

Below we’ll list all the different transport methods you can use to get to Palenque Ruins from Palenque town. As always, we’ll also provide the pros and cons of each, so you can pick the most suitable for your own personal travel style.

1. Colectivo to Palenque Ruins

Colectivos are shared minivans regularly used by locals and tourists, as they are affordable and an authentic public transport method. Since it’s our preferred way to travel around Mexico, we naturally chose to visit Palenque with a colectivo. They normally adhere to a certain route, but don’t always have designated stops or rigid timetables. The ruins are located less than 10km from the town, therefore the colectivo was a fast way to get there.

Where to Get the Colectivo to Palenque Ruins from. Colectivos depart from a spot called Colectivo for Palenque Ruins, just a few blocks west of Parque Central. You may have to wait a few minutes for the van to fill up a little before leaving. The white minivans had ‘Ruinas’ written on the front, so we could identify them pretty easily. Alternatively, you can also flag one down in front of the ADO bus station. Although, some people said that all the colectivos were already full when they passed by them there.

Cost of Colectivo to Palenque Ruins from the town. One way is 25MXN pesos per person, paid in cash. It dropped us off at the ticket office next to the museum, which is only about 15-20 minutes from the town centre. You have to get off here to buy your entry ticket, even though the main access point to the site is around 1.3km from there. The colectivo won’t wait, which is one of the downsides of taking it, but it’s not the end of the world either, as there’s a beautiful walk you can do through the jungle from the ticket office to get to the site. However, if you want to get to the main car park area, you’ll have to wait and pay for another colectivo.

On your way back you can catch the colectivo from either stop. We’ve provided more information within the ‘Palenque Ruins Access Points’ section of this article.

2. Private Taxi

Another transport option for visiting the Palenque Maya Ruins independently is with a private taxi. You can tell the taxi driver to wait for you to buy your ticket and drive you up to the main access point. Obviously, this option will be more expensive, but you can always try to split the cost with other travelers. For example, there are usually taxis waiting at the ADO bus station, so if you can’t seem to catch a colectivo, just team up with others who are heading to the ruins. Then you can take the colectivo on your way back to save some pennies.

Make sure to always use official taxis and agree on the price before the journey. Scamming is not unheard of, so perhaps arrange a driver through your hotel / hostel reception.

3. Organised Group Tour

Of course, if you don’t want to be thinking about any of the logistics of visiting Palenque Ruins, then its best to visit with an organised tour. This option allows you to get picked up and dropped off from your hotel, and may also visit other places nearby.

For us, the downside of any organised day tour is that we love taking our time wandering around the site and it just never feels long enough with a tour. However, getting some valuable and interesting information from a tour guide is always a big bonus of booking one.

Note that tours may or may not include your entry fee to Palenque Ruins. Always read what is and isn’t included in the tour so you’re prepared and avoid any surprises.

If you want to learn more about the site without committing to an organised tour, you can always just hire a guide either at the entrance or by booking one online.

3. Hire Car

Lastly, another quick way to get to the Palenque Ruins from the town is by hire car. Having your own vehicle gives you the freedom to set off as early as you wish to beat the heat and the crowds.

It’s worth noting that you cannot drive all the way up to the museum / ticket office or main access point, and the car park is quite far from both. However, there’s a shuttle that takes you from the car park up to the main access point for 60MXN pesos. Parking itself is free of charge.

If you’re solely using the hire car to visit Palenque Ruins, we believe the cost of hire outweighs the benefits in this instance.

In our opinion, the best way to visit Palenque Ruins with a hire car is if you’re on a road trip visiting other places in Mexico, such as the Yucatan Peninsula. To secure a vehicle before your trip, check out DiscoverCars where you can find the best rates because they compare local, national, and international companies.

Our Top Tips for Visiting Palenque Ruins

Entry Fee and Opening Times to Palenque Ruins

Purchasing the entry ticket to Palenque Ruins happens in two separate transactions. This is now pretty standard for most archeological sites within the country.

We paid 215MXN pesos to enter Palenque National Park which is operated by CONANP (National Commission of Protected Natural Areas). Then we paid an additional 100MXN pesos to enter the ruins themselves, run by INAH (National Institute of Anthropology and History). Both tickets had to be purchased with cash. As usual, Mexican citizens and foreign residents can visit at a discounted price.

Note. You’ll be required to pay an additional 60MXN pesos to record videos.

The Archeological Site of Palenque is open every day from 8AM until 5PM with the last admission at 4PM. However, the Palenque Museum “Alberto Ruz Lhuillier” is only open from Tuesday to Sunday between 9AM and 5PM. (Although, the museum didn’t open until 11AM when we were there).

Note. On Sundays, Mexicans and citizens can go in for free. For more up-to-date prices and opening times, please check the official website.

Palenque Ruins Access Points and Walking Route

There are a few access points to the site which we touched on above, but it’s time to make a bit more sense out of it.

Palenque Ruins essentially has 2 or 3 access points, depending on the method of transport you arrive with:

1. Main Car Park, which also marks the entry to Palenque National Park. You would only use this if you’ve arrived with your own vehicle. You can buy your entry ticket here and then take a shuttle for 60MXN pesos all the way to the main access point, or hop off at the Museum.
2. Museum / Ticket Office Entrance is the entrance to the archeological site right next to the museum. We got dropped off here with the colectivo from town.
3. Secondary Access is about 1.3km uphill from the Museum. You would need to either hop on another colectivo or shuttle from the Museum to get there.

Since we arrived with a colectivo, we started our Palenque Ruins self-guided tour from the entrance across from the museum. This lush jungle route took us to a viewpoint of a waterfall, then across a hanging bridge before passing the first of many ruins overtaken by the jungle. Then we had to climb some steep steps, with more waterfalls along the way, before reaching the area with the main structures.

Since we wanted to visit the museum, we decided to go back along the same jungle route and flag down a colectivo from the museum to get back to Palenque town.

Structures Not to Miss When Visiting Palenque Ruins

Even though only 10% of the area has been excavated, there are many impressive pyramids and structures to see in Palenque.

• Temple of the Inscriptions is one of the most famous structures within the site. This massive pyramid houses King Pakal’s Tomb and the second longest glyphic text known from the Maya world.
• Temple of the Red Queen (Temple XIII) is located adjacent to the Temple of the Inscriptions, where you’ll find the resting place of the Red Queen, presumably Pakal’s wife.
• Temple of the Skulls is a smaller structure next to Temple XIII. Its unique feature is a skull on one of the pillars.
• The Palace is a massive complex which was used by the Maya aristocracy for political and ceremonial functions, as well as entertainment purposes.
• Temples of the Cross Complex is comprised of multiple impressive pyramids such as the Temple of the Cross, Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Foliated Cross. We could climb on top of the Temple of the Cross, the largest in this complex. It was a steep ascent, but from the top we could enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, lush jungle and the other temples.
• Like most Maya ruins, Palenque also has a large Ball Court.
• Temple of the Count is located within the North Group. It got its name from the French explorer and Count, Jean Frederic Waldbeck, who lived inside this temple for a while.
• The Jungle Trail, which has waterfalls, hanging bridges and many overgrown structures. This section made us feel like we’d stepped back in time.

Don’t Skip the On-Site Museum

In our opinion, the on-site Museum “Alberto Ruz Lhuillier” is not to be missed, even if it’s in a bit of an awkward location, especially if you’re coming via colectivo.

When we got dropped off at the ticket office next to the museum first thing in the morning, it wasn’t open yet. This meant that if we wanted to visit, we had to hike up the jungle trail to the main area of the site, then, instead of just getting a colectivo from the secondary access back to town, we had to hike back down the jungle trail again.

Now if you’re coming with your own vehicle, you can just ride the shuttle up to the secondary access point, and hike down through the jungle trail to visit the museum before catching the shuttle back to the car park.

At the time, we weren’t sure if the effort we’d put in to visit the on-site museum would be worth it or not. However, after seeing the museum, we definitely suggest not skipping it.

First of all, it displays over 200 objects and artefacts that have been excavated from the site. It has a few rooms that feature different sculptures, glyphic panels, offerings and ceramics found within the ruins, and also provides details about Palenque. However, the main reason why the museum is worth visiting is the impressive replica of Pakal’s Tomb and the Red Queen’s Tomb. The sarcophagus itself is massive and the lid shows Pakal being reborn as a god in the middle of cosmic symbols.

Plus, it’s free with your admission ticket, so there’s no reason not to stop by.

Best Time to Visit Palenque Ruins

The dry season is between November and April, but this is also the peak tourist season. Whilst the temperatures are much more pleasant, the site will be more crowded. The rainy season is from May to October, when the crowds thin out but it also gets hotter and more humid. If you want smaller crowds and generally good weather, then try to visit Palenque either in May or November.

Best day to visit Palenque Ruins. We suggest visiting on a weekday (Tuesday to Friday) rather than the weekend. On Sundays, Mexican citizens can enter the site for free, so it’s always much busier. The Museum is closed on Mondays, which would be a shame to miss. As usual, the site will be busy during holidays like Christmas and Semana Santa (Easter Week).

Best time of the day to visit Palenque Ruins. The site is open between 8AM and 5PM. We suggest getting there before opening time, to avoid queueing at the ticket office and the worst of the midday heat.

What to Wear and Bring With You to Palenque Ruins

No matter what time of the year you visit Palenque Ruins, it’ll be hot and humid. Now, the temperatures and level of humidity can vary a bit throughout the year, as we discussed above. When we visited in the hurricane season at the end of September, we even got a massive rain storm whilst we were there, which wasn’t followed by cooler temperatures but quite unbearable humidity instead.

For this reason, we suggest wearing light materials that will keep you cool whilst walking around. Try not to wear long jeans or anything that won’t dry quickly. Although we could find plenty of shade, we still recommend general sun protection, such as sunglasses, sun cream and a hat.

The site is also quite large and hilly, so expect to get your step goals in during your visit. In addition, the surfaces can be uneven, especially when climbing the pyramids, and the grass was still wet in the early morning. For these reasons, we recommend wearing comfortable and closed toed shoes. Avoid flip-flops and heels.

Make sure to bring plenty of water with you and some snacks to stay hydrated and energised. The heat and humidity can really suck your energy levels, not to mention all the walking you’ll be doing. Also, bring bug spray if you want to avoid being eaten alive like we were.

Final Thoughts on Visiting Palenque Ruins in Chiapas, Mexico

Palenque Ruins were 100% worth the visit and we’re so glad that we didn’t skip it during our second long-term visit to Mexico. We much preferred Palenque to Chichen Itza, thanks to its scenic jungle location and massive temple pyramids that actually looked ancient. Another bonus to Palenque is that we could climb some of the structures, which we couldn’t do at Chichen Itza. Plus, the vendors inside the ruins were less pushy and loud, so we felt like we were at an ancient archeological site rather than at Disneyland.

As always, if you used our guide to plan your visit, please help us by leaving a comment about your experience and mention anything that may have changed since our visit, so we can keep this article up-to-date.