A Complete Guide to Bus Travel Around Mexico

There are three main ways to travel around Mexico: by plane, by private vehicle or by bus.

In this blog post we’ll tell you everything you need to know about bus travel around Mexico. This post is aimed at backpackers staying in the country for a longer period of time, for those who don’t want to rent a car and for those looking for affordable and more sustainable travel options to flights.

For reference, we spent just under three months in Mexico and only used buses to travel between places. During this time we travelled with many different bus companies, on day-time and overnight buses, and waited at many different bus stations. Whilst this doesn’t make us experts, our experience allows us to provide you with insider advice, tips and comparisons of the various bus operators. 

Over the years we have also travelled across the USA and backpacked around Europe, Peru and Colombia using plenty of buses as a means of transport. Therefore, we have lots of experience when it comes to taking long-distance bus rides and will be able to provide good comparisons to other countries too.

About Bus Travel Around Mexico

Before we delve into the details let’s start by saying that taking the bus isn’t only going to save you money. It will also exceed your expectations. At least it did with ours…

Mexico actually doesn’t have a national bus company. Instead, the country has many regional companies which cover most of the places you’re likely to travel to during your stay. I’ll detail these further below.

Apparently Mexico has invested a lot of money in high-speed toll roads and roads in general since the 1990s. In addition, bus operators have also invested to create an extensive bus network across the country. These inter-city buses normally have three different classes: executive, first and second class. Executive and first class buses definitely offer a safe, modern and comfortable environment to travel in for long hours. Second class buses are normally just as safe but they are more common on shorter journeys. Sound too good to be true? 

Well, after using many well-known bus companies across the USA and Europe such as Greyhound, Megabus and National Express, I can safely say that Mexico’s buses became our absolute favourite ones. We had massive, comfortable seats that we’d only ever seen as we walked past the business class section on planes. We had fantastic leg room with leg rests that made us feel like we were in bed. In addition, many services provided on board entertainment that helped to kill the time.

What to Consider Before You Decide to Travel by Bus in Mexico

Before you start purchasing bus tickets after hearing us raving about how good they are, ask yourself the following questions to make sure that bus travel is the best mode of transportation for YOU:

Do I get motion sick easily? – I wouldn’t recommend taking buses across the country if you suffer from serious motion sickness. The journeys are generally long, the roads can be bumpy and very windy in certain areas. In that case flying is probably a better option for you.

How much time do I have? – If you need to be somewhere on a certain day or time then make sure to take an earlier bus, travel the day before or pick another method altogether. Whilst buses are generally on time with very minimal delays, you really never know what’s going to happen on the roads. You don’t want to risk missing an important flight for example.

Do I know some Spanish? – Whilst you’ll be able to communicate in English at airports, this isn’t the case at bus stations. We found very little English-speaking staff even at massive stations such as Mexico City. Therefore, I recommend learning the basics prior to your trip such as how to ask for bus tickets, dates, times and numbers. There is also the life-saving Google Translate App which will be your best friend during your travels.

Where to Find Information About Bus Routes and Companies

Although I’ll detail and link the main companies we used below, it’s always good practice to do your own research too.

Our main online sources that helped us to find bus routes and companies operating to and from our next destination were Busbud, Rome2Rio and Moovitapp. These websites are also great if you’d like to travel locally and are looking for smaller bus operators and detailed bus routes.

Is It Safe to Travel by Bus in Mexico?

I guess there’s one more important factor you’ll want to consider before committing to a long-distance bus ride: Is it safe?

My short answer is: YES.

We never felt unsafe on any of the buses whether it was during the day or at night. We never felt unsafe waiting at the bus stations either. However, crimes are not uncommon, especially in densely populated cities. You might also read some scary stories that happened to people who were unfortunately in the wrong place at the wrong time, but in my opinion this is very rare.

Whilst you’re most likely to have an uneventful journey, below are a few of my general tips for extra safety:

• If you’re travelling solo, or having to travel to the bus station for an overnight bus, I suggest calling an Uber or official taxi. 
• We used public transport to get to the station many times, but make sure to avoid travelling during rush hour. It’s really uncomfortable and awkward to be squeezed onto a busy metro with all your belongings. Plus, it’s also harder to pay attention to every bag you own.
• Once at the station, make sure to have all your belongings with you at all times. It’s obviously easier to grab food or go to the toilet if you’re travelling in pairs or small groups.
• For extra security, consider putting a lock onto both your big bag and smaller backpacks.
• I know it’s obvious, but don’t put any valuables into the bag that’s going under the bus. They can get thrown all around not just stolen.
• Lastly, having good travel insurance is key in case your bags get lost or stolen.

Bus Stations

Most cities and towns you’ll be travelling to will have a central bus station called Central de Autobuses. Although they’re called ‘central’, the bus stops are likely to be located quite a bit further from the town than the centre.

Unlike in Costa Rica, it’s very rare if individual bus companies have their own terminal, but not unheard of. In big cities there will usually be a long distance bus station and a local bus station. Mexico City actually has 4 different long distance bus stations! Therefore, make sure to check the location where your bus departs from prior to your journey.

Once at the bus station, you’ll normally find different bus companies selling tickets, convenience stores selling drinks and snacks, fast food places and cafés. Bus stations will also have toilet facilities. The use of these toilets normally costs between 5 or 6 pesos.

Top Tips – Make sure to have some coins to be able to use the metal gates. You might have to pay extra for toilet paper, so either have extra change on you or carry some. 

Bus stations also have seating areas at the gates where you can wait until your bus is ready for boarding. 

Top Tip – At the ticket office they will tell you which gate your bus will depart from, but if you’re unsure, you can always double check it with the staff at the gates. 

Normally the number and variety of facilities depends on the size of the bus station. Therefore, I recommend doing some research and buying enough food and drinks prior to arriving at the bus stops in case they don’t have sufficient facilities. For example, some touristy bus stops such as in Puerto Escondido felt a bit bare and there wasn’t any supermarkets close by either.

Purchasing Bus Tickets Online vs at the Bus Station

Online Reservations

Many companies now have their own websites where you can purchase your bus ticket. Sometimes they even offer a discount if you buy your ticket online which is great.

However, bear in mind that these websites might not be as advanced as you’re used to. In many cases you might not even be able to book your ticket online for various reasons:

• We noticed that some websites only accept credit card payments from bank cards that were issued in Mexico.
• Another issue we had when trying to buy tickets online was that at the card detail section they asked for the postcode that your card is registered to, but you could only put numbers in. In the UK, we have letters in our postcodes as well as numbers so couldn’t complete the section correctly.
• Some bus companies will want to see your passport and Immigration Form (FMM) when you purchase a ticket, especially when travelling between states. This means that you will likely have to buy it at the station instead of online.

Even if you can’t book your ticket online, the websites at least will allow you to see their timetables and prices. 

Buying Ticket at the Bus Station

In many instances you’ll have no other choice than to buy your ticket from the ticket office.

Before heading to the bus stop, I recommend making a note of the bus company you want to use, your planned travel date and time and have it all in your head in Spanish as well. Don’t forget to take your passport and Immigration Form (FMM) with you too.

Bus stations will have all the bus operators’ names on the counters so you’ll know which one to queue up at. Luckily, most of the ticket officers will have a monitor which they usually turn towards you so you can double check the date, time, destination, route and seat you’d like to reserve. If you’re buying bus tickets in advance, make sure to double check that your travel date is correct.

You’ll normally have the option to pay by cash or card especially in bigger cities. To avoid a lot of exchange fees, I recommend converting your own local currency to Pesos with a Wise card.

Overnight Bus or Daytime Bus?

Another dilemma you might have is whether to travel during the day or at night. Obviously, this is only applicable if a company offers these types of services. For some routes you will have no choice. 

During our 3 months in Mexico we had a good variety of overnight and daytime bus trips. Below we detail the pros and cons of each to help you decide which one you should take.

Note – During my research, I read many articles that generally advise you against travelling long distances at night. I think this is more true if you’re renting a car and driving yourself and I also advise you against driving at night in Mexico. However, we felt completely safe on every single night bus we took. These buses normally travel on toll roads which are considered much safer at night than the more remote non-toll roads. Just make sure to avoid second-class buses for overnight travel. 

Overnight Bus

Pros

• Saving one night’s accommodation.
• Buses are comfortable with plenty of leg room, leg rests and reclining seats for even more comfort.
• If you arrive early to your next destination, you have a full day to explore.
• You can always ask if your accommodation is ready for you to check in early or alternatively hold your bags while they prepare the room.

Cons

• Might not get a good night’s sleep.
• Won’t see much of the beautiful landscapes, towns and villages that are located between your origin and destination. 
• If you arrive early you might not be able to check in to your accommodation.
• You’ll probably have to store your luggage at your accommodation until check-in. If you’d like to explore in the meantime, you’ll likely have to leave some of your valuables behind.

Daytime Bus

Pros

• Buses are comfortable with plenty of leg room, leg rests and reclining seats for even more comfort.
• Be able to admire the beautiful landscapes, towns and villages that are located between your origin and destination. 
• You’ll be able to check in to your accommodation straight away.

Cons

• Have to have an accommodation booked for the night.
• You’ll lose a day of exploring by being on the bus all day.
• Some bus companies (OCC and ADO) will play movies on their TV screens during the entire journey which some might find slightly too loud and annoying.

Things to Do Before, During and After Your Bus Ride

Before Your Bus Journey

• Have your ticket and documents ready. The bus driver will ask for your seat number when he fills out the luggage tag.
• Buy enough food and drinks for the ride. (You can normally find plenty of options at the station, but some might only have snacks. In that case come prepared and buy what you need beforehand.)
• I suggest having a few layers on you. The A/C on these buses can be strong.
• Take all valuables and everything you might need with you onto the bus. 
• Download offline entertainment, such as movies, books, music and games. (4G might not be available between settlements.)
• Charge all your electronic devices in case the plugs don’t work. Alternatively, I recommend carrying a portable charger with you. They normally have USB cable slots but bring your adapter with you too just in case they have normal outlets.
• Know where you’re going after you get off the bus. Download offline maps of the area or screenshot the address and route you’re travelling to. This is especially important if you have no local sim card or your 4G doesn’t work.

During Your Bus Journey

• Make sure to keep both the bus and luggage ticket as you’ll be asked for that when collecting your bags.
• Keep your passport and Immigration Forms (FMM) handy too. Some areas in Mexico –  especially around the southern states – will have regular random checks where you might be required to show your travel documents.
• Always be mindful of your fellow travellers and create as little noise as possible. Headphones can be very useful if you have noisy fellow travellers. Some of the better buses will have on board entertainment like on flights so you can always practice your Spanish by watching a movie or two. A few companies were giving out headphones but they are mostly cheap and just a waste of plastic, so have your own.
• Some buses will let people who sell snacks and drinks on board. This is completely normal in Mexico. It’s up to you whether to purchase something or not, but have small change on you in case you start to crave something.
• We noticed that ADO and OCC buses stop for 10-15 minutes at certain bus stations to refuel and clean the vehicle. This provides a great opportunity to stretch your legs or purchase some extra food and drinks. Don’t forget to take your valuables with you and also have your ticket in hand when the bus is ready to leave. 

After Your Bus Journey

• Before leaving the bus make sure to check that you have all your belongings, including overhead storage, under and in between the seats.
• Get your luggage ticket ready to collect your bags. (I really liked how strict they were with double checking the tickets.)
• Don’t forget to take your rubbish with you and dispose of it in a bin at the station. I suggest bringing a garbage bag with you where you can collect all your waste. 

A Review of Bus Companies We Used in Mexico

The above map shows the bus routes we took during our three months in Mexico. Below is our short itinerary and the company we travelled with. These are only the long-distance routes, but we also used many local buses which I provide more details of in the relevant blog posts.

• Mexico City to Guadalajara – Primera Plus (daytime)
• Guadalajara to San Luis Potosi – Primera Plus (daytime)
• Ciudad Valles to Mexico City – Omnibus de Mexico (overnight)
• Mexico City to Puerto Escondido – ETN (overnight)
• Oaxaca to San Cristobal de las Casas – OCC (overnight)
• San Cristobal de las Casas to Palenque – OCC (daytime)
• Palenque to Merida – OCC (daytime)
• Merida to Valladoid – ADO (daytime)
• Valladoid to Cancun – ADO (daytime)

As I mentioned before, there are many other regional and local bus companies operating across Mexico. However, this list definitely includes most of the names that you’ll come across during your research. 

Please Note – The short review of the companies below is purely based on our experience. We all travel differently, have different needs and events out of our control can influence our experiences. So in short, just take everything with a pinch of salt. 

Primera Plus

Our first long-distance bus journey experience was with Primera Plus travelling from Mexico City to Guadalajara. We also used the company to travel to San Luis Potosi. 

Primera Plus is definitely one of the biggest bus companies in Mexico. It also covers a relatively big network of bus routes around central Mexico and some Pacific destinations. 

They had everything on board to make our journey comfortable: large seats, USB outlets, individual screens, A/C, working WIFI and even male/female toilets. We really enjoyed travelling with the company.

Top Tip – If you buy your tickets online you get an extra 10% off. Make sure to print off your ticket prior to your journey or ask for it at their ticket desk.

Click here to plan your trip with Primera Plus.

Omnibus de Mexico

We chose Omnibus de Mexico for our overnight bus journey between Ciudad Valles and Mexico City. This was also our very first overnight bus experience in the country. The bus had pretty much everything we needed for the night such as big, comfortable and reclining seats with leg rests that made sleeping much easier. It also had USB and normal outlets so we could charge our electronic devices. Toilets and A/C was also available. It said that WIFI was available on board, however it didn’t work for us. We also couldn’t book our tickets online so had to pre-book them at the bus station.

The bus company definitely operates one of the most extensive bus networks in Mexico. You can travel with them in the northern, western and eastern regions around Mexico City. However, they don’t operate in the southern states.

Click here to plan your trip with Omnibus de Mexico.

ETN

One bus company we really wanted to try during our trip was ETN. It is known to be one of the best luxury bus companies in the country . 

We picked the company for our overnight trip between Mexico City and Puerto Escondido. It was probably the longest journey we had (13 hours) so we wanted to have maximum comfort. ETN normally have double decker buses, very large seats with enormous leg room, reclining seats and leg rests that make it feel like you’re in bed. They also had individual screens for entertainment, USB cable slots for charging, A/C and of course toilets. We definitely felt like we were in first class on an airplane. 

They operate between many major cities along the Pacific Coast, central, northern, eastern and some southern cities. It’s probably one of the most expensive bus companies too, but you can get approximately 10% discount if you book your ticket online.

Click here to plan you trip with ETN.

ADO (Autobuses de Oriente)

Autobuses de Oriente aka ADO is a massive bus company in Mexico that owns several smaller bus companies such as OCC. You’ll very likely be travelling with either an ADO or OCC bus if your itinerary includes states such as Chiapas, Yucatan and Oaxaca.

We used the company on quite a few occasions travelling through these states. They obviously had toilets on board, USB outlets and A/C. The buses had comfortable seats but they felt slightly smaller, there wasn’t comfortable leg rests and the leg room also felt less than what we got with the other companies.

They also had on board entertainment, however the screens weren’t individual ones as on the other buses. They actually played movies during the entire journey and only switched them off during the night. This can be fun, especially if you’d like to learn some Spanish, but it can also be very disturbing if you’d like to sleep or read on the bus.

You can easily book your ticket online and just show the PDF version when boarding. There’s no need to print them off which is great.

During longer journeys the bus stops at least once at a bigger station for 10-15 minutes to refuel and they disinfect the entire bus inside-out. Both OCC and ADO had a very strict cleaning policy in place that we hadn’t experienced with the other companies. This also offers the opportunity to stretch your legs a bit and to grab a coffee or snack from the station.

Note – Make sure to have all your travel documents in hand. There are many checkpoints around these areas of Mexico and you could be asked for your passport and ticket at any of them. Many times they also came on board with a camera and filmed all the passengers.

Apparently they have different classes and have some more luxurious services, however we never travelled with them. 

Click here to plan your trip with ADO.

OCC

We travelled both overnight and during the day with OCC branded buses. As I mentioned above OCC is part of ADO, but they didn’t change the branding. So you’ll book through the ADO website and essentially your ticket will either be with an ADO or an OCC branded bus depending on the route. 

The OCC branded buses were pretty much exactly the same as the ADO branded ones. They had the same level of comfort, facilities and were operating the same way in terms of stops and cleaning. 

Click here to plan your trip with OCC.

Final Thoughts on Bus Travel Around Mexico

We really enjoyed travelling by bus across Mexico and I never ever thought that these bus trips would become some of the most comfortable ones we’ve ever taken as well as some of the safest and most secure. 

Although the journeys were long, we felt like time passed very quickly and we even managed to have decent night’s sleeps on the overnight buses. Travelling by bus didn’t just reduce our carbon footprint but also made us feel like we saw a lot more of Mexico. Travelling during the day also allowed us to experience the crazy changes in scenery and really appreciate the scale of the country. 

Have you ever travelled around Mexico by bus before? If so, let me know about your experience in the comment section below. If not, would you want to try out any of the routes or bus companies we mentioned?