How to get to Cozumel

Ferry | Airplane | Cruise ship

How to get to Cozumel

The Island Cozumel is located about 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the mainland of the Riviera Maya. Visiting Cozumel is therefore only possible by ferry, plane or during a cruise. The crossing by ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel takes about 40 minutes, but can take up to an hour when you include getting on and off the boat.

Two ferry companies operate the route between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen. The ferries leave every hour between 6:00 and 23:00, usually on the hour. Depending on the exchange rate, the crossing costs about 10 US dollars one way. It is worthwhile, however, to inquire about special prices, as there may be discounts available. The ferry operator, Ultramar has the newer vessels and is slightly faster. If you get seasick or are worried about the crossing, Ultramar should be your choice. The ferry company, Winjet (Mexico Waterjet) is a bit cheaper.

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The boats used for the ferry between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen are quite large and they usually operate even in larger storms. It can be wavy and some passengers prefer to take tablets for seasickness. Generally, the crossing to Cozumel or to Playa del Carmen is quiet.

The ferry between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen

Cozumel Ferry to Playa del Carmen
The Cozumel Ferry Terminal is just a 10 minutes’ walk from Punta Langosta Cruise Terminal. For guests who arrive there by cruise ship, the ferry to Playa del Carmen is within walking distance. From the more southern cruise terminals International Pier or Puerta Maya you can take a taxi to the public Cozumel ferry. The taxi ride to the ferry costs about US $ 12.

The ferry crossing from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel

The ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel is only a 3-minute walk from the ADO bus terminal or the taxi ranks in Playa del Carmen. Since the pier of the Cozumel ferry is located in the pedestrian zone, neither taxi nor bus can go directly there. To get to the ferry port, just walk along 5ta Avenue south. If you follow the second street on the left, you will automatically come to the marina, from where the ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel leaves.

Upon arrival at the ferry port in Cozumel, there will be numerous taxis waiting there. These taxis are very safe. Taxi rates are fixed and depend on. Nevertheless, one should always inquire before driving for the respective fare. Most taxi drivers speak some English.

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Day trip from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel

How to get to Cozumel
Cozumel Ferry to Playa del Carmen
Many visitors to the Riviera Maya plan, at least, a day trip to Cozumel. On our pages we provide a lot of useful information for a day trip to Cozumel from Playa del Carmen.

When traveling to Cozumel, most of the Mayan Riviera hotels offer transportation to the ferry terminal in Playa del Carmen. However, the options offered are usually expensive. Cheaper are the Collectivo busses, which run continuously along the entire route of the Riviera Maya.

The main stop for Collectivos is located in Playa del Carmen where second street meets 10th Avenue, which is about 5 minutes’ walk from the Cozumel ferry. From there you can easily take a collectivo back to your hotel. The collectivos will leave you directly in front of your hotel.

To get to Playa del Carmen from your hotel, you just have to stop one of the numerous collectivos on the main road. These can sometimes be crowded, so you may have to wait for the next free collectivo. If you want to be on the safe side, take a taxi from the hotel to Playa del Carmen and return by collectivo.

Getting to Riviera Maya by plane
The largest airport on the Yucatan peninsula and the second largest in Mexico is the Cancun airport. Here, most flights and direct flights enter Mexico from Europe. From the airport in Cancun, arriving holidaymakers find their way to their various vacation spots on the Riviera Maya. The airport of Cancun is not located directly in the city of Cancun, but about half an hour away. The journey from the airport to Cozumel goes via Playa del Carmen, which is an hour south of the Cancun airport. And from Playa del Carmen the ferry goes to Cozumel.

From 9:00 to 24:00, the public ADO bus operates. About 10 US Dollars (178 pesos) per person covers the fare between the Cancun airport and Playa del Carmen, which leaves once every hour. The bus is very modern with air conditioning, a light jacket is recommended for the ride. A pre-order of the ADO ticket is not necessary, the bus tickets are sold on site. Departure is at Terminal 3. If you cannot find the ADO bus terminal, you can ask the staff. The airport staff are very helpful.

Alternatively, taxis also travel from Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen. If you have good bargaining skills, you may be able to reduce the fare to 800 pesos (50 US Dollars), and guests usually pay between 1,000 and 1,200 pesos for the taxi ride to Playa del Carmen.sos.

How to get to Cozumel by plane

How to get to Cozumel by plane
If you want to travel by plane from Europe to Cozumel, you must first fly to one of the major cities in Mexico and from there, a national connecting flight to Cozumel. All well-known scheduled airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, Iberia or KLM fly from European cities directly to Mexico. The airports in Mexico City, Cancún, Monterrey or Guadalajara are served.

Several airlines, such as Interjet or Aeromexico, offer direct flights from Mexico City, or other Mexican cities, directly to Cozumel. The American Airlines, Delta or United airlines serve Cozumel directly from various destinations in the US and Latin America.

It is very fascinating to watch the planes arriving on Cozumel. Because the airport is located directly on the sea. From the adjacent limestone beach you can watch the arriving aircraft landing.

Summary

  • There are two ferry companies for the ferry crossing from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen
  • Many guests come from Playa del Carmen for a day trip to Cozumel
  • Cancun is the main airport in the Riviera Maya
  • From Cancun you can get to Playa del Carmen easily and cheaply with the ADO bus
  • Cozumel has a small, international airport

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Hello, my name is Birgit and I write about interesting topics around vacations in Mexico and traveling on the Yucatan peninsula. I would love to hear from you and I am always happy to receive ideas and recommendations for new articles.

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