How to Get from Tulum to Chichén Itzá
Reviewed by Jean Nájera, Transportation Industry Expert
From Tulum to Chichén Itzá, the direct ADO bus is the best value: US$23 to US$24 per person for about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours on the road, leaving Tulum mid-morning and dropping you at the CATVI visitor center, the site’s only entrance.
There is one direct bus a day each way, so it suits a long day trip or a night near the ruins.
For more flexibility, drive the inland Highway 109 via Cobá or join a guided tour with hotel pickup.
The detail everyone misses: Chichén Itzá is in Yucatán state, one hour behind Tulum.
Every time at the ruins is Yucatán time, so the 16:10 return bus leaves at 17:10 on a Tulum clock, and you should reset your watch when you step off.
At a glance
- Distance: about 145 to 150 km inland, via Valladolid
- Fastest: about 2 hours by car, while the direct bus takes about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours
- Cheapest: the direct ADO bus from US$23 to US$24
- Direct buses: one a day each way, out in the morning and back at 16:10 Yucatán time
- Entry to the ruins: about 700 pesos for foreign adults, paid at the site
- Time zone: Yucatán is one hour behind Quintana Roo all year
Tulum to Chichén Itzá transport options
Compare fares and travel times, then select an option for departures and booking details.
| Transport | Estimated fare | Travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Direct ADO busOne departure a day | Estimated fareUS$23per person | Travel timeAbout 2h 30m to 3h |
| Guided day tourHotel pickup in Tulum | Estimated fareVariesper person, entry often included | Travel timeFull day |
| Rental car via Highway 109Leave when you like | Estimated fareCar hire + fuelplus parking at the site | Travel timeAbout 2h |
| Bus to Valladolid + colectivoMore departures, one change | Estimated fareBudgetpay the colectivo in cash | Travel timeAbout 3h |
Fares and travel times are estimates. Confirm current prices and departures before traveling.
More routes from Tulum
1. Direct ADO bus, the best-value way in
ADO runs one direct first-class bus from Tulum to Chichén Itzá each morning, with one stop in Valladolid on the way.
GuateGo lists it at US$24, leaving the ADO terminal on Avenida Tulum at 9:10 and arriving at 11:30 Yucatán time.
Bookaway lists the same daily ADO Primera service at 9:37 for US$23, so check the exact time on your ticket and plan on about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours on board.
Since March, the only way into the site is the new CATVI visitor center on the north side, next to Highway 180 and the Great Museum, and the old west entrance at the parador turístico is closed.
The bus stops beside the CATVI, and from the ticket office it is about 1.2 km on foot to El Castillo.
Getting back to Tulum by bus
GuateGo lists the return bus at 16:10 for US$23, back to the ADO terminal on Avenida Tulum.
That leaves you about four and a half hours at the site, including the walk in from the CATVI.
GuateGo shows an 18:50 arrival in Tulum, but other timetables show nearer 19:45, so keep that evening free.
My verdict: the cheapest and simplest option if you are happy with a fixed schedule. Book both legs, as the single daily bus can sell out in high season.
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2. Guided day tour from Tulum, the easiest option
Day tours collect you from your Tulum hotel, drive to Chichén Itzá with a guide and usually add a cenote swim and lunch.
Many combine the ruins with Valladolid or Ek Balam.
Check what is included before you book. Some prices cover the entry fees, which add about 700 pesos per foreign adult if they do not.
My verdict: best for first-timers who want the history explained and no driving. You can compare tours in the tours section below.
3. Rental car via Highway 109, the flexible way
The quickest road leaves Tulum on Highway 109 toward Cobá and joins Highway 180 near Valladolid. It is about 145 to 150 km and takes around 2 hours.
From Valladolid, the 180D toll road (cuota) is fastest for the last 40 to 45 km and pays at the Pisté booth.
The free road (libre) runs through small Maya villages with plenty of speed bumps (topes).
Driving lets you be at the gate when it opens at 8:00, before the tour buses from Cancun. Leave Tulum by about 7:00 Tulum time, which is 6:00 in Yucatán.
Worthwhile stops on the way back include the Cobá ruins on Highway 109, the colonial center of Valladolid and the cenotes around both towns.
Parking at Chichén Itzá costs about 124 pesos per car. Keep cash for parking, tolls and cenote entry.
My verdict: the best choice for an early start and a cenote stop. Compare rental cars on Booking.com before you pick up in Tulum.
4. Bus to Valladolid and a colectivo, for more departures
If the direct bus does not fit your timing, take any bus from Tulum to Valladolid, then a shared van (colectivo) or second-class bus west to Pisté and the ruins.
Colectivos to Pisté leave from central Valladolid when full, and the ride takes about 45 minutes to an hour.
Pay the driver in cash.
My verdict: a good backup, and the natural route if you plan to sleep in Valladolid. See our Valladolid route guide for more on the town’s bus station.
What about the Tren Maya?
The Tren Maya has a Chichén Itzá station, but trains from Tulum are scarce and the timetable published for this route reaches the station in the evening, after the site closes.
The station is not at the ruins themselves, so you still need a shuttle or taxi to the CATVI entrance.
Treat the train as an option only if you are staying overnight near the ruins, and check the official timetable first.
Step by step: Tulum to the gates of Chichén Itzá
- Book the bus or tour the day before. In high season the single direct bus can fill up.
- Go to the main ADO terminal on Avenida Tulum. It is the downtown terminal, not the small Tulum Ruinas stop by the coastal ruins.
- Ride inland. The bus calls at Valladolid and then continues to the ruins.
- Reset your watch. Once you cross into Yucatán, clocks go back one hour.
- Buy your entry tickets. Pay at the single ticket office inside the CATVI, where one combined federal and state ticket has replaced the two separate lines since March.
- Travel light. You walk for hours on stone paths, so carry only water, sun protection and your tickets.
- Be back early. Ask the driver where the 16:10 return bus loads, and allow about 20 minutes to walk back out to the CATVI.
What it costs for 1, 2 or 4 people
| Option | 1 person | 2 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| ADO bus, one way | US$23 to US$24 | US$46 to US$48 | US$92 to US$96 |
| ADO bus, return | About US$47 | About US$94 | About US$188 |
| Entry for foreign adults | About 700 pesos | About 1,400 pesos | About 2,800 pesos |
| Parking if you drive | About 124 pesos per car |
For groups of three or four, a rental car can work out cheaper than four return bus tickets, even after fuel, tolls and parking.
Which option should you choose?
- On a budget: the direct ADO bus, with the return booked.
- First visit and want context: a guided day tour with hotel pickup.
- Want to beat the crowds: a rental car, at the gate for the 8:00 opening.
- Making it a two-day trip: bus to Valladolid, sleep there and visit the ruins early.
Arriving at Chichén Itzá
All visitors now enter through the CATVI (Centro de Atención a Visitantes) on the north side of the site, next to Highway 180 and the Great Museum of Chichén Itzá.
It has the single ticket office, parking, toilets and a large crafts market, and the walk from there to El Castillo is about 1.2 km.
Pisté, the nearest town, is about 2 km west of the CATVI entrance, with budget hotels, restaurants and the colectivos to Valladolid.
Valladolid is about 40 to 45 km east.
The site opens daily at 8:00, and last entry is in the mid-afternoon.
Foreign adults pay about 700 pesos in total: 105 pesos to the federal INAH and the rest as the Yucatán state fee.
Bring pesos in cash. Pisté has the nearest shops and ATMs, so draw money in Tulum or Valladolid before you arrive.
Climbing El Castillo, the main pyramid, is not allowed. Shade is limited, so bring a hat, sunscreen and at least a liter of water each.
Chichén Itzá: things to do and where to stay
Chichén Itzá is the best known Maya city in Mexico and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Give it at least two to three hours for El Castillo, the Great Ball Court, the Temple of the Warriors and the Sacred Cenote.
Nearby you can swim in Cenote Ik Kil about 3 km away, visit the Great Museum of Chichén Itzá, or spend an evening in Valladolid.
Around the spring and autumn equinoxes, the shadow serpent on El Castillo draws huge crowds.
Which area to stay in
- Hotel zone beside the ruins: historic hotels in their own grounds on the south side of the site. Best for being at the CATVI when it opens, a short taxi ride away.
- Pisté: the small town 2 to 3 km west, with simple, cheaper hotels and local restaurants.
- Valladolid: a colonial town 40 to 45 km east, with boutique hotels, cenotes and evening life.
- Mérida: the regional capital about two hours west, best if you are continuing your trip. See Mérida to Chichén Itzá.
Best hotels next to Chichén Itzá
- Mayaland Hotel and Bungalows: a hacienda-style hotel that opened in 1923, set in gardens on the southern edge of the archaeological zone.
- The Lodge at Chichen Itza: the smaller Mayaland property next door, with Maya-style bungalows and pools in the jungle.
- Hacienda Chichen Resort and Yaxkin Spa: a restored colonial hacienda with the Yaxkin Spa, in jungle grounds just south of the ruins.
- Villas Arqueologicas Chichen Itza: a quieter, more affordable option with a pool, in the same hotel zone.
The old hotel-side gates to the ruins are closed, so hotel guests also enter through the CATVI.
The ADO bus does not stop at these hotels, so take a taxi from the CATVI or ask the hotel about a pickup.
Practical tips for the trip
Start early. The site is hottest and busiest from late morning, when day tours from Cancun and the Riviera Maya arrive.
Watch the clock change. Tour and bus times in Yucatán are one hour behind your Tulum phone if it has not updated.
Carry cash. Colectivos and many cenotes take cash only, so draw pesos before you leave Tulum.
Be careful on public Wi-Fi. The bus terminal and café networks are shared by everyone, so use a VPN such as ExpressVPN before you log in to book or bank.
Expect crowds on Sundays. Mexican nationals enter free that day, so it is usually the busiest day of the week.
Coming from elsewhere? Compare Playa del Carmen to Chichén Itzá and Cancun to Chichén Itzá. If you are heading south after, see Tulum to Bacalar.
Tours from Tulum to Chichén Itzá
Popular tours combine Chichén Itzá with a cenote swim and Valladolid, and some go early to beat the crowds.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Tulum to Chichén Itzá by bus?
Take the direct ADO bus from the terminal on Avenida Tulum. It leaves once a day in the morning, stops in Valladolid and drops you at the CATVI visitor center, the site’s only entrance, for US$23 to US$24.
How long does it take to get from Tulum to Chichén Itzá?
About 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours by direct bus, including the Valladolid stop, and about 2 hours by car. Clocks go back one hour at the state line, so times at the ruins are Yucatán time.
What time is the last bus from Chichén Itzá to Tulum?
The direct ADO bus back to Tulum leaves at 16:10 Yucatán time, which is 17:10 in Tulum. GuateGo lists an 18:50 arrival, but allow until about 20:00 Tulum time.
Is Chichén Itzá a different time zone from Tulum?
Yes. Chichén Itzá is in Yucatán, which is one hour behind Quintana Roo, where Tulum is.
How much is the entrance fee to Chichén Itzá?
About 700 pesos for foreign adults, made up of the 105-peso federal INAH fee and the Yucatán state fee. Bring cash in pesos.
Can I do Chichén Itzá as a day trip from Tulum?
Yes. The direct bus gives you about four and a half hours at the site, and a rental car or tour lets you add a cenote or Valladolid.
Can I take the Tren Maya from Tulum to Chichén Itzá?
Not easily for a day trip. Trains from Tulum are few and reach the Chichén Itzá station in the evening, and you still need a shuttle or taxi from the station to the CATVI entrance.
What is the best route to drive from Tulum to Chichén Itzá?
Highway 109 through Cobá to Valladolid, then the 180D toll road or the free 180 west to Pisté. It is about 145 to 150 km.
More routes to Chichen Itza
Prices last verified: November 2026. Sources: bus fares and times from GuateGo’s and Bookaway’s live listings; entry fees, hours and train details from INAH information and Mexican press reports.
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