How to get from Cancún to Playa del Carmen for a day trip
Playa del Carmen from Cancún is an easy day: the town lies about 68 km south, an older tourism figure measured without a hotel-specific starting point. The intercity bus follows Highway 307 through Puerto Morelos and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes each way. Buses run from early morning to late evening, so travelling on your own is simple if Playa itself is the goal.
The tours below are for travellers who want more than the town. Each starts in Cancún, drives south and combines Playa del Carmen with Tulum and a swim in a semi-open cenote. One adds the Maya city of Cobá. Two last 10 hours and one lasts 12 hours, so plan for the whole day.
All prices on this page are per person and current as of November 2026.
Day tours from Cancún
Choose the 10 hour tours for Tulum and a cenote, or the 12 hour tour that adds Cobá.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Cobá, cenote, Tulum and Playa del Carmen
- Guided visits of Tulum, Cobá and a cenote
- Visit to Playa del Carmen
- Buffet lunch
Entrance fees and taxes are extra: the booking page lists 35 USD for non-Mexican visitors, while the direct offer lists 34 USD; the life jacket required for swimming costs another 6 USD.
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Tulum ruins, Cenote Mariposa and Playa del Carmen
- Guided visit of the Tulum ruins
- Swim in a semi-open cenote
- Buffet lunch
Park, site and cenote entrance fees of 40 USD per adult are paid in cash.
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Tulum and Playa from Cancún
- Buffet food
- Swim in semi-open cenote
This excursion starts in Cancún and includes a Playa stop.
Check availability →Day tours from Cancún to Playa del Carmen
Three full-day tours that start in Cancún and end with time in Playa del Carmen, with Tulum, a cenote and in one case Cobá.
Three ways to spend the day
The 10 hour Tulum tour with Cenote Mariposa costs 45 USD. A guide leads the visit to the seaside ruins of Tulum, you swim in a semi-open cenote, and a buffet lunch is included. Free time on Quinta Avenida in Playa del Carmen finishes the day. Pickup is at hotels in the Cancún area. The entrance fees for the archaeological site, the Parque del Jaguar and the cenote are mandatory, paid in cash, and cost 40 USD per adult and 20 USD per child on top of the tour price.
The tour with a starting price of 39 USD also takes 10 hours. The guide waits for you in your hotel lobby, and the vehicle is air-conditioned. You get a guided tour and free time in Tulum, 50 minutes in a semi-open cenote with lockers, a buffet meal, a water bottle in the archaeological zone and 2 hours of free time on Quinta Avenida. The booking form lists age bands of 0 to 2, 3 to 11 and adults from 12.
The 12 hour "4 in 1" tour costs 83 USD and leaves at 7:00 am. It guides you through Tulum, Cobá and a cenote, includes a buffet lunch, stops in Playa del Carmen and brings you back to your hotel. The tour suits medium fitness and is not wheelchair accessible. Cobá is reached by driving to Tulum and then taking road 109, about 43 km.
What decides the price
Starting prices range from 39 to 83 USD per person. The 4 in 1 adds Cobá and two more hours. Its entrance and tax fee is listed as 35 USD for non-Mexican visitors on the booking page, compared with 34 USD in the direct offer; the life jacket required for swimming costs another 6 USD. Confirm the applicable package fee when booking. With its stated entrance fees, the 45 USD tour totals 85 USD per adult. The 39 USD starting price covers the 10 hour Tulum and cenote option with 2 hours in Playa del Carmen.
By bus or by train instead
Going on your own means about 2 hours 40 minutes on the road for the round trip by bus, and Playa del Carmen is the only stop. Tulum lies further south along Highway 307, so adding it yourself needs a second connection. For the return bus, use the terminal and Cancún destination on your ticket; the last departure to central Cancún is not established in the available timetable. A train between Cancún airport and Playa del Carmen takes about 49 minutes. In the August 2026 announcement, trains left Cancún airport at 6:45 and 10:30, with return departures at 7:47 and 12:00. These are August times, not an established November return timetable. The Playa del Carmen station sits west of the centre, so you need a ride into town. A tour is the better choice when you want Tulum or a cenote in the same day without arranging each leg.
Timing, season and Tulum hours
Tulum is open daily from 8:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 15:30, and Cobá is open from 8:00 to 17:00 with last entry at 16:00. The climate is gentler from December to April, while the cyclone season runs from 1 June to 30 November.
Playa del Carmen from Cancún: common questions
How long does a day trip from Cancún to Playa del Carmen take?
The tours take 10 hours (Tulum with a cenote) or 12 hours (Tulum, Cobá and a cenote). By bus alone, the ride is about 1 hour 20 minutes each way.
How far is Playa del Carmen from Cancún?
About 68 km along Highway 307. The bus passes through Puerto Morelos, and the train takes about 49 minutes.
How much time do I get in Playa del Carmen itself?
One tour sets aside 2 hours of free time on Quinta Avenida. Another includes free time on Quinta Avenida and the third stops in Playa, so the town is the end of a day built around Tulum and a cenote.