Cozumel is considered the biggest island in the Mexico-Caribbean and is located 18 km off the coast of Playa del Carmen. A paradisiacal island where the amazing and huge cruise ships make their arrivals to the Mexican coasts.
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Undoubtedly, Cozumel is a place that has a lot to offer to all its tourists: From its crystalline beaches, to its archaeological sites, from its history and culture, to its peculiar gastronomy. Of course, we will talk about that maybe another time because today we want to talk to you personally about something, we want to talk about how to get to Cozumel from Cancun, from Playa del Carmen or from Tulum, so let’s start.
Distance from Cancun to Cozumel
The distance from Cancun city to Cozumel Island is 113.5 Km and the approximate transfer time is 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Distance from Cancun airport to Cozumel
The distance from Cancun airport to Cozumel Island is 100.8 km and the approximate transfer time is 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Distance from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel
The distance between Playa del Carmen and the island of Cozumel is 18 km and the time it takes to transfer by ferry from the maritime terminal of Playa del Carmen to Cozumel is approximately 45 minutes.
Distance from Tulum to Cozumel
The distance between the city of Tulum and Cozumel Island is 94 km and the approximate time to get there is 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Why is the transfer time to Cozumel so long?
As you may have noticed, the transfer time to Cozumel from Cancun or Tulum is very «long» and this is due to the fact that the island of Cozumel is exactly that: An Island.
That is why we consider the average time of the transfer by sea, which is generally done through the ferry of the Ultramar shipping company.
Generally the time can be from 45 minutes to 1 hour, it all depends on the weather. It should be noted that the departure options of the ferry from Playa del Carmen to Cozumel are not very frequent.
On the other hand, we can not forget that no private transfer company offers the ferry ticket, therefore: You only pay the transfer service from Cancun or Tulum, to the maritime terminal of Playa del Carmen.
Ferry schedules to Cozumel
Playa del Carmen to Cozumel | Cozumel to Playa del Carmen |
08:00 a. m. | 07:00 a. m. |
10:00 a. m. | 09:00 a. m. |
12:00 p. m. | 11:00 a. m. |
02:00 p. m. | 01:00 p. m. |
04:00 p. m. | 03:00 p. m. |
06:00 p. m. | 05:00 p. m. |
08:00 p. m. | 07:00 p. m. |
10:00 p. m. | 09:00 p. m. |
How to get to Cozumel from Cancun
To get to Cozumel from Cancun you have the possibility to take a private transfer service, arrive through the ADO service, cab or through the buses of Playa Express.
Now, we will explain each one of them: But remember that none of them includes the ferry ticket and the private transfer and the cab are the only services that could drop you off at the Playa del Carmen maritime terminal and the other two, only close to it.
Private Transfer
The private transfer service is the best option to go to Cozumel from the city of Cancun or rather, to get to the maritime terminal of Playa del Carmen.
As it is a private service, it will be waiting for you at the Cancun airport or it will pick you up at your hotel in the downtown or hotel zone of the city. Remember that we have a list of recommended and clear agencies, almost all of them handle the same rates, which are:
Private Service |
Private Service | Private Service | |||
1-3 Passengers | 4-6 Passengers | 7-8 Passengers | |||
Single | Round trip | Single | Round trip | Single | Round trip |
60 USD | 110 USD | 70 USD | 120 USD | 85 USD | 135 USD |
Cab
Cab service is an alternative option to private transfer and of course, it is preferable to take it from the Cancun Airport. Cabs in this area are air-conditioned and clean, while downtown cabs are not in good condition, do not have air conditioning and often the prices are very high.
Therefore, if you are in the downtown area, this option is not convenient for you, but if you are at the Cancun airport, traveling with few people and little luggage, then this option is perfect for you.
ADO Bus
Are you in downtown Cancun? From downtown Cancun you can take the ADO bus. As such, the destination is the ADO terminal in Playa del Carmen, which is located in the heart of the Hotel Zone.
From there, you can take a cab or walk to the maritime terminal in Playa del Carmen to buy your ticket and cross to the island of Cozumel.
Colectivos
The colectivos are vans type units and focus on the «shared shuttle» or shared transfer. They can be taken in front of the ADO terminal and cost 55.00 MXN. They leave every half hour to Playa del Carmen.
Once in Playa del Carmen, you can take a cab or walk about 20 minutes until you reach the maritime terminal and cross to Tulum.
How to get to Cozumel from Playa del Carmen
If you are in Playa del Carmen, getting to Cozumel becomes even easier, first of all you have to know that you can take a ferry or hire the service of a helicopter or a small plane to go to Cozumel.
Ferry
The most used transfer to Cozumel from Playa del Carmen is the ferry service. It is economical and of course, it allows us to contemplate the Caribbean Sea, so getting here from Playa del Carmen is really child’s play.
Airplane
If you are looking for speed and at the same time a totally different experience: You can hire the service of a small plane from Playa del Carmen and cross over to Cozumel. As such, Cozumel has a small heliport that has the capacity to receive small aircraft such as jets, small planes and helicopters.
So traveling in a small plane can become something totally pleasant and unforgettable for you.
Helicopter
Apart from being able to go to Cozumel in a small plane, you also have the option to go in a Helicopter. Therefore, it would be another way not only to get there faster, but also to create a new and exuberant travel experience.
How to get to Cozumel from Tulum
To get to Cozumel from Tulum, our options are limited to cab service, ADO and Colectivos.
Cab
You can take a cab from anywhere in Tulum and ask the taxi to drop you off at the Playa del Carmen maritime terminal, in order to cross to Cozumel Island. Just remember that the cab is a small unit and the maritime capacity is 4 passengers.
ADO
ADO is a low cost shared transportation service that you can take from downtown Tulum and as such, its destination is the ADO terminal in Playa del Carmen. Remember that from here you can walk to the maritime terminal and take the ferry or another type of transfer to Cozumel.
Bus
From downtown Tulum, you can take a shuttle service to Tulum. It is a foreign transportation agency that covers the route Playa del Carmen – Tulum and Tulum – Playa del Carmen. The cost is 55.00 MXN per person and of course, with it you will get to the center of Playa, from where you will move with another transfer service or walk to the ferry terminal.
Getting around Cozumel
Cozumel being a very large island has cab services. Therefore, in order to move from one place to another, you can purchase this service. But of course, it is not the only one since there are motorcycle cabs, and you can also rent a golf cart or a bicycle to get around the island.
Is there Uber in Cozumel?
No, Cozumel does not allow Uber service in its territory, therefore: Do not count on this service to move around the island.
Conclusion
As we can see, it is possible to take a transfer by air or by sea to get to Cozumel Island, although this depends a lot on our budget and of course from where we are. For example, if we are in the city of Cancun, the most advisable is the transfer service and the most economical is the Playa express colectivo.
But as such, remember that these are just a few ways to get to Playa del Carmen and it is here, where you can choose which transportation to take to cross to the island. And whatever your choice, we are sure you will love Cozumel.