Getting Around Campeche

Getting Around Campeche

Campeche is a small city, and that shapes everything about how you move through it. The historic center is compact and walkable, but the heat and humidity that dominate most of the year can make walking unpleasant or even impractical during the middle of the day. If you are staying in the historic center, walking is the best way to get around. For everything else — attractions away from the old town, the bus station, the airport — you will want a taxi, a bus, or one of the city's tram services.

Walking the Historic Center

The old town is a walled colonial city of narrow streets, declared a World Heritage Site. Because it is small and dense, it rewards pedestrians: the Zócalo (Parque Principal), the cathedral, the government palace, and the waterfront are all close together and easily reached on foot.

• The bulwarks (baluartes) can be toured on foot along Avenida Circuito Baluartes. Several of them house attractions, including the Museo de Estelas Maya, the Jardin Botanico Xmuch Haltun, a crafts center, and the Museo de la Ciudad.
• The waterfront along the Gulf of Mexico is popular for evening walks and sunsets.
• Plan around the climate: light natural-fabric clothing, a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water are advised. The heat and humidity are the main reason visitors abandon walking for other options.

Tourist Trams

Two tourist tram routes (tranvías) depart from the Zócalo and offer bilingual English/Spanish commentary. They are a sightseeing option rather than a general transit network, but they are a practical way to cover ground and see neighborhoods beyond the center without walking in the heat.

• Tranvía de la Ciudad — passes the main attractions and colonial neighborhoods, including San Román.
• El Guapo — runs along the seafront to Fuerte de San Miguel.

Rail: Tren Maya and the Tren Ligero Connection

Campeche is served by the Tren Maya, an intercity rail system covering five states in the Yucatán Peninsula. From Campeche you can take trains toward Mérida and onward to Cancún, or toward Palenque, with onward connections via the Tren Interoceánico toward Coatzacoalcos and Veracruz.

• The San Francisco de Campeche railway station is a full-service station with ticketing, baggage check, and waiting areas with food and drink services, plus an Oxxo convenience store on the premises.
• From the Tren Maya station, the Tren Ligero — an electric tramway — connects passengers to the airport, various stops within the city, and the historic center.
• Pay for the Tren Ligero in cash or by card. To return to the train station, consult the scheduled times on the website and catch the Tren Ligero at the same stop where you were dropped off, paying on board.

Note that Campeche has no metro system; the rail options available to visitors are the intercity Tren Maya and the Tren Ligero tramway that links the train station with the city and airport.

Buses and Public Transport

The city runs many public buses. They are the budget option and useful for reaching parts of the city outside the historic center.

• Expect small, hot, usually cramped vehicles in varying states of repair.
• The fare is cheap, and drivers will make change — but avoid offering large bills, which likely won't be accepted.
• Campeche also has a bus rapid transit line, the Campeche Light Rail (DRT), owned by the state government. It runs from the Centro Histórico to the Estación Tren Maya, with a stretch along a former rail corridor converted to a busway. This is the most direct public-transport link between the historic center and the Tren Maya station.

Taxis and Ride-Hailing

Taxis are widely available and are the most convenient way to get around when walking isn't practical. Fares are charged by zone, and official rates are posted on a label inside the cab.

• Agree on the price before entering, or insist on the official posted rate.
• Taxis arranged by your hotel usually cost more than street-hailed cabs.
• Taxi travel is affordable by US, Canadian, or European standards.

Getting In: Airport Transfers

Campeche International Airport (Alberto Acuña Ongay International Airport) is small, with limited flights and no crowds. It is served by Aeroméxico to Mexico City and United to Houston. The airport sits close to the city.

• Transfer options from the airport are a private taxi or a colectivo taxi — a minibus that drops passengers in geographic order. The colectivo is considerably cheaper.
• The Tren Ligero tramway also connects the airport with the city and the historic center, so you can reach downtown by tram rather than taxi if the schedule suits you.

Getting In: Long-Distance Buses

If you are arriving overland, the ADO Campeche Terminal is the main long-distance bus station. It is small for a capital city and serves ADO and Sur buses.

• Ticket counters are usually understaffed with long lines, there is no air conditioning, and there is a small charge to use the restroom.
• From the ADO bus station to downtown, a taxi costs roughly M$30 by zone.
• Regional buses are frequent: from Mérida, buses leave almost every 30 minutes for the drive to Campeche; from Ciudad del Carmen, buses are also very frequent. Longer services connect Campeche with Cancún and Mexico City.

Practical Tips

• Base yourself in the historic center if you can — it makes walking the default and reduces your dependence on taxis and buses.
• Keep small bills for bus fares and taxis; large notes may not be accepted on buses.
• Banks with ATMs are available in the downtown area, and casas de cambio are open during business hours for traveler's cheques and cash.
• WiFi is increasingly available in cafés, shops, hotels, and some public spaces, with internet cafés also common.
• Beaches immediately adjacent to the city are not ideal; Playa Bonita near the fishing village of Lerma is the local beach option and requires transport to reach.