The seaside town of Tulum has a bunch of interesting Mayan ruins to visit, but if you want to see something bigger and better, then a day trip from Tulum to Chichen Itza is a great idea.
Chichen Itza is a popular tourist site in Mexico and it used to be one of the Mayans’ biggest and most important cities. It dates back to 600 AD, and the giant pyramid at the center of the place is especially impressive!
You can get from Tulum to Chichen Itza by booking a tour, driving yourself in a rental car, or taking the ADO public bus. In this travel guide, I’ll explain how to use each of these transport options, as well as their pros and cons.
Overall, it’s not very complicated to visit this wonder of the world on a day trip from any of the tourist towns in the Yucatan peninsula, and it’s also pretty budget friendly, so you should definitely add it to your Mexico to do list!
Where To Stay In Tulum
Where is Chichen Itza?
Chichen Itza is located in the middle of the Mexican state of Yucatan.
The distance from Tulum to Chichen Itza is about 150 kilometers (90 miles), so it can be reached in a little over 2 hours of driving.
How To Get From Tulum To Chichen Itza
• Join A Group Tour
One of the cheapest and most convenient ways to get from Tulum to Chichen Itza is by joining a group tour with other travelers. You can book a tour online or arrange it with your Tulum hotel when you arrive in Mexico.
Chichen Itza tours are very popular, so there are many companies offering them every day of the week. You’ll be picked up from your hotel in the morning, driven by van or bus to Chichen Itza, and then given a guided tour of the ruins.
We used one of these tours ourselves and had a great experience. Oftentimes these group tours from Tulum to Chichen Itza also include other great sights of the Yucatan peninsula, like the Coba ruins, Valladolid, and a swim at one or two of the many scenic cenotes (natural sinkholes) in the area. These tours usually include a buffet lunch and hotel pickup / drop-off as well.
The only downside of a group tour is that you have a fixed itinerary, so you usually only get to spend about one hour or less in each location you visit on the tour. Personally, we could have stayed a bit longer, but for most people this is probably plenty of time. We tend to take a lot of photos.
In an arrangement like this, you’re also sharing the tour with a bunch of other travelers, although we didn’t mind that since Chichen Itza is going to be crowded anyway, and the bus ride is a chance to meet other travelers. There are also small group tours for a more personalized feeling.
Book Now: Chichen Itza Tulum Group Tour
• Book A Private Tour
If you want to visit Chichen Itza with a tour but don’t like the idea of joining a big group, there are also private tours and small group tours from Tulum to Chichen Itza departing every day of the week.
This option is more expensive than a group tour, but if you have the budget then it can be a great way to get from Tulum to Chichen Itza! This way you’ll have a private driver and a multilingual tour guide to transport you to each location and explain the history of the archaeological sites in detail.
Some of these private tours also include buffet lunch and hotel pickup / drop-off from Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, Cancun, or other locations in the Riviera Maya.
Book Now: Chichen Itza Tulum Private Tour
• Rent A Car & Drive Yourself
Renting a car and driving yourself is another common way to get from Tulum to Chichen Itza, and it’s fairly easy as far as Mexico goes.
This arrangement gives you the most freedom to plan your schedule, and it can be very cost effective if you’re traveling with friends or family, that way you can split the cost.
The journey by car from Tulum to Chichen Itza (or vice versa) takes a little over 2 hours of driving, and the distance is about 150 kilometers (90 miles).
The roads on this route are in great condition. You’ll be driving on the 180 highway, and there are currently no tolls to pay on this road. You can use this map for navigating to Chichen Itza, although you’ll come to the parking area a little bit before you reach the actual ruins.
Along the way, you can also stop at other popular sites like the 16th century city of Valladolid, and the many beautiful cenotes near Chichen Itza.
Remember to book your rental car through a reputable company and take photos of the whole vehicle body to avoid any possible rental damage scams.
For Chichen Itza, keep in mind you will still need entrance tickets to visit, even if you drive yourself. It’s a good idea to book your Chichen Itza entrance tickets online in advance, that way you can skip the line when you get there and spend more time touring the ruins.
Book Now: Rental Cars In Tulum
Welcome to Chichen Itza! A wonder of the ancient world.
• Take The ADO Public Bus
One of the cheapest ways to get from Tulum to Chichen Itza is by taking the ADO bus, which departs daily from Tulum at around 9:37 AM and returns to Tulum at 4:00 PM.
This can be a good option if you’re a solo traveler on a budget and don’t mind a bit of extra hassle in arranging your own transportation rather than taking a tour. You can get to the Tulum bus station by taking a quick taxi or Uber.
The bus journey from Tulum to Chichen Itza (or vice versa) takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes of driving, and costs about 300 pesos ($15 USD) for a one way ticket. You can buy these tickets online at the ADO Bus website, or in person at the bus station in Mexico.
The ADO buses are clean, with air conditioning and bathrooms. Just be careful and keep a good eye on your bags and any valuables, because theft is common in the buses and at the bus terminal. You’ll also want to show up to the bus station early, because the check-in process on a busy day can be tedious and messy.
If you go to Chichen Itza by bus, this should give you at least 3 or 3.5 hours to walk around at the archaeological site, which is plenty of time for most people.
For Chichen Itza, keep in mind you will still need entrance tickets to visit, even if you go without a tour. It’s a good idea to book your Chichen Itza entrance tickets online in advance, that way you can skip the line when you get there and spend more time touring the ruins.
Book Now: ADO Bus To Chichen Itza
The Chichen Itza ruins were a highlight of our trip to Mexico
Tulum To Chichen Itza FAQ
- What is Chichen Itza?
From 600 AD to 1200 AD, Chichen Itza was one of the biggest and most important cities for the Mayan civilization. The centerpiece of this archaeological park is the giant pyramid known as the Temple of Kukulcán (El Castillo). Even though you can’t climb it anymore, it’s still a spectacular wonder of the world!
- Is Chichen Itza worth visiting?
Yes! Chichen Itza is definitely worth visiting! It’s a wonder of the ancient world, and the main pyramid is really impressive. This was the highlight of our trip to Mexico.
- What is the distance from Tulum to Chichen Itza?
The road distance from Tulum to Chichen Itza is about 150 kilometers (90 miles).
- How hard is it to visit Chichen Itza from Tulum?
It’s easy to visit Chichen Itza from Tulum, regardless of which kind of transport you use (car, bus, or tour).
- Can you fly to Chichen Itza?
No, there’s not an airport at Chichen Itza. The closest airport is the Cancun International Airport (code: CUN), which is located in nearby Cancun. You can shop for international flights to Mexico at Skyscanner.
- Is it safe to drive from Tulum to Chichen Itza?
Yes, the general consensus is that it is safe to drive from Tulum to Chichen Itza. The roads are in great condition and it’s a fairly easy route. Yucatan is the safest state in the country of Mexico, and many tourists drive from Tulum to Chichen Itza every day without any issues.
- What are the best things to see on the way from Tulum to Chichen Itza?
There are lots of great things to stop and see while driving from Tulum to Chichen Itza. One of the best places to visit nearby is the 16th century city of Valladolid, which you’ll pass through on the way to Chichen Itza. There are also many beautiful cenotes where you can go for a swim, and tour packages to Chichen Itza often include some of these sights as well. The tour we used, for example, includes a visit to Cenote Saamal, which is a nice open air sinkhole where you can go swimming and take photos.
- What is the best Chichen Itza tour?
Here is a high rated Chichen Itza Tulum full day group tour with pickup from Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, or Riviera Maya. We used this tour company ourselves, and had a great experience!
The 16th century city of Valladolid is a great place to stop and visit on the way to Chichen Itza
- How can I go from Cancun or Playa Del Carmen to Chichen Itza?
If you’re starting from Playa Del Carmen or Cancun to Chichen Itza, you have the same basic options as in Tulum. You can book a tour to Chichen Itza, rent a car and drive yourself, or take the ADO public bus.
- How many people visit Chichen Itza?
Chichen Itza got 2.6 million visitors in 2017, and daily numbers can be as high as 18,000 visitors. Needless to say, it’s a very popular tourist attraction, but there’s a lot of wide open space surrounding the ruins so it doesn’t feel as crowded as you might expect. If you want to beat the crowds, get there early in the morning, and try to avoid weekends and holidays. If you want to see some other epic Mayan ruins in Central America without as many people, check out Tikal Guatemala!
- What is the entrance fee for Chichen Itza?
At the time of writing, the total entrance fee for Chichen Itza is 538 Mexican pesos (~$26 USD) for adults, and kids under age 13 are free. Tour prices usually don’t include the entrance fee, so it’s something you pay yourself. You should be able to pay the fee with credit card, but it’s a good idea to bring enough cash just in case the machines aren’t working. Another thing to note is that there’s also a parking fee of 80 pesos (~$4 USD) if you self drive to Chichen Itza.
I think the best thing to do is to book your Chichen Itza entrance tickets online in advance, that way you can skip the line when you get there and spend more time touring the ruins. Happy travels!
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