Transit
Getting Here and Around
By Plane. Visitors can fly directly to Mexico City from most major airports worldwide, and three airlines — Continental, Volaris, and Aeromar — operate routes to Puebla. The bustling Mexico City International Airport generally offers the cheapest airfares, widest variety of arrival/departure times, and luxury bus transportation to downtown Puebla (see “By Bus” section below). The laid-back Hermanos Serdán International Airport (PBC) in Puebla makes getting through immigration, baggage claim, and customs a breeze. It’s located in the town of Huejotzingo, about 45 minutes from downtown Puebla; upon arrival, hire an official taxi for 250 to 300 pesos at the stand inside the terminal or arrange for private pick-up/shuttle service in advance (see “By Car” section below).
By Bus. Estrella Roja/ADO provides nonstop, first-class bus service to Puebla from Mexico City, including its two terminals inside the airport. The two-hour ride (traffic permitting) includes snacks, a beverage, a movie, and onboard Wi-Fi and restrooms. Buses generally leave every half hour or hour daily between 2 a.m. and midnight; one-way fares cost about 200 pesos. Inside Terminal 1, the ticket counter is upstairs, between the international and domestic terminal; head across the catwalk next to Krispy Kreme. Inside Terminal 2, the ticket counter is on the ground floor; head all the way at the end of the terminal, then walk outside and into another small building on the right. You can choose to arrive at either the CAPU (central) or 4 Poniente (west) stations in Puebla: The former is the main terminal and receives lots of connecting buses; the latter is less chaotic and closer to downtown. Reservations are optional and usually unnecessary. Note: You’ll be issued a claim ticket for each suitcase you check (only small carry-on items are permitted in the main cabin), which you’ll need to reclaim your bag when you get off the bus.
By Taxi. To take a cab from the Puebla airport or CAPU/4 Poniente bus terminal to your hotel, go to the official taxi stand inside the terminal. Give the dispatcher the name of the neighborhood (or colonia) and full street address of where you’re headed. If you don’t speak Spanish, write down where you’re staying on a piece of paper and hand it over. For example, Hotel Nuevo, Circuito Juan Pablo II #302, Col. Las Animas. The dispatcher will charge you a flat fare based on distance, assign you a cab number, and hand you a receipt. Show the receipt to the driver. Of course, many companies provide taxi service throughout the city, and it’s usually OK to hail one on the street in downtown Puebla. If you want to play it extra safe, ask someone — your hotel concierge, the restaurant host, etc. — to request a taxi for you. If you speak some Spanish, try calling Taxi Rápido (metered cabs in Puebla) or Taxis Las Américas (Cholula). The majority of cabs in Puebla are not metered, so you’ll likely have to negotiate the fare. For the best deal, tell the driver where you’re headed and agree on a price before you get into the cab. Four-door sedans hold a maximum of four people, so if your party is larger, you’ll need to call for backup. Tips are uncommon; unless you make a special request, such as schlepping your bags into the lobby, assume the driver negotiated a little extra into the fare.
By car. Rising gas prices, security threats, and a bevy of uninsured motorists (who aren’t required to take a road test to get a driver’s license) make car rentals unattractive. If that isn’t enough to deter you, the price of renting a car with insurance that’s valid in Mexico should be, because as a foreigner you really don’t want to drive around town without adequate protection. Those who need private transportation are better off hiring a car and driver. Although this may seem extravagant to foreign travelers, it’s usually far safer, less expensive, and less stressful than renting a car. The services can include airport transfers, day or weekend trips, special nights out, and more. For example, we booked a van to go to a concert in Toluca with three friends for 500 pesos each, brought a picnic for the four-hour ride there, and slept on the way home at 3 a.m. Transpo provides personal and professional car services (and quotes in English) and Turisticos Poblanos has a solid track record of arranging local group transit (six people or more).
