Taking the Tren Maya From the Cancún Airport: The Good, the Bad, and the Confusing

The Tren Maya Cancún station was meant to help exhausted air passengers reach their final destination with ease. The system, however, still needs some fine-tuning.

I recently traveled to several European countries and then flew over the Atlantic Ocean back to the Yucatán Peninsula from Paris. But getting from the airport to the train station — which is right next door — was probably the most daunting part of my trip. 

The Tren Maya rail network looks great on paper. It can get you from the airport to as far south as Tulum or west as Campeche, with stops in several other key cities like Valladolid and Mérida. But before you make up your mind to climb aboard, there are a few things you should know. 

Schedules and Booking

The Tren Maya has doubled the number of departures from its Cancún station, but that adds up to only four daily runs, so you may still be in for a wait. 

It is also important to book your ticket after you have your bags and have passed customs, which can take as little as a quarter of an hour or more than 90 minutes, depending on your nationality, point of departure, and how busy the airport is. In theory, buying your ticket beyond the customs checkpoint is possible, but the ticket kiosks may or may not be staffed. Unlike tickets for a commuter train, the Tren Maya sells tickets for specific departures. Your ticket is no good on a later train.

Fortunately, the Tren Maya website has improved dramatically since its launch, and there is an English-language version. Space on the train is typically plentiful, even at the last minute. 

You Can’t Just Walk to the Tren Maya Cancún Station

Looking at Google or Apple Maps, one could easily fall under the impression that getting to the train station would be possible on foot. This is simply not the case. Though the station is close to the airport, it is in no way pedestrian-friendly, so your best bet is to ignore the overpriced taxis and take one of the Tren Maya transfer buses that serve as shuttles to and from the station. 

One annoying and counterintuitive thing about these transfer buses is that, despite their cost previously being baked into the price of the train tickets, this is no longer the case. So you actually have to buy a ticket for the shuttle separately. 

The problem here is not the cost, which is 35 pesos (well under US$2), but rather that no one is around to sell them. Sometimes, the driver will let you pay the bus driver in pesos (only cash is accepted), but this feels a little sketchy as it means you don’t get a ticket. Some people still bite the bullet and take an expensive taxi just to catch the train. 

At the Train Station

The Cancún Tren Maya station is fully operational. The bathrooms are clean, the escalators work, and there are even a couple of shops, one of them being the official Tren Maya merch store, which is surprisingly well stocked, if a little expensive. If you are hungry after your trip, at this point the only option is a little kiosk selling sandwiches, potato chips, colas, and other beverages. 

The thing about the train station is that, despite it looking fairly complete, it is still under construction, with loud generators running constantly and employees who seem to have no idea what they are doing or where to point you.

Also, keep in mind that, at least for now, the PA system announcing arrivals and departures is not working, so it’s important to pay attention so as not to miss your train. Tren Maya trains are notoriously late, so don’t doze off while waiting.

On the Train 

Once you have found your assigned seat, you can settle in and enjoy the trip. People with food and beverage trollies make their way up and down the aisles, but getting up and hitting the cafeteria wagon is also an option. The food is very basic and mostly junk food, but at least it’s there.

If you have chosen a first-class seat, complimentary snacks will be provided. However, these are the same items found in the cafeteria and the trolley. The extra cost (which is considerable) is not worth it unless your size makes fitting into a standard seat uncomfortable. 

Arrivals at each station are loudly announced, so missing your stop should not be much of a problem unless you are a particularly deep sleeper.

The Verdict

Though there is still work to be done, over the past half a year or so, the Tren Maya has gone from being a fairly unreliable option for travelers to a decent enough alternative. Of course, there are still caveats to this, some of which will likely remain forever, including the distance of the stations from the cities they serve. Still, overall, it’s a welcome option, especially for those traveling into Cancún and looking to escape the resort city as fast as possible. 

For those heading out even further afield to destinations like Palenque or Bacalar, the Tren Maya is a good option, and more comfortable than the bus.