Mexico City to Oaxaca: 3 Safe Transportation Options for Solo Travelers
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Wondering how to get from Mexico City to Oaxaca? In this article, I’ll cover the main ways to get between the two cities to help you decide which transportation method is best for you.
Oaxaca City has become one of the most popular destinations in Mexico, known for Oaxaca’s exceptional culinary scene, fascinating archeological sites, mezcal productions, and rich cultural heritage. It’s no surprise that so many travelers are adding this vibrant city to their Mexico itinerary.
Whether you’re headed there to check out the Day of the Dead festivities or simply want to soak up all the wonderful things to do in Oaxaca, you won’t regret making the trek.
Here’s how to get to Oaxaca from Mexico City. Spoiler, I prefer to take a bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca.
Where is Oaxaca City?
Oaxaca City, also known as Oaxaca de Juárez, is located in the middle of Oaxaca State, in Southern Mexico.
How far is Oaxaca from Mexico City?
The driving distance from Mexico City to Oaxaca City is approximately 554 km (344 miles), and the journey takes between 7 and 8 hours, depending on traffic.
The trip to Oaxaca City by bus is advertised as just under 7 hours, but don’t expect to make the trip that quickly in a personal vehicle.
The fastest way to reach Oaxaca from Mexico City is by flight, which cuts the travel time down to 90 minutes, but you should allow for time spent in the airport ahead of the flight.
Related Reading: 4 Magical Days in Oaxaca: Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
Bus Travel from Mexico City to Oaxaca
Long-haul buses are one of the safest and most cost-effective ways to travel in Mexico. There are Dozens of premium bus companies to choose from travel between Mexico City and Oaxaca each day.
The bus ride takes about 7 hours if you travel directly, without stopping along the way.
Mexico City has several different bus terminals, but TAPO is the main one you’d use to travel to Oaxaca. TAPO stands for Terminal de Autobuses de Pasajeros de Oriente and is located to the east of the Mexico City center.
It serves bus routes leaving the city to the east or the southeast, meaning it’s well-positioned for buses to Oaxaca.
You can also take an a first class level bus directly from Mexico City’s Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX). They don’t run as frequently from the airport as they do from TAPO, but it’s worth checking the schedule in case it lines up with your flight.
Make sure you compare BusBud.com’s prices if you’re planning on taking a bus from CDMX to Oaxaca. BusBud is great because unlike buses tickets that can be purchased at the airport, BusBud.com gives you the option to pay with your native country’s bank or credit card (pay with a credit card is my recommendation).
You’ll still get a great price if you just click on on my links in this article.
There are other bus companies offering transfers to Oaxaca, depending on which bus station you visit, but I would go straight to ADO. They are my favorite bus company and one of the largest in the country. They have several different service classes of varying degrees of luxury and comfort.
For a long trip, like the one to Oaxaca City, opt for the most comfortable bus available. This would be an ADO Platino. These buses have 27 seats and two on-board restrooms.
Each seat is equipped with a USB charging port and an electrical outlet to charge your devices during the trip. Seats also have individual entertainment centers, so you can watch movies or listen to music on the trip.
Tickets for you to take the bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca on ADO Platino will cost around $1300 MXN as of December 2025.
The next best option would be the ADO GL. GL stands for gran lujo (great luxury). These buses carry 40 passengers and have two on-board restrooms.
Each seat is equipped with an electrical outlet and a USB port to charge devices.
GL buses cost less than Platino but are still very comfortable, making them a great option for a long journey.
A bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca on an ADO GL from the TAPO station will cost about $1050 MXN per bus ticket. This is probably the best value.
For me, I like to ride the bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca on the ADO Platino. But I’ve certainly taken the bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca on an ADO Gran Lujo bus as well.
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ADO also offers a general executive class bus known as ADO Primera Clase. They’re a little bit more cramped than the GL buses and only have one restroom onboard, but these are still perfectly comfortable. ADO Primera Clase bus tickets from TAPO to Oaxaca City cost about $876 MXN.
There are a few other bus options if you’re looking for more budget-friendly fares to Oaxaca City. The following bus lines are lower-cost (but still perfectly safe).
- AU (Autobuses Unidos)
- OCC (Ómnibus Cristóbal Colón)
These bus lines are still under the ADO umbrella, but they are lower-cost carriers. Average ticket prices on either of these lines will be about $500-$650 MXN from TAPO to Oaxaca City. These buses don’t always have restrooms onboard, though, and they may make stops along the way, adding to the travel time.
For more information on the ins and outs of Mexico’s ADO bus system so you can find a bus from CDMX to Oaxaca, read my article that will make you an expert on the ADO luxury bus company.
How to buy tickets to ride a luxury bus from CDMX to Oaxaca
There are several ways to book your bus tickets to Oaxaca.
- In person at the bus terminal – Unless you’re on a tight schedule or traveling at a super busy time of year (Dia de Muertos, for instance), you can typically get away with showing up at the bus station and booking your ticket shortly before departure.
- At a convenience store – If you want to book ahead but don’t feel like venturing all the way to the bus station, head to your local Oxxo, Fasti, X24, or really any convenience store. You can usually book bus tickets through the cashier.
- At a Clickbus kiosk – Clickbus often has kiosks in malls, airports, and busy town squares. You can book a ticket through them to get to Oaxaca. They charge a very small commission, but you’ll hardly notice the additional cost.
- Through the ADO website or through BusBud.com – You can purchase tickets from the ADO website (or their app), but it’s very buggy so I prefer to use it as a last resort. That said, they often offer discounts if you book online two or three days prior to your travel date.
The website doesn’t usually accept foreign credit cards, so opt to pay via PayPal when you check out. An e-ticket will be emailed to you. The ADO site is also entirely in Spanish, so if you’re looking for an English alternative, keep reading, I got you!
- Through a third-party website – There are a couple of third-party websites that make it easy to buy tickets from Mexico City to Oaxaca.
- Busbud is another popular transportation aggregator that enables you to buy bus tickets online. They charge a small commission on top of the ticket price, but their website is in English and they take foreign credit cards, so it’s a great option. Click here to book tickets!
A couple of bus travel tips to keep in mind:
- Keep your valuables on your person, not in your checked bags. I’ve never had anything stolen on a bus (and I’ve taken them to 15+ states and dozens of cities in Mexico), but it’s best to be cautious. Keep your documents and money in your purse, on your lap for the duration of the trip. During bus travel, you’ll want to utilize an anti-theft purse.
- Time your trip to arrive during the day. As a solo traveler, it’s much safer to arrive at a new destination during the day. The last thing you want is to be wandering around at night looking for your hotel or short term rental. Plan accordingly.
- Night buses are generally safe for this route. There are some routes in Mexico where I wouldn’t recommend traveling at night, but the journey to Oaxaca is a safe because its a toll highway that is lit very well, and plenty of police presence.
Flights to Oaxaca City
A direct flight is the most convenient way to get to Oaxaca for those who wish to save time.
You can usually find nonstop flights from Mexico City to Oaxaca for very affordable rates. Of course, the price of Oaxaca flights surges around holidays like Día de Muertos in November or during La Guelelaguetza festival, which takes place in July.
Definitely book your flights months ahead of time if you’re planning to visit Oaxaca during those festive days.
That said, finding cheap flights to Oaxaca from Mexico City isn’t out of the question! Do a quick search to compare prices before you rule it out.
I like to use Expedia to search for flight deals everywhere I go.
I did a quick search for flights from Benito Juarez Airport in Mexico City to the Oaxaca Airport back in February 2025 and I was pleasantly surprised with these results:
Prices for one-way flights range from $39 to $59 USD for a one-way ticket. A round-trip flight came in between $150 and $180 USD. Pretty compelling, considering it’s about the same price for a bus ticket as it is for a one-hour flight!
Of course, the best prices come from low-cost carriers (like Viva Aerobus), meaning you’ll probably face additional fees for luggage, etc. Prices for major airlines, like Aeromexico, were around $110 USD for a one-way ticket which is about 2,100 MXN, again for a one-way.
As you can see, this is a big reason why I prefer to ride a nice luxurious bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca.
Flight prices fluctuate constantly. The prices shown here may vary, but it gives you a general idea! If your trip is a few months away, set up a price alert through Expedia.com to track fares between Mexico City and Oaxaca.
Pro tip: When searching for flights on Expedia.com, set your currency to MXN Pesos. You’ll save 10% to 20% on all purchases.
Driving from Mexico City to Oaxaca
Depending on your travel style and preferences, consider taking a road trip from Mexico City to Oaxaca. This may not be the cheapest option, but for adventurous spirits, it offers the freedom of your own wheels.
Plus, then once you arrive in Oaxaca, you’ll have the freedom to do side trips to some off-the-beaten-path destinations and natural wonders, such as Monte Alban or Hierve el Agua, without having to navigate public transportation or take a tour.
Much of the route from CDMX to Oaxaca is on major highways. If you have time, consider a stop in Puebla City for brunch or a quick walk. It’s a lovely city, and I’m confident that stopping for a short visit will leave you wanting more!
Booking.com is my preferred platform to find the best deals on rental cars in Mexico. They aggregate prices across all the different rental companies so you can compare prices and features to find the best deal.
The route from Mexico City to Oaxaca is pretty straightforward. It’s best to stick to the toll roads (called cuotas) as they are patrolled and in better repair than the free highways (libres).
I’ve included a map of the recommended driving route below, for your reference.
Before you jump at the idea of taking a road trip, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Toll roads (cuotas) are the absolute safest way to travel. Incorporate toll fees into your budget. For reference, I used TollGuru to estimate the total cost of tolls from Mexico City to Oaxaca and these are the results: $629 MXN ($35 USD) — that’s not bad!
- Most rental cars in Mexico have manual transmissions. If you need an automatic transmission vehicle, reserve it well in advance and expect to pay extra for it.
- Rental car insurance is $$$ but it’s essential. There’s all kinds of conflicting information out there about whether or not you need rental car insurance in Mexico. I say yes. It’s a bummer because it’s a large expense, but if you get into an accident you’ll be glad to have it. Read this article for more info on what happens if you get into a car accident in Mexico.
- Driving is a little different in Mexico. The rules are largely the same, but the behavior on the road is different. For instance, it’s not uncommon for vehicles to split lanes. Also, many drivers will put their hazard lights on when they are slowing down. Aside from that, you may encounter challenges like poor road conditions, animals on the road, poorly maintained vehicles on the road, topes (speed bumps), and poor visibility while driving. Just be aware that it will likely be different than what you’re used to. This blog has lots of handy safety tips to review.
Mexico City to Oaxaca FAQs
Can you do a day trip from Mexico City to Oaxaca?
It takes about 7 hours to get to Oaxaca from Mexico City, so a day trip, while technically possible, would not leave you enough time to really see the highlights of the city. I’d suggest spending 3 or 4 days in Oaxaca City
Is there a train from Mexico City to Oaxaca?
No, there is no passenger train between these two cities. The ADO bus is the next best thing!
How many days do you need in Oaxaca City?
I recommend spending at least 4 days in Oaxaca City, to see the highlights. There’s a good chance you’ll want to spend more though– it’s a magical place!
After arriving in Oaxaca, you can explore side trips to hidden gems and natural wonders, such as Monte Alban or Hierve el Agua, without needing public transportation or a tour.
Pro tip: When searching for flights on Expedia.com, set your currency to MXN Pesos. You’ll save 10% to 20% on all purchases.Traveling from Mexico City to Oaxaca offers a wealth of experiences, from culinary delights to stunning landscapes. Make sure to plan your trip, and you’ll have a fantastic time discovering all that Oaxaca has to offer!
