Wondering how to get from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara? For the best prices for bus travel, look at BusBud.com. There is 62 different departures from Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta. 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.

Why Travel from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara?

Guadalajara is the largest city in the Mexican state of Jalisco and a popular destination for those looking to escape the touristy beach towns and learn more about Mexican culture. Similar to Puerto Vallarta in its rich history, travelling by bus from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara, especially by luxury bus (my favorite way to travel throughout Mexico!), preserved Spanish colonial history alongside Indigenous history that preceded it.

I strongly recommend visiting Guadalajara, especially if you’re in Puerto Vallarta. Taking a bus that is similar to ADO Bus like a similar bus is very comfortable if you decide to go from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara also will help give you an introduction to how those two cities connect. Guadalajara makes a great base for visiting nearby towns like Tequila, Jalisco, where you can tour local Tequila distilleries, and the popular lakeside towns of Ajijic and Chapala. 

Whether you’re planning to spend a few days in Guadalajara or just passing through on your way to the airport, this guide will outline the best options for getting there from Puerto Vallarta. 

Should I Drive or Fly from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara?

Guadalajara is located in the state of Jalisco, on the western side of Mexico. It is situated approximately 280 km (174 miles) from Puerto Vallarta. 

The bus trip from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara is advertised as about 4.5 hours, but the actual driving time depends on traffic and road conditions. A flight from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara takes approximately 80 minutes.

But this number is not including time that you’ll need to consider for arriving, checking in, security lines, and getting on your flight. Nor does it include disembarking your flight.

How many times has your flight landed on time as expected but has made passengers wait to vacate the aircraft? Now imagine doing this at an airport that is the largest in Mexico, within the city and surrounding metro area, where 17% of Mexico’s population resides!

My general rule of thumb is that anything less than a 3-hour flight is not worth the increased cost compared to a car rental or riding a bus, especially in Mexico.

Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara buses

The simplest way to get between Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara is by bus. Several companies run buses between these two cities, with multiple departures every day. The ride is slightly twisty in parts but, overall, very scenic.

So, if you plan to take the bus to Guadalajara, I’d recommend going during the day to admire the mountains and agave fields along the way! 

You’ll depart from the Central de Autobuses in Puerto Vallarta, which is very close to the Puerto Vallarta airport.  

Which bus lines run from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara?

The following bus companies run between Vallarta and GDL. They all offer a very similar service, but some are a little more luxurious than others. Each of these bus companies, can be found on BusBud.com and are available for you to purchase tickets with Foreign Credit cards. Most of these companies don’t accept foreign credit cards

• ETN
• Futura
• Primera Plus
• Pacifico
• Vallarta Plus

ETN is the most luxurious of these companies and will have the highest prices. Futura and Primera Plus are pretty comparable in my experience—Primera Plus may be slightly nicer. I haven’t traveled with Pacific or Vallarta Plus, but I think they’re slightly more basic. 

I took Primera Plus on my most recent trip, and it was comfortable. Each seat had its own entertainment center and complimentary headphones. There was always free Wi-Fi onboard (though it was pretty slow) and separate restrooms for men and women. The coach was also air-conditioned.

Guadalajara bus stations

Guadalajara has a few different bus stations, and depending on where you’re planning to go in the city, one might make more sense than others. You might also choose your station depending on scheduling.

In most cases, when traveling from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara, it will make the most sense to choose either Nueva Central or the Zapopan bus station.

I’ve circled them both in pink on the map below:

Nueva Central

La Nueva Central is the main bus station in Guadalajara. Most buses from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara usually will give you the option to end your trip here. This a massive station (larger than some airports!) and it’s a hub for the majority of the bus companies operating in western and southwestern Mexico. You can catch buses here to go almost anywhere in Mexico. 

La Nueva Central bus station is located southeast of the Guadalajara Centro Historico and is probably the best choice if you are traveling to Tonala, Tlaquepaque, or the Guadalajara airport because it is situated close to those areas.

From my observation, La Nueva didn’t seem to be located in the best part of town. If possible, I would avoid arriving here late at night.

When I arrived, I was met with an abundance of taxi drivers right outside, which was really overwhelming as they each started jostling for me to get in their cars. I opted to call an Uber instead because I wanted the peace of mind of in-app navigation.

Zapopan

If you’re staying in La Colonia Americana, Centro Historico, Zapopan, or anywhere else on the west side of the city, purchase bus tickets to the Zapopan bus station.

It’s a much smaller station on the western edge of Guadalajara. Landing here will save you from having to backtrack across the city from Nueva. (Heads up, traffic can be terrible in Guadalajara).

The smaller size of the Zapopan station makes getting in and out of it much less stressful than the Nueva Central, at least in my opinion. I would choose this station over Nueva any day!

On my recent trip from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara, I took the Primera Plus bus from Vallarta to Central Nueva because I hadn’t bothered to look up the location of either bus station in relation to my hotel. I ended up taking a 30-minute Uber back across town to La Americana. I lived and learned, so you don’t have to!

How to book bus tickets to Guadalajara

There are several ways to book your bus tickets to Guadalajara.

• Buy them at the bus terminal: Unless you’re traveling on a busy holiday (such as Día de Muertos or Christmas Eve), booking your bus tickets ahead is probably unnecessary. You can show up at the bus station shortly before departure (I suggest 30 minutes) and buy tickets in person. 

• 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, Kiosko, 7/11, or really any convenience store in Puerto Vallarta. 

• Through the bus company website: Once you select a bus company to travel with, head to their website to purchase your ticket online. I bought my bus ticket to Guadalajara directly through the Primera Plus website, and they emailed me the ticket as a QR code. All I had to do was show up and board the bus!

• Using Busbud: Busbud.com is a popular transportation aggregator for purchasing 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.
  
  This is the best option for anyone who would prefer an English-language site or if you’re having issues getting the bus company site to accept your credit card. Click here to book travel to Guadalajara on Busbud! 

Flights from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara

Flying is another option for getting between Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Both cities have major airports, and you can find multiple flights between them daily.  

The Mexican airlines VivaAerobus and Volaris both offer nonstop flights from PVR to GDL. These are both budget airlines. I’ve flown with both several times and always had good experiences. If I had to choose, I’d go with Volaris because the planes (in my experience) are a little newer and more comfortable.

You can often find flights from PVR to GDL on AeroMexico as well, but they have a stopover in Mexico City, making the total travel time over 4 hours. AeroMexico is a great airline, but flying all the way to Mexico City and back feels nonsensical to me!

Naturally, prices vary depending on seasonality and demand. The winter high season or holidays like Semana Santa will likely drive prices up. 

I’ve seen prices under $700 MXN for a one-way flight to Guadalajara. That wouldn’t include baggage fees or seat selection, though. Even so, it’s worth comparing flight prices to bus ticket prices, as you may come out ahead.

Flight time from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara is about 55 minutes, but don’t forget to account for time spent waiting at the airport when you calculate total travel time. 

I like to use Kayak to search for flight prices across the different carriers. 

Driving from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara

If you’re the type of traveler who appreciates the independence of having your own set of wheels, you may prefer to drive to Guadalajara. This could be advantageous, as Guadalajara is a large, sprawling city, and there are several attractions you may wish to visit beyond the city limits as well. 

Having your own vehicle will undoubtedly save you time navigating public transportation and give you the freedom and flexibility to check out some harder-to-reach points of interest (such as the Guachimontones archaeological site!)

If you plan to rent a car, Booking.com rental cars 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 and find the best deal.

It’s important to read Google reviews of the different companies and make an educated selection, though, because they are not all equal. Unfortunately, the lowest rate doesn’t always mean you’ll get the best service. 

The road from Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara is pretty straightforward. There are two routes: one uses a toll road (called a cuota), and the other sticks to the free road (called libre). The toll route is advisable, as the road is better maintained and faster. 

The driving time between Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara varies depending on traffic, but generally, it takes 4 to 5 hours to travel on the cuota. 

According to TollGuru, the expected cost of tolls from Vallarta to Guadalajara for a standard-sized vehicle (car, SUV, or pickup truck) is about $1,055 MXN. 

I’ve included a map of the recommended driving route below for your reference. 

Puerto Vallarta to Guadalajara travel FAQs

11 Big Discounts Are Available for Readers Who Finish This Article! Which Partner Discounts Will You Use?

🏨 What’s the best way to find accommodation in Mexico?

Expedia.com is wonderful specifically for reserving high-end luxury hotels and resorts and is by far the best for reserving flights. Booking.com is awesome for affordable hotels in Mexico. VRBO specializes in apartment and house rentals, making it a wonderful place to find long-term stays.

✈️ What’s the best way to find affordable flights?

In my experience traveling to and within Mexico, I LOVE Expedia.com because they simplify rate comparisons between different airlines. I’ve always come back to Expedia.com because of how wide the selection is of airlines to choose from that go to Mexico. Great pricing is another reason, too!

💸 How should I exchange money in Mexico?

Have you ever heard of the company named WISE? WISE is an app that offers the best solutions for individuals and businesses traveling internationally, providing the fastest and most cost-effective way to convert money into a foreign country’s local currency. It is the least expensive and fastest way to transfer money from your home country’s bank to one in a foreign country.

🚖 How do I find a safe airport transfer?

I recommend GetYourGuide.com for airport transfers anywhere in Mexico. It’s almost as excellent and simple to use as Uber, in my humble opinion. I’ve used them LOTS.

🚗 What’s the best way to find rental cars in Mexico?

I recommend Booking.com. What I’ve found is that their price comparison tool is updated multiple times daily, making it easy to find and prepare to snag the best deal possible because of the inclusion of fire sale types of discounts.

Other companies don’t include these short-lived discounts in their price comparison because they sync once a day (typically overnight) with each rental car company. The Booking.com tool for comparing rental car prices is what I use for car rentals in Mexico. I’ve yet to have complaints about them.

🚐 How do I book bus tickets online in Mexico?

Book your tickets with Busbud—the site is in English and takes foreign credit cards.

🤿 How do I find cool activities and tours in Mexico?

TripAdvisor is the usual website and service I use for finding fun things to do; it has great options and it’s much faster to book with them since they organize their personalized recommendations for you if you’re signed in.

🇲🇽 How can I experience Mexico like a local?

Travelers can hire a local guide through GetyourGuide.com. You’ll be able to tailor tours based on your interests—it’s basically like experiencing a destination with a local bestie!

🧳 What’s the best luggage for Mexico?

Unless you’re staying at a resort, a travel pack is recommended. I’ve used travel backpack from Osprey for the last 8+ years. 

👯‍♀️ How do I connect with fellow travelers in Mexico?

Join my Female Travelers in Mexico Facebook group, a supportive community of fellow Mexico travel enthusiasts, where you can find answers to all your travel questions!

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BigScoots.com is who I use for managing my WordPress website (which they help you make changes to and teach you as part of their service).

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Join my Female Travelers in Mexico Facebook group, a supportive community of fellow Mexico travel enthusiasts, where you can find answers to all your travel questions!