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Imagine landing at the bustling and cramped Mexico City International Airport (AICM, its Spanish initials), not to stay, but to immediately embark on another leg of your journey—by bus. That’s precisely what we did when we wanted to visit Puebla, Mexico’s fourth-largest city, about two hours outside of Mexico City. While we could have flown nonstop into Puebla’s small airport, there are very few flights and options. As such, flying into AICM and taking a two-hour bus non-stop to Puebla was way easier.
In this blog post, I’ll tell you about Kevin and my experience traveling by bus from Mexico City (AICM) to Puebla. It was so easy – and cheap!
Bus Station at Mexico City’s Airport
Mexico City’s Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez (AICM) is a sprawling hub. Knowing your way around is essential if you’re heading to Puebla or anywhere else by bus. To start, AICM is divided into Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Most – but not all – Aéromexico flights arrive in Terminal 2, along with Aéromexico’s Skyteam partners such as Delta and LATAM. Terminal 1 is for most other airlines, including U.S. airlines and Mexico’s Viva and Volaris airlines. You can look up your flight ahead of time on AICM’s website here, which conveniently displays the terminal information.
The good news is that both terminals have their own bus stations! You can easily walk to your terminal’s bus station; just follow the signs for bus transportation. As such, if you are traveling to a popular destination, either within Mexico City or nearby, such as Querétaro or Puebla, you can catch a bus there, usually from either terminal. However, if you are planning ahead or need to catch a specific bus, know which terminal you will arrive at!
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Transferring Between Terminals 1 and 2 at AICM
Since there are so many Mexico City Airport to Puebla buses, Kevin and I took our time eating lunch at Terminal 1 and planned to take the next bus when we felt like it. By the time we finished lunch, it was another hour before the next ADO Mexico City to Puebla bus from Terminal 1. But the next ADO bus from Terminal 2 was only 30 minutes away, so we scrambled to go from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 to save 30 minutes.
Unfortunately, we did not realize how difficult it is to get between the two terminals at AICM. You cannot walk between the terminals. Instead, you have the two options below.
AICM Connecting Terminal Bus
A red “Tetsa” bus picks up right outside Terminal 1, next to a sign that looks like it is going into the city. We thought it was free until the bus driver stopped us and told us it was 25 Mexican pesos per person. Fortunately, I had a 50-peso bill because they only take cash. It also took about 15 minutes to drive from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 because there isn’t a direct roadway between the two terminals. So between waiting for the bus to depart and the time it took to travel, the whole affair probably took 30 minutes. Keep this in mind if you are in a rush!
AICM Airtrain
A train travels between the two terminals, but weirdly, it is landside. I say weirdly because airport trains are generally after security, so you don’t have to re-clear security to catch a connecting flight. But more weirdly, you need a boarding pass to use the Airtrain. Does anyone see the irony of this? Either way, we could not use the Airtrain because we weren’t connecting to a Terminal 2 flight, so we didn’t have a new boarding pass to show.
Because we didn’t realize the time it took to travel between the two terminals, we missed the next ADO Mexico City Airport to Puebla bus at Terminal 2. We would have been better off staying at Terminal 1! But it was okay because I discovered that two companies sell Mexico City Airport to Puebla bus tickets: ADO and ER (Estrella Rosa).
Mexico City Airport to Puebla Bus Companies: ADO vs ER
ADO and ER are the two main bus companies traveling between AICM and Puebla. We previously used ADO to travel from Tulum’s Airport to Downtown Tulum and again from Cancún to Mérida. We love ADO! Thus, when researching this trip, I learned that ADO travels between AICM and Puebla, and I fully intended to use ADO.
However, as mentioned above, we missed the ADO bus in Terminal 1 and again when we used the scenic route to get to Terminal 2. Fortunately, the bus ticketing desks at Terminal 2 are clearly marked with upcoming buses. I saw another company called Estrella Rosa—ER for short—that had a ton of buses heading to Puebla. While ER was slightly more than ADO—about US$2 more per person—it also left 30 minutes sooner than the next ADO bus. Thus, I booked two ER tickets to Puebla.
Both companies provide fantastic service! The buses are clean, on time, and provide an excellent bus journey.
Can you book online?
Yes, you can book tickets with both companies online. In person, both companies charged 425-450 Mexican Pesos for the two-hour, non-stop journey, with ADO being slightly cheaper. At the time of this trip, the cost was US$22-23 per person. However, both companies offer discounts if you buy ahead online.
In fact, I saw ADO go as low as 217 pesos online booking a few days out—around half the cost! ER is a lot stingier with discounts, offering barely a 10% discount. But as you get closer to your travel date, ADO greatly reduces their discounts, so it won’t make much difference. When you book online, you get a PDF with a QR code that you will show to the driver when you board the bus. It was very easy to board with online tickets, and makes no difference compared to buying the tickets in person.
If you book your tickets at the airport, choose the company with the next bus. If you are booking ahead, compare prices online, but also compare schedules. The problem with booking ahead of time is that you are sort of counting on your flight arriving on time. What happens if your flight is delayed? While generally you can change your bus tickets ahead of time – we did this a couple of times with other bus companies – you can’t change it or get a refund after you have missed your bus. So then what are you going to do?
ADO’s website: https://www.ado.com.mx/
ER’s website: https://www.estrellaroja.com.mx/
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Puebla Bus Terminal Options: CAPU vs Paseo Destino
Both ADO and ER provide service to Puebla’s two bus terminals: CAPU and Paseo Destino. CAPU – Central de Autobuses de Puebla – is Puebla’s main bus terminal and more of what you expect when thinking of Latin American bus station. CAPU is located north of Puebla’s historic center. I recommend using CAPU if you are staying in the Historic Center, the northern part of Puebla, or in Tlaxcala. Or if you are catching a bus to another city, chances are that bus is departing CAPU.
Paseo Destino – also known as Terrapuerto – is a bus terminal within a modern strip mall. It is much smaller and seems out-of-place at first. Paseo Destino only has buses to and from Mexico City, including ER’s e-Bus, which depart from Santa Fe, Polanco, and other parts of Mexico City. Paseo Destino is best for those staying in Angelópolis or other parts in southern Puebla. It cost us 110 Mexican pesos to take an official taxi from Paseo Destino to Angelópolis – or around US$5.50.
Nonetheless, Puebla isn’t that big of a city. If you “mess up” and go to the wrong bus terminal, it isn’t the end of the world. Put another way, it is a 30-minute drive between the two bus stations, so don’t overthink which station to go to.
The Bus Journey from Mexico City to Puebla
The bus journey from AICM to Puebla takes around two hours and usually is non-stop if you book ADO or ER. There isn’t much to see on the bus ride. You’ll spend the first 30 minutes or so traveling through busy streets of southern Mexico City. Then you’ll hit the highway with generic hillsides. Finally, you’ll arrive in Puebla and won’t see much other than some high-rise buildings in the distance.
Since Mexico City and Puebla are both around the same elevation, there aren’t any extended uphill or downhill journeys. This might be important if you get bus sick. Both companies play a movie on shared screens during the bus ride. However, note that the subtitles will be in Spanish. If you don’t speak Spanish, bring a book or take a nap. These buses are long-distance coaches – not city buses – so you can relax and recline your seat a bit.
Final Thoughts on Mexico City Airport to Puebla Bus Trip
Overall, it is really easy to get to Puebla from Mexico City’s Airport (AICM). The bus ride only takes around two hours non-stop and the journey is on very comfortable long-distance coaches, not city buses. There are two bus companies – ADO and ER – and both have buses leaving both AICM terminals. You do not need to change terminals just to catch the bus. ADO and ER have many buses throughout the day, allowing you to catch a bus convenient for your flight. And bus tickets are around US$23 per person, making the journey very affordable.
Let us know in the comments if you have taken the bus between Mexico City and Puebla and what your experience was like!
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I almost died when you said you guys missed the bus in Terminal 2. It was the one leaving in 30 min, instead of waiting the hour for the other one, and after all that rushing to get there, you missed it. UGH!!!!! But all in all, it was a learning experience, and the information and advice you give is excellent for anyone traveling to Puebla from Mexico City. I always love your articles. So informative, educational, detailed, and you write it in REAL TALK, easy explanations to understand. Thank you for this!
Hi! Currently on the bus from the airport to Puebla. I found your guide helpful, so thanks! Wanted to add just a couple of tips – it takes a little while to get through the line if there’s several people in front of you, so don’t go for the bus that’s leaving in 5 minutes, give yourself 15. Also, you have to check your bags separately, before going through the security check to the bus.
And, most importantly! Although it’s listed as two separate buses, Puebla CAPU and Puebla Destiona… they’re the same bus! Because the bus front did not say capu, I almost didn’t go to board! Yes, two buses at the same time to the same city from the same gate don’t exactly make sense..in hindsight :- D so don’t miss your bus!
Hi Ali! Thank you for the tips! I agree on not going for the exact next bus. That is how we got in the mess we did transferring between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.
Which bus company did you use? For us, we arrived and departed from Paseo Destino and neither bus stopped at CAPU. Thus, I would recommend anyone double-confirm the arrival and departure of their bus. 🙂
Have fun in Puebla – I’d love to know your thoughts on the city.