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On December 15th of last year, Mexico’s first route on the Maya Train, also known as Tren Maya, was inaugurated.
A year later, Mexico’s new president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has announced that the Maya Train project is complete.
There are many places you can visit now faster and cheaper than ever before, and there are five exciting day trips you can take from Cancun if that’s where you’ll be spending your vacation.
Puerto Morelos
The trip from Cancun Airport to Puerto Morelos is the quickest and least expensive on the list, with roundtrip tickets for the 19-minute trip starting at just $3.61.
Puerto Morelos is a small town located between Cancun and Playa del Carmen.
It has a charming fishing village vibe, beautiful beaches, and several cenotes, but the town’s biggest claim to fame is the Puerto Morelos Reef National Park, which is famous for its amazing dive sites.
Playa Del Carmen
Playa del Carmen is just past Puerto Morelos and tickets for the 49-minute trip to the destination start at only $6.58.
The destination is already hugely popular among international travelers, particularly travelers from the United States and Canada.
Playa del Carmen is popular mostly for its stunning beaches, its nightlife, and its famous 5th Avenue, or Quinta Avenida, which is lined with shops, restaurants, and bars.
Tulum
Tulum, which is just an hour and 43 minutes from Cancun by Mayan Train, was once considered a hidden gem in the Mexican Caribbean, with a more laid-back vibe and wellness-focused atmosphere.
It still retains some of that but has grown much more popular over the last couple of decades.
It’s known for its gorgeous, less-packed beaches, unique restaurants, boutique hotels, and impressive seaside Mayan ruins.
Roundtrip tickets on the train from Cancun to Tulum start at $13.60.
Merida
It takes a little longer to get to Merida than any of the aforementioned destinations but it’s worth the 3-hour and 39-minute trip and $32.81.
This is the place to explore Mayan history and heritage.
You won’t find beaches in Merida but what you will find are museums, markets, and beautiful examples of colonial architecture, some of which have been built using remnants from Mayan ruins.
It’s also a great starting point to explore the region’s existing Mayan archeological sites.
Izamal
The city of Izamal is one of Mexico’s “Magic Towns,” named so because of its preservation of history and culture.
Also known as the “Yellow City,” you can easily spend a day in Izamal exploring the colorful architecture, rich history, and ancient Mayan pyramids.
The trip, on the Maya Train from Cancun takes 2 hours and 59 minutes, but if you leave on the earliest train you can be there before noon.
You’ll have about 5 hours to explore before the last train departs, giving you plenty of time to tour the city. Roundtrip tickets from Cancun to Izamal start at just $27.30
Valladolid
Getting to Valladolid will cost only $15.82 for the least expensive ticket, and it’s only an hour and 39 minutes by Maya Train from Cancun.
Another one of Yucatan’s Magic Towns, Valladolid is known for its charming cobbled streets, its cultural heritage, and its stunning beauty.
It’s also close to several magnificent cenotes and impressive Mayan ruins, but to explore just the city itself a day trip is definitely sufficient.
Chichen Itza
Last but certainly not least is undoubtedly one of the most popular day trip destinations to take on the Maya Train from Cancun.
It’s only about 2 hours away, and the tickets start at just $19.99 for a round trip.
Chichen Itza is one of the most famous and important Mayan archeological sites in the world, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It’s visited by millions of travelers fascinated by Mayan history every year, and now Cancun visitors can get to it, like these other destinations, faster and easier than ever because of the completion of the Maya Train, which can be booked here.
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