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It’s finally ready to go – the new route connecting Cancun to Playa del Carmen via the Maya Train was inaugurated by President Andres Manuel Lope Obrador(AMLO) this Thursday.
Section 5 of the Maya Train will connect the Cancun Airport station with Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen, offering tourists and locals the chance to travel through some of the region’s most unforgettable landscapes and unique Mayan cultural sites.
Here is everything we know so far…
The Maya Train So Far…
The Maya Train has been running since December of last year from Palenque, Chiapas to Cancun, covering some notable tourist hotspots like the magical towns of Valladolid and Merida, as well as the popular archeological site known as Chichen Itza.
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The billion-dollar infrastructure project opened to tourists and locals with mixed results, due to cancellations and delays which left many of them disappointed.
Over 64,000 passengers have already boarded the Maya Train, and the most popular stations so far are Merida-Teya to Cancun Airport, which has been heavily in use with passengers using it as an alternative to paying taxi and private hire prices.
Occupancy levels are around 84 percent, and that is only expected to increase as the Maya Train becomes fully operational.
February 29th was supposed to be the date that the Maya Train would reach the new Tulum station, coinciding with the arrival of international flights at the new Felipe Carillo International Airport.
The Tulum portion of the Maya Train has now been delayed, however, until August, when it has promised to be ready for all guests who avidly want to reach and travel from the upcoming destination.
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Schedules and Pricing Of New Route
Currently, the Maya Train offers two different ticket prices for its passengers – Tourist and Premier.
As with any travel ticket, these classes offer different services and levels of comfort, and special prices are offered to those with disabilities, those who are elderly, and those who are students.
A new schedule is in the works for locals who wish to use the Maya Train to reach their chosen area of work, offering added times to those of the tourist schedule.
As for the tourist schedule, there will be available trains as follows:
9:00am, 12:00pm, and 3:00pm from Cancun
10:30am, 13:30pm and 16:30pm from Playa del Carmen
The trains can carry 221 one-way passengers and the same amount of returning passengers.
As for the train prices, they are are follows:
- National Tourists
$148 Tourist ($8.69 USD)
$236 Premier ($13.86 USD)
- International Tourists
$197 Tourist ($11.57 USD)
$315 Premier (18.50 USD)
- People With Disabilities, Older Adults and Students
$79 ($4.64 USD)
Cancun and Playa del Carmen are the two heavyweight tourist hotspots in the Mexican Caribbean and this new route is expected to become more popular than ever, cementing the arrival of the Maya Train for good.
Tickets can be purchased here on the official website.
Visiting Playa Del Carmen On The Maya Train
President Andres Manuel Lope Obrador has said that the Maya train will allow visitors to truly experience the beauties that the Mexican Caribbean has to offer, as well as the wonders of the Mayan culture and its archeological zones that are in the very fabric of the region.
Playa del Carmen was once a sleepy fishing village, and is has since become a bustling tourist hotspot known for its fun nightlife, its busy shopping areas and its impression 75 mile-long sandy shoreline, which hosts some of the most beautiful beaches in the Riviera Maya.
With luxury-resorts a plenty, as well as some great tourist attractions nearby like the archaeological sites of Muyil and Coba, or the famous Cenote Azul, Playa del Carmen has so much to see and explore.
The perfect destination for families, groups, and couples looking to experience one of the most well-known places in the Mexican Caribbean, it is definitely somewhere you don’t want to miss!
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