Traveling to Puebla from Mexico City by bus
Traveling to Puebla from Mexico City is fairly straightforward via bus.
There are continual bus services between Mexico City and Puebla throughout the day and night both from the TAPO terminal (also known as Terminal Oriente) and from Benito Juarez International Airport.
Buses leave for Puebla approximately every fifteen minutes from TAPO and every 40 minutes or so.
Occasional buses go to/from the other terminals in Mexico City – e.g. ADO buses run a service from the Terminal del Norte several times a day.
Travel time from TAPO to Puebla’s CAPU is usually around 2 hours, but this time may vary by up to a full hour depending on Mexico City traffic conditions at that time of day.
Getting to Puebla City by air
Alternatively, Hermanos Serdán International Airport (PBC) is an international airport located near Puebla with direct flights from Houston (United), Dallas (American), Panama City (Copa), and several cities within Mexico.
From the airport, there are a few ways to get to the city center. Volaris offers a shuttle to the city center, which leaves once in the morning and once in the afternoon. There is also a public bus that passes by the airport every half hour. The bus is orange and will drop you off by the Ferrocarrilera.
Buses to and from Puebla City
There are two bus terminals in Puebla: the Centro de Autobuses Puebla (CAPU), the main bus terminal, and Estrella Roja’s 4 Poniente bus terminal, this terminal is located in downtown Puebla. Both Estrella Roja and ADO run buses to the much larger CAPU.
Buses are also available from many other cities and towns, including Oaxaca, San Cristobal de las Casas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Cuernavaca, Xalapa, Veracruz, Zacatlán, Cuetzalan, Tlaxcala, Tehuacán, Huamntla, and Juchitan among others, including less frequent services to destinations such as Cancún, Mérida, Puerto Escondido, and Acapulco.
Taxi
Taxis are naturally more expensive, but in Puebla, they are deemed safer. Negotiating a fare before entering a taxi is normal as the taxis do not carry meters in Puebla. If the driver does not offer you a fare that you like, you can always just wave them off and wait for the next taxi.
At 4 Poniente, there are secure taxis (called Top Driver Express) in which you pay the cashier and not the driver. Secure taxis are also available from CAPU.
Several local buses enter the station, and many others pass within 1-2 blocks. 4 Poniente is a much smaller terminal, though CAPU is relatively easy to navigate as well.
Get around in Puebla
Traveling within Puebla can sometimes be stressful as the local public transportation system is entirely privatized, leading to hundreds of bus routes, none of which are mapped out.
If you know where you are going, you can ask around as to which route will take your destination, but often transfers are necessary for long distances, which can be confusing, especially if you are not familiar with the language.
Safety note about buses: they are generally safe, but they tend to carry pickpockets, especially when crowded. Always have a hand over any bags/backpacks that you have. The buses generally run from about 07:00 to 22:00.
