The Tren Maya (Maya Train) lets you travel around the peninsula without a car, from city to city. This ten-day itinerary runs from Cancún to Palenque, with Valladolid and Chichén Itzá, Mérida and three nights in Campeche, the walled city halfway along the route. If all you need is to reach Campeche by train, our guide Getting to Campeche on the Tren Maya explains it step by step; here we plan the whole trip.
- Ten days and nine nights: Valladolid 2, Mérida 2, Campeche 3 and Palenque 2.
- One ticket per journey: if you get off at an intermediate station, your ticket ends there.
- Always allow for the transfer between each station and your accommodation.
- Cancún is one hour ahead of Yucatán, Campeche and Chiapas.
How the route works
The stations on this trip
The itinerary uses five stations on the network: Cancún Aeropuerto, Valladolid, Mérida Teya, San Francisco de Campeche and Palenque. Along the way, the train also stops at Chichén Itzá and Edzná. The network also reaches Bacalar, Xpujil and Calakmul, if you want to extend your trip south.
Approximate travel times
| Journey | Approximate duration |
|---|---|
| Cancún Aeropuerto → Valladolid | 1 hr 43 min |
| Valladolid → Mérida Teya | 1 hr 45 min |
| Mérida Teya → San Francisco de Campeche | 2 hr 08 min, 2 hr 18 min or 2 hr 23 min, depending on the service |
| San Francisco de Campeche → Palenque | about 5 hr |
Durations from the official booking system and the official timetable, consulted on October 26, 2026. Timetables vary by date and service. Check the one for your travel day on the official booking system before you book your accommodation. Keep in mind that Cancún runs on Quintana Roo time, one hour ahead of Yucatán, Campeche and Chiapas.
One ticket per journey
Your ticket is valid only for the journey and destination you bought. If you get off earlier, for example at Chichén Itzá or Edzná, the ticket is considered used and you will need a new one to board again. Buy one ticket for each leg between the cities where you will sleep.
Days 1 and 2 · Valladolid and Chichén Itzá
From the plane to the train
The Cancún Aeropuerto station is named after the airport, but it is not at the terminal. In August 2026 the Benito Juárez city government announced the Tren Maya Conecta bus route between the Cancún station and the airport; confirm the terminal, schedule and boarding point, and remember that the train does not wait for flights. If you land early and find a train that leaves enough margin, you can sleep in Valladolid that same night. If your flight arrives in the afternoon, or the connection is tight, spend the first night in Cancún and stretch the trip to eleven days.
Valladolid as a base
Valladolid is a quiet colonial town, with its main square and the convent of San Bernardino. On the second day, visit Chichén Itzá. Chichén Itzá station is less than half an hour by train from Valladolid. Before you buy, plan the whole day: the train out, the transfer from the station to the entrance, the transfer back and the return train to Valladolid, which needs another ticket. The site opens at 8:00 a.m. In addition to the INAH admission, there is a Yucatán State Government fee; check the current amount on the official site page.
Days 3 and 4 · Mérida
From Teya station to the center
Route 901 of IE-TRAM, Yucatán's public transit system, runs from the Tren Maya Teya stop to downtown Mérida.
A full day in the city
Two nights give you one full day, so decide how you want to use it. You can stay in town for the historic center, the markets and Paseo de Montejo. Or you can spend it at Uxmal, which has no station: an organized tour from Mérida takes you to its stone mosaic facades, which INAH considers the most representative of the Puuc style. For a comparison of the two cities, see Visiting Campeche? Don't forget Mérida, and for the ways to travel between them, Between Campeche and Mérida.
Days 5, 6 and 7 · Three nights in Campeche
From the station to the center
San Francisco de Campeche station is about 20 minutes by car from the historic center. If you are staying with Casonas MX, you can request a private transfer from the station to your house, at a cost: from USD 20 per vehicle, with the rate confirmed on request. It is arranged 24 to 48 hours in advance by sharing your arrival time on WhatsApp.
Why three nights
Campeche is the only walled city on the route, and its historic center is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is a city to explore on foot, and three nights give you time for the city, its neighborhoods and Edzná without changing where you stay. On the first day, settle in and, if your train gets in early enough, head down to the malecón, the seafront promenade, to watch the sunset. On the second, explore the Puerta de Mar, the Puerta de Tierra, the bastions and the surviving sections of the walls, and in the afternoon the neighborhoods of San Román and Guadalupe. Our Campeche itinerary has more ideas for those days.
A day for Edzná
Edzná is 55 km away, around an hour by road. Although the train has a station at Edzná, the most practical option is to go by car or on an organized tour that takes you to the entrance and brings you back. The site is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with last entry at 4:30 p.m. You will find more details for planning the outing in our Edzná guide.
Where to stay inside the walls
Casonas MX is a house hotel in Campeche's historic center: eleven places to stay in nine casonas, seven houses and four lofts, with hotel service and breakfast included. Each house is booked as a whole house with hotel service, and the same local team welcomes you in person; check-in is from 3:00 p.m. You can see them all in the collection.
Days 8, 9 and 10 · Palenque
From Campeche to Palenque
The journey takes about five hours. Before leaving Campeche, confirm the transfer between Palenque station and your accommodation.
The archaeological site
Palenque was one of the great Maya cities of the Classic period and lay hidden in the jungle for centuries. In the Temple of the Inscriptions, archaeologist Alberto Ruz discovered the tomb of the ruler Pakal in 1952, at the foot of an inner stairway of 73 steps. Today the tomb is closed to the public to ensure its preservation.
Spend day 9 exploring the city. The Palace, with its courtyards, tower and underground passages, was the complex of the ruling elite. Across the Otulum stream, the Group of the Crosses brings together the Temples of the Cross, the Foliated Cross and the Sun, and a trail through the vegetation leads to other groups in the city. If you visit Tuesday through Sunday, finish at the site museum, which is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and holds a replica of Pakal's sarcophagus and its carved lid.
The site is on the UNESCO World Heritage List; it is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with last entry at 4:00 p.m., and tickets are sold at the Visitor Center. The official INAH page, consulted on October 26, 2026, lists two separate charges: admission, which includes the site museum, MXN 210 for foreign visitors and MXN 105 for Mexican nationals, and the CONANP fee, because the site lies within a national park, MXN 215 general and MXN 110 for Mexican nationals and foreign residents of Mexico. Do not take these figures as a total cost: confirm current conditions. On day 10, continue your journey or take the train back.
If you want to continue into Chiapas
Heading further into Chiapas calls for extra days and confirmed transportation. Before deciding, read the official advisories: the U.S. Department of State keeps Chiapas at Level 3, "reconsider travel," and France's Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs advises against Highway 199 between Palenque and San Cristóbal de las Casas unless strictly necessary.
Tickets and luggage
How to buy
Tickets are sold on the official website and app, via WhatsApp, by phone, at ticket offices and at station machines. The fare depends on the date, the journey and the class: check the current fare when you buy. You can change the date once, at least 48 hours in advance. Children under 3 travel free on an adult's lap.
What luggage you can bring
Each passenger may bring up to three pieces at no charge, with a total weight of up to 50 kg: one bag of up to 75 × 40 × 33 cm, one carry-on of up to 55 × 40 × 25 cm and 10 kg, and one personal item of up to 45 × 30 × 20 cm. You must be able to handle your luggage without help.
FOR THIS TRIP
Your home for these three nights
You have a route. Now choose the door you would like to open when you come back.
Casonas MX is a house hotel in Campeche, Mexico: a boutique collection of seven heritage homes and four contemporary lofts inside the historic walled city, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The main booking format is the complete home or loft, combining the privacy of a home with hotel services and one local hospitality team.
Explore the collection with your travel companions and the kind of stay you want in mind. Tell us your dates and the number of guests: our team will help you choose the right home for your stay in Campeche.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Tren Maya ticket cost?
It depends on the date, the journey and the class, and the official site does not publish a fare table. Check the current fare on the official booking system when you choose your trip.
How long does it take between cities?
About 1 hr 43 min from Cancún Aeropuerto to Valladolid and 1 hr 45 min from Valladolid to Mérida Teya. From Mérida Teya to San Francisco de Campeche, 2 hr 08 min, 2 hr 18 min or 2 hr 23 min depending on the service, and from Campeche to Palenque, about five hours. Add the transfer between each station and the town center.
Is there a direct train from Cancún to Palenque?
The official timetable shows a single service linking Cancún, Mérida Teya, Campeche and Palenque in about eleven hours, but it does not say whether you need to change trains. Confirm this when you buy. For this itinerary, though, it makes more sense to split the trip and sleep along the way.
Can I get off in one city and continue another day on the same ticket?
No. The ticket ends at the station where you get off, and you will need a new one for the next leg.
Is it worth combining the train with a car?
For Uxmal, Edzná or Calakmul, a car or an organized tour gives you more freedom. If you would rather drive the whole way, our two-week Yucatán road trip covers the full peninsula.
When should you travel?
From November to April, as we explain in when to visit Campeche. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.
