How to Get to Todos Santos: Your Ultimate Guide

So you’ve decided to book a trip to Todos Santos…now you just have to figure out how to get there.

Luckily, I’ve been to this Pueblo Magico town three times now, so I’m here to make getting to Todos Santos simple for you.

While it’s not quite the straight shot to get to like more popular resort towns including Cabo or Cancun that offer tons of direct international flights, Todos Santos is still pretty easy to get to and doesn’t involve anything too time consuming or complicated. 

In fact, I think it’s the little extra effort to get here that has helped Todos Santos retain some of its magic. So consider it a good thing!

If you’re heading down to Baja and want to know exactly how to get to Todos Santos’s off-the-beaten-path paradise, then keep reading, because I’ll be breaking down all the different options in this post so you’ll know exactly what to expect, including road conditions, information on toll roads, and much more.

How to Get to Todos Santos

But First, Is Todos Santos Worth Visiting?

Absolutely yes! It’s quickly become one of my favorite places in Mexico, which is why I’ve been three times now just in the last few years!

What makes Todos Santos so special is its laidback beach vibes and off-the-beaten path feel. It doesn’t feel overrun with tourists or over-developed, and it retains its quaint cultural center and artsy boho vibes.

With the Pacific on one side and the Sierra de la Laguna mountains on the other, Todos Santos is a unique beach escape that’s perfect if you’re looking to steer away from the big resorts and discover a more relaxing side of Mexico.

Where is Todos Santos Located?

This Mexican town is located in the southwestern part of Baja California Sur about an hour and 15 minutes north of Cabo San Lucas.

Below I’ll break down how to get to Todos Santos and give you all the details for the best airports to fly into and then how to get from the airport to Todos Santos by car, by bus, by private transfer, and more. 

Where to Fly Into to Get to Todos Santos

Unless you’re road-tripping through Baja, you’ll be arriving to the area by plane, so your first step for figuring out how to get to Todos Santos is to decide which airport to fly into. 

Flying Into Cabo:

Most people fly into San José del Cabo International Airport (SJD), also known as Los Cabos Airport, which is about an hour and 15 minutes from downtown Todos Santos. They offer domestic flights within Mexico and also international flights from many cities in the US and Canada. 

Flying Into La Paz:

La Paz International Airport (LAP) is about the same distance to Todos Santos, but you’ll most likely find more flight options with better prices into Los Cabos. It’s worth checking though, especially if you’re planning on spending any time in La Paz (which I recommend because they have some absolutely gorgeous beaches like Balandra Beach here). 

Different Ways to Get To Todos Santos

Once you arrive on your flight into Baja, you have several different options for making the one hour and 15 minute drive to Todos Santos. Let’s get into them below!

Option 1: Renting a Car

In my opinion, renting a car is really the best option as things are a bit spread out. It’s possible to get around without one, but it’s honestly just a lot easier to have your own set of wheels.

Before deciding if you need to rent a car or not, I’d recommend choosing your hotel in Todos Santos wisely and figuring out your itinerary so that you can get a feel for the locations of everything you want to do. Make sure to check out my guide to the best things to do in Todos Santos, which should help give you some ideas!

How to Rent a Car to Get to Todos Santos:

If you decide to rent a car, I can’t recommend going with Discover Cars more. I’ve had a number of frustrating experiences renting cars in Mexico—that is, until I switched over to using Discover Cars.

Discover Cars allows you to compare all the prices at various rental agencies ahead of time and has transparent pricing up front so you’re not hit with hidden fees once you arrive in Mexico. They are now my go-to rental car company any time I travel to Mexico. Just make sure you’re still choosing a company on their site with good reviews.

Something to note about Mexico car rentals is that they do not accept American credit cards’ rental insurance, and they WILL require you to buy insurance once you arrive in Mexico if you haven’t done so already. This can be a frustrating experience if you’re not familiar with renting cars in Mexico and don’t speak good Spanish, because it’s a little different here than in other countries.

To avoid this hassle: Be sure to book with Discover Cars and opt for their full coverage option (which is quite affordable), as Mexico rental agencies will accept this. By doing this, you won’t be forced into buying the insurance once you arrive in Mexico and you’ll bypass the whole headache of communicating on pricing.

If anything happens, Discover Cars handles claims quickly and have one of the most comprehensive damage coverage policies of any company.

Driving Directions From San Jose Del Cabo to Todos Santos:

Once you pick up your rental car, you’ll begin the drive from Cabo to Todos Santos. The drive from the airport in Cabo to Todos Santos is pretty straightforward and you’ll be traveling on Highway 19 for the majority of the trip which is generally considered to be a safe and well-maintained highway.

To get from San José del Cabo Airport to Todos Santos, turn left as you exit the airport for the fastest route. One important thing to note is that this will take you on a toll road and it is cash only. I learned this the hard way 🙃, so don’t make my mistake and make sure you have pesos or US cash on you before making the drive to Todos Santos.

As you exit the toll road, you’ll continue onto Highway 19 heading north, which will take you on a beautiful route through a mix of desert scapes with sweeping ocean views.

Once you get into town, some of the roads will turn to dirt, which brings me to my next point…

What Kind of Car Should You Rent for Todos Santos?

Getting a rental with 4WD is going to make your life a LOT easier as many of the roads in Baja are bumpy, rocky, and unpaved. You can get around without it, but if there’s the option to upgrade to a 4WD vehicle, you’ll be glad you did.

Just a side note too that if you’re traveling from the US to Mexico, you don’t need to get an International Driver’s License to rent a car here. 

Option 2: Private Bus by Eco Baja Tours 

If you don’t want to go the rental car route, there are other options you can consider for getting to Todos Santos. 

A popular option is taking a private bus run by a company called Eco Baja Tours. The buses (which are more like large vans) are clean and comfortable and go in between the airport in Cabo and downtown Todos Santos four times a day for about $25 USD.  

It’s recommended to book in advance because they can fill up, and the ride should take about an hour and a half. Sometimes there are delays and buses will depart later than expected so it’s probably worth it to play it safe and book an earlier time slot when you’re heading back to the airport to catch your flight. 

The drop-off for this bus ride is right in downtown Todos Santos, so if you plan on booking a hotel in the heart of town, this could be a good option for you. Everything in downtown is within walking distance, so you could spend the rest of the trip on foot if you don’t have your own vehicle.

However, if you want to visit the beach or some of the best restaurants outside of the main town like The Green Room, then you’ll have to hire a taxi or private transport to get there.

Option 3: Take a Public Bus 

Taking a public bus is an option as a transfer to Todos Santos as well. The pros of taking the public bus are that it’s inexpensive and buses leave more frequently, so you have more departure times to choose from compared to Eco Baja Tours. 

The biggest con is that it doesn’t leave right from the airport in Cabo, so you’ll have to make your way over to the bus station in downtown Cabo San Lucas from the airport which is about 15 minutes away. 

Autobuses Águila offers a direct route from downtown Cabo to Todos Santos with buses that leave hourly throughout the day. The ride takes about an hour and 15 minutes and costs around $10 USD one way, with no need to buy tickets in advance. 

Option 4: Book Private Transportation

If you want a more private way of getting to Todos Santos without having to share your ride with anyone else, you can always hire a private driver to take you from point A to point B.   

Todos Santos Private Transportation is a well-reviewed local company that offers transportation to Todos Santos from the airport in Cabo. They offer more than just airport transportation too and you can book them for travel in and around Todos Santos and for any trips you want to take in Baja.

It costs $200 USD for the transport from SJD to Todos Santos and that’s for door-to-door service. A driver will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign, and they even track your flights and adjust their timing accordingly so you don’t have to worry if your arrival is delayed. 

If you want to make your drive a little more fun, you can add on an ice chest full of beer and snacks or a bottle of champagne!

Of course, if you’re staying with a hotel in town, it’s always worth it to check with them to see if they offer transfers as well.

Option 5: Taxi

Taking a taxi is one of the more expensive options, but if you’re in a bind or didn’t have the time to book anything in advance, know that taking a taxi from the airport to Todos Santos is an option. 

However, it might take a bit of convincing to find a driver willing to take you there; a one hour drive is considered a long ways in this part of Mexico.

At the airport in Cabo, you can find the taxis when you’re exiting terminals one and two. The rate isn’t fixed and can vary depending on how many passengers, how much luggage you have, and what time of day it is, but you can expect the ride to cost anywhere from $100-$150 USD.

Taxis are cash only and can usually hold up to four people max.

Getting Around Todos Santos

So you made it to Todos Santos, now what?

If you’ve got a rental car, you’ll be all set to explore everything the area has to offer. As I mentioned before, there are a ton of dirt roads and potholes, so just another plug to get a rental with 4WD—you won’t regret it and you’ll be able to get to all the off-the-beaten-path spots (and there are a lot of them) with ease. 

If you don’t have your own ride, downtown is very walkable, so you’ll be able to explore all the shops, galleries, bars, restaurants and the iconic Hotel California in the main town on foot. 

Without a car, if you want to spend a day at Cerritos Beach or hit some hot spots like The Green Room for sunset cocktails, you’ll have to either get a taxi or hire private transport. Note that Uber does have a presence in Todos Santos, but it’s very limited and wait times are long.

FAQ: Getting to Todos Santos

Is Todos Santos Walkable?

Yes, the downtown area is walkable. However, there are many beautiful beaches and points of interest beyond the main town that are recommended to explore during your time and would require a car to get to.

Are there Ubers in Todos Santos, Mexico?

While there are Ubers, they are quite limited and the wait times can be very long.

What airport do you fly into for Todos Santos?

You can choose to either fly into the San Jose del Cabo International Airport (SJD) or La Paz International Airport (LAP). Both are a little over an hour from Todos Santos.

What’s the best way to get to Todos Santos?

The easiest and best way is to fly into San Jose del Cabo International Airport and rent a car from there. The drive time from Cabo airport to Todos Santos is about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

How do you get to Todos Santos from Cabo?

The best route from Cabo to Todos Santos takes you from Highway 1D to Highway 19. Keep in mind that there is a cash toll you will need to pay along the way.

What are the best things to do in Todos Santos?

From surfing and exploring the most beautiful beaches, to sipping cocktails at sunset with your feet in the sand at the Green Room, there are so many amazing things to do in Todos Santos. I wrote a whole Todos Santos guide here with tons of ideas.

Final Thoughts: How to Get to Todos Santos

While you can see there are quite a few ways to get to Todos Santos and get around once you arrive, I strongly suggest renting a car for your trip. There is so much magic in Todos Santos that lies beyond the small downtown area, and some of the best hotels are also closer to the beach.

If you truly want to make the most of your trip to Todos Santos, I recommend renting a 4WD car with Discover Cars, selecting their “full coverage” option, and enjoying the flexibility and freedom to explore wherever your curiosity takes you in this beautiful section of Baja.

I hope this post helps you plan better for how to get to Todos Santos. If I missed any transportation options that you’d recommend let me know and I’ll be sure to add them to the post!

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