Transport Guide: How to Get From Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido, Mexico (2025)

Trying to navigate your way from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido, Mexico?

Well, a lot has changed over the last year when it comes to getting from A to B and I’m breaking it all down for you in this post!

Whether you’re looking for a fun and laidback tropical escape or a weekend getaway exploring authentic Oaxacan culture, the surfing mecca of Puerto Escondido is a must and is a great add-on to any trip to Oaxaca City.

And here’s the game-changer: Traveling from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido is now much simpler, thanks to the newly opened Barranca Larga-Ventanilla Highway which started welcoming drivers in February 2024.

Previously, figuring out the best way to travel between the two areas was a bit of a challenge, as it used to take around 6 to 7 hours by car along windy, mountainous terrain.

But now, with the new highway, the drive time has been significantly reduced to about 2.5 to 3 hours, making it much more accessible and convenient.

In this post, I’m breaking down all your updated options for transport between Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido, so you can make the most informed decision possible.

The Best Ways to Get from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido

There are five main ways to get between Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca, ranging from a quick flight to longer public bus rides, each with their own nuanced pros and cons.

Here are each of the ways to get from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido broken down one by one, which I’ll be breaking down further below.

• Option 1: Take a Private Transfer (about 2.5 hours)
• Option 2: Rent a Car and Drive Yourself (about 2.5 hours)
• Option 3: Take a Direct Flight (about 45 minutes)
• Option 4: Take the ADO Bus (about 3 hours)
• Option 5: Book a Shared Van (about 3 hours)

Option 1 (Easiest): Taking a Private Car From Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido 

Traveling by private car is the fastest, safest, and easiest option when it comes to getting between Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido. And it’s a great option if you’re traveling with friends or family, so you can split the cost.

Overall this would be my preferred method of travel for two main reasons:

• 1) It’s the easiest out of all the methods to book. You can book this top-rated private transfer in under five minutes on Viator, whereas all the other methods are a bit more cumbersome to coordinate.
• 2) The new highway route is fairly new, so hiring a driver ensures you’re in the hands of someone who knows exactly where to go. When you need to stop off for food or bathroom breaks, your driver will know where to stop so you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

How Long is the Drive?

What was once a 7 hour nauseating drive along zig-zagging roads, has now been significantly cut down thanks to the new Barranca Larga-Ventanilla Highway. Now, the drive only takes approximately 2.5 hours.

Once you get to Puerto Escondido, there are plenty of taxis or colectivo buses you can take to get around.

What is the Best Transfer to Book?

For ease of booking, this private transfer on Viator is super straight-forward to book. This one offers the best price I could find with great reviews, so it’s a no-brainer.

Pro Tip: I like booking transfers in other countries through sites like Viator because it’s a bit more official with a paper trail in case anything goes wrong.

Additional Bonuses of Booking a Driver:

Because it was a private car, our driver hooked up our Spotify playlists to the stereo and we made it into a fun road trip. We were able to book a pretty spacious car, so despite the long journey, we were quite comfortable. 

Option 2 (Easy): Rent Your Own Car

Road tripping this route is a great idea if you’re with a group of friends who can help navigate and share the driving responsibilities. Plus, there’s nothing like the freedom that having your own car brings to a trip.

With the new highway in place, this option is now much more palatable as well. Beforehand, the windy 8-hour drive scared my friends and I off from driving our own vehicle, but I would absolutely recommend you consider it as an option now.

How to Book Your Rental Car:

If you choose this mode of transport, there are many car rental options in Oaxaca City, including all the big names (Hertz, Europcar, etc).

My favorite way of renting cars in Mexico though is hands-down with Discover Cars, and that’s because Mexico is notorious for having frustrating rental experiences! I often find that they don’t include all the charges up front when you book, and then you’re surprised with an additional bill when you arrive at the rental agency, where you’re left to try to negotiate in Spanish.

To avoid this, book your rental with Discover Cars (making sure to check reviews and pricing first) and then choose the full insurance coverage option, which Mexican rental agencies are required to accept. They will still put a hold on your credit card, but they’re great at handling claims quickly should anything happen.

Car rentals can vary in price depending on the type of car and level of insurance and excess. However, you can expect to pay anywhere from $15-$100 per day for a rental car in Oaxaca.

When to Drive Between Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido:

I’d recommend driving during the day on this route if possible to take extra safety precautions, should anything happen with your rental car.

How to Get Between Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido in a Car:

The fastest way to get from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido by car is now on the Barranca Larga-Ventanilla Highway, which takes about 2.5-3 hours driving time.

Of course, if you want to be extra adventurous and take the original longer route that winds through the mountains, along Highway 175, that’s always an option too!

Option 3 (Quickest): Oaxaca City to Puerto Escondido By Plane

One of the best ways to get to Puerto Escondido from Oaxaca, especially if you’re short on time, is flying direct. However, this isn’t a flight option you can just pop into Kayak or Expedia.

If you do so, you’ll notice that all the flight times are super long, which is because they all make a stop first in Mexico City which causes the route to be unnecessarily lengthy.

So how do you fly directly from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido? If you know where to look, it’s possible, and the most popular airline to jump on is Aerotucan. I took this route one-way, spending around $130 US, with the flight taking approximately 40 minutes.

It’s a very small plane so be sure to pack relatively light as luggage allowances beyond 15kg have supplementary add-on fees. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that since there is limited availability, it’s best to book flights in advance. We got lucky and were able to find three seats just a week in advance of our single leg, but other trips were already sold out.

If you know that a plane is the mode of transport for you, book it sooner rather than later! 

Here are 4 ways to book your Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido flight with Aerotucan

• Booking Online: Head to the Aerotucan website where you’ll find the latest availability and prices. You can reserve tickets online where current prices start at $3205 MXN depending on the day and season. Bonus: There are occasional specials, so look out for them!
• Reserve Tickets at the Airline Counter: If you’re at Oaxaca City or Puerto Escondido airport, you can reserve your tickets at the Aerotucan counter and pay directly. This might sound like a bit of a pain, but it’s easy to pop by as Puerto Escondido airport is located just minutes from the beach and right next to town.   
• Book Through a Local Agent: There’s also the option of going through a local agent. If you’re staying in Oaxaca City, check with your hotel if they can help you make arrangements with an agent nearby. I didn’t use this option but it can sometimes work out to be more expensive with a middleman, so keep that in mind. 
• Call the Airline Directly: Ring the airline directly (this is what we did at the suggestion of our hotel). Occasionally the airline encounters online booking issues and calling can be easier. They will ask you to email your passenger details and pay for the flight in advance to reserve your spot. 

If you’ve left it a little late to book on Aerotucan, then the private airline AeroVega might also be an option for you. There’s no website for this airline, no online booking system and the plane is very small with seating for up to 6 people.

The business and plane is run by the pilot himself and payment is done upon check-in at the airport in cash. You can email the pilot, Don Vega at [email protected] or call +529545880062 to inquire about availability and prices. 

Pro-tip: To avoid a last minute panic for tickets, book well in advance. Depending on the season this could be anywhere from a few days to 2+ weeks ahead. 

Read More: Don’t miss my guide on where to stay in Oaxaca City!

Option 4 (Cheap): Take the ADO Bus From Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido 

If you’re trying to spend all your money on the best things to do in Oaxaca City and NOT on transportation, then the ADO bus is a great, budget-friendly option under $20 USD.

How Long Does This Route Take?

Now that the new highway is open, it looks like ADO buses are using the faster route, with schedules approximating three hours from point A to B.

How to Book the Public Bus:

The latest schedules from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido can be found on the ADO website, where you can purchase tickets for five different daily departure times.

Things to Consider Before Booking:

ADO buses in Mexico are considered to be pretty nice with amenities like HD screens, WIFI, and air conditioning. Just note that you’ll be picked up and dropped off at a particular meeting point, so you’ll still have to find additional transportation to get to and from the ADO stations.

Pro-tip: It’s a good idea to book at least 24 hours in advance as the most popular bus times can sell out quickly. You can also buy your ticket at the ADO bus station directly in town. 

Option 5 (Cheapest): Take a Shared Van Between Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido 

If you’re on a shoestring budget and don’t mind sacrificing a bit of comfort, then taking a sprinter van may be a great transportation option for you.

These shared vans are commonly called colectivos or camionetas and they are passenger vans that typically seat around 10 people.

There are several companies that offer this service, including Service Express Arista or Villa del Pacifico Bus and you can typically find them in the city center of Oaxaca to book tickets. Prices start at around $300 MXN and will take you from Oaxaca City to the bus station in Puerto Escondido. 

Did this post inspire your to plan a trip to Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido? Let me know in the comments below!

Read More Mexico Posts:

Where to Stay in Oaxaca City

10 Unique Things to do in Guadalajara

17 Best Things to do in Tulum

Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico Itinerary

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