Getting there & around

Los Cabos, Baja California Sur

By Ana BeltránBased in La Paz, Baja California Sur · updated Jul 3, 2026

Getting there

Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) sits north of San José del Cabo and takes direct flights from all over the US, Canada and mainland Mexico. It’s the only sensible way in for almost everyone. From the terminal, San José del Cabo is roughly 20 to 30 minutes and Cabo San Lucas is about 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic (approximate).

If you’re coming overland from elsewhere in Baja California Sur, Aguila and Autobuses de La Paz (ABC) run the highway network. From La Paz the bus to Cabo San Lucas is roughly 3 to 3.5 hours (approximate); the same route serves San José. Buses use the Cabo San Lucas and San José terminals, both a short taxi from the tourist areas.

Getting from the airport

  • Pre-booked shuttle or private transfer. The calmest option; arrange it before you land so you can walk past the hustle.
  • App rides (Uber/DiDi). They work from SJD but have had friction with local taxi unions, so pickup can be slow or the pickup point awkward. Fine, just not always fast.
  • Airport taxis. Available and the priciest per trip; agree the fare before you get in.
  • The timeshare “free ride” booths in arrivals. Avoid unless you enjoy a hard sell that costs you an afternoon.

Getting around locally

The corridor is long and there’s no tourist rail, so you’re choosing between a few options:

  • Taxis and app rides between the towns. Roughly 30 to 45 minutes end to end, and fares stack up fast over several days. Always agree the price first with street taxis.
  • A rental car. Worth it if you plan day trips to Todos Santos, the East Cape or La Paz, or want to hop between beaches on your own schedule. Highway 1 is paved and well-marked, and driving here is easy by Mexican standards. Fill the tank before long stretches and know that the road to Cabo Pulmo turns to rough dirt.
  • The local bus (Ruta del Desierto). Runs the corridor between San José and Cabo San Lucas for a few dollars, cheaper than any taxi but slower and less frequent. Good for a solo traveler on a budget who isn’t in a hurry.

Honest comfort notes

Within each town you can walk — San José’s old town and the Cabo San Lucas marina are both compact. The pain is the gap between them: without a car you’ll spend real money shuttling back and forth. Night driving on the highway is manageable but watch for unlit stretches and the occasional stray animal outside town. The East Cape dirt road to Cabo Pulmo is washboard and slow; if you’re prone to motion sickness, that’s the one drive to take it easy on, or hand it to a tour. Otherwise the roads here are among the smoothest in Mexico.