Getting to Xochicalco
The site sits on a ridge in western Morelos, roughly 40 km southwest of Cuernavaca and about 130 km from Mexico City. The nearest airport is Mexico City International (MEX). There is no station, no gate-side bus stop and no walkable town next door, so how you arrive matters more here than at most ruins.
Driving is the easiest way, by a wide margin. From Mexico City it is about two hours: take the Cuernavaca autopista (the 95D toll road), pass Cuernavaca, exit toward Alpuyeca and Miacatlan, then follow signs the last stretch to the zona arqueologica. From Cuernavaca it is around 45 minutes on the same westward roads. The final few kilometers are a rural two-lane road with the usual potholes and topes (speed bumps), but nothing that needs a high-clearance car. There is a paved lot at the entrance. A friend who lives here would tell you to fill the tank in Cuernavaca or Alpuyeca, because there is no reliable gas near the site.
By bus, it takes stitching together. From Mexico City, Pullman de Morelos runs frequent coaches to Cuernavaca out of the Taxqueña area, roughly 1 to 1.5 hours and modest money (approximate). From Cuernavaca, local second-class buses toward Miacatlan or Alpuyeca pass the highway turnoff, but they leave you a hot walk or a short taxi from the actual gate — they do not drive up to the entrance. Confirm with the driver that you want the desviacion a Xochicalco (the turnoff), and expect to flag a taxi or colectivo for the last leg.
Taxi or tour is the honest shortcut. From Cuernavaca, a round-trip taxi with an hour or two of wait time is the low-stress option for a site this spread out and this poorly served by transit; negotiate the fare and the wait up front. Organized tours from Cuernavaca or Mexico City commonly bundle Xochicalco with the caves at Grutas de Cacahuamilpa, which is a genuinely good pairing if you would rather not drive.
Getting around the site
Once you are through the gate it is all on foot. From the museum you walk uphill through the plazas and ball courts to the acropolis at the top — a steady climb on stone paths and steps, fully exposed to the sun, no shuttle and no shade. It is not a long distance, but the grade and the heat make it feel bigger. Wear real shoes, not sandals, for the uneven stone.
Two comfort notes. The rural approach roads are curvy in patches, so if you are prone to motion sickness on winding two-lanes, sit up front and go easy on breakfast. And do not plan to arrive late: the site closes in the afternoon, there is nowhere to stay out here, and you do not want to be driving these unlit rural roads back to Cuernavaca after dark. Fill your water bottle before you start up — once you are past the entrance there is nothing to buy. See the visiting info for hours, fees and what else to pack.