Getting there & around

Getting to Veracruz

By air: Veracruz airport (VER), a bit outside the city, has direct flights from Mexico City and a handful of other Mexican hubs, plus some international connections. From the airport it’s roughly a 20 to 30 minute taxi into the Centro. Buy the fixed-rate taxi ticket at the counter rather than negotiating outside.

By bus: Veracruz is a major bus hub with frequent first-class service. From Mexico City the ride is around 5 to 6 hours on comfortable ADO buses, a genuinely good option and often easier than flying once you count airport time. Buses also connect Puebla, Xalapa and the Gulf coast towns.

By car: The toll highway from Mexico City via Puebla and Orizaba is about 4 to 5 hours and in good shape, though the mountain stretch near Orizaba gets fog and rain. Drive it in daylight.

Getting around

The Centro Historico is flat and walkable, and you’ll cover the plaza, cathedral, portales and market on foot. For San Juan de Ulua, the Boca del Rio strip or the airport, use a taxi or a rideshare app. Rides within the city are short and cheap. Agree the fare first with any taxi that has no meter, or just use the app so it’s set. Local buses run everywhere but are slow and confusing for a short visit, so it’s not worth learning the routes for two days.

Times are approximate and vary with traffic and weather.