San Cristobal >>> Palenque
The ride from San Cristobal to Palenque is at least 5 hours. And the road is a windy one. You can easily book a direct bus to get you to Palenque. Tickets for the OCC, ADO, and UNO direct bus lines are sold, conveniently, in the center of town, at “Ticket Bus” on Rio de Guadalupe, before Diego Dugelay. Prices for second class start at around P$120, and first class can cost closer to P$180. Also, you might check at your hostal, as some sell tickets as well. Considering colectivos cost P$100, and require a transfer in Ocosingo, if you can purchase a P$120 ticket, it’s a good option. The colectivos aren’t necessarily slower, but they wait until they fill up before departing. This is what can take some time. And if you would happen to run out of gas, this is another delay as well (personal experience. I’m sure it doesn’t happen all the time…)
However, if you are set on saving the P$20 for your first cerveza in Palenque…. catching colectivos is simple. Turn left at Pan American, and someone will inevitably be yelling out “Ocosingo!” A couple of hours later, in Ocosingo, you will arrive at the terminal for Palenque. Once the van fills up, you’re on your way…
3 hours later, you’re there! (at least 5 hours total)
All of the bus stations in San Cristobal will be at the corner of the Pan American Hwy and Insurgentes. Insurgentes leads into the main Zocolo (park). If you are walking to the park from Real de Guadalupe, turn Left as soon as you get to the Plaza, and follow that street back until you reach the highway. Turn Left here, and the stations will be lining the street on your left.
Sabancuy >> Palenque
For $3.30usd ($44 pesos) you can get out of Sabancuy and off to Escarcega — the buses start at 7:15 am and run about every two hours until 9:15 pm. It takes an hour and once there you can find buses to other desitinations. The bus will take you to the second-class station in Escarcega, there is a first-class terminal located at the end of the same street as the second-class terminal.
From Escarcega, you can get a first-class bus to Palenque that will cost $12usd ($162 pesos), there are three buses, one leaving at 9:15 am, the other at noon and the final bus leaves at 11 pm. The ride takes just about 4 hours, and because it is a bit of a budget buster it could be in your cards to take the overnight bus and skip out on paying a night at a hostel or hotel.
There is also a second-class option that for $7.85usd ($105 pesos) will take you to the crossroads for Palenque, Villahermosa and the beaches. Once at the crossroads (a 3-hour ride from Escarcega) you can take your time to use the toilet, or buy some lunch if you’re hungry. From here you will hop in a colectivo and after $1.50usd ($20 pesos) and a half hour, you’ll be smack dab in the middle of Palenque.
Palenque >> San Cristobal
If you haven’t already toured Agua Azul and Misol Ha, you could consider taking a tour that visits both, and then drops you off in San Cristobal. Prices will be around P$350, which doesn’t include park entrance fees. Both are on the way, and though it’s a full day of travel, it saves on traveling back and forth from Palenque to the falls.
If not, in Palenque, you can find the first-class ADO station, the OCC/Cristobol Colon station and office, and the collectivo station all within a short distance from one another, near the entrance into town.
OCC and Cristobal Colon offer direct buses to San Cristobal. A ticket with OCC is $166 pesos and the bus is likely more comfortable than the economic option. However at $7.40 USD ($96 pesos) you can get there just as fast — six hours.
Cristobal Colon buses leave for San Cristobal daily at 9:30am, 2pm, and 5pm.
And, given that collectivo rides will cost you P$100 ($50 from Palenque-Ocosingo and $50 from Ocosingo to San Cristobal) this is you’re cheapest option.
ADO also has tickets to San Cristobal, though they are generally a little more expensive, and not any faster. But if comfort is your first priority, you can check in on prices.
Palenque >> Comitan
First head to San Cristobal. Once in San Cristobal, you can go straight from the bus into a colectivo and catch a ride to Comitan for $4.25 USD ($55 pesos) and be there in an hour and a half. Easy peasy lemon squeezy — by the end of the day you are on budget, close to the Guatemalan border and sleeping easy after a full days travel.
Palenque >>> Campeche
There is a first class bus, from ADO, that leaves for Campeche at 8am, 9pm, 11pm, and 11:25pm, which means you’re best bet is the 8am… The ride is 5- 6 hours. The cost is P$348 ($26.75 USD)
Also there is a second class bus that leaves for Escarcega from Palenque at 4:30pm. This ride is 3-4 hours, and then from Escarcega, it is another roughly 3 hours to Campeche. And the cost from Palenque to Escarcega is P$150.There will be second class buses leaving from the same bus station in Escarcega, for P$90. Also, outside the station are colectivos for Campeche, which could save some cash. We didn’t see them until on the second class bus, so take a look outside the station and ask the price.
At most, the second class trip will cost P$240 ($18 USD).
And– for those peso-pinchers determined to save the $8USD by traveling second class, but who want to leave earlier than 4:30pm, you can catch a colectivo from Palenque to the town of Emiliano Zapata. Here, there is nothing. Except, buses headed to both Escarcega and Campeche. Buses to Campeche leave at 8am, 1pm, 5pm, and 9pm and cost P$220. Buses to Escarcega cost P$150 and leave at 8am, 10:30am, 12:30pm, 1pm, 5pm, and 9pm. The important step here is timing. Give yourself an hour and and half from Palenque, and you will be fine, with time to have a cup of coffee or breakfast in Emiliano Zapata. The ride to Zapata should only be around 40minutes. Getting an early start is your best bet, and you can catch a second class bus to Campeche at 8am, which would put you in town around 2pm. Be sure to get a spot in line when the bus arrives in Emiliano Zapata, to ensure you’ll have a seat on the way to Campeche/Escarcega.
Colectivos from Palenque to Emiliano Zapata leave starting at 4:30am, every half hour. On the same street with Colectivos headed to the Ruins (Hotel Lacandonia is on the corner.) From Av Juarez, facing the park, walk one block to your right to find the station. The cost is P$30.
Total cost to Emiliano Zapata >>> Escaraga >>> Campeche: P$237.
Total cost to Emiliano Zapata >>> Campeche: P$250.
Total time: Varies, but 7-8 hours is a good starting place.
Once in Campeche, it is about a 30 minute walk from either the ADO or second class bus station to the center, but from either station it is a straight walk town the main street, until you see the giant fortress that surrounds the town’s center.There should also be taxis waiting outside of the bus stations. The cost into the center is P$35.
Other Destinations
Also from Palenque, through ADO you can catch a bus to Merida (P$520) or Villahermosa (P$150). There are also night buses to and from Cancun, or to Tulum.
There is also a colectivo station, as you are heading to the ruins, it will be on your Right just after the “Mayan Face” at the round-a-bout. Here you can catch a ride to the Mexico/Guatemalan border, and also to the ruins that are on the way.
Finally, a new station for ADO is under construction in Palenque, as of January 2014. If you’re there after it open, we would love to hear about any schedule or price changes. You can email info@bordertramp.com with information.
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