Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende: Best Ways to Get There
If you want to travel from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende, there are a few options ranging from hiring a private driver to taking a bus.
The best way to get to San Miguel de Allende from Mexico City will depend on your travel style and how many people you’re traveling with.
If you’re with a group you may prefer to hire a driver from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende.
For those traveling solo, one of the most popular options is to take a bus Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende.
I’ve detailed all the options below so that you can decide which is the best way to travel from CDMX to San Miguel de Allende for you.
I’ll also discuss flights and the closest airport to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Here’s a look at how to get to San Miguel de Allende, depending on your needs.
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What Is the Best Way to Get to San Miguel de Allende?
The best way to get to San Miguel de Allende will depend on your circumstances. Options include taking a bus or shuttle from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende.
It’s also possible to drive or take a flight, but continue reading to discover why those would not be my preferred way to get to San Miguel de Allende.
How Far is Mexico City from San Miguel de Allende?
If you’ve decided to visit this historic town, you’re probably wondering how far is San Miguel de Allende from Mexico City.
It’s about 170 miles or a 4-hour drive from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende. Travel time will depend on where you’re departing from in Mexico City as well as traffic.
Now that you the distance between Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende, let’s take a look at your transportation options.
How to Get From Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende
There are several options for traveling from Mexico City to San Miguel. If you prefer to fly, you would need to choose one of the closest airports to San Miguel de Allende and take transportation from there.
The options for ground transportation vary. Whether you decide to take a Mexico City bus to San Miguel de Allende, drive yourself, or hire a driver the travel time will be 3-5 hours.
Let’s take a detailed look at each option.
Driver From Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende
Hiring a driver from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende is the most convenient transportation option because you can choose to be picked up directly from your hotel or the airport in CDMX.
I recommend you book this highly rated driver to get to San Miguel de Allende which provides beverages for the journey.
Our driver, Roberto was very kind and communicative and always on time. Would highly recommend. Thank you!!
– Viator Review (Read More Reviews)
How much is the shuttle from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
The price of a private shuttle from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende will depend on the size of your group.
When you book this private driver from Mexico City to San Miguel, you’ll have the option to book a sedan, SUV, or large van depending on how many people are traveling in your group.
In some cases, the price is more than a bus ticket. Although, once you factor in traveling to the North bus terminal in Mexico City, the cost may be about the same.
Bus From Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende
For budget travelers, the most popular way to travel is a bus Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende. While this option takes a little longer, it is also the least expensive.
There are a couple of options for taking a bus from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende. My top choice is the luxury bus from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende, which offers multiple departure times from Mexico City’s North Terminal.
The luxury bus features lounging seats with optional footrests and individual TV screens so you can choose whether to listen to provided entertainment.
On the double-decker buses, the second level has a single row of seats which is great for solo travelers.
If you decide to take a bus to San Miguel de Allende, make sure to read my guide to bus travel in Mexico.
Planning to travel to SMA? You should read my guide to the best tours in San Miguel de Allende.
Drive From Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende
Another option is to drive from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende. This is a popular option for those who want to rent a car in Mexico City and the freedom that comes with it.
The drive takes 3.5 – 4.5 hours from the center of the city depending on traffic. construction, and road conditions. Keep in mind that Mexico City is a very large city and it can be complicated to navigate, even if you’re simply trying to exit the city.
In addition, there are rules about which days you can drive in Mexico City. In an effort to reduce traffic and pollution, local laws limit driving in the city to certain days based on your license plate number. You can be pulled over and fined for driving on the wrong day.
Pro Tip – When you search directions from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende on Google maps, it shows you various routes. I would avoid Celaya considering the instability of this area of Guanajuato. Instead, select the route that takes you NE of the city of Queretaro.
Once you’re out of the city, the drive is relatively straightforward. Keep in mind, the route from Mexico City to San Miguel does have tolls. You’ll need to be prepared to pay these with cash. In addition, having close to exact change is best.
The stress of navigating such a large city is why I would prefer to take a bus or hire a driver from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende. However, I recognize this decision is different for everyone.
Uber From Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende
It’s also possible to take an Uber or taxi from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende. However, this option can be unreliable as it’s possible the driver will cancel the trip without notice.
It’s also not reliable to schedule an Uber from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende in advance which means you may be left paying an extra high fare or unable to find an Uber.
How much is a taxi from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
The cost of an Uber or taxi from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende will depend on the time of day. In general, an Uber is about 4,000 pesos (about $200 USD) for the 4-hour ride.
A less expensive alternative to Uber is Didi, whose fares may be about half (around 2000 pesos). However with a fare that low, you run an even greater risk of the driver canceling the trip.
Traveling to SMA? You’ll want to read my guide about day trips from San Miguel de Allende.
Flights From Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende
While there is no airport in San Miguel de Allende, there are a couple of cities with international airports within a short drive. Let’s look at both options below.
Closest Airport to San Miguel de Allende
The closest airport to San Miguel de Allende is the Queretaro Intercontinental Airport (QRO) which is a little over an hour away, depending on traffic.
You can find direct flights to Queretaro from Mexico City as well as Dallas and Houston. Once you land in Queretaro, you have a few options for traveling to San Miguel de Allende.
The easiest option is to hire a private driver from Queretaro to San Miguel de Allende who will be waiting for you when your flight arrives at the airport.
It’s also possible to Uber from Queretaro airport to San Miguel de Allende. However, if you are a group of three or more, the private transfer is less stressful and is about the same cost.
Another option is to rent a car from the Queretaro airport. This will allow you to be on your own schedule. However, the pros and cons of having a car in the colonial city of San Miguel remain.
The last option is to take a bus from Queretaro to San Miguel de Allende, which leaves frequently. You would think this is the most economical option. However, once I factored in the cost of transport to the Queretaro bus station from the airport I decided the small savings wasn’t worth the extra time and hassle.
Second Closest Airport to San Miguel de Allende
The second closest airport to San Miguel de Allende is the Guanajuato International Airport (BJX) near Leon. You can find direct flights to Leon from Mexico City as well as several US cities.
Leon, Guanajuato is about an hour and a half away from San Miguel de Allende, again depending on traffic.
From there you have the option to rent a car from the airport and drive to San Miguel de Allende. Or you can hire a private driver to meet you at the airport and take you to San Miguel.
Note, there is not a direct bus from BJX, the second closest airport to San Miguel de Allende.
Can you do a day trip from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
It is possible to take a day trip from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende. However, you would need to start early. And even then, it would be a long day.
If you prefer this option, I recommend booking this tour from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende which also gives you the option to customize a two or three-day trip so that you can properly explore this area of Guanajuato.
San Miguel de Allende to Mexico City
You may also be wondering how to return from San Miguel de Allende to Mexico City. The answer is simple since many of the above options can be applied in reverse.
The same bus companies return to their respective North and airport stations. When you book this private driver service you’ll have the option to schedule a round-trip transfer to make it easy to return from San Miguel de Allende to Mexico City.
Questions About How to Get From Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende
How do I get from Mexico City Airport to San Miguel de Allende?
There are several ways to get from Mexico City Airport to San Miguel de Allende. The easiest way is to hire a private driver to pick you up at the airport and take you to San Miguel de Allende. The least expensive way is to take a bus from the Mexico City airport to San Miguel de Allende via ETN, although times are limited to one departure per day. The third way to get from the Mexico City Airport to San Miguel de Allende is to rent a car and drive.
How do you get from San Miguel de Allende to Mexico City?
Similar to arriving in San Miguel, there are several ways to get from San Miguel de Allende to Mexico City. You can hire a private driver to pick you up at your accommodation and drive you to Mexico City. The second option is to take a bus from San Miguel de Allende to Mexico City with ETN or Primera Plus. The third option is to rent a car and drive to Mexico City.
How far is San Miguel de Allende from Mexico City?
San Miguel de Allende is 300 km (186 mi) from Mexico City centro. Mexico City is quite large, so depending on where in the city you are, it may be longer or shorter.
Can you take a bus from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
Yes, you can take a bus from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende. The two main bus companies that conduct this route are ETN and Primera Plus, leaving from the north bus terminal in Mexico City. ETN does have one daily bus that departs from the Mexico City Airport to San Miguel de Allende.
How much is the bus from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
The bus from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende is just over 600 pesos, or about $35 US. Unfortunately the bus companies do not often run specials on the route from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende.
How long is the bus ride from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
The bus ride from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende takes 3.5-4.5 hours depending on the time of day. The bus ride from the Mexico City Airport to San Miguel de Allende takes at least 4.5 hours since it is located in the southern part of the city.
Is there a direct bus from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
Yes and no. When you take a bus from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende, you do not need to transfer to a different bus. However, the bus does make one or two stops along the way.
Are there flights from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
There are no flights from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende direct since there is no airport in SMA. However, there are direct flights to Guanajuato Airport (BJX) and Queretaro (QRO), the closest airport to San Miguel de Allende.
How much is a car service from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
The cost of car service from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende will depend on how many people are traveling with you. When you book this car service from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende, the price starts at $400 for two people and drops to under $100 per person with a large group.
How long does it take to drive from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende?
It takes 3.5-4.5 hours to drive from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende. However, the exact time will depend on a number of factors, including where in Mexico City you depart from, the time of day, and road conditions.
Where is San Miguel de Allende in relation to Mexico City?
San Miguel de Allende is located 300 km (186 mi) northwest of Mexico City. It takes about 4 hours to get from Mexico City to San Miguel de Allende by car.
