The Zona Romántica, Centro and the Malecón are easy to walk. For the airport, the Hotel Zone, Marina Vallarta or the south-shore beaches, here's how each way of getting around works.
Uber and DiDi
Uber and DiDi both work across the city and are usually cheaper than street taxis. You pay in the app, so there's no haggling over the fare.
At the airport: in October 2025 a federal judge granted Uber a suspensión definitiva, a court order that lets it pick up and drop off at Puerto Vallarta airport while the main case continues. Jalisco's governor said the National Guard would respect it. Drivers may only be at the airport with an active trip.
In practice, many travelers still cross the pedestrian bridge outside the terminal and meet their ride on the street side, where pickups have long happened. When you land, open the app and follow the pickup point it gives you.
Airport to your hotel: taxi, Uber, bus or transfer→Street taxis
Puerto Vallarta's street taxis don't use meters. Before you get in, ask the price and agree on it: "¿Cuánto cuesta a la Zona Romántica?" Carry pesos in small bills.
Airport taxis work differently. You pay a fixed zone price at the booth inside the terminal and hand the ticket to the driver. One 2026 guide reports roughly US$25–35 to Centro or the Romantic Zone. Confirm the price for your zone before you pay.
The city bus
City buses are the cheapest way around: 11 pesos a ride since April 1, 2026. Students, seniors and people with disabilities pay 5 pesos. Carry coins and small bills.
- Along the coast: buses marked Centro or Zona Hotelera on the windshield run along the main boulevard between downtown and the Hotel Zone.
- South to Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlán: buses leave from the corner of Basilio Badillo and Constitución in the Zona Romántica.
Buses get crowded and have no space for big suitcases. They're fine with a daypack, but not with a family's luggage.
Water taxis
Las Ánimas, Quimixto and Yelapa have no road access. Water taxis run from Los Muertos pier in the Zona Romántica and from Boca de Tomatlán, which you can reach on the southbound bus.
Getting to Yelapa: water taxis and times→Private transfers
A pre-booked driver who meets you with a sign costs more than an app ride. It's the least hassle with kids, lots of bags or a late arrival.
Browse tours and transfers→
