How to get to Puerto Vallarta | By Road y Plane

Being a popular tourist destination, there is a lot of information about how to get to Puerto Vallarta. Generally, the travel guides you find on the internet focus on cheap flights to Puerto Vallarta, but there are other possibilities of how to get to Puerto Vallarta - by road, plane, and cruise ship.

How you get to Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco is dependent on your time, budget, and desire to get to know Mexico more. Many people arrive in Puerto Vallarta by land and many others by sea. Let’s look at how! One of the attractions of doing so is that on your way you can visit other places, such as magical towns and some of the best beaches in Mexico.

How to get to Puerto Vallarta by Road

The first thing you need to do is answer the question, where is Puerto Vallarta located? Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico is a five-hour drive from Guadalajara, the state’s capital. Is Puerto Vallarta safe to drive to? Enjoy driving from Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta with peace of mind that the road to Puerto Vallarta is safe.

From Mexico City –the country's capital– to Puerto Vallarta is a ten-hour drive so If you are coming from abroad, arrive in one of these big cities and rent a car to drive to Puerto Vallarta. From Mexico City, it is recommended to take the highway to Morelia and then follow the signs to Guadalajara.

From Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta there are two options. The first one is to take the highway to Compostela and then continue along Federal Highway 200 until you reach Puerto Vallarta. This stretch is along the Pacific coast, so if you have time you can stop to visit some of the best beaches in Mexico.

The other option to go from Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta by road is via Mascota. Although some sections of the road are winding and not in excellent condition, with general road safety, it is passable and usually safe to get through - Taking the Mascota route means crossing the Sierra Madre Occidental, so you will see picturesque scenery. Some of the towns along the way such as Mascota, Talpa de Allende, and San Sebastián del Oeste are considered magical towns because of their beauty and rich history. You could stop and go sightseeing.

Although it will take you a little longer, get some bus tickets online or directly at the bus terminal, they have several departures throughout the day - These are some of the companies:

ETN
Primera Plus
Futura
Vallarta Plus

This info may interest you: Things to do in Puerto Vallarta.

How to get to Puerto Vallarta by Plane

Currently, there are many international airlines that fly to this popular Mexican beach destination: American Airlines, Air Canada, Delta Airlines, Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Westjet, Air Transat, Frontier Airlines, Sunwing Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines, among others.

Some of them have direct flights to Puerto Vallarta from the United States and Canada. All of them arrive at Puerto Vallarta International Airport. Prices vary depending on the season, so we recommend booking in advance to get the best and cheap flights to Puerto Vallarta.

As for domestic airlines, the most popular ones are Aeromexico, Viva Aerobus, Volaris, and TAR. The last three offer cheap flights to Puerto Vallarta, while Aeromexico tends to be a bit more expensive (but frankly their service is worth it).

We know it’s important to shop around for prices but if you don’t want to search airline after airline, we can recommend an excellent tool. Google Flights searches will show you all available flights and you can filter them by price, schedule, number of connections, etc.

Check out this post before your next trip: Best time to Visit Puerto Vallarta - Weather by Month.

How to get to Puerto Vallarta by Cruise Ship

Finally, there is the option of traveling by sea. There are several cruise lines that include a stop in this wonderful port. Some of them are Discovery Princess, Celebrity Solstice, Norwegian Joy, Royal Princess, Carnival Panorama, Navigator of the Seas, Emerald Princess, and Zaandam, among others.

Who hasn't dreamed of having this kind of trip, a huge floating hotel full of amenities, pools, food, and entertainment? Although it is definitely the most expensive way, by traveling on a cruise to Puerto Vallarta you will be able to get to know some of the best beaches in Mexico and the cities where they are located.

Normally, cruise lines stop at ports for a day for their passengers to get off the ship for sightseeing and shopping. You may be asking, is Puerto Vallarta safe for sightseeing? Well, the answer is yes! Puerto Vallarta is one of the safest cities in Mexico, the only risk is that you will love it so much that you won't want to leave.

Now that you know the answer to the question, where is Puerto Vallarta? And several ways to get to Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, choose the one that best suits your time, budget, and preferred travel style, the important thing is that you enjoy the experience to the fullest!

Here are the most frequently asked questions about Puerto Vallarta.