Car hire and driving in Cancún
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Mexico traffic drives on the right. Picking up at CUN means 15 km (9 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q533806.
Drives from Cancún
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancún to Playa del Carmen | Mexico | 65 km (41 mi) | about 1 h |
| Cancún to Mérida | Mexico | 289 km (180 mi) | about 4 h 24 min |
| Cancún to Chetumal | Mexico | 332 km (206 mi) | about 5 h 4 min |
| Cancún to Campeche | Mexico | 410 km (255 mi) | about 6 h 15 min |
| Cancún to Belmopan | Belize | 480 km (298 mi) | about 7 h 19 min |
| Cancún to Ciudad del Carmen | Mexico | 592 km (368 mi) | about 9 h 2 min |
| Cancún to La Ceiba | Honduras | 601 km (374 mi) | about 9 h 10 min |
| Cancún to La Ceiba | Honduras | 602 km (374 mi) | about 9 h 11 min |
| Cancún to Puerto Cortez | Honduras | 606 km (376 mi) | about 9 h 14 min |
| Cancún to Tocoa | Honduras | 617 km (383 mi) | about 9 h 25 min |
| Cancún to Choloma | Honduras | 629 km (391 mi) | about 9 h 36 min |
| Cancún to Puerto Barrios | Guatemala | 633 km (393 mi) | about 9 h 39 min |
| Cancún to Mexico City | Mexico | 1,295 km (805 mi) | about 19 h 45 min |
| Cancún to Houston | United States | 1,281 km (796 mi) | about 19 h 32 min |
| Cancún to Iztapalapa | Mexico | 1,290 km (801 mi) | about 19 h 40 min |
| Cancún to Puebla | Mexico | 1,209 km (751 mi) | about 18 h 26 min |
| Cancún to Ecatepec de Morelos | Mexico | 1,285 km (798 mi) | about 19 h 35 min |
| Cancún to Santiago de Querétaro | Mexico | 1,408 km (875 mi) | about 21 h 28 min |
| Cancún to León de los Aldama | Mexico | 1,538 km (956 mi) | about 23 h 27 min |
| Cancún to San Antonio | United States | 1,486 km (923 mi) | about 22 h 40 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Cancún?
The right, as everywhere in Mexico.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.