Car hire and driving in Playa del Carmen
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 CZM means 20 km (12 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q533806.
Drives from Playa del Carmen
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playa del Carmen to Cancún | Mexico | 65 km (41 mi) | about 1 h |
| Playa del Carmen to Mérida | Mexico | 267 km (166 mi) | about 4 h 4 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Chetumal | Mexico | 267 km (166 mi) | about 4 h 4 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Campeche | Mexico | 369 km (229 mi) | about 5 h 38 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Belmopan | Belize | 415 km (258 mi) | about 6 h 20 min |
| Playa del Carmen to La Ceiba | Honduras | 541 km (336 mi) | about 8 h 15 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Puerto Cortez | Honduras | 541 km (336 mi) | about 8 h 15 min |
| Playa del Carmen to La Ceiba | Honduras | 542 km (337 mi) | about 8 h 16 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Ciudad del Carmen | Mexico | 544 km (338 mi) | about 8 h 18 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Tocoa | Honduras | 561 km (349 mi) | about 8 h 34 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Choloma | Honduras | 565 km (351 mi) | about 8 h 37 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Puerto Barrios | Guatemala | 568 km (353 mi) | about 8 h 40 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Mexico City | Mexico | 1,265 km (786 mi) | about 19 h 18 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Houston | United States | 1,313 km (816 mi) | about 20 h 1 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Iztapalapa | Mexico | 1,260 km (783 mi) | about 19 h 13 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Puebla | Mexico | 1,177 km (731 mi) | about 17 h 57 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Ecatepec de Morelos | Mexico | 1,256 km (780 mi) | about 19 h 9 min |
| Playa del Carmen to Santiago de Querétaro | Mexico | 1,385 km (860 mi) | about 21 h 7 min |
| Playa del Carmen to León de los Aldama | Mexico | 1,518 km (943 mi) | about 23 h 9 min |
| Playa del Carmen to San Antonio | United States | 1,508 km (937 mi) | about 23 h |
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 Playa del Carmen?
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 13 September 2026. Hotel 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.