Travel & Leisure readers have voted San Miguel de Allende the “Best City in the World,” making it an ideal location for your next vacation.
Visitors often inquire how to get to this mountain paradise in Mexico's high desert, as San Miguel de Allende has no airport. Never fear, several options do exist to reach your destination.
Nearby airports—There are two nearby airports. Querétaro (QRO) is about a 70-minute drive, and León (BJX) is about a 90-minute drive. Both airports are very modern and generally have short immigration lines. There are direct flights to these airports from some major U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Houston, and Los Angeles. Several daily flights connect through Mexico City or Monterrey and terminate in Querétaro or León.
Upon your arrival at these airports, there is an extremely reliable shuttle service, Bajiogo, that costs approximately $30 USD per person, one way, and will bring you directly to San Miguel de Allende. There are also many private drivers who generally cost between $90 USD and $125 USD plus tips.
You should book your transportation from the airport before your arrival.
Mexico City airport - Many visitors enjoy spending some time in Mexico City while visiting San Miguel de Allende. You have three options from Mexico City to get to San Miguel de Allende.
1) You can book a flight from Mexico City (MEX) to Querétaro or León and follow the steps above.
2) You can hire a private driver, usually costing around $250 USD and taking about 3.5 hours.
3) You can take a luxury bus. I know “luxury” is not often used to describe a bus ride, but they are very nice, with large, comfortable seats and clean restrooms. There are two bus lines, ETN and Primera Plus, that make it easy to book your tickets in advance online. The bus costs about $30 USD per person and takes about 4 hours. You will want to book the bus out of the "norte" station.
Rent a car - You could rent a car in any of the cities described above. However, San Miguel de Allende is a very walkable town, and inexpensive, safe taxis and Uber are readily available. Parking is very limited, and some streets are very narrow, so I would highly advise against renting a car for a short-term visit.
Though it may take a little extra effort to get to San Miguel de Allende, I assure you that when you sink into your seat on a beautiful rooftop terrace overlooking the Parroquia and watch the setting sun behind the hills on the horizon, you will think it was worth it.
Comments