The well-established Mexican bus operator ADO provides a convenient route from Mexico to Belize, making stops in popular destinations like Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and Merida. The trip to Cancun can take up to 10 hours, so it can make sense to do the long voyage by night bus.

The method of obtaining tickets for the ADO international bus from Belize City to Mexico can be kind of confusing, requiring an in-person purchase multiple payments. Information is also scattered since it was discontinued during the pandemic and reopened in 2023.

Here’s how to take the night bus from Belize City to Mexico updated in 2024, with details on where to buy tickets, how much cash you’ll need, and more.

Purchase tickets at the bus station

You can buy tickets starting at 5pm at the bus terminal on W Collet Canal Street. It’s an old-looking building that will have “Novelo’s Bus Terminal” painted on the side.

The bus departs at 7pm, reaching the Belize-Mexico border around 8:30pm. After crossing, it makes a stop in Chetumal where you’ll pay depending on your Mexico destination. See the pricing below and check the Facebook page for more information.

Here’s what it all means: you pay the first leg in Belize ($69 BZD) to get to the border. You’ll also want to prepare to have $40 BZD cash for the border exit fee, which can also be paid in US currency ($20 USD).

For the remaining portion, you can pay with credit card or withdraw pesos from an ATM in Chetumal.

What to know before crossing the border

• Have $40 BZD (or $20 USD) in exact change for Belize’s exit fee
• There will be an ATM at the ADO stop in Chetumal, Mexico
• The bus is standard and nice, but cold. Pack warm!
• Trip takes around 9 hours on the overnight bus (we departed Belize City at 7:30 pm and arrived in Tulum around 5 am)
• Day buses are often delayed by traffic, but night buses can also see delays at the border because there’s limited night shift staff

Alternative transportation options

The night bus is one of the most economical ways to get around, as it also saves you from paying for a night in a hotel.

During the daytime, the Marlin Espadas minibus can take you from locations in Belize, including San Ignacio, Orange Walk, and Belmopan, to Chetumal. It departs Belize City at 12:30 pm and costs $25 USD.

Water taxi from San Pedro and Caye Caulker

If you’re coming from Caye Caulker or San Pedro, it’s much more convenient to take a water taxi to Chetumal, which ends up costing about $55-60 USD. Check San Pedro Belize Express and San Pedro Water Taxi for times.

ADO bus from Mexico to Belize

The ADO bus from Mexico to Belize is a day bus starting in Cancun at 7 am and arriving in Belize City at 5:30 pm. The full route is close to 10.5 hours but the duration will vary based on the stop:

• Cancun to Belize City – 10.5 hours
• Playa del Carmen to Belize City – 9 hours
• Tulum to Belize City – 7.5 hours

As of October 2024, it is only available on Thursdays. You can purchase tickets on the ADO website.

If you’re heading to San Pedro or Caye Caulker islands in Belize, it makes more sense to take the ADO bus to Chetumal and transfer to a water taxi. It’s still a long trip, but at least you won’t have to spend all day on the bus:

1. Take the bus to Chetumal (about 4 hours).
2. Once you arrive you can get a taxi to the ferry dock, which takes about 10 minutes and costs about 50 pesos as of 2024.
3. From Chetumal, it takes about 1.5 hours to get to San Pedro and 4 hours to get to Caye Caulker.

San Pedro Belize Express offers daily departures at 3:30 pm. San Pedro Water Taxi offers departures on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays at 10:00 am. You’ll have to get an early morning bus from Tulum to make this departure.