CZM Transportation

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To answer your question directly there are two official transportation ways of getting out of the airport for tourists. One, use the airport shuttles or two, rent a car at the airport.

Since you mention you are flying into CZM for the first time I will add the following information. Upon arriving to CZM, make it through customs, pick up your luggage, put it in the screening machines, play red light green light, then all you have left is to pass through the magic sliding glass doors and get transportation out of the airport. This is where it can get tricky.

#1 Once you pass through the magic sliding glass doors, you will find timeshare people there in full force. They are more than happy to get you to their desks after asking if you "Need transportation". If you really want to use precious vacation time immediatly upon your arrival then by all means go for it ! Unsuspecting tourists will say "Yes, I do need transportation" and then follow the salesmen to the timeshare desks.

OR...
#2 As soon as you pass through the magic sliding doors after playing red light/green light, IGNORE the timeshare folks and their offers and make a direct FAR Right DIAGONAL beeline to the TICKET booth. Do not say to the salespeople "Yes, I do need transportation" and follow them. Just put your hand up as say "NO" keep walking. You may have to say it more than once, just be firm. Once you are at the ticket booth, there you will find a very nice young lady sitting behind the window who will issue your taxi ticket. Just tell her where you are going , she tells you how much and gives you your ticket. If there is more dialogue than this, then you are most likely at a timeshare desk. Then, once you have paid your ticket walk outside to the waiting shuttle vans. You most likely will be walking back through the timeshare gauntlet, just put your hand up with firm "No's" and you will be OK. You do not need any help from the timeshare people. Once you get to the folks outside they will ask you where you are going. Tell them the hotel/address and they will direct you to the van. It usually does not take very long to fill up a van. The most I have ever waited is about 10 min's. The shuttle will usually make a few stops on the way, but no worries, it goes quickly. Just watch your luggage as it is taken off the van. Not that anything shady is happening, but on occasion the luggage gets mixed up and another passenger takes it along with them. The fare to Corpus Christie area should be approx. $5.00 USD. The ticket counter takes USD or Peso.

OR....
#3 Walk off the airport and find a cab. Yes, this can be done, technically not suppose to be, but it can be done never the less. But it is a gamble of getting a taxi. I have seen folks walking off the airport grounds and pick up a cab immediately and then again I have also seen folks wait the entire time we are loading up our shuttle and then are still standing there as we drive away down the street. If you are traveling alone you will save around $2.00 If you have 2 or 4 people then the savings is more as you won't be paying the approximate $4 - $5.00 each but maybe $3.00 per cab. This way is OK..however, think about how much luggage there is, what the climate is like and if it is something you don't mind starting your vacation off with. Overall, whatever floats your boat !!! Have a Great Time !!

Just to be clear, when you come through the sliding glass door, assume all the folks circulating around there that did not5 get off the plane with you are time share hawkers. They are ruthless. They will tell you they will take care of your transportation. They will waste your time. Find the booth. If it looks closed, go up to it and look over the counter and you should find the clerk sitting down behind it. Do no get tangled up with the folks who will be pursuing you with so many "great" deals or pretending they are transportation coordinator. Get you ticket at the booth and then go outside where the transportation managers are.
 
Another option is to rent a care and have the rental folk meet you at the airport. Set everything up with them (they need to know your name. flight number etc.) and just look for the feller holding a sign with your name on it.
Of course this is not a good idea for your first visit to Czm.
 
Just to be clear, when you come through the sliding glass door, assume all the folks circulating around there that did not5 get off the plane with you are time share hawkers. They are ruthless. They will tell you they will take care of your transportation. They will waste your time. Find the booth. If it looks closed, go up to it and look over the counter and you should find the clerk sitting down behind it. Do no get tangled up with the folks who will be pursuing you with so many "great" deals or pretending they are transportation coordinator. Get you ticket at the booth and then go outside where the transportation managers are.

I just tell them "Yo vivo en Cozumel". That shuts them right up. Non-residents could pull the same stunt:D!
 
I knew about the taxi laws or lack of as they seem to own the Island. The same with the rental folks as they are also not allowed to pick up or drop off at the airport.
Thanks for the info about the window lady and getting past the time share people. The same sales persons are at the Cancun airport and getting past them is no problem for me. We travel light as we are able to leave most items at the house so we will walk the short distance to the road and hail from there. I know the airport facility as I have picked up guests before and I enjoy the sun and heat after leaving the below zero temps of Alaska.
Many people gripe about the "no taxis from the airport" policy and blame the taxi union, but the airport is just not set up for the massive amount of traffic it would have to handle if everyone took taxis to their hotels. The bedlam that would result from all those taxis having to get in and out of that little parking lot would be, IMO, far more frustrating to weary travelers trying to get to their hotels than the shuttles are. YMMV, but the shuttles are fine for me. If all I had was a carry-on, I'd hike to the street, but traveling light is not in my vocabulary. :D
 
I fell for the timeshare bait once years ago. While I did not sign up for the tour, I did waste about 10 minutes of my vacation time BEFORE I headed over to buy a shuttle ticket.
 
I may be the only visitor to cozumel that doesn't think the timeshare salesmen are evil. A few years ago, I passed through the sliding doors and was looking for someone holding a sign with my name on it. One of the timeshare guys asked who I was looking for & then helped me hook up with that car rental rep I was looking for. I was grateful for his help and I appreciate that he didn't try to shanghai me into something else .
 
I may be the only visitor to cozumel that doesn't think the timeshare salesmen are evil. A few years ago, I passed through the sliding doors and was looking for someone holding a sign with my name on it. One of the timeshare guys asked who I was looking for & then helped me hook up with that car rental rep I was looking for. I was grateful for his help and I appreciate that he didn't try to shanghai me into something else .

The timeshare people are not evil, however the harassing method used to trick people in to believing they are being directed to transportion is evil. I am happy you were helped out. Fortunately once the guy realized you already had a car he didn't have a reason to hassle you.
 
The timeshare people are not evil, however the harassing method used to trick people in to believing they are being directed to transportion is evil. I am happy you were helped out. Fortunately once the guy realized you already had a car he didn't have a reason to hassle you.

Being friendly by nature, I have a hard time ignoring people who talk to me. That being said, last trip we were walking out of Cancun airport looking for our pre-arranged transfer. A guy started hammering on me about needed transport. I politely told him I had one. He kept on me and I did tell him who it was. I guessed he would try to divert me. Instead he whips out the nextel, calls my guy and gets a status. Calls me by name to confirm I am the right guy and then arranges for the driver to meet me at the little bar to the right. Shortly after I got the email from my guy confirming those arrangements. Very helpful guy even though I was trying to ignore him.
 
Being friendly by nature, I have a hard time ignoring people who talk to me. That being said, last trip we were walking out of Cancun airport looking for our pre-arranged transfer. A guy started hammering on me about needed transport. I politely told him I had one. He kept on me and I did tell him who it was. I guessed he would try to divert me. Instead he whips out the nextel, calls my guy and gets a status. Calls me by name to confirm I am the right guy and then arranges for the driver to meet me at the little bar to the right. Shortly after I got the email from my guy confirming those arrangements. Very helpful guy even though I was trying to ignore him.

Your fortunate that this genteleman was persistent.
 

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