Taxi rates, taxi zones, bus routes, colectivo routes, and new parking laws

[El Graduado]

I updated the taxi and bus info on EverythingCozumel.com

The blurry photos I took of the taxistas' rate cards are all gone, at least on my website. They are still up on all the sites that copied them from me. I replaced them with new English texts, zone maps, and rate charts I made from scratch. I also included the USD rates they charge for rides from the cruise ship piers. The bus and colectivo routes are on the bottom of the same page. Sorry, no pretty pictures or sizzle; just info.

Taxis & City Buses - Everything CZM

On another note, the Tourism Department is changing where and when parking is allowed on Avenida Melgar. They say it is to "improve the image of the malecon." Yellow curbs are now NO PARKING, (no longer MOMENTARY parking) from 9am to 5pm, Mon-Sat. The yellow curbs next to the corners on the store side of the avenue are NO PARKING 24 hours a day. Blue curbs are for both handicapped parking and for dropping off non-handicapped people and picking them up. White curbs between Calles 8 and 10 are for scooter parking only. White curbs between Calles 5 and 3 are also scooter parking only. All other white curbs allow car and truck parking, but no scooters. Sundays you can park anywhere you want, except the yellow curbs next to the corners, blue curbs, or taxi stands. Taxi stands will be for a maximum of five taxis at a time and are located on the sea side of the avenue between Calles 6 & 8; Juarez and 2; Salas and 1; Calle 3 & Salas; and Calles 7 & 5.

These new parking regulations will start on August 20.

Good luck!

 

[mediumone]

Is there a surcharge for trips to/from the airport?

Let's use El Pique as the destination after being picked up at the taco stand on 65th south of airport property. If I'm reading the map and chart correctly, this fare should be $27. Is that correct?

Same questions if I'm headed to the airport from El Pique?

 

[wnissen]

I updated the taxi and bus info on EverythingCozumel.com

The blurry photos I took of the taxistas' rate cards are all gone, at least on my website. They are still up on all the sites that copied them from me. I replaced them with new English texts, zone maps, and rate charts I made from scratch. I also included the USD rates they charge for rides from the cruise ship piers. The bus and colectivo routes are on the bottom of the same page. Sorry, no pretty pictures or sizzle; just info.

Taxis & City Buses - Everything CZM

On another note, the Tourism Department is changing where and when parking is allowed on Avenida Melgar. They say it is to "improve the image of the malecon." Yellow curbs are now NO PARKING, (no longer MOMENTARY parking) from 9am to 5pm, Mon-Sat. The yellow curbs next to the corners on the store side of the avenue are NO PARKING 24 hours a day. Blue curbs are for both handicapped parking and for dropping off non-handicapped people and picking them up. White curbs between Calles 8 and 10 are for scooter parking only. White curbs between Calles 5 and 3 are also scooter parking only. All other white curbs allow car and truck parking, but no scooters. Sundays you can park anywhere you want, except the yellow curbs next to the corners, blue curbs, or taxi stands. Taxi stands will be for a maximum of five taxis at a time and are located on the sea side of the avenue between Calles 6 & 8; Juarez and 2; Salas and 1; Calle 3 & Salas; and Calles 7 & 5.

These new parking regulations will start on August 20.

Good luck!

That's very helpful, thank you. Do you have a sense whether the colectivo is very crowded and/or has seatbelts? Between Playa del Carmen and Tulum it seemed pretty crowded and dangerous. But that's on a highway.

 

[El Graduado]

Is there a surcharge for trips to/from the airport?

Let's use El Pique as the destination after being picked up at the taco stand on 65th south of airport property. If I'm reading the map and chart correctly, this fare should be $27. Is that correct?

Same questions if I'm headed to the airport from El Pique?

The Taxi Union taxis cannot pick you up at the airport. They can only drop you off.

The correct price from El Pique to Diegos’ Tacos (a ride that starts and ends in Zone 1) is 26 Pesos, not 27.

They do not have a published rate for picking someone up at a place other than a hotel and taking them to the airport. However, since the airport is not inside any of their rate zones, they will just quote you a slightly higher price to take you to the airport from El Pique than it would be from El Pique to Diego’s Tacos.

They have an official rate list for rides from hotels to the airport that supersede the zone rate. A ride from a hotel in town to the airport is 102 Pesos. From a hotel in the north hotel zone to the airport is 200 Pesos. Rides from hotels in the south zone range from 200 to 400 pesos, depending on how far south they are.

That's very helpful, thank you. Do you have a sense whether the colectivo is very crowded and/or has seatbelts? Between Playa del Carmen and Tulum it seemed pretty crowded and dangerous. But that's on a highway.

The colectivo vans on Cozumel are not very crowded these days. Demand has dropped lately. If they have seatbelts, I am sure they are tucked into the seats and no one uses them. Although seatbelt use is supposed to be mandatory in Cozumel, they are rarely used in town by locals and the police turn a blind eye to that infraction (they don't use seatbelts either!). I would rank a ride on a Cozumel colectivo a 1 on the level of danger, with a 10 being the most dangerous.

 

[mediumone]

The Taxi Union taxis cannot pick you up at the airport. They can only drop you off.

The correct price from El Pique to Diegos’ Tacos (a ride that starts and ends in Zone 1) is 26 Pesos, not 27.

They do not have a published rate for picking someone up at a place other than a hotel and taking them to the airport. However, since the airport is not inside any of their rate zones, they will just quote you a slightly higher price to take you to the airport from El Pique than it would be from El Pique to Diego’s Tacos.

They have an official rate list for rides from hotels to the airport that supersede the zone rate. A ride from a hotel in town to the airport is 102 Pesos. From a hotel in the north hotel zone to the airport is 200 Pesos. Rides from hotels in the south zone range from 200 to 400 pesos, depending on how far south they are.


The colectivo vans on Cozumel are not very crowded these days. Demand has dropped lately. If they have seatbelts, I am sure they are tucked into the seats and no one uses them. Although seatbelt use is supposed to be mandatory in Cozumel, they are rarely used in town by locals and the police turn a blind eye to that infraction (they don't use seatbelts either!). I would rank a ride on a Cozumel colectivo a 1 on the level of danger, with a 10 being the most dangerous.

Yes, I know that they can't pick you up from the airport, that's why I referenced Diego's Tacos.

I was giving them the benefit of the doubt and put 65th in zone 2.

I've typically been charged 110 - 120 pesos from Diego's Tacos to an Airbnb on 2nd between 15 & 20. Same for the return trip to the airport.

Looking at the fare map, I have to conclude that the drivers have been talking to their bothers and sisters in PDC, and taken their advise to heart: "Now this is how you screw the tourists". That said, I need to determine how many fights I want to get in while on vacation.

 

[El Graduado]

Yes, I know that they can't pick you up from the airport, that's why I referenced Diego's Tacos.

I've typically been charged 110 - 120 pesos from Diego's Tacos to an Airbnb on 2nd between 15 & 20. Same for the return trip to the airport.

Looking at the fare map, I have to conclude that the drivers have been talking to their bothers and sisters in PDC, and taken their advise to heart: "Now this is how you screw the tourists". That said, I need to determine how many fights I want to get in while on vacation.

Since you asked, "Is there a surcharge for trips to/from the airport?" I figured I had better clarify that the taxis cannot pick you up at the airport.

The zone boundaries run down the middle of the zone boundary streets, putting Diego's Tacos (on the west side of 65th) in Zone 1.

The "110 - 120 Peso" rate from Diego's Tacos to your Airbnb in Zone 1 is clearly an example of a taxi driver ripping off a tourist who doesn't read my website.

The 110 Pesos you are being charged from the Airbnb to the airport is not much more than the posted rate of 102 Pesos for a ride from a hotel in town (which your Airbnb is). If you called them to pick you up at your Airbnb, an 8 peso surcharge would have been added, making 110 pesos the correct fare to the airport. I would interpret the 120 Peso charge as "I am including a fifty-cent tip, whether you like it or not".

 

[ggunn]

Looking at the fare map, I have to conclude that the drivers have been talking to their brothers and sisters in PDC, and taken their advise to heart: "Now this is how you screw the tourists". That said, I need to determine how many fights I want to get in while on vacation.

I am (obviously) not a taxi driver on Cozumel, but I'm pretty sure that the airport shuttles are connected to the taxi union. If what you speculate is what is going on (although I am dubious), the taxi drivers may look at tourists walking out from the airport looking for a cheap ride to be "screwing" them.

If you really want to get into a fight over this, then be my guest, but I wouldn't. I try not to sweat the small stuff, and this is very small stuff.

 

[mediumone]

I am (obviously) not a taxi driver on Cozumel, but I'm pretty sure that the airport shuttles are connected to the taxi union. If what you speculate is what is going on (although I am dubious), the taxi drivers may look at tourists walking out from the airport looking for a cheap ride to be "screwing" them.

If you really want to get into a fight over this, then be my guest, but I wouldn't. I try not to sweat the small stuff, and this is very small stuff.

Your insight and wise counsel is so appreciated.

 

[ggunn]

Your insight and wise counsel is so appreciated.

Fixed it for you.

 

[ReefHound]

On another note, the Tourism Department is changing where and when parking is allowed on Avenida Melgar. They say it is to "improve the image of the malecon." Yellow curbs are now NO PARKING, (no longer MOMENTARY parking) from 9am to 5pm, Mon-Sat. The yellow curbs next to the corners on the store side of the avenue are NO PARKING 24 hours a day. Blue curbs are for both handicapped parking and for dropping off non-handicapped people and picking them up. White curbs between Calles 8 and 10 are for scooter parking only. White curbs between Calles 5 and 3 are also scooter parking only. All other white curbs allow car and truck parking, but no scooters. Sundays you can park anywhere you want, except the yellow curbs next to the corners, blue curbs, or taxi stands. Taxi stands will be for a maximum of five taxis at a time and are located on the sea side of the avenue between Calles 6 & 8; Juarez and 2; Salas and 1; Calle 3 & Salas; and Calles 7 & 5.

Improve the image and totally confuse the hell out of tourists. If they want no parking just paint it red. How is someone supposed to know that white sometimes means "scooters no cars" and other times "cars no scooters"?

For their next trick, maybe green traffic lights will be treated as stop signs, unless it's Tuesday.