To travel within Mérida, visitors can use digital platforms supporting card or cash payments, rechargeable smart-card urban buses, or intercity carpooling via BlaBlaCar. Walking along tourist corridors like Calle 60 and Calle 47 serves as an accessible, safe alternative for sightseeing.

Transportation within Mérida

When you’re in Mérida, there are infinite ways to fill your time: on every corner of the city, there is a mouth-watering meal, lively concert, or breathtaking sight to see. But to enjoy the seemingly limitless activities that characterize life in Mérida, you have to get to your destination first. While car rentals are convenient, they are often expensive, and finding parking–especially free parking–is a difficult task. Luckily, from ride-hailing services to public transportation, Mérida has plenty of options to deliver you safely to your destination while exploring all this beautiful city has to offer.

Ride-Hailing Apps

Uber

Mérida’s large number of Uber drivers makes the service an efficient option for transportation. It’s easy to use, too—you select your destination and the type of car you want, and it connects you with a nearby driver, sharing your exact location for pickup. The app includes a variety of vehicle models, such as the sustainable Uber Planet, women-exclusive rides through Uber Mujeres, large party vehicles with Uber XL, rides with pets with Uber Pets, and innovative rides like motorcycles, bicycles, and even scooters. Additionally, cars with accommodations such as priority pickup can be selected.

The app offers several safety features, as well, such as allowing you to see drivers’ ratings and number of trips after confirming your ride, using a PIN number to confirm you have the right driver, a button to quickly call emergency services, the RideCheck feature that monitors if a ride stops for an unusually long time, and optional audio recording of your ride. All drivers are also screened periodically. If you’re a planner, you can also use the service to reserve a ride ahead of time, and, depending on the type of ride you select, you can opt for your driver to wait for you for 5 to 60 minutes in case you’re running a bit behind. Uber accepts both card and cash payments.

DiDi

Similarly to Uber, DiDi allows you to select a destination and get paired with a driver, sharing your location for pickup. The two mostly differ, however, in their pricing system. DiDi fares are typically less than Uber, and riders have the unique option to negotiate their price with drivers. Most vehicles used by Didi are required to be models 2012 or newer with modern safety and comfort features, such as room for at least four passengers, working windows and air conditioning, airbags, seatbelts, and anti-lock braking systems. This excludes options such as DiDi Moto for motorcycle transport. The app also offers options such as DiDi Economy for cheaper rides and DiDi Taxi to order a local taxi.

Didi also has a number of safety features, such as a security button that connects you to a team that can monitor your ride and provide help if needed and an option to add an emergency contact. Further, drivers for DiDi are required to provide a federal non-criminal record, official identification, and valid driver’s license. You can pay your driver with cash or, through the app, using your Visa, Mastercard, or American Express cards.

inDrive

Contrary to other platforms, inDrive allows you the option to view your drivers’ ratings, car information, and ride history before confirming them for your drive. With inDrive, you set the price for your ride and can bargain with drivers until you reach an agreed price. The app allows options for specialized ride accommodations such as car seats or seating for large parties, and it sorts drivers into categories based on years of driving experience. The app also just launched inDrive Comfort in Mérida, a feature that allows riders more modern and spacious vehicles, the ability to change car temperature, and the option for a quiet or conversational ride.

inDrive has a unique safety feature within México: drivers must complete training targeted to prevent harassment. Additionally, the service has a shield button that gets help from authorities or your emergency contact if needed, an option to share your live ride status with friends or family, a platform to report any disputes, and verification of all driver identities and documents. inDrive accepts payment in cash or via the transfer platforms SPEI or Mercado Pago.

BlaBlaCar

If you’re looking to travel in Mérida and want to save money, BlaBlaCar may be a good option. BlaBlaCar is a service that allows you to reserve a spot in a carpool or bus by inputting a destination and date of travel and selecting a shared vehicle. Prices for each seat are set by the driver. With reviews, profiles, and identification available, you are able to check who you will be traveling with, and if you don’t like what you see, you can cancel for free 24 hours in advance.

The app is also a good way to see surrounding cities for cheap, offering nineteen different routes from Mérida to outside destinations, including Valladolid, Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Cancún. To pay for your ride, you can use the in-app money transfer service or pay cash at the time of your departure.

Taxi Services

If you aren’t particularly savvy with the mobile apps, taxis are another great transportation option. While the best option is oftentimes waving down a taxi or walking to a nearby taxi rank, there are some radio taxi services that are perfect for getting around Mérida, as well. To order a taxi, you can call Sitio Santa Ana at 999 928 5600, Sitio Tekax at 999 928 3023, Sitio Oxkutzcab at 999 923 5540, or Taxi Seguro at 999 922 7575. Make sure to communicate with your taxi driver about fares before your ride, and be prepared to pay in cash.

Va-y-Ven

Mérida’s public transportation system, the Va-y-Ven bus, is a clean, accessible option to get around Mérida for cheap. To travel via the Va-y-Ven, you can buy a bus card for $25 pesos at Oxxo, Dunosusa, Willy’s, or Súper Aki, and it can be reloaded at any of these locations, the Va-y-Ven ATMs, or on the Va-y-Ven app.

A general trip on the Va-y-Ven costs $12 pesos, with night routes costing $15 pesos. Bus stops are marked with blue Va-y-Ven signs around the city, and through the mobile app, you can see the different buses, find their routes, and watch the live status of each bus. The app also allows you to request that they stop at your bus stop. When you’re ready to get off, each bus should have a button you can press to signal your driver to let you off at the next stop.

Conoce más sobre el sistema de transporte Va y Ven en Yucatán leyendo nuestro artículo Recorre Mérida como local: una guía rápida para el Va y Ven

Walking

Contrary to most cities, Mérida prides itself on its safety, so you shouldn’t have to fear getting around by simply walking–it’s the perfect way to see the city without having to pay for transport. You can start your walk in the Plaza Grande in the heart of Mérida. Explore the unique historical buildings around the plaza and then continue down Calle 60. Here, you’ll find plenty of shopping and dining alongside some iconic buildings. Turn right onto the Corredor Gastronómico, or Calle 47, where you’ll be met with a street full of delicious smells–you’re almost certain to find something to eat down this culinary hub. When you reach the roundabout, turn left onto Paseo de Montejo. Here, you’ll find everything from cafes to boutiques to museums, and when you reach the Monumento a la Patria, you’ll have finished your mini-walking tour down some of Mérida’s most renowned streets. While Mérida has a plethora of transportation options, don’t undercut the simplest one–on foot!

First published on the Yucatán Today website in October 2026.