Tulum's brand-new international airport – plus the inauguration of a tourist train in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula – are opening up fresh travel opportunities to explore Tulum and beyond.

 

Not too long ago, Tulum was a tiny beach town of mangroves, powder-white beaches on crystal-clear waters and Mayan ruins on a cliff over the Caribbean sea. It was the stomping ground of yogis and artists and creative types. Now, the secret is out!

 

Tulum has become one of the trendiest places to visit in the western Caribbean. In addition to its natural and archaeological attractions, it has a laid-back bohemian atmosphere, with artisans, wellness and farm-to-table culinary experiences, and eco-friendly accommodation options.

 

Now, international visitors to Tulum can save themselves the 2-hour drive from the – formerly nearest - Cancun airport, with the opening of the new Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport (airport code TQO.)

 

Domestic flights on Aeromexico and Viva into Tulum’s TQO began in December, 2023, and beginning at the end of March, US and Canadian carriers followed suit, announcing non-stop service from several gateways:

 

·     Delta is flying to TQO from Atlanta;

·     American debuted its Tulum service from Charlotte, Miami and Dallas-Fort Worth;

·     United has begun non-stop service from four US cities: Newark, LA, Houston and Chicago; and

·     In June, JetBlue launches service from New York’s JFK.

·     Air Canada is the exclusive Canadian airline to fly to Tulum, beginning in May, with non-stop service from Toronto and Montreal; and

o  Air Canada Vacations is launching 36 vacation packages to Tulum, combining flights with accommodations ranging from luxurious beachfront resorts to culturally immersive experiences.

 

Section 1 of the new Maya Tourist Train has now opened, following the December inauguration of sections 2, 3, and 4.

 

The Maya Tourist Train is a 1554 km (965 mile) long railroad in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. The route is a giant loop through south-eastern Mexico, with Cancun at the top, or about 12 o'clock position. The train connects airports, as well as communities, along the Caribbean coast, including stops at Playa del Carmen, Tulum and its new airport, before swinging down close to the Belize border, then heading west to complete the circuit inland via destinations like Chichen Itza. And a spur off the ‘circuit’ shape of the route goes as far south as inland Palenque, the southern-most point of the railway.

 

The new railroad will include, when complete, 34 total stations, including new, state-of-the-art hubs, as well as smaller, local stations.

 

The Maya Tourist Train was designed to help visitors reach communities throughout the Yucatan peninsula, especially to provide access – and the economic benefits of tourism – to communities which currently have fewer visitors.

 

Three sections of the railroad are still in progress, and are expected to be completed in mid-2023.