The nearest airport is Guanajuato International Airport (BJX) also known as Bajío International Airport, with domestic flights from Mexico City, Monterrey and Tijuana, and international flights from Houston, Dallas and Los Angeles. Alternative airports are Mexico City (MEX) and Guadalajara (GDL).
Primera Plus and ETN are two first class bus companies operating routes to Guanajuato. Compared to Primera Plus, traveling with ETN is more comfortable due to a reduced number of seats in the bus (including 8 individual seats); Primera Plus is about 20% cheaper. In general wifi is available. For time schedules and ticket purchase, consult Primera Plus and ETN. In the evening, as buses run less frequently, buy your ticket in advance if possible.
Once you arrive at the bus station in Guanajuato, take a taxi. There are no taxi stands to buy tickets. You should pay directly to the driver. The ride should cost about 80 pesos.
From the Guanajuato International Airport (BJX)
From the airport you can get to Guanajuato by taxi (30km). Just down the hall from the arrival area you will find a booth selling tickets for the taxis. Ask for a ticket to Guanajuato City. The taxi ride takes about 30min., the fare is approximately 400 pesos; payments with US dollars are accepted but not with credit cards. In the hall, there is an ATM connected to the Plus and Cirrus networks and a Currency Exchange office. There is no public transportation from the airport to Guanajuato City.
From Mexico City’s International Airport (MEX)
Once outside the arrival area, go to any of the taxi stands. Ask for a ticket to the Northern bus terminal (“Terminal Central del Norte”). Caution: there are several bus terminals in Mexico City. The trip takes at least 30 min. depending on traffic conditions; the fare is about 200 pesos. Do not travel by metro as suitcases are not allowed and one has to transfer a couple of times.
From Mexico City’s Northern Bus Terminal (Terminal Central del Norte)
ETN and Primera Plus are located at gate (“sala”) 1 and offer direct connections to Guanajuato, each with a frequency of about ten departures a day. The fare with ETN is 540 pesos (5 hours). A ticket with Primera Plus costs 450 pesos; many of its trips to Guanajuato are about 30 minutes faster as there are no stops in route as is the case with ETN.
From Guadalajara´s International Airport (GDL)
Take a taxi to the Central Bus Station of Guadalajara (“Central de Autobuses”); the fare is approx. 300 pesos and the trip takes at least 20 minutes depending on traffic conditions. ETN and Primera Plus offer a direct service from the Central Bus Station to Guanajuato, each with a frequency of about ten departures a day. Travel time is 4hours. The fare is about 400 pesos (ETN) or 300 pesos (Primera Plus).
By Car
Take into account that due to limited parking space, daily traffic congestions and the peculiar topography of Guanajuato, a car is not an efficient mean of transportation within Guanajuato City.
As road signs are often confusing or absent, consult a route planning device in advance (e.g. google maps or the SCT planner ). Except if you are an experienced driver in Mexico, we advise against car renting.
From Mexico City
Head north and take toll highway 57D to Queretaro. From there take highway 45D to Celaya, Irapuato and afterwards in the direction of Leon. Take the toll road to Guanajuato (exit "Guanajuato Cuota”).
From Guadalajara
At Guadalajara´s airport, take the highway to Guadalajara. Reaching the highway interchange take the exit to Tonalá. On your way to Tonalá on highway 90D, keep on your left lane to Tepatitlán and Lagos de Moreno.
Keep straight until reaching junction to Aguascalientes. Take higwhay 80D to Aguascalientes and keep forward until reaching next junction to León, take the junction to the right and drive all the way to the next toll booth on highway 45D.
You are now on León city bypass, go forward until the next junction and take the right lane to Silao, and Irapuato. You will see Bajío International Airport on your left side and afterwards you´ll reach Silao. Keep driving through Silao until reaching the sign Guanajuato Cuota, at the end of Silao bypass. Take the right exit to reach the toll highway from Silao to Guanajuato and drive until reaching the toll booth. You are now in Guanajuato.