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The Mayan Train has changed the way tourists approach travel in the Mexican Caribbean since its launch last December.
In a sense it is highly diversified transport options in the region, where taxi monopolies are active and local buses cannot always be trusted on time.
Prior to launch, we expected all lines to open at the same time, but as you should know by now if you’ve visited Mexico since: that didn’t materialize.
Thanks to construction delays, the train will be inaugurated in stages, and the service from Cancun to Palenque will the only one available.
Fortunately, some progress is being made, and from February 29a second line is added to the Mayan Train, connecting Cancun with this mega-popular resort:
A beautiful relaxed city in the Caribbean
Playa Del Carmen is one of the trendiest destinations in the Mexican Caribbean.
Located just an hour south of Cancun, it is traditionally thought of as a quieter alternative to the bustling seaside resort that hosts almost half of all foreign arrivals in the country.
While Cancun’s biggest strength is its all-inclusive, family-friendly resorts, Playa’s appeal lies in a youthful, characterful beach, with its hippie markets and a host of casual beach bars and well-attended discos that cater to a more diverse demographic. audience.
If you want to meet like-minded travelers or locals and chat over cheap drinks in an internationalized, safe environment, or simply relax on the white sand while enjoying a fresh coconut and admiring the tropical view, this is the place to visit. are.
Playa’s days as a quaint settlement on the coast of the Caribbean may be long gone since the first luxury resorts and American expats arrived there several decades ago, but because it is much smaller than Cancun – 304,942 permanent residents compared to 888,797 – it can feel less chaotic.
With the exception of Quinta Avenida, the city’s main pedestrian and busiest street, lined with restaurants, quirky art galleries and souvenir shops, the city is relatively quiet, with leafy residential areas and endless miles of coastline just begging to be explored.
Some of the top attractions in Playa may include the Mayan Portal of Parque Fundadores the most beautiful gateway to a beach you’ll ever see: the club-filled Calle 10, your nightlife spot after sunset, and Mamitas Beach, where the white sands unfurl along a turquoise ocean.
Why is the Mayan Train to Playa del Carmen delayed?
Considering it’s one of the trendiest spots in the Mexican Caribbean, it’s no surprise it was added to the Maya Train railway map, but like many travelers who travel to Playa, we were negatively surprised late last year when I heard that the route would not open in time as planned for the tourist season.
Since December, the only service available has been westwards, towards Merida and then to San Francisco de Campeche, two of the most traditional colonial cities in Mexico, before terminating in Palenque. the the furthest Cancun stop.
Curiously, the most eagerly awaited route is the one along the southeast coast of the Yucatan, visiting the nearby leisure destinations of Puerto Morelos, Playa Del Carmen itself, Tulum and many more beautiful beach areas, has not been launched this winter.
We know as well as you do that waiting for ADO inter-municipal buses that may or may not leave on time, or booking overpriced private transfers from Cancun International Airport can cause a lot of stress, especially if you already have the entire trip flown. to sunny Mexico for one relaxing holidays.
The train will make planning multi-destination trips through the Mexican Caribbean easier and safer, as trains typically run on time, and the Mayan Train in particular is touted as one of the safest modes of transport in the world.
Unfortunately, the wait has been longer than predicted, and this has led to some problems confusion among the ordinary tourists who do not follow the development of the Mayan train every day, and who have landed in Cancun to find that some rail connections are still unavailable.
From February 29, the long-delayed line will finally open, at least partially.
On the other hand…
From this date the train will depart from Cancun and call at Puerto Morelos before coming to a stop in Playa Del Carmen. For those hoping to continue the journey to Tulum, however, the news isn’t nearly as exciting.
The other service was originally not scheduled to be operational until June 2 at the earliest, to coincide with Mexico’s general elections, but as local news media have reported, a judge has ordered:Stop‘ to an extension from Playa Del Carmen to Tulum.
The new blow to Maya Train enthusiasts comes after a number of environmental groups revealed that cenotes and underground waters were being contaminated as a result of pillar driving along the planned railway line, and that construction is unlikely to resume. at any time soon.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) himself has admitted that ‘section 5 south’, namely the stretch from Playa Del Carmen to Tulum, ‘one of the most challenging‘ due to the nature of the terrain and the backlash from environmentalists.
For now, trains from Cancun to Playa Del Carmen will continue, with an inaugural trip planned for later this month and full operations this spring.
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