All About Puerto Vallarta Airport Transportation

If you are flying into the Puerto Vallarta Airport (PVR), you may be wondering what are your options when it comes to taking transportation from the airport to your hotel or AirBnb. Whether you are staying near downtown or going to Punta De Mita on the other side of the bay, we will lay out all of your options as well as our recommendation to get you safely to your destination.

Certified Puerto Vallarta Airport Taxis

A certified Puerto Vallarta Airport Taxi is federally licensed service that allows certain companies to pick you up curbside at the airport as if you were being received by a family member. These cars are easily recognized as usually being white with an orange strip on the license plate. There are usually three levels of service provide by Puerto Vallarta Taxis companies; Sedans (1-3 people), Sprinters (1-17 people), and Suburbans (1-6 people). All vacations agencies hire these companies out to perform their service. It is better and much cheaper to book directly through a certified Puerto Vallarta taxi company. There are only three companies licensed to operate in this method at the airport and Aero TPV is one of them.

 

Puerto Vallarta Private Hotel Shuttle and Bus Services

At the Puerto Vallarta airport, there is another level of transportation service that are federally licensed. This is a private or semi-private shuttle service. These vehicles are located behind the four lanes of incoming airport traffic in the main airport parking lot. They are recognized by their green stripes on their license plates. Typically the vehicles are Sprinters, Suburbans, and large buses. Unless you are travelling in a large group, you will likely be paying a higher price than if you used a certified Puerto Vallarta airport taxi. That is because most of these companies are hired by vacation agencies. However, companies like Gapsa Transportation have a great service for those coming in large groups that require large Sprinters or even a bus.

Puerto Vallarta City Taxis / App Car Platforms

If you are a small group on a budget or only going a short distance, this could be a good option for you. The Puerto Vallarta city cabs are not located at the airport, so you will have to walk off-premises to hail one. They are recognizable because they are bright yellow sedans (good for 1-3 people). To get a city cab, you will need to cross the bridge across the highway at the Puerto Vallarta airport. It is about a 3 or 4 block walk and if hauling suitcases up and down a large ramp is not your idea of a vacation, then we do not recommend this option. You can also hail an Uber from the same area, but we recommend you read our article called 7 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE DECIDING TO USE AN UBER FROM THE PUERTO VALLARTA AIRPORT.

Puerto Vallarta City Buses

If you are a solo traveler on a budget and carrying a light load, taking a Puerto Vallarta City Bus is always an option. For about $5 you can get just about anywhere. You will be able to travel with the locals too. The city buses are located just outside of the airport to the west. You won’t have to cross the airport waling bridge either. Finding which buses go to which destination could be a little tricky, so be sure to brush up on your Spanish before hopping on a city bus.

Get A Ride From A Friend

Wondering where to get picked up at the Puerto Vallarta airport if you have arranged a ride from a friend or family member? All you need to do is walk out of the airport and cross the first lane of traffic. There will be another set of double lanes and a median. It is best if you stand on the median and wait for your ride because they are not allowed in the inside lane at the airport.

So What Should You Do?

It really just depends. However, if you are a group of 1-8 people looking for the best value, hassle-free, safe and timely experience, we strongly recommended that you take a certified Puerto Vallarta Airport Taxi. The drivers undergo a lot of training and are backed by a very good support team to ensure you vacation goes as planned.