TOP 4 TRICKS to GETTING AROUND PLAYA del CARMEN, MEXICO

Picky Nomad Travel Vlog 2022 - Travel Guide to Playa Del Carmen Mexico
How To Get Around Playa Del Carmen Mexico --The Top 4 Best Ways to Get Around the City . . . For Tourists, Digital Nomad, and Expats
In this video I show you the BEST ways to get around the city, no matter what your budget. Beat the heat and zip from one side to the other with these tips. THERE IS NO UBER or LYFT in Playa del Carmen, so you will need this info to be safe and efficient. There are different methods of transportation each with their zones and their own pros and cons. Don't mind the heat and sun? You got a few good options. On a tight budget? You can get all the way to the mall easily using tip #3. Need a/c? Only tip #1 will do, and it's NOT HAILING A TAXI ON THE STREET!
Have you heard of the ADO bus? It's great, but IT'S NOT FOR GETTING AROUND PLAYA DEL CARMEN. It's for getting from PLAYA DEL CARMEN to other cities like CANCUN and TULUM.
PUBLIC TRANSIT is tricky and only reaches certain zones. You can't walk everywhere safely at all time (and you will die of heat stroke). But there are busses and colectivos, check it out!
Motorcyles or bicycles or scooters? Check the video.
I spent THREE MONTHS here figuring all of this out by a combination of trial and error, talking to as many locals and expats as I could, and mining the Expat Facebook groups (some were awesome, thank you FRIENDLY EXPATS, some more like farcical fiefdoms). You get it all here, distilled and ready for use. For free. Please don't forget to subscribe to get more tips on Playa del Carmen, other parts of Mexico and Europe and more. Or just be an armchair traveler and see the world with me :)
Chapters
0:00 Welcome to Playa del Carmen
1:11 #1 - Walking
2:57 #2 - Bicycle
4:06 - How to use BiciPlaya
7:18 - #3 Busses and Colectivos
9:17 - #4 Taxi - BUT YOU NEED THIS APP!
12:36 - Conclusion
►►► Travel better, Live better -- Tips, Tricks and Inspiration!
The only way to find out where I really am right now, and where I'm going next, plus so much more is by joining my monthly newsletter:
mailchi.mp/7bbbcb7c9edd/picky...

[@EmilyDiaz83]

Wow! I’ve been to Playa del Carmen about five times now and I’ve never heard of the Radio taxi app! So happy to learn about it now and use it in September. 🎉

[@TobyNomad]

Awesome, glad I could help! Trust me I put a lot of effort into the research haha

[@TobyNomad]

One small caveat there was one time where they said they wouldn’t pick up near 5th avenue due to the taxi syndicate blah blah. But just go past 10th Avenue if they say that :). Other than that they were awesome.

[@micahanderson89]

Did you use it?

[@marck-trend524]

Buenos Consejos,yo he caminado de Noche por 7 años y nunca me he sentido en peligro,es cierto que debes tomar tus precauciones,Cómo en cualquier lugar del Mundo,Pero es muy Bueno Caminar y Conocer la Ciudad desde tu propia Perspectiva.

[@TobyNomad]

You’re welcome, thanks for watching. Just because nothing bad has happened to you does not mean that it doesn’t happen. I always say, if 1/5 people are robbed that still means 4 in 5 are not. I’ve been coming to Playa Del Carmen for 10 years and always used to walk around late at night, but within the last few years there have been so many cases of police abusing tourists in shakedowns or false arrests and tourists being attacked and robbed by gangs, including many friends of mine, that it is simply not as safe as it used to be, and not as safe as many other cities that I go to. Also the locals will tell you it’s getting less safe. I feel fine before about 11:00 pm. After that time I would say the risk is too high to be wandering around if you look like you have any money.

[@inspiracionnomada1117]

Great info! Specially the taxi app, taxis there are such a huge pain, glad I found your video!

[@TobyNomad]

Thank you!! :))

[@stephentackett4064]

10:00 hahah! Do you have tips for long term stays like 2 months or so? Like where is the best place to stay; hotel, ABB etc? Do you cook food? Is water safe to drink etc. Do you meet fun locals? Do you party every day or just live normal? It would be an interesting video!

[@TobyNomad]

Those are all really good questions, I didn’t really do a video that addressed that there, but it would have been a good idea. Def airbnb, almost never cook but you can, food is cheap and tons of delivery, water not safe, lots of fun locals and expats, I rarely party but many do.

[@realestateclaudia]

Excellent info!!!👌🏻 Useful🥰 so proud of you 🤗🤗🤗

[@TobyNomad]

Thank you! I have loved Mexico ever since my first trip when I was 17 :)) 💙

[@luumaven]

This video was very helpful, thank you!

[@TobyNomad]

You’re welcome! Let me know if there are any updates. They are trying to install Uber there which would be great if the taxis don’t drive them out!

[@bluestarfishsea]

Thank you for the great tips 🙏

[@TobyNomad]

My pleasure! Thanks for watching I hope you subscribe :)

[@angelhair171]

Excellent information. Thanks

[@TobyNomad]

Glad it was helpful!

[@vm1ccc]

So helpful thank you

[@TobyNomad]

Awww thanks! Let me know if any of those options work out or if they have changed. I’m actually back here now and the bikes work fine :)

[@lesburrows8469]

Thanks for your help 😊

[@TobyNomad]

Most welcome 😊

[@gisellegallego9006]

very helpful!!

[@TobyNomad]

Glad it was helpful!

[@j2dabmusic554]

THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH

[@TobyNomad]

🥰

[@justinpoole-theater3287]

soooo helpful

[@TobyNomad]

Thanks! My pleasure :). The taxi app apparently no longer works though :(. I hope someday they get Uber there like they now have in Cancun. Step by step :)

[@PartyMartysLLC]

Thanks!

[@TobyNomad]

I'm pretty sure this is my first Super Thanks! Feels Amazing!! Thank you so much!

[@justinpoole-theater3287]

veary helpfull

[@TobyNomad]

Glad you think so!

[@InBrz]

NICE VIDEO ... never been to MX, from Florida Living now in Brasil but returning in 2025, may even visit PDC for a couple weeks to check it out How long have you been going there ? You like Merida too ? The new TREM seems very expensive

[@TobyNomad]

Hey! Been going there for over 10 years! I like Merida also, very hot in summer though. The new train seems more expensive than the bus and takes longer than the bus ;)))

[@InBrz]

@@TobyNomad Will have to check it out I want to try to get this RNE visa by coming IN for a ahosr time, then returing a year later and overstaying- then applying. One MX lawyer there says it will work to get me a PR

[@TobyNomad]

@@InBrz okay tell me if you’re there same time as me :)

[@nataliap304]

Radio Taxi sometimes is not honest as well and when I tried to report about overcharge incident to their office, they they covered the driver and said that it was the prices that had risen so much, although this was not true :(.

[@TobyNomad]

Thanks, I haven’t used them in over a year so I can only speak about my previous experiences. It would be too bad if they became dishonest. Regarding prices, inflation has made everything go up so I would expect their prices to increase as well in a year.

[@pavolkocis7456]

Hi one question. Is there any taxi in playa del carmen which can take more than 4 people? We are coming to playa del carmen at the end of this month and it is 5 of us.

[@TobyNomad]

Hi thanks for your question. Are you talking about from the airport to Playa del Carmen or once you’re here? I’m not actually sure once you’re here but I might ask Radio Taxi. For getting from the airport there definitely are services that will bring you all here probably for $60-$80 dollars.

[@pavolkocis7456]

@@TobyNomad Hi once we'll be in playa del carmen.

[@kapitankurek]

Hey there! I'm making an informative vlog about traveling around yhr Yucatan Peninsula and I need a shot of colectivo bus. Would you mind if I used one from your video?

[@TobyNomad]

No I don’t care, mention me in your video of possible I have new Yucatán series coming out next month too! Best of luck!

[@marvinp321]

@@TobyNomad will do! Thanks a ton!

[@AyyeYeee]

Do you pay radio taxi on the app? Or do you have to pay in pesos?

[@TobyNomad]

You pay in pesos/cash. But they will also take dollars.

[@eliseosalcedo3099]

What are the options from Cancún to Playa?

[@TobyNomad]

We took the “Playa Express” which is a small air conditioned shuttle that is only a few dollars and you get it by flagging it down right off the highway where it meets Av CTM. I think you can also catch it at the supermarket on the highway closer to Playacar development. You can ask locals there where to catch the Playa Express to Cancun. Or you can watch how we do it in the next video where we also go to Cancun from Playa. Another option is to just go to the ADO bus station (there are two in Playa I like the once NOT on 5th avenue better), and from there you can also get to Cancun downtown OR Cancun airport for between $8-13 USD. Also air conditioned. The very cheapest option would be to catch a colectivo parallel to the highway and that may or may not be air conditioned, will be more crammed, and will be even cheaper.

[@heartandsoul4520]

How do you pay for the taxi! Pesos? Or through the app?

[@TobyNomad]

Pesos

[@natedogg1975]

Radio taxi was not a succes. Driver said that the price on the app was not right and we had to pay almost the double. I speak Spanish. He said the price on the app is only for locals.

[@TobyNomad]

Wow! That’s the second negative comment about them I’ve gotten this year! Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like they have lost their integrity! I would have paid him the actual price quoted and walked away. Unless you had them pick you up near 5th (in that case they used to not even come so they will charge more). Do you mind telling us where you took it to and from and how much you were quoted and what the actual price was that he wanted?

[@natedogg1975]

It was from Walmart centro to Playacar. I contacted the customer service and said they would look into it and I’m still waiting. App quoted 110 and we had to pay 190.

[@sonaliperera]

Is this an ad for radio taxi?

[@TobyNomad]

Haha! I WISH I got paid by them or anyone haha! But I can see how you would think that, ads can be very savvy these days. Have you tried it? Does it still work well? I’m all about transparency and passing on my secrets! That’s it! Never gonna promote something I don’t like myself. Thanks for watching!!

[@sonaliperera]

@@TobyNomad thanks I just wanted to double check ✔️

[@FitoDpYmAchadoPadron]

Radio Taxi ain’t working anymore ???

[@TobyNomad]

That’s what I heard, sadly. Supposedly Uber is coming but right now looks like it’s only inn Cancun.

[@Doctry360]

Still here bro?

[@TobyNomad]

Hi! Hey who is this? If we met message me on Insta

[@drakesakura8718]

You’ve missed scooter rental. It’s really the best way.

[@TobyNomad]

I skipped it on purpose. Way too dangerous. Best way to get killed or injured in a traffic collision and also rental is even worse than buying your own in Mexico because they don’t properly maintain the scooters. Check the stories out there, brakes that falter, other mechanic issues. You’re trusting your life with a company with no oversight and only looking to make a buck. Not to mention the very possible theft of the scooter and always having to worry about that. Consider yourself lucky if you rented a scooter and had no issues above. Stay safe and thanks for your comment!

[@homerbyrd1555]

𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙢 😡

[@TobyNomad]

Promosm?

[@vibinvo]

FYI - Radio Taxi no longer operates in PDC 😢

[@TobyNomad]

Thank you for the update!! I wish there was someway to change the video to reflect that, but I don’t think KZbin allows that, and whatever happened with Uber, can you get Uber now there or has that not been established yet?

[@vibinvo]

@@TobyNomad the Uber app loads and officially it can operate in PDC but the app never shows a single driver anywhere. I tried everyday for 7 days at various times.

[@527ctguy]

Radio taxi does not work

[@TobyNomad]

Thanks for that update. Is this for sure? And did I see in the news there is now Uber?? Have you tried it?

[@527ctguy]

No Uber but app requires a texted code and code never comes 😢

[@Real1Tv]

Rent a car

[@TobyNomad]

Renting a car isn’t a good idea for getting around Playa del Carmen. Parking is hard to find, theft is common, companies are tricky, accidents and corrupt police can cause problems, better and cheaper to use these 4. Imho.

[@Real1Tv]

@@TobyNomad i do it all the time and have no issue once upon a time i got a boot put on but i payed it at the oxxo n they came to take it off. I learnt after but still never had an issie i find it cheaper than taxiing around spcially if u gonna move around also gives u the freedom for day trips. If u stayin at an all inclusive and are not gonna venture out then u dont need to rent a car .

[@jacquiegaumont1764]

Cant walk?cant bike

[@TobyNomad]

Did you watch the video, love? Both of those options are highlighted with the pros and pitfalls of each.

[@andresmantilla5923]

Hey. Do you have instagram or Snapchat? Best regards

[@TobyNomad]

Sure do have Instagram, brotha! It’s Tobiasthenomad :). But my KZbin is more developed so far :)