Mexico City Airport (AICM) to the City: Metro, Metrobús, Uber, Taxi

Last updated October 22, 2026 · First published October 29, 2026 · By Mexico Travel Atlas Editorial Team

For most travelers the best way from Mexico City’s airport (AICM, officially Benito Juárez International) to the center is a ride-hail app or, if you prefer a fixed price, a prepaid authorized taxi. If you are on a budget and not carrying much, the Metrobús Line 4 airport service costs just 30 MXN per person and drops you in the Centro Histórico and on Reforma. The Metro is cheaper still but rarely worth it with luggage. This guide compares the options with current prices and tells you where to stand, what to avoid, and when the answer changes.

All prices are as of October 2026 from the sources named below, and they move. Check anything you are budgeting around before you go.

The options compared

Times are estimates and traffic is the wildcard. Mexico City traffic is heaviest on weekday mornings and late afternoons, and rain can slow everything down further. Open a map app before you commit to a mode.

Metrobús Line 4: the cheap, direct bus

Mexico City added a Metrobús airport service on Line 4 in 2026 (the route is branded “Ruta Quetzalcóatl”). According to Infobae’s July 2026 report, which cites Metrobús CDMX, the fare to the airport is 30 MXN per person instead of the usual 6 MXN on other lines, and the service runs every day of the year. Hours are 04:30 to midnight Monday through Saturday and 05:00 to midnight on Sundays and holidays.

The airport route stops at San Lázaro, Pino Suárez, 20 de Noviembre, Juárez, Amajac, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. At the airport the bus stops at Terminal 1 at gate 7 and at Terminal 2 at gate 2. Look for a bus signed “Aeropuerto T1 y T2” if you board at San Lázaro, or “Amajac” if you board on Reforma or in the Centro Histórico. You pay with the Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada (the city’s transit card), and the same report says contactless payment is also accepted. Confirm at the station before you plan around that.

Who it suits: one or two travelers with backpacks or a carry-on, heading to a hotel near Reforma, Juárez or the Zócalo, who are happy to ride a bus. Who it does not suit: anyone with a large suitcase, young children, or a late-night arrival. Buses can be crowded, and you will still need a short ride at the other end if your hotel is not on the route.

Metro Line 5: cheapest, with caveats

The Terminal Aérea station on Metro Line 5 sits beside Terminal 1. A single Metro ride costs 5 MXN (plus roughly 15 MXN for the reusable card, based on the city’s metro information), which makes it by far the cheapest way into town. It works if you have one small bag and arrive in daylight. The catch is stairs and crowds: stations here are not built for rolling luggage, and rush-hour trains are packed.

From Terminal 2, the airport’s own page lists a bus to the Hangares Metro station for 6 MXN. If you land at Terminal 2 and still want the Metro, that is the link. In that case the Metrobús or an app ride is usually easier. See our Mexico City first-timer’s guide for how the Metro fits into your trip once you are settled in.

Uber and DiDi from the airport

Ride-hailing apps work at AICM, and they are usually the cheapest door-to-door option. Uber’s own airport page says the app is available around the clock and shows an average UberX fare of MX$197 from the airport to Mexico City over the last month (an average, not a fixed price). A UnoTV report from April 2026 put app rides at about 187 to 190 MXN to the Centro Histórico and 200 to 300 MXN to Roma, Condesa or Polanco, against 360 to 490 MXN for authorized taxis.

The detail to know is that pickup is not at the arrivals curb. In March 2026, Proceso reported that app pickups sit just outside the airport perimeter: for Terminal 1, on Circuito Interior at Boulevard Puerto Aéreo near the Metro station, and for Terminal 2, on Avenida Fuerza Aérea Mexicana. In May 2026 the airport talked about dedicated bays inside the airport and then dropped a parking plan after taxi drivers objected. In other words, the arrangement is still changing. The practical advice:

1. Connect to airport Wi-Fi or turn on your eSIM (see our Mexico eSIM and SIM card guide).
2. Request the ride after you clear customs and have your bags, and read the in-app pickup instructions before walking.
3. Check the plate and driver name before you get in, and share your trip.
4. If you cannot find the pin or the walk looks unclear, ask an airport staff member or use an authorized taxi instead.

Uber also offers Uber Reserve, which lets you book up to 90 days ahead and tracks your flight, which is handy for very early or very late arrivals. Our Mexico safety guide has more on using apps rather than hailing street taxis.

Authorized airport taxis

AICM lists authorized taxi operators on its website, including Sitio 300, Yellow Cab and TaxiRide, and you buy the ride at a booth inside the terminal before walking to the rank. Each operator sets its own price by zone. UnoTV’s April 2026 report quoted prices of 360 MXN to the Centro Histórico, 400 to Roma Norte, 450 to Condesa and 490 for a sedan or 720 for a van to Polanco. That is roughly double an app ride, which is the price of a fixed fare, no pickup hunt and a car waiting at the curb.

When a taxi is the right call: arriving late at night, traveling with a group or lots of luggage, or if you simply do not have data. When it is not: if you are going far out, since fares rise with distance. Use the official booth or an app, and skip freelancers who approach you inside the terminal. One traveler quoted in UnoTV’s report said they had been charged 1,100 MXN for a ride from a vehicle outside the official system.

Terminal 1 vs Terminal 2

AICM has two terminals, and which one you land at changes your options a little. Terminal 1 is the one beside the Terminal Aérea Metro station and the Circuito Interior pickup street. Terminal 2 is farther out. The airport’s page for connections between terminals lists a bus between the two terminals for 16 MXN per person (free Aerotrén for connecting passengers with a boarding pass), and a 6 MXN bus from Terminal 2 to the Hangares Metro station. If you are flying out, make sure you know which terminal your airline uses before you set off.

What if you are flying into AIFA?

Some budget flights now land at Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), north of the city. AIFA’s website lists the Tren Felipe Ángeles, which links the airport with Buenavista station in Mexico City for 110 MXN, taking around 60 minutes at the start with a target of 43 minutes later. Service is Monday to Friday 05:00 to 00:00, Saturday 06:00 to 00:00 and Sundays and holidays 07:00 to 00:00, and you pay with the Movilidad Integrada card. From Buenavista you can switch to the Metro, Metrobús or an app ride. Prices are described by AIFA as subject to change.

A few habits that save money and stress

• Fix the price before the door closes. With a taxi, confirm the amount at the booth and keep the receipt; with an app, check the fare estimate and the destination pin before you confirm.
• Carry some pesos. Cash is useful for transit cards, tips and small purchases. Our money guide explains ATMs and fees.
• Know your hotel’s exact address and neighborhood. Roma Norte and Roma Sur, or Condesa and Hipódromo, are different pins, and a wrong one costs time.
• Plan the return, too. To get to the airport for an international flight, build in time for traffic, and check which terminal your airline uses.

Which should you pick?

• First trip, tired, one hotel to reach: an app ride, or a prepaid authorized taxi if you want to avoid hunting for the pickup pin.
• Solo, light bags, daytime, tight budget: Metrobús Line 4 at 30 MXN.
• Cheapest possible, comfortable with crowds: the Metro at 5 MXN.
• Landing between about 23:00 and 05:00: an authorized taxi or a pre-booked Uber Reserve, as bus and Metro hours do not cover the whole night.

Once you are in the city, our Mexico City museums guide and Teotihuacán day trip guide cover what to do next. Before you land, review the entry requirements guide so the immigration desk goes smoothly, and the official AICM site for terminal information.