Planning a day trip to Teotihuacán from Mexico City? Great idea! I saw a lot of ancient ruins during my holiday in Mexico and the ones in Teotihuacán were some of my favourites. It’s a very easy day trip from Mexico City, via car, public bus or private transfer. In this post I’ll share some key facts about Teotihuacán (pronounced Tay-oh-tee-wah-KAHN), and all the practical information you need for your day trip.
Let’s start with a brief history lesson. Located 30 miles (48.5kms) outside of Mexico City, Teotihuacán is a large archaeological complex settled around 400 BCE. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987. Very little is known about its origin and the people who lived there, although historians estimate that between 150,000-200,000 Teotihuacanos lived there. At the time it was one of the largest cities in the world. The Teotihuacanos clearly put a lot of thought into their city, using a strict geometric grid design for all their pyramids and monuments, which perfectly align with the constellation Orion’s Belt. Mysteriously, no one knows why the city began to decline and was eventually abandoned around 550-600 AD. The Aztecs later discovered the ruins in the 1400s and named the site Teotihuacán, meaning “the place where the gods were born”.
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What to See in Teotihuacán
In the complex, you can find several extremely impressive pyramids, along with plazas, temples, and palaces of nobles and priests. There’s the Pyramid of the Sun temple, the third largest pyramid in the world. You can also find the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, which have beautifully preserved frescoes, intricate details and carvings. All the pyramids can be easily reached via the Avenue of the Dead, a straight 1.5-mile-long pathway which runs down the middle of the city.
To fully appreciate what you are seeing, it is helpful to have a guide. You can hire a guide on arrival at the complex entrance, or use a free app called SmartGuide like we did. This app uses GPS to tell you about the structures as you stand near them – very clever!
How to Get to Teotihuacán
Teotihuacán can be easily reached by bus from Mexico City’s Autobuses del Norte bus station. Once you enter the bus station, look for the ticket office with a “Piramides” sign. You can buy a return bus ticket there. The journey takes around one hour (traffic depending) and costs 120 MXN return per person.
We had no issues with the bus, though it was quite busy on the way back (we had to sit on the steps by the driver!). If you don’t want to use public transport, you could hire a taxi to take you there, wait for you and bring you back to Mexico City. Alternatively private tour companies do daily tours to Teotihuacán, picking you up and dropping you off in the city centre.
Ticket Prices and Opening Times
Ticket Price: $90 MXN (concessions available).
Opening times: Open 365 days a year, 9 am to 5 pm. Sundays are the busiest day as Mexican nationals and residents have free entry.
This day trip will take around 6 hours or so, so it’s best to arrive at 9AM for opening to avoid the crowds and the heat. The complex is really large and exposed, with very few trees. Wear a hat, keep your skin covered (especially your chest and shoulders) and apply sunscreen regularly. The sun in Mexico is really intense! Wear comfortable shoes and bring water with you, although you can buy food and drinks at the cafe at the entrance. There is also a popular restaurant nearby called La Gruta which is built into a cave.
For something extra special, consider doing a hot air balloon flight over Teotihuacan, where you can enjoy incredible views over the archeological site. It is one of the most popular (and easiest!) day trips from Mexico City as transport and food is included. You will be picked up from your Mexico City accommodation, have time to explore the ruins on foot after the balloon ride then driven back to Mexico City.
Planning on spending some time in Mexico City before or after the Teotihuacán pyramids? Check out my suggested Ultimate 3 Days in Mexico City Itinerary and Mexico City Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors so you have everything you need to enjoy the vibrant capital city.
I hope this answers any questions you may have about visiting the Teotihuacán pyramids. If you have any more questions, please leave them in the comments below.
Ciao for now
Izzie, the Curious Sparrow