Taking a premium bus is often the cheapest and most direct way to get to concerts, carnivals and cultural festivals in Mexico. For those looking to maximize a “Puente” (a long weekend) or coming from overseas on a visit to coincide with one of the many world-famous festivals, buses are surprisingly frequent and convenient.
The only question remaining is, how to get to the best cultural festivals and events in Mexico? Here is a full calendar, including the connecting bus routes to get there and useful advice for booking ahead.
This is a hugely popular long weekend destination for Mexicans. Evening celebrations start on September 15 and the official national holiday takes place the following day, September 16. Mayors, governors and the President of Mexico will usually lead the “Grito” ceremony commemorating the call to fight for independence originally delivered in 1810 by the priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla. This is followed by spectacular fireworks displays and crowds shouting “¡Viva México!” Large military and civic parades take place on September 16 causing some main avenues and streets to be closed to traffic during the processions.
Food lovers will know that this holiday is also the peak of the Chiles en Nogada season. This dish combines poblano chiles stuffed with picadillo with a walnut based cream sauce and pomegranate seeds. The result, aside from the complex flavors, is a display of the colors of the Mexican flag; green, white and red.
Best destinations with direct bus links from major cities and hubs: | Mexico City (the Zócalo) Dolores Hidalgo Cuna de la Independencia) (the Cradle of Independence) |
When | September 15 and 16 every year |
Frequently used bus routes | Mexico City to Dolores Hidalgo (Guanajuato) |
Booking advice and timescales | Demand for travel builds from the afternoon of September 14 as people leave major cities for colonial towns and beach resorts. Book at least 2 weeks in advance to make sure you arrive with plenty of time to watch the evening celebrations. See our guide to finding cheap bus tickets for more on booking ahead. |
Remember James Bond’s Day of the Dead scene? Thankfully, the film’s plot has nothing to do with reality, but the scenes of the celebrations are grounded in reality and Mexico City’s parade is spectacular to watch. Perhaps Disney’s animated Coco is more up your street! Either way, today’s parades are hugely popular draw with spectators exceeding one million with the route taking in the Paseo de la Reforma and the Zócalo Centro Historico. See our guide to Mexico City by Bus for more on Mexico City.
Dia de los Muertos is celebrated across the country, not just the capital. Events take place in all the major towns and cities, with notable traditions and day long parties in San Luis Potosi’s town square, decorated altars (skulls, flowers) and food and drink in Oaxaca and nearly a week of celebrations in Aguascalientes, where floats and revelers make up the “Legends of Mexico” skeleton parade. Foodies who are also lovers of the Caribbean beaches and jungles of Yucatán (Cancún, Tulum and Playa del Carmen will want to try “pib”, which is a traditional pork or chicken dish mixed with spices and corn dough. Before being buried in a fire pit to cook, the mixture is wrapped in banana leaves to add more complexity to the flavours.
Best destinations with direct bus links from major cities and hubs | |
When | October 31 to November 2 (yearly) |
Frequently used bus routes | |
Booking timescales | Demand for all travel, including buses, peaks during this week. We recommend booking at least 3 weeks in advance to ensure seat availability and for the best chance of finding cheap fares. See our guide to finding cheap bus tickets for more on booking ahead. |
This is another very popular weekend for travel, for families returning home or heading to larger cities. Cross border travel between the southern USA and Mexico sees notable increases in demand compared to other weekends.
Best destinations with direct bus links from major cities and hubs | |
When | Mid November, yearly, and at the same time as the Mexican Revolution Holiday weekend. |
Frequently used bus routes | |
Booking timescales | Book at least 3 weeks in advance to get the best fares on the most popular travel days; leaving it later means that you risk some operators being full for some trips on high demand routes with direct bus links. See our guide to finding cheap bus tickets for more on booking ahead. |
The holiday season sees the highest travel demand of the year within Mexico and cross border with the USA. With so many people returning home or just visiting relatives and friends over Christmas, the volume of travelers is higher than at any other time. The unwritten rule is to book as early as possible and as soon as you have firmed up plans with those you are going to see.
Best destinations with direct bus links from major cities and hubs | Every city and large town in Mexico. |
When | 16 to 24 December with the Christmas season continuing to 06 January. |
Frequently used bus routes | Houston and San Antonio (Texas) to Monterrey. |
Booking timescales | Ideally, book tickets 3 months in advance. If you leave it late, you risk traveling at times that are not convenient for you, missing out on valuable time at your destination and also paying a premium. Operators will put on additional capacity where and when they can, but most do not have extra buses or coaches that they keep back just for the Christmas peak, so prices tend to increase until all seats are sold on the highest demand routes. See our guide to finding cheap bus tickets for more on booking ahead. |
While overall demand is not as high as the Christmas season, millions of travellers take to the roads and skies. Some coastal bus routes sell out entirely weeks in advance.
Best destinations with direct bus links from major cities and hubs | Beach destinations including Acapulco, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cancún. Colonial towns such as Taxco, San Miguel de Allende. |
When | Late March or Early April (exact dates change every year) |
Frequently used bus routes | |
Booking timescales | Book tickets and accommodation at least 4 to 6 weeks in advance, or much early if you are able to firm up plans early. Peak times for bookings are immediately after the Christmas season, so if you really want to get ahead and secure the best deals and seats on the most convenient buses, start researching before the end of the Christmas holidays. See our guide to finding cheap bus tickets for more on booking ahead. |
This massive summer event sees visitors from within Mexico and international travelers heading to Aguascalientes. Considered one of the country’s most important fairs, it offers several weeks of concerts, shows, cultural activities, gastronomy and entertainment. During the fair, much of the city is transformed to welcome the millions of visitors.
Best destinations with direct bus links from major cities and hubs | |
When | Between April and May every year, with exact dates changing each year. |
Frequently used bus routes | |
Booking timescales | Hotels and accommodation do fill up, while bus terminals and hubs in other towns and cities have large spikes in demand at weekends. Book 2 to 3 weeks in advance, especially if traveling from cities like Guadalajara and León. See our guide to finding cheap bus tickets for more on booking ahead. |
This is the “crown jewel” of festivals being, Oaxaca’s biggest cultural event of the year and attracting both domestic and international tourists.
Best destinations with direct bus links from major cities and hubs | |
When | The two Mondays following 16 July every year. The exact dates change each year. |
Frequently used bus routes | |
Booking timescales | Peak weekend bus routes are likely to be sold out 1 week before and for those that are not, finding group seating is highly unlikely. Book a month in advance of the time that you wish to attend to get the best seats; premium, executive services tend to sell out fast, so booking a month ahead is important if you want to travel in a little style. For those on more of a budget, you’ll still find a good selection of seats around 2 weeks out, but any closer and the last remaining seats might not suit your plans. If in doubt, stick to booking at least 30 days / 1 month before you wish to travel for this event. See our guide to finding cheap bus tickets for more on booking ahead. |
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