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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacán
Go as a day trip from Mexico City: leave at 07:00, be inside at 08:00, done by 13:00. Sleep out here only if you want the 05:00 balloon flight.
Teotihuacan is the largest city of pre-Columbian America, 50 km northeast of Mexico City at 2,300 m. The ceremonial core — Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon, Temple of Quetzalcoatl, the 2 km Avenue of the Dead — takes 2–3 hours on foot. Almost everyone visits on a half-day trip; the site is a UNESCO listing and the reason most travellers come to Mexico State at all.
- Country
- Mexico
- Local name
- Teotihuacán
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry, clear mornings)
- Avoid
- May–Sep (rain most afternoons), Easter week and 1–2 Nov (crowds)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget M$400–700 excl. bed · Mid M$700–1,300 excl. bed · High M$1,300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 911 · Tourist assistance 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Site entry (foreign adult / Mexican citizen or resident with ID) | M$210 / M$105 |
| Bus from Mexico City, one way | M$81 |
| Half-day tour from Mexico City | from about M$700 |
| Coffee or fresh orange juice near the gates | M$30–60 |
| Plate of tacos or a torta in San Juan Teotihuacán | M$80–150 |
| Beer at a perimeter vendor | M$40–70 |
| Obsidian souvenir | M$50–500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MEX · Mexico City Benito Juárez
- About 1 h 15 min to the site by car via the toll highway; buses run from Terminal del Norte, not the airport.
- NLU · Felipe Ángeles (Santa Lucía)
- Closer to the site on the north side of the valley; check current transfer options.
Typical fares
- Terminal del Norte → Teotihuacán ruins
- M$81, about 1 h (check)
- Site entry
- M$210 foreign adult, M$105 with Mexican ID
- Taxi San Juan Teotihuacán → Puerta 2
- M$60–120 (check)
Get around
No transport inside the park: the Avenue of the Dead alone is 2 km, plus the walk back to your gate. Bring water and a hat; shade is limited at midday. Outside, taxis are cheap but scarce and rideshare coverage is patchy — fix a return time with your driver or note the last bus.No transport inside the park: the Avenue of the Dead alone is 1.2 mi, plus the walk back to your gate. Bring water and a hat; shade is limited at midday. Outside, taxis are cheap but scarce and rideshare coverage is patchy — fix a return time with your driver or note the last bus.
See and do
Known for
- Pyramid of the Sun
- Pyramid of the Moon
- Avenue of the Dead
- Temple of Quetzalcoatl
- Obsidian workshops
- Hot-air balloon flights
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico City | Autobuses Teotihuacán from the site gates or San Martín to Terminal del Norte, then Metro Line 5 | 1.5–2 h |
| Otumba | Local bus or taxi from San Juan Teotihuacán | About 45 min |
| Toluca | Back to Mexico City, then a toll-road bus west | 3–4 h |
Sleep
- San Juan Teotihuacán
- Town at the northwest gate: groceries, bakeries, cheap rooms, buses to Mexico City.
- San Martín de las Pirámides
- South side, walkable to Puerta 1; the Autobuses Teotihuacán station is here.
- West perimeter road
- Hotels and homestays facing the park; easiest side to reach by bus, but you still walk to a gate.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| Where is the bus stop? | ¿Dónde está la parada del camión?DON-deh es-TAH la pa-RA-da del ka-MYON |
| One ticket, please | Un boleto, por favoroon bo-LEH-toh por fa-VOR |
| What time is the last bus? | ¿A qué hora sale el último camión?a keh O-ra SA-leh el OOL-tee-mo ka-MYON |
| I don't want a guide, thank you | No quiero guía, graciasno KYEH-ro GEE-a GRA-syas |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-do pa-GAR kon tar-HEH-ta |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- A violent security incident occurred inside the Archaeological Zone in April 2026; the park reopened with extra security and access restrictions. Check the INAH site before you go.
- Climbing is not guaranteed: the Pyramid of the Sun was closed in Jan 2026, and the Moon pyramid was open only to the first platform. Long maintenance closures are common.
- Group tours arrive from about 09:30; the cheapest tours detour through gift shops and land you at the busiest hour.
- Vendors sell 'silver' and obsidian around every gate — compare quality and price before buying.
- Altitude is 2,300 m: take the first hour slowly.
The site itself is a normal tourist visit by day; the April 2026 incident inside the zone means you should check current restrictions. Outside the gates, use the toll highway after dark and don't walk the perimeter road alone at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Teotihuacan yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Pyramid of the Sun
- Pyramid of the Moon
- Avenue of the Dead
- Temple of Quetzalcoatl
- Obsidian workshops
- Hot-air balloon flights
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- INAH — Zona Arqueológica de Teotihuacan: www.inah.gob.mx/zonas/23-zona-arqueologica-de-teotihuacan
- INAH — reopening announcement, April 2026: www.inah.gob.mx/boletines/la-zona-arqueologica-de-teotihuacan-reabrira-al-publico-este-miercoles-22-de-abril
- Villas Teotihuacan Hotel SPA: www.villasteo.com/
- Wikivoyage: Teotihuacan, revision 5265715 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5265715
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
TeotihuacanTeotihuacán
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies here; they are in Mexico City. US citizens: check the US Embassy in Mexico City for consular help.
Entry is M$210 for foreign adults; bring ID if you hold Mexican citizenship or residency for the M$105 rate.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/teotihuacan). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.