Bag Drag Question

[blue steal]

Looks like we will be flying into Cancun instead of Cozumel on our next trip.
Price difference was $294, so doing the bag drag seems to be the way to go.
I think I have it down on getting from Cancun airport to Playa Del Carmen.
Arriving Cancun at 4:30pm, get thru customs and immigration, buy ticket and get on the ADO bus to playa, then use a bicyclist porter to haul all our gear to the ferry, and catching the next one to Cozumel.
Hopefully arrive in Cozumel around 7:30pm.
So my question is for going from Cozumel back to Cancun.
Flight is at 5:00pm.
What time should I take the ferry out of Cozumel to give us plenty of time for that flight.
I have heard that sometimes buses are full and may have to wait for the next one.
Also heard you should buy the ticket online ahead of time, but the ADO site is in Spanish and they say not many folks ever buy tickets that way.
Would like to arrive at the airport with enough time to have an early dinner. (Heard they now have decent eats at the airport).
Anyone have any tips, suggestions, and advice?
Thanks all.

PS: Money saved on the flights is going to more dives, better tequila, and good eating.

 

[mediumone]

What day of the week will you be returning?

 

[mediumone]

After looking at the ADO schedule, I'd recommend that you be at the ferry terminal at noon. You'll have plenty of time to poke around, shop in the duty free store, and have a leisurely dinner, and if the line to check in is long, you won't be having a litter like I usually do.

If it were me, I'd take the 1:00 ferry over, and grab a terribly overpriced burger at Johnny Rockets after buying a couple bottles in the duty free store - but it doesn't take me long to grab a couple bottles of Stoli.

 

[nwflyboy]

Did this last wednesday. Took the 12:00 noon ferry (ferry actually pulled out around 12:10), arrived in Playa del Carmen around 12:50ish. Walked across the square to the ADO bus station. Bought a ticket for the next bus, IIRC departure around 1:15ish. Our bus hit some bumper-to-bumper traffic and took quite a bit longer than expected, but it all worked out perfectly for our 5:30 flight. I'd do it again the same way next time.

(Decent eats at the airport? I didn't notice any that looked all that good...).

 

[Streydog]

The food at the Cancun airport seems even higher priced than most airports, I think I paid around $9 for a slice of pizza last time. What I have done the last couple times is get to Playa early, buy a bus ticket that leaves around 3 hours out from my flight, then either find a place to eat or sit in the square and people watch.
The bus station to the ferry is down hill, unless you have just a ton of luggage it is a pretty easy walk.

 

[gopbroek]

I know I have seen an ADO sign in San Miguel, but I can not remember where. Some old posts said there was a ticket office on Calle 5 and 10th Ave but I don't think that's where I saw it. I texted Pony and asked him, perhaps he will know or I can look around for it next weekend. If not the mid day buses from Playa to the airport leave about every 30 minutes and are currently running 178 Pesos. There really should not be a problem getting a bus. As a backup plan B there are cab's, last year Steve and I were headed to the airport and grabbed a cab (flagged from the street, not a stand) and it ran 600 MXN. Plan C would be a pre arrainged Van I recently got a quote from a Van guy for 700 MXN
If you use Chrome browser to view the ADO site it does a pretty decent auto translation to English. The station by the pier is listed as Turistica, note that most buses from the 'Alterna' station (8 blocks away by Walmart) leave 10 minutes after the 'Turistca' bus, this is because it's the same bus which starts at Turistica, then on to Alternative and usually does a quick stop in Puerta Morelos enroute. Note: due to the rising price of gas and inflation in general these prices will all likely increase by May.

late edit: Pony replied that it is on calle 2 mid block between 5 &10 across from the Taxi union dispatch office /stand. Which explain why I had a vague remembrance, its where I go to catch a cab after Mateo's or the Pub.

 

[Harro10]

I do not know if this is up to date but this comes up on Google maps:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/A...xd284f0ba4a811b9!8m2!3d20.510959!4d-86.947604

 

[blue steal]

What day of the week will you be returning?

We are leaving Cozumel on a Thursday.

 

[Lorenzoid]

The food at the Cancun airport seems even higher priced than most airports, I think I paid around $9 for a slice of pizza last time. What I have done the last couple times is get to Playa early, buy a bus ticket that leaves around 3 hours out from my flight, then either find a place to eat or sit in the square and people watch.
The bus station to the ferry is down hill, unless you have just a ton of luggage it is a pretty easy walk.

You bet. The last time we did the bag drag, we got off the bus in Playa and walked with our rollerbags a couple of blocks--not toward the ferry--and found a little place with a sit-down plate lunch of whatever was today's special (I guess they would call it comida del dia) for the equivalent of like 3 USD. A drink was probably another buck.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

My wife and I just did this trip. We took a cab from PDC to the airport and it was only $40 for the two of us. The taxi stand on the pier said they would do it for $100, we said no thanks. When we reached the square just outside of the ticket offices another driver was standing there asking if anyone needed a taxi. $40 was cheap, and I felt it was well worth not having to wait for the bus. Btw, his name was Marco, and he said he works there every day. Nice guy.