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The ancient city and pyramids of Teotihuacan is the most popular day trip from Mexico City and a can’t miss attraction for most travelers. Walking through this UNESCO World Heritage Site is like traveling back in time. It’s just 30 miles northeast of the capital and is an awesome day trip to combine with the rest of your stay.
While you can definitely take a tour — there are tons of them — visiting on your own is easy, saves you money, allows you to choose your own schedule, and customize it to your interests. By skipping Teotihuacan tours, we also avoided crowds and skipped over souvenir stops.
In this article, I’ll share how to get there and back on your own plus a bit of Teotihuacan’s history, what to see on site (hint: it’s not just the pyramids!), how to schedule your day, what to eat, and how much to budget for your day.
Update as of November 2022: Visiting Teotihuacan is not the same as it once was. Climbing up the temples is currently prohibited in order to better protect them. If climbing a pyramid is a must-do for you, consider an alternate day trip from Mexican City to Tepoztlan and climb that temple instead. Or, for a bird’s eye view of Teotihuacan, consider a hot air balloon ride which is operating as usual.
- How to Get to Teotihuacan by Public Transportation
- Teotihuacan Hours and Admission
- What to See and How to Visit Teotihuacan Without a Guide
- Where to Eat Lunch Near Teotihuacan
- Returning by Bus to Mexico City
- Visiting Teotihuacan at Night
- What to Bring With You to Teotihuacan
- How to Spend One Day at the Teotihuacan Archaeological Zone
- More Info to Plan Your Mexico Trip
How to Get to Teotihuacan by Public Transportation
There are three main ways to get to Teotihuacan: by public bus, Uber, or guided tour. The bus is obviously the cheapest option, costing 106 pesos round-trip per person. It’s also comfortable and easy but takes longer than driving directly.
To take the bus to Teotihuacan, you’ll need to take the Mexico City metro to the Autobuses del Norte station (line 5).
From the Autobuses del Norte metro stop, follow the signs out of the metro station and across the street to the actual bus station.
Inside the station, head all the way toward the left, to Puerta 8.
Here, you’ll find a window selling tickets to “Pyramides” (referring to the Mexico City pyramids) or “Zona Arqueologico”.
The first bus to Teotihuacan departs at 6am with more departures about every 20 minutes thereafter until 2pm. I recommend catching an 8am bus — you’ll arrive just in time for the site to open and avoid midday crowds.
Depending on traffic, the ride is about 1 hour each way. Your outbound ticket will be for a specific, timed departure so don’t miss your bus. Your return ticket is not for a scheduled time, so you can take any bus back to the city when you’re done.
The round-trip ticket costs 102 pesos per person, or about US$6 as of October 2022. Bathrooms are available in the station for 6 pesos and there is fast food and luggage storage (30 pesos/bag) also.
Uber is more convenient, but more expensive. It’s hard to provide an exact cost, since it will depend on where you’re staying in the city, whether your car takes the toll road, and how much traffic there is at that exact time (Uber surge pricing is very common in Mexico City). From my Condesa hotel to Gate 2 of Teotihuacan, I was quoted 1175 pesos one-way (absurd!) but only 400 pesos on the way back.
Teotihuacan Hours and Admission
Buses will drop you off at Puerta 1 at Teotihuacan, where you can buy entrance tickets. As of February 2023, the entrance fee was 85 pesos and includes entry into the museum. There is an additional charge if you wish to record videos.
If you want to hire a guide (optional), there are several licensed guides near the entrance. Private guides cost about 850 pesos for a 1.5 hour tour of Sun & Moon Pyramids or 1500 pesos for a 2.5 hour tour that includes more. Expect to haggle based on length of tour, language, size of group, and the guide’s knowledge. For a free option, you can read through the Wikipedia guide before you go.
Currently, the park is open daily from 8am to 5pm. It is busiest on Sundays (when Mexicans get in free) and Mondays (when many city museums are closed). If you can, go on a Tuesday through Saturday and arrive right at 9am. This is the #1 most visited attraction in all of Mexico, so it gets crowded!
What to See and How to Visit Teotihuacan Without a Guide
To avoid crowds, I recommend arriving before 10am to have some breathing room before hoards of Teotihuacan tours arrive. Most visitors need about four hours to see the highlights; history buffs should plan on staying all day for a more in-depth look. The ancient city was arranged in a grid that still makes navigating today, but it covers about eight square miles so it’ll take you some time to see it all!
You’ll want to sightsee the Temple of the Sun first when it’s least busy. Then head down the spookily named Calle de los Muertos, or Avenue of the Dead which routes through the city center. It passes by numerous minor temples and other sites, eventually reaching the Pyramid of the Moon. Afterward, head back to the Palace of Quetzalpapalotl. I recommend saving the museum for last — if you start your visit early in the morning, you’ll hit the indoor museum midday when everything is at it’s hottest.
For the sake of clarity: you should know that Teotihuacan refers to the entire ancient city (and today’s complete archaeological site), although most visitors focus on seeing the two main Mexico City pyramids.
Teotihuacan’s History in a Nutshell
Although civilization at Teotihuacan traces back to 300 BCE, the city was at its peak between roughly 450-550 CE. At that time, it’s population is estimated to be 125,000 (and perhaps as many as 200,000!), making it the largest city in pre-Columbian America and the sixth-largest city in the world. Its influence in Mesoamerica as a civilization is well-documented through artifacts all over Mexico.
Contrary to popular belief, Teotihuacan is not an Aztec site; evidence supports that it was either Nahua, Otomi or Totonac, or perhaps even multi-ethnic.
The exact reason for the fall of Teotihuacan is unknown, but theories include internal unrest and uprisings, outside raiders, and severe drought. Whether or not this was the cause for its entire fall, there is definite evidence of deliberate fires, smashed artwork, and destructive chaos.
Temple of the Sun
Make your first stop the Temple of the Sun so you can climb all 248 steep steps before it gets too hot out (update: this isn’t possible anymore but it still gets busy).
Researchers believe a temple may have once topped the structure, but little is known about its intended purpose. Whatever the case, it was likely used for many rituals, as several masks, bones, figurines, and obsidian artifacts have been found in and around the stones.
This extraordinary monument is not only the largest pyramid in the Americas, but the third largest worldwide.
Pyramid of the Moon
This 150-foot pyramid lies on the northern end of the site and was previously used for both human and animal sacrifices to the gods. There are twelve smaller platforms in front of the pyramid where residents would’ve stood to witness the rituals; standing here gave me a chill.
The Pyramid of the Moon was my favorite part of Teotihuacan, perhaps because you’re looking at the entire site.
Temple of the Feathered Serpent
At first glance, this looks like just another miniature pyramid, but when you get closer you’ll notice numerous carved serpent heads along the eastern side. This one is worth exploring from ground level to see the carvings.
Palace of Quetzalpapalotl
The Palace of Quetzlpapalotl doesn’t look like anywhere else in the city. It has ornately carved pillars, obsidian inlays, beautiful murals, and a gorgeous courtyard. Many of the colors have been preserved; others re-touched.
The palace is located in La Ciudadela, a seventeen acre courtyard that appeared to have housed the city’s ruling elite.
Teotihuacan Museum
The museum is primarily geared toward Spanish speakers and is skippable if you’re short on time.
The Best Teotihuacan Tours
There’s no doubt a guide and group make things easier and give you more historical context during your visit.
If visiting independently sounds like too much work, the best Teotihuacan tours include this early-morning visit with an archaeologist to beat the crowds.
If you’re not an early bird, try “Hidden Teotihuacan“, a small group outing that includes dinner in a local home.
Shopping in Teotihuacan
Tons of vendors sell arts, crafts, trinkets, and other souvenirs both in and out of the official site boundaries. They all have basically the same items, so don’t worry about “missing” something. Since everyone has basically the same products, don’t be afraid to walk away until you get a price you’re happy with.
Please be aware that recent visitors have noted that vendors have been more aggressive lately due to the lack of visitors. You will likely be asked over and over to have a look as their livelihood depends on it.
PRO TIP: Save all your shopping for the end of your visit so you don’t have to carry any new gifts with you as you climb up and down the pyramids.
Where to Eat Lunch Near Teotihuacan
The fact that you can leave the site for lunch and re-enter with your ticket isn’t widely advertised. There are some street food options outside Gate 2 (across from Pyramid of the Sun) and one really unique restaurant outside Gate 5. La Gruta is a restaurant inside a cave, providing an atmosphere different from anywhere I’ve eaten before! The food is average, but the setting is unbeatable.
If you speak Spanish, you can check out the menu ahead of time. It’s not cheap — expect entree prices around US$12 — but it’s not outrageously priced either.
To get there, head behind the Pyramid of the Sun, following signs to the museum. This will lead you to Gate/Puerta 5. Exit through the gate and take a left. Shortly thereafter, take a right onto a side street and you’ll see black signs pointing you down the long driveway to the restaurant. This will take you 5 minutes maximum.
Returning by Bus to Mexico City
When you’re done exploring, exit the ruins at Puerta/Gate 2 and walk through the parking lot to the main road (pickup is also available at Gate 1 & 3). The bus will pick you up at that main intersection, on the far side of the road. You shouldn’t have to wait more than 20 minutes. If you didn’t originally buy a round-trip ticket, you can pay when you board.
The site closes at 5pm but there are buses until 6pm or later. The ride back takes slightly longer due to the routing, but it’s still easy.
The final stop is back at the bus station where you started, or you can get off at Indios Verdes and take the metro from there. Indios Verdes is a busy, overwhelming station so skip it if you’re not used to Latin American travel!
Visiting Teotihuacan at Night
I re-visited Teotihuacan in 2020 to check out the Teotihuacan Nocturno experience, which includes nighttime entry to see the pyramids lit up. It ends with a light and sound show projected on the Pyramid of the Sun. It’s an entirely different experience (and requires separate admission to a daytime visit) but it can be a great supplement or even substitution.
If that sounds interesting to you, check out my full review of Teotihuacan at night.
Do you need a hotel in Mexico City?
I don’t recommend staying by Teotihuacan — there’s nothing there, except the site itself. Instead, check out my Mexico City neighborhood guide and hotel recommendations (opens in a new window).
Have more time? Check out some of the other activities I liked in Mexico City to plan the rest of your trip.
What to Bring With You to Teotihuacan
Good walking shoes: You’ll cover quite a bit of ground as you walk between the Mexico City pyramids (and up and down the steep stairs!). The Avenue of the Dead is two miles long if you walk it in entirety.
Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat: There’s essentially no shade on-site.
Drinking water: Bottled water is sold outside park gates, but I recommend bringing your own reusable bottle and a water filter because it’s better for the environment.
A small day bag: Choose a backpack so you’re hands-free for easier climbing. This is my favorite lightweight backpack. Please keep a close eye on your bag while you’re on the metro; my sister lost her wallet in Mexico City!
How to Spend One Day at the Teotihuacan Archaeological Zone
7am-7:30am Leave Your Hotel: You’ll need time to take the subway or taxi to the bus station. From most hotels, this takes 15-20 minutes.
7:30am-9am: Buy bus tickets when you arrive. Grab a coffee and breakfast to-go at the station, use the restroom if you need to, and board an 8am bus which will take about an hour.
9am-1pm: Visit Teotihuacan, starting with the Pyramid of the Sun before it gets too hot or crowded.
1pm-2:30pm: Have lunch at La Gruta, the cave restaurant.
2:30pm-4pm: Depart on a bus around 2:30pm, which will take about an hour to get back to the station and then another 15-20 minutes back to your hotel.
Teotihuacán is an essential part of ancient Mexico and its heritage and no trip to central Mexico would be complete without seeing this megalithic masterpiece!
More Info to Plan Your Mexico Trip
Hotel Umbral Mexico City Review (Hilton Curio Collection)
How to Visit Teotihuacan Without a Tour
Teotihuacan at Night: Is Experiencia Nocturna Tactful or Tacky?
I Can’t Stop Thinking About This Mexican Sandwich
Climbing Iztaccihuatl & the Rugged Wilderness of Popocatepetl Volcano
Great write up on the ruins but I’ll pass on the bugs :p
@Giddy for Points, Yeah I’m a little crazy!
One thing I didn’t fully appreciate about Teotihuacan was the altitude. I was huffing and puffing my way up the pyramids, and while they were certainly steep, it seemed like I was laboring harder than I would expect. Only upon my return home did I put two and two together and realize that since Mexico City is 7300 feet above sea level, the oxygen levels are reduced by nearly a quarter from what I was used to on the East Coast. Consider yourself warned!
@Voyager9270, Great reminder! I wasn’t personally impacted by the altitude, but I think it helped a lot that I had already spent a few days acclimating. Good reason to put this toward the end of a visit.
Thanks …this is just what I was looking for! Makes it so much easier! 🙂
@Sandy, have a great trip!
This post made me more excited to go! My husband and I only have 3 days in Mexico City but we will sure make time for this. The cave resto looks great too. Thank you so much for this informative post!
@Ira, Hope you love it! It’s a fabulous day trip 🙂
Thanks for a very useful page! We followed your instructions and had a great time. The only suggestion I would make is that the bus back to Mexico City leaves from gate 3, not gate 2.
@Alisa, Thanks for the update – must be a new change since I still have my old ticket (November 2015) and it stated gate 2. Appreciate the heads up!
visited yesterday (4th July 2016).
Bus departs from Puerta 3 and 2.
La Gruta, I don’t recommend the boneless duck.
official tour guide: We haggled a 75 year old Illario down from 650 to 600, but I ended up giving him 650 anyway.
Great website btw.
@Joshua, Thanks for sharing the information. Helps to keep things up to date.
Visited just now August 23, 2017, the ticket says bus from 2 but the guides/employees all say you can catch the bus from either door. It’s one line that makes a circuit around the park. We just caught it at door 3. You might even be able to catch it on the other side at doors 5 and 4. Ask the employees.
Thank you so much Becky for all the great information! We had an amazing time thanks to you!
Great info, though a tour guide might have informed you that Teotihuacan is not an Aztec City :-). The Aztecs just re-discovered the city about 500 years after it was abandoned.
@Mike, Thanks for sharing the context!
Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for! Can’t wait to visit Mexico again in two weeks!
@Diana, Have a great trip!
Very very helpful ! Thanks.
Everything exactly as described
Word of advice. DO NOT miss the murals at Tepantitla, just outside Exit 4. They belong to the complex and they are AWESOME. And no one was there except me.
@Kyril, Thanks for the tip — hope other travelers take advantage of it!
Thanks for this tip! Husband and I plan to visit next January and we might have missed the murals. Last winter we saw a lot of Diego Rivera murals and loved them.
Great write-up! I am planning on going soon, so this helped immensely. Especially the recommendation for the restaurant at the site. I had two questions, though. Do you know if there is an official website for Teotihuacan, that I could check for the latest in admission pricing, hours, etc? Also, you had mentioned that when purchasing your bus ticket for the outbound trip, that your ticket will be for a specific timed departure. Will this also be the case for the trip back? I wasn’t sure that when purchasing a round-trip ticket, did you have to let the ticket seller know what time that you were wanting to come back? Or can you buy a return ticket with no specific time to return? Thanks for the info!
@David, If there’s an official website, it’s buried so well that I don’t know about it. The bus back is an open return, so you are free to board any bus.
https://www.teotihuacan.inah.gob.mx/index.php only in Spanish I am afraid. The admission is 65 Mexican pesos per person (children under 13 and seniors over 60 or retired are free, probably the latter only if you are legal resident.)
Thank you for the details. It was slightly different for me I had to take Route 5. I used a combination of two sources this website and Apple maps to point me to the right direction from where I’m at. Thanks a bunch it was safe and fun.
Thank for the information, im planning my trip using google map and using all Tech. to ensure we are in the right path , your guidelines are superb 🙂
@Khaled, Happy to help!
Thanks a lot for the guide! Really helpful!
Just to update… the bus is $46 one way and entrance to the Teotihuacan $65 [August 2016]
@Beno, Thanks for the current pricing!
Do you mean $46 and $65 Mexican pesos or dollars?
@Laura, Those are definitely pesos!
thank you very much for excellent information.
Thank you Becky! I am going next week and your blog will help me a lot! I will also check your other post for the rest of the city.
Quick advice, how can I leave from there to visit the Basilica? I will go on Monday where museums are closed.
what time also should I leave if I wanna do that? thanks
@Hatem, I didn’t go to the basilica so I don’t have any information on buses.
This is fantastic Becky, thank-you so much for taking the time to write this up and publish it! I especially appreciate the photos, I find it soooooo much easier if I’ve seen what something (esp bus stations etc) kind of looks like before I try to navigate!
@Erika, I’m the same way so I hope it helps!
Thanks for this – very helpful! Did you make reservations when you went to La Gruta? If not, did you have to wait awhile? And you can just walk to the restaurant, right? Thanks again for the info!
@Ruth, We didn’t make reservations but as long as you’re a small group, I don’t think it will be hard to get a table. It’s an easy walk unless you’re at the far side of Teotihuacan!
If i have a 12 hr layover in mexico city. where the plane departs at 630 pm. would i have time to do this day trip? what time did you get back to mexico city?
@Jalrulz, You can probably squeeze in a visit. Be sure to leave the ruins by 2:30pm if you’re taking public transportation back to the airport.
Thanks for a great site. I’m now in Mexico City and planned a trip to Teotihuacan next week. There’s only one thing i want to point out. The metro station “Autobuses del Norte” is on line 5 not 6. The nearest station on line 6 is “Instituto del Petróleo” which is though about 1 km from the bus station.
@Kari, Thanks for catching my typo! Appreciate that you stopped by and hope you are enjoying Mexico City.
Thanks we did this today your instructions are spot on ☺️??
Hey!
Thank You so much for this post. We had a perfect trip following your advice. So happy we took the 7am bus. We basically bad the whole city to ourselves for a couple of hours.
@Joe, Thanks for sharing! Sounds like 7am was perfect.
Hi Becky,
Thank you for all of this great info (and pic’s)! My partner and I are planning to stay at one of the nearby hotels to have an early start in the morning. Is the main gate (#1) the only gate to buy entrance tickets? I assume after that we can exit and re-enter from any gate, correct? Thanks for your help!
@Tommy, I actually don’t know if there are other gates selling entrance tickets. If you spend the night, the local hotel staff should be able to answer that easily. You are correct that you can exit/re-enter from any gate thereafter.
Hi Becky! Thank you so much for posting, this is so helpful. I love the little details you share & the instructions. Your photos are great too! I will keep this on file as we are planning to visit in Dec, on Christmas Eve.
@Blanca, What a wonderful place to spend the holiday…enjoy!
Thank you so much. I was trying to figure a way to get to the pyramids last minute and I found your blog. I had an amazing time and La Gruta was a highlight.
Hello
This post is great and helped a lot in making my day trip to Teotihuacan hassle-free as the information was so concise. I really enjoyed my day trip, thank you so much!
Becky,
Thank you for the detailed information on Teotihuacan trip by bus. We’ll be there in December.
BTW, do you have any suggestion on a trip to the CHOLULA PYRAMID in Pueblo?
Thanks,
Jon
@Jon, I haven’t been to Pueblo but hope you have a great trip!
Has anyone done the pyramids using Uber?
Thank you so much for this blog! My husband and I are heading to Mexico City in 2 weeks and we will be printing this out to have with us! We are going to follow your steps exactly.
Thanks again!
Sigournee
http://www.roaminglove.com
Thank you, Becky for your detailed instruction. We were considering taking a day tour to the pyramid but after reading your blog, we have decided to do it ourselves. We want to stop by Basilica de la Virgin de Guadalupe on the way back & seems much more convenient to get off the bus @ Indios Verdes where metro to the basilica is only 1 stop. It requires one metro transfer if we take the metro @ Autobuses del Norte station (according to Google map). Do you think transfer from the bus to the metro @ Indios Verdes is not a good idea for a couple of sr novice bus riders in Latin American? Btw, we are not going on the weekend.
@Kiyotaka, Indios Verdes refers to a neighborhood in Mexico City. The metro and bus are both separate locations (not one big station), but the most you will need to walk is a few blocks. It is not well-signed and you will need to ask for someone to point you in the right direction and/or use your eagle eyes to find it!
That said – there can be literally thousands of people at the bus station and it is crowded, busy, and fast-paced. Do not bring valuables and keep your eye on anything you have with you. Pickpocketing is a real threat.
You can do it (I am living proof of the bus to metro transfer), but you will need to be your own self-advocate.
Becky, thank you.
Which method would you recommend to visit the basilica after the pyramid, change bus to metro @ Autobuses del Norte or @ Indio Verdes? Or take a taxi from Autobusses del Norte? We are healthy sr couple who don’t speak Spanish.
great tips Becky. Just got back from my own visit out to the temples and your blog was extremely helpful. muchas muchas gracias.
Becky-
THANK YOU! What a great, detailed post! I will be a sola female traveler and this article convinced my to make the trip independently.
Much appreciation! Safe & wonder-filled travels to you!
@Beth, My pleasure to help! Happy New Year and have a great trip!