When you’re looking at international airports, you won’t find a code for San Miguel de Allende, because there isn’t one. This stunningly beautiful gem of a city is one of those not-so–well-hidden secrets, but getting there can be a bit of a challenge if you don’t know how. I’ll show you where SMA is located and walk you through several different ways to get to this fantastic city. Anywhere you come from, it’s equally easy to get to San Miguel de Allende. Whether you drive, take a bus, or taxicab in from your port of arrival, SMA is not to be missed. The bohemian, international appeal of this unique place in the heart of Mexico is something few people will ever experience in their lives. Make sure you add this to your itinerary, and for those planning to expatriate, San Miguel de Allende needs to be at the top of your list.
How do you get to San Miguel de Allende? To reach San Miguel de Allende, you can fly into either Del Bajío International Airport in Guanajuato or Querétaro Intercontinental Airport in Querétaro. From there, it’s easy and inexpensive to take a bus or a taxi to SMA. The trip will take less than two hours. Alternately, you can rent a car and drive yourself, but you’ll have to return the vehicle to its point of origin since car rental companies are scarce In San Miguel de Allende.
Flying to San Miguel de Allende
Unfortunately, you can’t fly direct to San Miguel de Allende yet. While there has been some talk of building an airport near the city, no construction has begun, so you’ll have to choose a nearby airport instead. However, given the popularity of SMA and it’s booming population, I don’t doubt it will have an airport soon.
Both Del Bajío International Airport and Querétaro Intercontinental Airport are nearby. The drive times from either range from an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half. The downside to flying into one of these smaller airports is that many US cities don’t offer direct flights. You can catch a connecting flight from a larger airport, or you can simply travel by vehicle.
If you choose to fly into Mexico City, which can often be accomplished for around two hundred dollars, it will take a little longer to drive to town. However, the advantage is that the Mexico City flights often come in with no stops or layovers. Likewise, Guadalajara is only a little further away.
Flying into these major airports means the ride to San Miguel de Allende should take four to five hours. Keep in mind that many of the more massive and direct highways are toll roads. Fortunately, those tolls also pay to keep up those roads, so traffic flows reasonably quickly. However, you should also keep in mind that it’s best if you don’t plan to drive after dark in Mexico for safety reasons.
From the Airport to San Miguel de Allende
Once you’ve chosen your airport to get to San Miguel de Allende, you need to decide how you will travel from there to the city itself. There are three main ways to reach SMA by vehicle. Whether you travel by taxi, uber, or bus, the trip should take about the same amount of time.
Bus
Taking a bus in Mexico provides you an opportunity to relax and enjoy the ride. It’s essential to be aware that there are different types of busses throughout Mexico. You will find different prices for bus rides, and the relative safety, comfort, and quality are reflected in the pricing.
The extremely inexpensive busses, often jokingly called ‘chicken busses,’ tend to be more crowded with little or no amenities. It can be a long trip with no working bathroom. Moreover, it is entirely possible to meet an actual chicken or two on your trip, hence the name.
Small livestock may be allowed on these low fare busses. The cheap busses tend to be less clean than their luxury counterparts. Given the COVID virus, I would not recommend taking this route, even if you are a hardy and frugal person. Moreover, I didn’t find any available to travel to SMA at this time.
Better quality busses are more like what you’d expect to find in a small, but well-appointed airplane. There are often drop-down movie screens, plenty of AC or heat, and plush seats. For a few pesos more, it is well worth taking the better bus.
If you fly into Mexico City, as the majority of Americans do, the most frequently departing bus near the airport is the Primera Plus. According to Trip Advisor, this is next to the Autobuses Del Norte Metro Station on the yellow line
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These are nice, high-quality busses. You can expect to pay around four hundred pesos for a relaxing three and a half to four-hour trip, which is just under eighteen dollars at the current exchange rate. Primera Plus is located at the Terminal Norte depot.
Taxi
Taking a Taxi is a much better idea if you’ve flown into one of the nearer airports. Taxi crime is an issue in Mexico City, and tourists are the main prey. Staying safe in cabs in Mexico City is mostly a matter of common sense. Instead of walking out to the street and hopping in the first cab, you see, call one and wait for it to arrive.
Smaller cities tend to have less taxi crime. Choose a cab from a cue where lots of them collect and make sure it’s from a reputable company you can find online. If you’re worried about it, get a coffee nearby and call your own to pick you up from a reputable service.
The faires from Del Bajío International Airport or Querétaro Intercontinental Airport should run you ninety to a hundred pesos for up to three passengers. Keep in mind that it is traditional to tip a cab driver about ten pesos per bag if they help with luggage, but other tipping is optional. Still, I’d recommend it for such a long journey since they will have to drive back home again.
Uber/Lyft
Like a taxi service, you can call for an Uber or Lyft to get you to San Miguel de Allende. I always recommend asking the prices upfront when dealing with private cabs. Sometimes you can even negotiate a better fee privately.
The tipping scale is the same. Tip if the driver helps you, and when you have someone go so far out of their way to drive you. I have always tipped my drivers regardless, but it’s not considered necessary for short rides in town.
Alternate Transportation Options
Getting to San Miguel de Allende in a taxi or bus isn’t for everyone. Until you can fly directly, there are a couple of other options. You can choose to drive yourself in a rental vehicle or book executive transport.
Executive Transport
Also known as a “Black Car Service,” executive transport is an excellent way to arrive in style. Unlike taxis and Ubers, these services tend to have fewer patrons and higher standards. If you are seeking safety over cost-effectiveness, then this is the way to go.
Fees for this type of service depending on the distance and level of protection you desire. Black Car Service provides highly trained drivers and can even accommodate VIPs who need bulletproof vehicles. Expect to pay around six hundred dollars US for twelve hours of the high-class treatment.
Car Rental
Finally, you can opt to rent a car for shorter trips. Having a vehicle offers you the freedom to travel anywhere you like at any time. If you plan to make day trips to other areas, this is ideal, but keep in mind that driving yourself in Mexico means dealing with some pretty wild traffic and paying for toll roads out of pocket.
Driving around town in SMA means hunting for parking spots, of which there are few. Leaving your car parked on the narrow roads is asking for someone to break into your nice rental, so plan to park it wherever you are staying. Getting around town in San Miguel de Allende is something most people do on foot, bike, or by taxi.
Additionally, there are few or no rental agencies in San Miguel de Allende itself, so you must plan to drop the car back off where you picked it up. So long as that’s not out of your way, it can be an outstanding option.
Final Thoughts
Reaching San Miguel de Allende isn’t tricky, but you may never want to leave. Once you’ve decided how to get to the city, there’s so much to see. It’s hard to imagine having enough time on a short trip. That’s the downside of seeing the most beautiful city in Mexico.
Make sure you plan ahead for travel. If your flight is delayed, you may miss a bus. Likewise, you need to make sure you arrive the same day if you’ve booked a rental car, or you may end up paying a small fee or getting a different vehicle.
The trip to San Miguel de Allende may get shorter soon since the city officials have discussed putting in an airport. For now, though, you’ll have to enjoy the scenery on the ride in.