Getting there
Aeropuerto Hermanos Serdán (PBC) , receives mostly domestic flights. Taxis from the airport to the city centre leave from outside the departure terminal, US$3.60 with a pre-paid voucher. ‘Centro’ buses pass on the other side of Bulevar Norte. Puebla is on the main Highway 150 from Mexico City to the Gulf Coast, the same supercarretera that branches south, beyond Puebla, to Oaxaca.
The CAPU bus station, Bulevar Norte 4222, is 4 km to the north. To the centre from the terminal take combi No 14, US$0.30, which stops at 11 Norte and Reforma at Paseo de Bravo (make sure it’s a No 14 ‘directo’, as there is a No 14 that goes to the suburbs). The arrivals terminal has some shops including small grocery, free toilets, long-distance pay phones and taxi ticket booth (but you have to take ramp to the departure terminal to get the taxi).
An important commercial centre, Puebla is also the hub of other lesser routes to towns and villages in the surrounding area. Buses to Cholula depart from the corner of 6 Pte and 13 Nte; transport to Cacaxtla leaves from 10 Pte, between 13 Nte and 11 Nte.
Air
To get to Aeropuerto Hermanos Serdán (PBC) from the centre, take any form of public transport marked ‘CAPU’. The airport has flights to Guadalajara, León, Mexico City, Monterrey and Tijuana.
Airline offices
Aero California, Blv Atlixco 2703, Locales B y C, Col Nueva Antequera, T222-230 4855. Aeromar, T222- 232 9633. AeroMéxico, Av Juárez 1514, Col La Paz, T222-232 0013. Lufthansa and LanChile, at Av Juárez 2916, Col La Paz, T222-248 4400. Mexicana, Av Juárez 2312, between Calle 23 Sur and 25 Sur, T222-248 5600.
Bicycle
There are several bike shops in 7 Norte, north of 4 Pte, have international spare parts.
Bus
The huge CAPU bus terminal is 4 km north of city. From the centre take any form of transport marked ‘CAPU’, many colectivos and buses (route 12) on Av 9 Norte, US$3.50 per person flat rate; or bus 37 or 21 at Av Camacho. The departure terminal has banking services (with ATM), and a good practical mix of shops including gift shops, phone booths, food shops and luggage storage.
Bus services from Puebla run to most parts of Mexico. To Mexico City, ADO GL to TAPO (eastern) terminal every 20 mins 0430-2010, 2 hrs, US$9; to Terminal del Sur every hour 0635-2135, US$6.50; to Terminal del Norte every 20-40 mins from 0520-2150, US$6.50, Estrella Roja to Mexico City airport every hour 0300-2000, 2 hrs, US$9. To Mexico City, 2nd-class every 10 mins, US$5, plus service US$5.50; AU, every 12 mins from 0510 to 2300. To Acapulco, Estrella Blanca, 10 daily, US$37.To Chetumal, ADO, 1145, US$66, 17 hrs. To Cuernavaca, EDO, hourly, 3 hrs, US$12. To Mérida, ADO, 1305, 1955, 2005, US$69-83, 17½ hrs. To Oaxaca, ADO, 12 daily, US$24, 4½ hrs. To Reynosa, ADO at 1100, US$64. To San Cristóbal de las Casas, Cristóbal Colón, plus service, 6 daily, US$66-79. To Tapachula, UNO, 2015, 16 hrs, US$102; Cristóbal Colón, plus service, 4 a day, US$68. To Tehuacán direct ADO every 30-45 mins 0600-2100, US$6. To Tuxtla Gutiérrez, ADO, 1930, 2205, 10 hrs, US$59. To Villahermosa, ADO GL plus service via autopista, 1835 and 2200, 8½ hrs, US$57, 1st class, 1145, 2045. 2145, 8¼ hrs, US$50; UNO at 2130, 2350, 8 hrs, US$82. To Xalapa, ADO GL plus service at 0745, 1645 and 2015, US$14, 1st class, 8 a day, 3 hrs, US$12; AU, 2nd class, 13 daily, 3½ hrs, US$11.
Bus companies
Autobuses de Oriente (ADO), T01800-7028000. Mercedes Benz buses, 1st class and ‘GL’ plus service. Autobuses Unidos (AU), T222-249 7366, all 2nd class without toilets. Cristóbal Colón, T222-249 7144 ext 2860, plus service. Estrella Blanca, T222-249 7561, 1st class, plus and élite services. Estrella Roja, T222-249 7099, 2nd class, 1st class and plus service. Oro, T222-249 7775, gran turismo or 1st-class service. UNO, T222-230 4014, luxury service.
Taxi
Radio Omega, T222-240 6299, radio taxi service, with new Chevrolet cars, 24-hr service, will deliver packages or pick up food or medicine and deliver it to your hotel.
Train
The station is a long way from the centre, so before going there check at the tourist office to see if any passenger services are running.
