Learn how to get to Huasteca Potosina from Mexico City below.
This jungle paradise is slowly beginning to catch onto the mainstream tourism radar. However, despite this, the Huasteca Potosina still remains one of Mexico’s true hidden gems.
Ciudad Valles (which is the main city of the Huasteca Potosina region) is around 410km north of Mexico City.
With large swaths of uncharted jungle and incredible blue waterfalls to be explored, it really is a nature lover’s paradise.
Some of the other must-sees here include the towns of Aquismón and Xilitla, as well as the picturesque gardens of Las Pozas.
Huasteca Potosina Quick Summary:
📍 Where is it: Central Mexico
🗺 Difficulty Getting There: Somewhat Difficult
⏱ Time needed: 4 days
☀️ Best Time to Visit: February/March
🍴 Top Food/Drink: Huastecan Enchiladas, Pemoles
🔥 Our Favourite Gem: El Meco Waterfalls
Table of Contents
Huasteca Potosina from Mexico City
In this guide, we’ll explore the 3 different ways you can get from Mexico City to the Huasteca Potosina.
We’ll also look at other important things such as how to stay safe there, as well as when is best to visit this region.
Quick Answer: The Best Way to get to the Huasteca Potosina from Mexico City Overall, after having explored all options (as well as from our own experience), we’ve found the direct bus to be the best.
Whilst the bus is not the quickest, the bus is the overall cheapest option at around 800MXP ($40USD). The night bus, in particular, is our top recommendation since you can sleep most of the trip anyway (not to mention it will be much welcomed if having just arrived after a long flight).
Staying Safe
Even though it feels more rural and off the beaten path than more popular resort areas such as Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, the Huasteca Potosina is actually a very safe area to visit in Mexico.
To be completely honest, the main city of Ciudad Valles isn’t so charming, however, it’s still okay for tourists to walk around.
Although if staying here, we recommend not walking around late at night by yourself. The center of town can also feel quite seedy, which is why we recommend staying in other smaller towns.
Speaking of which, the top pueblos to stay in are either Xilitla or Aquismón when heading to the Huasteca Potosina.
Much smaller than Ciudad Valles, these towns are safer and also more attractive. They’re also much closer to the big destinations too!
Getting Money Out
Thankfully there are quite a number of ATMs in this hidden region of Mexico. The best two providers are Banorte and BBVA, with quite a few sites within Ciudad Valles.
There’s also some in Aquismón and Xilitla, although there’s more chance of an outage (we recommend taking out most of your budget in Ciudad Valles if possible before heading to these smaller towns).
Unless you’re using a travel card like Monzo or Revolut, you’ll most likely be charged a fee for making a withdrawal (the amount depends on your bank).
This is why it’s always good to take out larger amounts of cash in one go to minimise a build-up of ATM fees.
When is Best to Visit The Huasteca Potosina
The Huasteca Potosina has both a dry and wet season. These both impact the kind of experience you’ll have, so we’ll cover both below.
The dry season runs from November until May, with average temperatures of between 67-84°F. Highs during this time can reach up to 97°F (May being the hottest month of the year), whilst lows can dip to around 57°F (in January and February).
Rainfall is at its lowest this time of year, ranging from 1-2.5 inches each month. This season is perfect for hiking since there’s little rain, and also for seeing waterfalls in their bright blue aura (these changes come the wet season).
On the contrary we have the wet season, which runs from June until October. Average temperatures range from 76-84°F, with highs of up to 94°F and lows of down to 69°F. Rainfall sharply increases during these months, with anywhere from 4-8 inches falling throughout each.
This season is great for those who want to save money, and also to see the jungle with more vibrant greens. The downsides are that the rain can sometimes cause roads to become inaccessible, as well as the waterfalls turning more brown than blue (due to a higher mix of sediments washed down the rivers).
Pre-booking Transport
Pre-booking transport from Mexico City is quite easy regardless if you’re already in the country, or if you’re arriving via its international airport.
For the buses, you can easily compare the different routes online beforehand. These buses don’t always fill-up, but since it’s quite a long ride and there’s not too many services daily, it makes sense to pre-book to avoid wasting time.
If you’re thinking of heading directly to the Huasteca Potosina when arriving into Mexico, then it makes much more sense to book a connecting flight.
You can always make two separate bookings, just be sure to give yourself enough time to swap planes (remember that there’s 2 different terminals in Benito Juárez, which aren’t that close to each other either).
Also booking in advance at a hostel such as Casa Huasteca is a good idea. We usually book accommodation before we start booking our transport.
How to get to Huasteca Potosina from Mexico City
How to get to Huasteca Potosina By Bus
Mexico City is one of the best connected cities in Latin America. Not only does this mean there’s lots of flights arriving, however, that it also has a well-developed public transportation system.
The Terminal Norte in the north of the city has direct buses heading to Ciudad Valles, with usually 4 departing daily. The companies that run this route are Transportes Frontera and Futura.
There are also many leaving directly from the international airport too, making things quite easy. The bus ride takes around 10 hours, although, despite the long ride, the bus itself is pretty comfortable. The direct bus costs around 800MXP ($40USD).
How to get to Huasteca Potosina By Car
For those looking for the greatest amount of freedom and independence, then getting your own set of wheels will be your best bet. If arriving directly by flight, then you’ll find the many different companies with their own desks in the arrivals section.
If already in the city, then it’s a case of looking around in your own area (since the capital is so large we won’t even try to cover it all). Usually, Car rental in Mexico City usually starts at around 300MXP ($15USD) per day.
Just make sure to get acquainted with how things work when driving in Mexico, and to download a good directions app beforehand.
How to get to Huasteca Potosina By Plane
Of course, the quickest option will be to fly. However in the case of the Huasteca Potosina, there is no airport within the region, so you’ll have to fly to nearby Tampico (in the state of Tamaulipas) first.
The flight from Mexico City to Tampico costs around 1240MXP ($62USD), and there are usually a dozen flights departing daily.
Tampoco Airport is roughly 153km from Ciudad Valles, and the bus between the two is around 2-3 hours. It’s definitely the most comfortable and quick option but is also the most expensive with a total cost of around $78USD (1550MXP).
Remember, no matter where you stay (there are even 5 star hotels in the region) just be sure to have a room secured before booking your transport.
Huasteca Potosina from Mexico City
That’s all our tips for how to get to the Huasteca Potosina from Mexico City.
Located within the heart of Mexico, the Huasteca Potosina is an incredibly underrated region. Full of unspoiled nature, wild animals and unique culture, you’ll have an awesome time here!
In this guide, we’ve explored the 3 different ways you can get to the Huasteca Potosina from Mexico City. This includes the advantages and disadvantages of each, as well as our overall winner.
We’ve also looked at some top tips for when heading here, including the safety situation, taking out money and the best time to visit.
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