Puerto Vallarta Airport to Sayulita Transfer
North over the hills to Sayulita and San Pancho, at a fixed price for the whole vehicle.
The drive
PVR to Sayulita, over the hills
Sayulita is 24.1 miles from the PVR terminal on the free highway, about 45 min without traffic. It is the only transfer from the airport that leaves the bay behind.
The first third is the shore: MEX-200 north over the Ameca River into Nayarit, then through Mezcales and Bucerías. After Bucerías the highway turns inland and climbs, winding through wooded hills on its way toward Tepic, before a turn-off drops down to the coast and into Sayulita.
The hill section is the part people remember. It is a proper two-lane mountain road, with bends and slow trucks, and it is why a trip of barely 24 miles takes most of an hour.
This transfer at a glance
- Distance
- 24.1 miles, MEX-200 north, over the hills
- Drive time
- about 45 min without traffic
- State
- Nayarit
- Fixed price
- Per vehicle, set when you book.
Prices
What a Sayulita transfer costs
One price for the whole vehicle. It is set on the free-highway distance, which is the shorter one, and it does not rise if the driver takes the toll road on the day.
| Vehicle | Seats | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | Up to 2 | $210 | $420 |
| Premium SUV | Up to 5 | $235 | $470 |
| Executive SUV | Up to 5 | $270 | $540 |
| Sprinter Executive | Up to 12 | $535 | $1,070 |
| Sprinter Coach | Up to 14 | $535 | $1,070 |
| Executive Coach Bus | Up to 40 | $995 | $1,990 |
| Motor Coach | Up to 55 | $1,105 | $2,210 |
Two roads
The free road and the toll highway
There are two ways north. The free MEX-200 is the shorter, at 24.1 miles. The alternative is MEX-200D, a toll highway that runs inland and rejoins MEX-200 north of Bucerías: 32.9 miles, and about 40 min without traffic.
The toll highway is longer but avoids the towns on the shore, so it can be the quicker choice when Bucerías is busy. The driver decides on the day. Tolls are included in the quoted price, and because the price is set on the shorter road, the choice never costs you more.
| Road | Miles | Without traffic |
|---|---|---|
| MEX-200, the free road through Bucerías | 24.1 | about 45 min |
| MEX-200D, the toll highway | 32.9 | about 40 min |
San Pancho
San Pancho, a few miles further
San Francisco — San Pancho to everyone — is the next village north, 26.7 miles from the airport, about 50 min without traffic. The route is the same as far as the Sayulita turn-off, then continues on MEX-200 and comes down into San Pancho along its main street, Avenida Tercer Mundo.
It is quoted the same way as Sayulita, on distance and vehicle. The two are close enough that a group split between them can share one vehicle, with a stop in each.
| Vehicle | Sayulita | San Pancho |
|---|---|---|
| Business Sedan | $210 | $220 |
| Premium SUV | $235 | $245 |
| Executive SUV | $270 | $285 |
| Sprinter Executive | $535 | $545 |
| Sprinter Coach | $535 | $545 |
| Executive Coach Bus | $995 | $1,010 |
| Motor Coach | $1,105 | $1,125 |
Arriving
Getting to the door in Sayulita
Sayulita is a village, not a resort strip. The center is a few blocks of narrow, busy streets around the plaza and the beach, and many of the rentals are up on the hillsides above it, reached by steep lanes.
Send the exact address and, for a rental, the host's own directions. Where a street is too narrow or too steep for the vehicle, the driver stops at the nearest point it can reach and helps with the bags from there — so tell us if anyone in the group cannot manage a walk.
For a Sayulita rental, send
- The full address and the rental's name.
- The host's directions or a map pin.
- Whether anyone needs the car at the door.
Nayarit
Nayarit, on Puerto Vallarta's time
Sayulita and San Pancho are both in Nayarit, but you do not need to reset anything. Both are in the municipality of Bahía de Banderas, and Mexico's federal time-zone law keeps that municipality on Central time — the same as the airport — while the rest of Nayarit is an hour behind.
At PVR
Out of the terminal first
The drive to Sayulita starts only once you are outside. PVR's arrivals area has desks between baggage claim and the doors, including timeshare desks the airport itself lists, and it is best passed without stopping. The driver waits beyond the exit with a sign bearing your name, and the flight is tracked, with an hour of free waiting after landing.
Going home
Leaving Sayulita for a flight
Allow for the hills. The mountain section is the part of the drive that cannot be hurried, and a slow truck on it can add real time. After that, the shore towns and the airport approach take their share.
Tell us the flight time and we will set the pickup with a margin for both. As with every transfer, the price does not change with the hour.
Luggage
Boards and long stays
Sayulita draws surfers and people staying for weeks rather than days, and both mean more luggage than a headcount suggests. A board bag needs length; a month's luggage for two can fill an SUV on its own.
Tell us what is coming. A Sprinter carries boards and bags for a group without anyone riding with a suitcase on their knees.
Nearby
Other transfers from PVR
Punta Mita is the other long transfer, out along the peninsula instead of over the hills.
Booking
What we need, and what is included
The flight number, the address in Sayulita or San Pancho, and how many people, bags and boards.
Tolls are included in the quoted price, whichever road is used. Tips are not included and are at your discretion. Child seats are free if you ask when you book. Cancelling is free up to 24 hours before pickup.
The Puerto Vallarta hub has every zone. For the peninsula instead: PVR to Punta Mita.
Frequently Asked Questions
24.1 miles on the free MEX-200, about 45 min without traffic.
From $235 one way in a Premium SUV for up to five, or from $210 in a Business Sedan for two. Round trip is twice the one-way price.
Sometimes — the driver chooses on the day. Tolls are included, and the price is set on the shorter free road either way.
Yes. It is 26.7 miles from the airport, a few miles past Sayulita, quoted the same way.
Usually. Where a lane is too narrow or steep, the driver stops at the nearest point and helps with the bags. Tell us if anyone needs the car at the door.
No. It is in Bahía de Banderas, which keeps Central time under the federal time-zone law, the same as Puerto Vallarta.
Yes. Tell us how many and how long, and we will size the vehicle for them.
Outside the arrivals exit at PVR, at a sign with your name.