Palenque to Flores: Mexico to Guatemala Land Crossing Guide

If you’re planning to travel between Mexico and Guatemala, you’ll have 2 options: taking a flight or finding yourself a land border.

Flying might be the ‘easier’ option, but often travelling by land is much, much cheaper.

Despite Guatemala being a common next destination from Mexico on a Central America itinerary, we struggled to find up-to-date guides online for the route from Palenque, Mexico to Flores, Guatemala via the El Ceibo crossing. So, we decided to create just that; the essential guide to crossing from Palenque to Flores, so you don’t have to spend hours researching like we did!

Guatemala really has it all. Coming into north Guatemala you’ll have the opportunity to see some of the best Mayan ruins in the Yucatán at Tikal before heading south to the popular destinations Antigua & Lake Atitlán.

Where are Palenque & Flores

Palenque is a town in Southern Mexico and is about 320km from Flores in Northern Guatemala. The total drive time (without stopping at the border for immigration) takes about 6 hours.

Palenque 🌱

If you’re planning to visit the Palenque’s AMAZING ruins (why would you not be!) check out our Complete Guide to Visiting the Palenque Ruins.

Flores 🏵️

Make sure to check out our Best Things to Do in Flores article before you visit!

Why We Travelled from Palenque to Flores

It might seem like a bit of an unusual crossing – and perhaps from the lack of info online maybe it is. 😅

However, for us we had no other choice! Having spent time in Bacalar, Mexico – which is right on the Mexico-Belize border – we found out shortly before we planned to cross into Belize that we couldn’t take a drone with us into the country… time for a back-up plan!

We needed an alternative route into Guatemala. With budget being our main concern, flights looked too expensive. So, we did some research and settled on an unorthodox method that was significantly cheaper: take an overnight bus from Bacalar back to Palenque, where we’d already been, and grab a shuttle across the border to Guatemala.

Our overnight bus from Bacalar to Palenque left at 22:45pm and arrived in Palenque 1.5 hours later than expected at around 9am. Check out the schedules for buses between Bacalar & Palenque here. We booked our tickets, and reserved our seats ahead of time on the Busbud app.

Once in Palenque, we hopped on a shuttle with a company called Transtulum, which was easy, cheap and reliable. Read on for more details on the shuttle part!

You might be like us, or you might be planning to skip the Yucatán and just head straight into Guatemala after you’ve finished in Palenque. Whatever the reason, you can find answers to all your questions related to crossing over from Mexico to Guatemala at the El Ceibo crossing below.

Palenque – Flores Border Crossing FAQs

Which Border Will You Cross?

When crossing between Palenque and Flores, it’s very, very likely you’ll cross the border at El Ceibo.

Are There Shops/Amenities at the Border?

Both sides of the border differ greatly. On the Mexico side there’s very little development, just a handful of small ‘stores’.

However, the Guatemalan side is evidently more developed – it’s as a proper little town, with shops, restaurants, even hotels. You’ll find far more options for food/drink (or anything you need for that matter) on the Guatemalan side.

How Long is the Drive?

The journey from Palenque to the border at El Ceibo takes about 3-4 hours.

After crossing the border it will take another 3-4 hours to get to Flores.

Is There Public Transport To/From The Border?

Not that we could find. We did lots of research and never got a clear answer, so we really think it’s best to go with a shuttle service on this one – especially given that it’s inexpensive for how far the journey is and how smooth it makes the experience.

Does the Same Driver Come With You Across the Border?

If you’re going with an organised shuttle service, then no, the same driver doesn’t usually cross the border with you.

Normally, you’ll be dropped right at the border by your driver. They’ll stick around to make sure you make it through the first stage, and usually pick up people doing the opposite of your journey to take them back to your start point. A well-oiled machine!

You’ll either be introduced to your next driver at the border or you’ll have to keep an eye out for the same company name displayed on the side of a van/shuttle on the other side. Don’t worry though – usually the drivers will be in contact with each other, so they’ll be there expecting you. You won’t get stranded at the border!

Are There Entry/Exit Fees?

On the Guatemalan side, there are no entry/exit fees for land crossings.

Things are different on the Mexican side. Mexico has a border fee called FMM, as well as a ‘Tourist Tax’ called DNR. These fees are often included in the price of a plane ticket to enter the country, so if that’s how you entered Mexico you won’t have to pay it again when you exit. This is what happened to us – we entered via plane into Mexico, which meant we paid no fees upon exit.

If you entered Mexico by land and didn’t pay any fees, then you will likely need to pay this upon exit. The amount to expect annoyingly varies depending on where you are & who you ask, so we’d recommend playing it safe and ensure you have at least US $40 on you in cash (per person) for any departure fees just in case.

How does the Immigration Process Work?

Once you arrive at the border you’ll be sat outside the small Mexico immigration office in a line with your passport at the ready. Rather unnervingly, you’ll be called in one-by-one to what feels like an interview! But don’t panic, there’s nothing to worry about – they just want to check your passport for the entry stamp into Mexico you got when you arrived, which shows the date of entry and how many days you were allowed to stay, and ask any questions if there are any issues.

Once that’s all wrapped up – it only takes a few minutes per person – you’ll grab your bags and walk the 40 metres to the Guatemala immigration office on the other side. Your passport will be checked, stamped, then you’re free to walk the last 20 metres to the van waiting for you to take you to Flores. 

What Documents Are Needed at the Border?

To enter or exit Guatemala, you MUST complete the online immigration declaration form. Once completed, you can either print the confirmation email or take a screenshot of the email QR code.

When entering Mexico by land, you may need to fill out an immigration form (UK nationals need to do this). Check the official UK Gov Entry Requirements for Mexico for more info.

You may also need a visa to enter Guatemala or Mexico, depending on your nationality. Make sure you check your government travel advice which will include guidance on this subject. Travellers from UK don’t currently need a visa for stays less than 90 days. The same goes for travellers from the USA and from Canada.

What Should You Do about Leftover Currency?

Usually you’ll find plenty of people at land border crossings who will offer you an exchange of your currency, often at a slightly worse-off rate than what’s official.

Recommended Shuttle from Palenque to Flores

We made our journey from Palenque to Flores with Transtulum, and we couldn’t fault them.

They offered a hotel pick-up for free – although, since we’d just got off the overnight bus from Bacalar we didn’t have a hotel, we just asked to be collected from the bus station. They’re also super responsive on Whatsapp, which is how we communicated and booked our shuttle.

We booked our shuttle with Transtulum and we booked with them via whatsapp on +52 916 120 1877.

💰 Cost: The tickets cost us MX $700 per person (£28 / US $37), paid in cash to the driver.
☎️ Contact: Whatsapp them at +52 916 120 1877.

What to Expect on the Journey

• Most of the pick-ups will be in the same area of Palenque so there’s not much driving before actually heading off.
• The roads can be windy, bumpy and unpaved in places. Take motion sickness tablets if you suffer on these kinds of journeys!
• There are very few/no obvious bathroom stops between the Palenque/Flores and the border. Ask your driver to stop if you’re desperate (i.e. on the side of the road) or wait until you’re at the border to use the bathroom.
• Bring some snacks and/or a drink with you for the journey. You probably won’t stop for food, although you may have a minute or two to jump into a shop at the border on the Guatemalan side if you ask your driver.
• You might arrive in Flores in the dark, so make sure you know where your accommodation is. We recommend downloading offline maps in advance.

Tips for a Smooth Trip

• Carry local currency where possible. This means you can immediately pay for things in cash when you arrive (e.g. for a taxi).
• Scope out the closest ATM in advance. Most of the ATMs in Flores were not working when we arrived, so we had to find an alternative ATM in Maya Mall across the bridge. The one we used was in Supermercardo La Torre which was only a 15 min walk away.
• Bring your own snacks and water for the day. The total journey time, including time for crossing the border, can be anywhere from 7-9 hours!
• Passport copies! We always have photocopies of our passports on us, as well as print outs of our passport photos, for any documentation we might need. While we didn’t need them at this particular border crossing, we have needed them on other occasions – they’re always good to have.

What to Do in Flores

Since you’re headed to Flores then you’ll need to know what to do! That’s why we’ve pieced together a Best Things to Do in Flores article to give you all the info. Flores has plenty more than just Tikal to offer – it’s a charming place to spend a handful of days before or after your visit to the famous ruins.

We’ll have loads more Guatemala articles coming soon, so make sure to check back for more guides, tips, itineraries and more!