Looking for a wild ride? Take the bus!
Not only are the buses an economical means of transportation around Vallarta and the Bay of Banderas, they can be quite thrilling!
Some people compare the buses to a roller coaster ride, as some drivers are known to gun the gas pedal, downshift or screech the breaks to a complete halt, all when you least expect it. Of course, not all drivers are maniacs, and the bus really is an excellent form of transportation, plus, the safest place to be on the street is on the bus. The buses are the biggest beasts on the road and they have no natural predators, with exception to a semi or dump truck!
Tips for Bus Riders:
You pay the driver when you enter the bus. The price for local buses inside the city limits is four pesos.
Have your money ready, as sometimes they take off quickly and you may find yourself on the floor of the bus if you aren’t holding on!
The bus drivers have change, but big bills can be a problem so try to use the correct amount.
The buses usually have some type of system to alert the driver you would like to get off. Look for a button marked "timbre", a chord, or a button near the back door of the bus. You may also rap on the bus roof, or yell "Bajan!" (ba-han!)
The seat behind the driver is typically reserved for elderly, blind or handicapped. Do not sit here if you are not any of the above.
Often, musicians or vendors will sing or sell items to you on the bus, you are free to tip them or buy whatever they are selling. I usually tip a peso or two to the musicians. But, if they screech in my ear, they get nada!
If you are not sure if the bus driver stops at the destination you desire, go ahead and ask. Most drivers speak little English, so a simple “Sam’s?” or “Marina?” will suffice.
To catch a bus, look for a blue sign showing a bus or, go to a corner and hold out your hand or thrust your arm out and point. Normally the bus will stop, although there are places they cannot stop, so keep walking to the next corner and try there.
Nuevo Vallarta
The ATM (silver) buses run from near the large sports stadium on Brasilia, just south of the Sheraton all the way to Nuevo Vallarta and back again. The windshield or destination sign on the front of the bus must say Nuevo Vallarta.
These buses are usually quite plush and often times crowded in high season. The route is slow with many stops, but the price is very reasonable compared to other modes of transportation. The fare is approximately 10 pesos and the buses run about every 15-25 minutes.
Due to union fights between bus companies, the ATM buses have limited pick-ups within Vallarta (State of Jalisco) you can catch the bus at their main terminal on Brasila by the Sports Stadium, in front of HSBC Bank on Ave. Francisco Medina (Across from Coppel Department Store/Yellow in color) and in front of Sam’s Club and Wal-Mart. If you catch it here, you need to be at the second bus shelter, closest to VIPS restaurant.
Punta Mita
These are the silver ATM buses (Same as the Nuevo bus listed above), usually with plush cloth seats and are quite comfortable.
They run from the pick-up points above and stop at Mezcales, Bucerias, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Punta de Mita/El Anclote, and various other stops and hotels in between. There is another bus line that is not as frequent that does stop in Punta de Mita. These are Pacifico/Compostela buses and go as far north as Sayulita.
Marina
There is only one bus route within the Marina to the hotels located within the Marina area. The buses that go here will say Marina on the windshield. The fare is 4 pesos and can take up to 35 minutes from the bus starting point at Plaza Lazaro Cardenas, south of the Rio Cuale, to the Marina area, all depending on traffic and how much caffeine the driver has consumed.
Hotel Zone
Many of the buses run along the hotel zone. Make sure the bus says CENTRO on the display which means it goes along the hotel zone to the Malecon and over the Ave. Vallarta Bridge. If it says TUNEL, it will take the Libramiento road and the tunnel avoiding the downtown area. Either way, you get to the same destination, but do not take this bus if you want to go anywhere south of the Libramiento road-near from Mega as it bypasses centro to the North Hotel Zone.
Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlan
This is the south shore route, and serves highway 200 until Boca de Tomatlan. Along the way, you can get off at the Camino Real, La Jolla de Mismaloya or any of the many condos, villas, and hotels along the way. The bus starting point is in Zona Romantica at Basilio Badillo and Constitucion, right on “restaurant row”. These buses are green and blue and will line up on Constitucion. The first bus at the corner is the next one to leave, so get on the first one unless the driver directs you otherwise. This route is 4.5 to 5 pesos. Buses run from 6:30 AM to 10:00 PM.
Pitillal
Two bus routes go to Pitillal. One goes through the Hotel Zone and takes a right to Pitillal at Sam's Club. Normally, this bus is blue and white. The other bus takes the route along Francisco Villa and into Pitillal, and this bus is typically green and blue.
The blue and white/Pitillal/Sam’s Club bus will go through the hotel zone, so you can take this bus to any hotel or area south of Sam’s Club.
The green and blue bus that travels the Francisco Villa route is the one to take if you want to go to the Cinema Versalles, Ernesto’s Good Grub, or La Parota de Pancho Villa, and of course, Pitillal.
