3 Ways Of Crossing The Mexico Belize Border [2022]

Updated Nov 10, 2022 • 6 min read

About Author

Everything written on this blog is based on first-hand experience or knowledge as a local living in Belize. No fluff, just honest information.

Three ways of crossing from Mexico to Belize are by land, ferry and plane. This guide will help you choose the best way for your budget and travel style.

Having done the border crossing myself several times after covid, I can give you some insider tips to reduce the border drama. New updates will be added based on real experiences from travelers to keep this post fresh.

Let's get started.

Mexico To Belize

With covid restrictions lifted, there are several ways of getting to Belize now. To simplify things, I included three popular routes with alternative suggestions along the way.

Route 1

Chetumal To San Pedro

There are three main options to take this trip:

Option 1

Chetumal to San Pedro by direct ferry

Water Jets International runs between Chetumal & San Pedro. It also goes to Caye Caulker for an additional $5.00 USD. This ferry only runs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and leaves Chetumal at 10AM.

Option 2

Chetumal to San Pedro by bus & ferry combo

Two ferry companies run between Belize City and San Pedro. It also stops at Caye Caulker. There are up to 8 runs daily with the last run leaving Belize City at 5:30PM.

Option 3

Chetumal to San Pedro by shuttle & ferry combo

There are taxi drivers that run shared shuttles from Chetumal to Belize daily. You can message them via whatsapp and schedule a pickup in Chetumal for a stress-free trip all the way Belize City.

They also take you all the way up to the ferry terminal if you're heading to the cayes. So, that saves an additional $5.00 USD per person.

Route 2

Chetumal To Belize City

There are two main options to take this trip:

Option 1

Chetumal to Belize City by bus

Several buses now run daily from Chetumal to Belize. The buses stop at both immigration points — Mexican & Belizean booths.

After arriving Belize City, you can choose to go to the cayes with the ferry of choice.

Option 2

Chetumal to Belize City by shuttle

There are taxi drivers that run shared shuttles from Chetumal to Belize daily. You can message them via whatsapp and schedule a pickup in Chetumal for a stress-free trip all the way Belize City.

They also take you all the way up to the ferry terminal if you're heading to the cayes. So, that saves an additional $5.00 USD per person.

Route 3

Cancun To Belize City

The only way of getting from Cancun directly to Belize at the moment is by flying. A more economical way of getting to Belize is by going from Cancun to Chetumal and then crossing over to Belize from there.

Option 1

Cancun to Belize by plane

Tropic Air is a Belize airline that runs between Cancun & Belize City daily and only takes 1 hour 30 minutes.

Option 2

Cancun to Belize by bus

The ADO bus from Cancun to Belize City has been suspended since the start of the pandemic in 2020. This post will be updated if it becomes available again.

In the meantime, you can take an ADO Bus from Cancun to Chetumal as explained below.

Cancun To Chetumal

There are two main options to take this trip:

Bacalar To Belize

If you're coming from Bacalar, take a taxi directly to the Belize border for roughly 400 MXN Pesos which can be split among four passengers. This is faster than going to Chetumal. Or you can book a direct shuttle at your hostel from Bacalar to Belize City for approximately 1100 MXN Pesos per person ($55.00 USD).

The shared shuttle companies from Belize have a similar fare at $50.00 USD per person if the shuttle is filled to capacity. A minimum fee of $150.00 USD is charged for two persons otherwise.

Official Belize Borders

There are two official crossings between Mexico & Belize:

1. Old Border
2. New Border

The New Border is used for official crossings but the Old Border can only be used to exit Belize at the moment according to Belize Tourism Board. But some travelers have entered through this route recently.

Belize To Chetumal

There are three ways of exiting Belize to Chetumal via land:

1. By bus: Belize to Chetumal Buses now run around five times daily.
2. By foot: if you're on a tight budget, the cheapest way of exiting Belize is by foot. Exit via the Old Border and then take a Mexican bus from the Santa Elena Taxi Station to the center of Chetumal for 20 MXN Pesos.
3. By taxi: starting from the Corozal bus station, take a shared van (colectivo) to the Belize Border. These small vans take employees to the Free Zone for $2.00 USD per person. A private taxi will cost around $12.50 USD per person.

Mexico / Belize Border Fees

There are two fees to be wary of when entering and exiting Belize:

Mexico Tourism Tax (DNI)

If you were in Mexico for more than 7 days, you will be required to pay a DNI Fee (Derecho de No Inmigrante) of $30.00 USD (600+ MXN Pesos).

Belize Exit Fee

If you stayed in the country for more than 24 hours, pay your departure fee of $20.00 USD ($40.00 BZD).