Uber launches ride-hailing service in Tulum and Playa del Carmen

Uber has begun offering rides in Tulum and Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, expanding its operation in the state beyond Cancún and Chetumal.

According to reports from news outlets Uno TV and Excelsior, the ride-hailing app began operations on Oct. 20, offering introductory promotions including rides at zero cost.

The company’s website confirms that rides can now be booked via its app.

Uber’s arrival occurs amid dissatisfaction with the costs of traditional transport in Tulum and Playa del Carmen.

In Tulum, a merchant named Mauricio Morales told Uno TV that he viewed the competition as a positive development, noting that the apps offer an affordable alternative to taxis. He said a 10-minute taxi ride from town center to the archaeological site ranges between 150 and 200 pesos (US $8 and about $10.70). Meanwhile, apps like DiDi — which was already operating in the area along with inDrive and Itaxi — charged between 60 and 80 pesos (US $3 and $4).

Among traditional transport operators, however, the reaction was different.

Brigadier Hernández, a taxi driver with the “Tiburones del Caribe” union in Tulum, told newspaper Excélsior that the sector is struggling due to a lack of passengers and warned that new platforms could further diminish their work opportunities. The driver recounted that on the day of the interview, he had gone about an hour without securing a fare.

His concern highlights the contrast between the expectations of users — who seek to pay less — and those of workers who rely on every single trip to sustain their income.

Reports also revealed that the company is preparing to expand into Tulum and Playa del Carmen with Uber Taxi, which connects app users to tradtional taxis, and the ultra-low-cost Uber Moto, where users can hop on the back of a driver’s motorcycle. The combination of services would replicate the model that is already in place in Cancún, as well as in cities like New York and Paris.

The ride-hailing company has already opened driver registration for both options, El Heraldo de México reported.  

This development comes three years after Uber won the right to operate in Quintana Roo.