Electric Carts Revive Shuttle Service at Tulum Archaeological Zone

Tulum, Quintana Roo — After nearly three years of suspension, the traditional shuttle service known as “el trenecito” has resumed operations at the Tulum archaeological zone, now using modern electric carts to carry visitors from the main entrance to the site’s access point.

The service restarted Monday, Aug. 10, alongside the reopening of the ticket booth operated by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) at the traditional north gate. Rufino Hernández Jiménez, treasurer of the artisan center, welcomed the return as good news for local merchants and service providers, noting it addresses a demand long raised by community groups.

“Today we woke up to good news, as the transport service resumes with these new electric carts at the main entrance of the Tulum archaeological zone, where this service has been a tradition for years,” he said.

The new vehicles belong to the Jaguar Park project and replace the old “trenecito,” Hernández Jiménez said. He also credited the efforts of various Tulum groups that pushed to restore the traditional access.

Entry to the archaeological zone costs 80 pesos for Mexican visitors, while the shuttle is optional: 20 pesos for adults and 10 pesos for children. Senior citizens who present valid identification ride free, according to applicable rules.

The reopening of the ticket booth and the return of the shuttle represent an opportunity to recover tourist footfall and strengthen sales for local merchants, Hernández Jiménez said.

“It benefits everyone, and there is hope this will improve. We see that it’s picking up a little, and we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but we do hope that day by day things get better and that in time we recover what was lost — and if not like before, then better than before,” he said.

Members of the Escobar family, visiting from Mexico City, shared their experience at the site. It wasn’t their first trip to Tulum; they recalled visiting before the original “trenecito” existed. They said the shuttle’s return makes access much easier, sparing tourists from walking the entire distance between the entrance and the ruins. They described their visit as “beautiful, marvelous, and unforgettable,” and highlighted the comfort of having a ride again.

Local merchants and service providers now hope the electric carts will gradually boost visitor numbers and help revive the economic activity that suffered during the suspension.