Durango is a vast, mountainous state in north-central Mexico, spanning the pine forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental down to the arid plains of the Bolsón de Mapimí. Its colonial capital, Victoria de Durango, is renowned for baroque architecture and a Hollywood-era legacy as the backdrop for dozens of classic Westerns, while the surrounding countryside offers dramatic mountain highways, desert curiosities, and small mining towns.
- Public
- Durango state has no passenger rail and limited urban transit; city buses (camiones urbanos) cover Durango city on fixed routes, but service is infrequent and not oriented to visitors. Intercity travel relies almost entirely on long-distance buses
- Taxi
- Sitio taxis are plentiful in Durango city and easy to flag or call; fares are negotiated or metered depending on the company, and Uber also operates in the capital
- Rental
- A rental car is the most practical way to reach day-trip towns, the Sierra Madre, and the desert reserves, since bus service outside the main highway corridors is sparse
- Walking
- Durango city's colonial center (Zona Centro) around Avenida 20 de Noviembre and the cathedral is compact and walkable, but the wider city is spread out and requires transport
Transport at a glance
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Durango state is large and mountainous, stretching from the high desert of the Bolsón de Mapimí in the east to the pine forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental in the west. Durango city, the capital, is the transport hub: General Guadalupe Victoria International Airport connects to major Mexican cities, and the Central de Autobuses links the capital to towns across the state and beyond. There is no passenger rail. A rental car or organized tour is the most reliable way to reach day-trip destinations such as Mexiquillo, El Salto, and the reservoirs south and east of the city, since local bus service to these places is limited or nonexistent.
Airports
General Guadalupe Victoria International Airport (Durango International Airport)
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Book long-distance bus tickets at the Central de Autobuses de Durango or online through ETN, Futura, or Chihuahuenses in advance for weekend and holiday travel
Have small pesos ready for city buses and sitio taxis, since card payment is uncommon outside the airport and major hotels
Renting a car is worthwhile for reaching Mexiquillo, El Salto, and the reservoirs, all of which have little or no public transport
Federal Highway 40D (the toll route to Mazatlán) is faster and safer than the older free highway through the Sierra Madre; pay the tolls (cuotas) rather than using the libre road after dark
Uber operates in Durango city and is generally the most transparent-priced option for short hops and airport transfers
Check current road conditions before driving rural highway 45D toward Zacatecas or Highway 40 toward Mazatlán, as mountain weather can close sections in winter
Central de Autobuses de Durango is on the eastern edge of the city; budget 15-20 minutes by taxi from downtown hotels