A lot of people prefer Lyft over other ride-hailing apps in the US like Uber because it is more geared towards normal people rather than businessmen, the pricing is sometimes better, or simply because they like the app better.
It is then understandable that when visiting other countries, people will want to keep using the same service as they do back home so they can enjoy their vacations.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the status of Lyft in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and answer all your questions about it.
Does Lyft work in Puerto Vallarta?
Lyft is not available in Puerto Vallarta. As a matter of fact, it is not available anywhere in Mexico at the moment.
However, Lyft did establish an office in Mexico in 2022 which has led some people to speculate that they will start operating in the country, and popular tourist destinations like Puerto Vallarta will be at the top of their list of priorities.
When asked about Lyft’s availability in Mexico and Latin America, Chris Lambert, Lyft’s CTO said the following:
“The new CDMX [Mexico City] office will be another home for our engineering teams, tapping into the wealth of entrepreneurial and innovative talent from Mexico’s finest institutions. While we have no immediate plans to offer rideshare in Mexico, CDMX [Mexico City] is well poised to be our primary hub for all of Latin America,”
Alternatives to Lyft in Puerto Vallarta
From the airport
Mexico’s airports are a special case. No ridesharing apps are allowed to pick up users in any airport as they are considered federal areas and only taxis with special permits are allowed. That only applies to pickups, though. Ridesharing apps are allowed to drop off users at the airport.
To get from PV’s airport to the center, you have a couple of options:
- Use one of the official airport taxis. They are safe, but they can be outrageously expensive.
- Take a bus that takes you to the hotel area. The terminal is right outside the airport. The bus routes you are looking for are C-22A, C-26A, and C-36. Ask the drivers or staff for some help to choose the one that drops you off closer to your destination.
- Cross the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the avenue and take an Uber there. Since you are no longer technically at the airport, they can pick you up there. Not recommended at nighttime.
Everywhere else
While Lyft is not available in Puerto Vallarta, there are many other ride-hailing apps available in Mexico. Some might be familiar to you, like Uber, and others are services offered by local startups.
The most popular ones, which are also regarded as safe are:
UBER [ iOS | Android ] – Some people don’t like Uber as it is too expensive in their countries, but in Mexico, they usually offer competitive prices.
Didi [ iOS | Android ] – Excellent prices. Not available in English.
Cabify [ iOS | Android ] – This app connects with regular taxis instead of private drivers.
Summary
- Lyft does not currently operate in Puerto Vallarta
- Lyft might be available soon in Mexico
- UBER, Didi, and Cabify are the most widely used ride-hailing apps in Puerto Vallarta
