Los Cabos Airport Transfers Remain Safe Despite Recent Concerns

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Last Updated 11 months ago

The latest hot topic among locals, travelers, and even the sizeable expat community in Los Cabos, has been the current spate of road traffic collisions throughout the destination, most notably on the trans-peninsular highway, the main artery that ferries travelers from the airport to their resort.

Unfortunately, many of these collisions have been more than fender benders, and several people have lost their lives in recent months.

On top of this, it seems the rise in collisions has led to many people highlighting other road safety issues in the destination, most notably the lack of road signs, speed bumps, and even basic lane markings.

In a place that prides itself on being one of the most luxurious and safest destinations in Mexico, this consistent bad press around road safety is a highly unwelcome light being shone.

Tourism Unaffected

It’s important to first highlight that so far tourism remains unaffected from these collisions, apart from the accompanying traffic build-up that follows.

While that is good news, travelers will naturally be wondering what is being done to correct the situation that Los Cabos finds itself in.

Normally, the authorities in Los Cabos are quick to jump into action to protect the destination’s image, yet so far, no concrete plan of action to increase safety has been implemented, although increased traffic police patrols and stricter speed limits are already in effect.

It is highly likely that in the coming weeks, more measures will be announced, as ignoring an issue that could potentially affect travelers is extremely out of character for Los Cabos.

Safe Transfers

Despite the increase in road traffic collisions, it’s only fair to highlight that airport transfer operators in Los Cabos, including buses, taxis, and private hire services, maintain a superb safety record.

It’s highly unusual for travelers to be involved in a road traffic collision in the destination, and more often than not those who do find themselves in that situation have rented a vehicle for a day or two and lost a surprise game of Chevrolet chicken, one that affects nothing more than their rental deposit when the dust settles.

Choosing The Right Transfer

The best way to stack the deck and have a safe airport transfer experience is by choosing transfer operators by reputation first, and price second.

It’s not uncommon for unlicensed taxis to attempt to pick up travelers at the airport, and they’re not always easy to spot. For example, one of the favorite taxi cabs in Los Cabos is the aged-looking Nissan Tsuru, which looks like a relic from 1990s California.

While not the most luxurious vehicle, licensed taxi drivers often use them for their reliability and budget-friendly miles-per-gallon output. On the other hand, many of the unlicensed taxi drivers are rolling in much newer-looking vehicles.

In the case of a taxi transfer, don’t judge a book by its cover, judge it by the presence of a taxi license on the front dash and an official taxi code number vinyl on the side bodywork.

Alternatively, travelers can use one of the many reputable bus operators that are stationed at the airport, although if travelers have booked with a travel agency, it’s worth double-checking if their coach transfer is included, or if the travel agency would be able to organize this on the behalf of travelers.

For those who shine at pre-vacation planning, a quick Google search will bring up a sizeable number of well-reviewed private hire services that often operate with much more luxury than the average taxi cab.

To Rent, Or Not To Rent?

That is the question on many traveler’s minds when first planning a Los Cabos vacation.

Overall, Los Cabos and the state of Baja California Sur are as safe to travel around as most U.S. states. Unlike other areas of Mexico, banditry on the highways is non-existent, and the main roadways tend to maintain a good standard of surfacing.

That doesn’t mean there is nothing to be concerned about, though. One of the biggest risks to drivers across the state is none other than free-roaming livestock.

Many collisions occur during the night due to these freedom-loving creatures, so if travelers do opt for exploring Los Cabos in a rental, night driving outside of urban areas should always be done with extra caution and tempered speed, or avoided altogether.