Figuring Out Mérida’s Va-y-Ven Bus System

Public transportation is a beautiful thing.

In a large city like Mérida, access to public transportation means that you will be able to affordably go to many locations without having to walk prohibitively long distances. Sure, ride-share services like Uber and Didi are available. Although not expensive by USA standards, at $4 – $6 USD for a medium-distance (4 – 6 km) one-way ride, costs can add up quickly.

This is where Mérida’s Va-y-Ven (= come and go) public bus system comes into play.

For the price of a rechargeable bus card ($25 MEX/$1.45 USD) and a $12 MEX/$0.70 USD fare, you can go all over the city! We can go to big supermarkets, shopping malls, parks, and tourist sites, or just explore the city, for cheap.

The problem is that although you see the iconic blue Va-y-Ven branded buses everywhere, it can be a bit of a challenge for an outsider to set themselves up to use the system.

Although the Va-y-Ven website has instructions (in Spanish) on how to get up and running, the official instructions don’t exactly coincide with practical reality.

But since we are staying in Mérida for two months, it only makes sense for us to master this system sooner than later.

So let us show you how we got set up with the Va-y-Ven public bus system! Hopefully, you’ll have an easier time than we did if you decide to do this for yourself.

Getting a Rechargeable Va-y-Ven Card

The Va-y-Ven buses do not take cash. You MUST instead swipe a rechargeable Va-y-Ven card when boarding a bus to use the system, so getting one of these cards is important!

The instructions (PDF link) on the Va-y-Ven website make this sound easy. But in our experience, this was a really difficult thing to do!

Theoretically, all you have to do is visit any Oxxo convenience store, Dunosusa, or Willys and you can ask the checkout cashier for a Va-y-Ven card to buy.

As an alternative, you can also buy cards at the Va-y-Ven automatic teller machines (= cajeros inteligentes) that are in different locations all over Mérida (PDF link).

But there are several problems with these instructions if you are staying in the Centro Historico area:

1. Dunosusa and Willys stores are few and far between.
2. Oxxo stores are EVERYWHERE, but few (if any) have cards in stock. We visited over a dozen with no luck! But everyone on the street tells you that Oxxo stores are where you should go.
3. The Centro Historico Va-y-Ven automatic tellers (there are two) at Palacio de Musica are often out of cards too.

So how did we get ours?

Not advertised on the Va-y-Ven website is that there is another supermarket chain that carries Va-y-Ven cards – Super Aki! So after striking out at over 12 Oxxo stores and both local Va-y-Ven automatic tellers, we went to the Super Aki near our Airbnb out of desperation.

When we first moved into our neighborhood I remembered seeing a sign at our local Super Aki stating you could buy and recharge Va-y-Ven cards there. So after 6 hours of unsuccessful searching everywhere else, we decided to try there before calling it quits for the day.

We paid our $25 MXN for each card, charged them, and went on our way.

We suspect that since Super Aki is not listed on the Va-y-Ven website as a vendor, but has official signs in the stores stating otherwise, most people don’t know that it is even an option. Meaning, demand is low and supply is high.

So if you are in Centro Historico Mérida and need a Va-y-Ven card, feel free to try the traditional outlets as they are very convenient. But if you have trouble like we did, know that Super Aki is an option too!

Charging Your Va-y-Ven Card

Simple.

Go to any one of the locations described above and give them the amount (in cash) you want to put on your card.

Keep in mind that fares are $12 MXN/$0.70 USD.

The cashier will top the card off for you and give you a receipt confirming your current balance.

Bottom line, it is much easier to recharge your Va-y-Ven card than it is to actually get one!

Planning your Route

Figuring out how to use the Va-y-Ven system is another challenge.

You can consult the different lists of Va-y-Ven bus routes by downloading PDF maps for each route HERE. But honestly, unless you know the streets of Mérida and your proximity to them, this is a major pain.

And needless to say, reading PDFs on a phone is no fun.

But there is a better option: the Va-y-Ven official app!

I’ll be honest – the app isn’t great.

But if you spend a little time with it you can get the information you need when you need it, even on the fly. The app is in Spanish, so you’ll want to spend some time getting used to it before you need it!

The most useful feature is the “Rutas Cercanas” (= nearby routes) selection at the bottom of the screen. This displays the bus routes closest to your location. And then you simply press the slider buttons to see where the routes go on your map!

The next most useful feature is to find the bus routes near a location you want to be. But there is no obvious selection to allow you to do this!

Thankfully, you can trick the app to give you the information you need.

Here’s how:

First, enter 2 or 3 random digits into the route search bar. Then in the search menu choices select “Seleccionar punto en mapa“. This allows you to pinpoint a location anywhere on the Mérida map.

Now select “Rutas cercanas a esta ubicacion” (= routes near this location).

Several route options appear at the bottom of the screen. Simply select the sliders for the route you are interested in to see where it goes, and zoom in or out to get the level of detail you need.

And there is one last feature that is really useful.

Once you know the route you want, you can track the locations of buses in real-time! Just toggle the “bus signal symbol” on your route at the bottom of the screen so it glows blue. Then little moving bus icons will appear on your bus route path showing you where the buses are.

Super helpful!

So the app is a little clunky, but it is functional.

But What Are The Buses Like? Are They Safe?

The buses are nice and they appear to be extremely safe. Of course, you need to use common sense safety practices at all times. But Mérida appears to be one of the safest places we have been in Latin America!

The buses are all air-conditioned and clean. Finding seats is not usually a problem, so long as you don’t travel during rush hour. And often a seat will become available during your journey.

You simply wait for your bus at any one of the well-labeled Va-y-Ven bus stop signs for your desired route.

When a bus for the correct route number comes, simply wave it down! If you don’t wave, the driver may not stop.

When it is time to get on, you scan your card into the card reader, then have a seat and enjoy the ride!

When the bus gets moving, I suggest monitoring your position on Google Maps to make sure you don’t miss your stop. When your stop is next, just press the button on the handrail near the exit door to alert the driver that you want to get off.

That’s it. Easy!

Hopefully, you found this post useful. If it has saved you time and trouble, feel free to buy us a coffee!

And if while you are in Mexico you plan on visiting the city of Puebla, take a look at our post – Figuring Out The RUTA Puebla Metrobus System. You’ll find it helpful since the Puebla Metrobus system is even more challenging than Merida’s!

Until next time…

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