The Puente Nichupté opened to traffic at 6:30 a.m. on May 6, 2026. Since then it has become a commuter shortcut, a bus corridor, a bike lane over the lagoon and, one Sunday a month, a free four-hour park. These uses don't happen side by side. They take turns, and the schedule decides who gets the bridge at any given hour.
The two ends of the bridge don't change. A page calling itself the official bridge site puts the western end at the Kabah interchange, where Bonampak, Kabah/Rodrigo Gómez and Luis Donaldo Colosio meet, and the eastern end at Boulevard Kukulcán km 13, across from Plaza Kukulcán. What changes is who is allowed across, which way and when.
The 24-hour schedule, as published at opening
Quintana Roo Hoy printed the operating rules on opening day. We haven't found a later revision, so this is the most recent published version and not a confirmed current rulebook.
| Time | What the bridge is doing |
|---|---|
| 4:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. | Reversible lane runs toward the Hotel Zone |
| 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. | Lane changeover |
| 4:30 p.m. to midnight | Reversible lane runs back toward the city |
| 1:00 to 4:30 a.m. | Closed to everything except emergency vehicles |
From May 6 through May 24 the nightly closure started at midnight. It moved to 1 a.m. from May 25. The schedule follows the city's commute. Extra capacity heads toward the Hotel Zone through the morning and early afternoon, then comes back in the evening.
The same report sets a 60 km/h limit, about 37 mph, and a 4.2-meter height limit. Motorcycles must be 600 cc or larger. Freight vehicles, trailers, and staff, double-decker and tourist buses are barred. Heraldo de México Quintana Roo reported that crossing is free. The motorcycle rule catches people more than the others do. A typical scooter or 250 cc commuter bike can't use the bridge at any hour.
Two buses, both numbered 27
The bridge got its first scheduled public transit in September. MOBI's Route 27 Puente Nichupté starts in Cielo Nuevo and runs along Arco Norte, Avenida Lak'in, José López Portillo, Avenida Nichupté and Avenida Kabah, then crosses the bridge onto Boulevard Kukulcán. The full loop is 64.9 kilometers. Officials say it can serve 155 colonias and more than 156,000 people. Rides were free from September 2 through September 13, as Por Esto reported.
Quintana Roo Hoy lists the regular service details:
- Hours: 5:30 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- Frequency: about every 7 minutes at peak and every 15 minutes off-peak
- Fleet: 16 Taruk buses, each carrying up to 80 passengers
- Fares: 15 pesos general. 10 pesos for accredited students and older adults. Free for riders with a disability credential.
- Payment: the MOBI General card, which costs 35 pesos; a free virtual card in the MOBI App; or a contactless debit or credit card
Heraldo lists OXXO, 7-Eleven, Abarrotes Dunosusa and GOmart as places to buy the physical card.
By October there was a second Route 27. Heraldo reported on October 5 that Route 27 Kilómetro 0 now runs regular service between downtown and the Hotel Zone without using the bridge. It connects Plaza Las Américas, the Glorieta del Ceviche, Km 0 and Playa Forum, daily from 4:55 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. IMOVEQROO, the state mobility agency, has told riders to check the lighted sign on the front of the bus before boarding. Both buses carry the same number. One takes the bridge and the other goes the long way around through Km 0.
The bridge route's buses are scheduled until 2 a.m., but the bridge closes at 1 a.m. None of the coverage we found explains how the last crossings are timed. Officials have also said the route could cut up to 50 minutes off some trips and carry up to 11,500 trips a day. Both numbers are projections. As of mid-October we haven't seen published counts of riders, vehicles or travel times on Boulevard Kukulcán.
The bike lane has stricter rules than the roadway
The bridge includes a two-way bike lane 2.5 meters wide. On a normal day it is the only part of the bridge open to anything without a motor, and its rules are strict. DRV Noticias reported on opening day that the lane is for human-powered bikes only, with a 25 km/h limit, bays reserved for bikes and emergencies, and a closure whenever winds top 40 km/h. Pedestrians are not allowed in the bike lane, and cyclists are not allowed in the traffic lanes.
E-bikes are where the published rules disagree. Quintana Roo Hoy reported that electric bikes are banned. Heraldo's May 5 guide said pedal-assist bikes limited to 25 km/h may use the lane. We haven't found a later notice that settles it. The wind rule matters too. A lane that closes above 40 km/h could be shut on some of the gustier days of the year.
The last Sunday of the month, the cars leave
From 5 to 9 p.m. on the last Sunday of the month, all of these rules give way to one event. The state calls it PuenteAndo, or Puenteando Nichupté, and the bridge closes to traffic for walking, running, cycling and skating. Three editions have run so far:
- July (inferred July 26). More than 6,000 people came, according to Heraldo. The program had four themed pavilions, live music, artists, DJs and karaoke.
- August 30. 5to Poder described thousands of families on a route of about 8 kilometers over the lagoon. There were Lúdico, Emprendedor, Deportivo and Gastronómico pavilions, and Governor Mara Lezama rode the route by bike. Heraldo's preview named the local food vendors: Con las manos en la masa, Mercadito Donceles, Estación B, Paty Pay, Mercadito Xaman Há and Deléitate.
- September 27. More than 3,500 people came, according to Heraldo. This edition added a Social Run with 3, 5 and 10 km options.
Hydration stations, Protección Civil modules, restrooms, paramedics, and a security point for lost or separated children were all set up along the route in August. IMOVEQROO director Rafael Hernández Kotasek told 5to Poder the program broadens the idea of mobility toward a more humane, healthy and inclusive city. Heraldo's September report lists a long roster of agencies behind it, including SSC, APIQROO, IMOVEQROO, ICA, DIF Estatal, SEDE, CODEQ, SEMA and the Benito Juárez municipality.
PuenteAndo also changes the bus schedule. On September 27, MOBI suspended the regular Route 27 Puente Nichupté and ran a special Route 27 Kilómetro 0 service from OXXO Canarias to the Hard Rock/Retorno del Rey, from noon until 2 a.m. the next day, as Noticaribe reported. Anyone riding Route 27 that afternoon for reasons unrelated to the event got the long way around.
Fewer people in September, and an October date not yet announced
By the reported numbers, September's crowd was a little over half of July's. August's report gave no exact count. None of the sources we found explains the drop, and officials haven't published any assessment of the program beyond attendance figures. September's edition did add the Social Run, with 3, 5 and 10 km distances.
5to Poder described PuenteAndo as a permanent event held on the last Sunday of each month. On that pattern the next edition would fall on Sunday, October 25. As of October 12, no announcement has confirmed that date, its hours or any theme, and we found no notice that an edition has been canceled or moved. It's sensible to keep the evening free and wait for IMOVEQROO's official posting before planning around the bridge, the bike lane or a Route 27 ride that day.
At Luis Mendoza & Associates, we follow changes like the Nichupté bridge because they reshape how a part of Cancún works day to day. If you'd like to talk through how the new crossing and the Route 27 lines connect the areas you care about, from Cielo Nuevo to km 13, Contact Us. We're glad to help in English or Spanish.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
