San Cristóbal de las Casas doesn't have its own commercial airport — the nearest is in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the state capital, about 90 kilometres to the west. Flights connect Tuxtla to Mexico City (1 hour), Cancún, and a few other domestic destinations. From the airport, shared vans (colectivos) and taxis run to San Cristóbal in about 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on traffic on the winding mountain road.
By bus, San Cristóbal is well connected. ADO and first-class bus services run from Mexico City (12–14 hours overnight), Palenque (5 hours), Oaxaca City (12 hours via overnight bus), and Mérida (12 hours). The main bus station is a 10-minute walk from the historic centre.
The drive from Palenque to San Cristóbal is stunning in clear weather — the road climbs from jungle lowlands into the highland pine forests over about 5 hours — but can be closed by mud or fog during heavy rains.