Federal Route 261 provides a secondary, inland alternative to the main route from Villahermosa to Merida. Route 186 traverses the sparsely populated southern half of the Yucatan, between Escarcega and Chetumal. A freight railroad, offering no passenger service, also passes through Escarcega.
Escarcega is a nondescript city with very little of interest to traveler except as a place to wait to change buses.
Escarcega is a place to change buses. Overland travelers from Cancun, Merida, Campeche, and other sites in the Yucatan pass through Escarcega on their way to Chiapas and Palenque.