Busing to Mexico City. and other Mexico City, Mexico Transportation Tips

'Mode': TO
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Autobús.
(Bus).

Buses from USA/Canada or South/Central America to Mexico City, make connections to major border cities, from which Mexican bus lines depart often to many other cities.
When you come from another town in Mexico, the bus is the best alternative: highly reliable and safe (most cases), confortable and not expensive.
If you plan stopovers on route, make sure that your ticket is written up in advance.

Mexico City has four long-distance bus terminals located close to Metro (subway) stations, the cheapest and most efficient method of transport between them and the city if you have little or no luggage.
All stations also offer services as restaurants, money-exchange booths or banks (ATMs), post offices, luggage storage, and long-distance telephone booths where you can also send a fax.

Central de Autobuses del Norte.
(North Bus Terminal).
Is the largest of the four and is located about 3 miles north of the Zócalo.
Autobuses del Norte subway station, Line 5 (yellow).

TAPO
Terminal de Autobuses de Pasajeros de Oriente.
(East Bus Terminal).
Is located about 1 mile east of the Zócalo and is the closest to the airport.
San Lazaro subway station, Line 1 (rose).

Observatorio.
Central Camionera del Poniente.
(West Bus Terminal).
It's about 5 miles south west of the Zócalo.
Observatorio subway station, Line 1 (rose).

Taxqueña.
Central Camionera del Sur.
(South Bus Terminal).
It's about 6 miles south of the Zócalo.
Taxqueña subway station, Line 2 (blue).

IMPORTANT:
Platform announcements are mainly/only in Spanish.
There are only a couple or no bus services connecting the terminals themselves, ride a taxi if you need it.
When you get to the bus station, buy a ticket for your taxi (safe) at official taxi desks (with fixed-price tickets), inside terminal.
It isprohibited to carry bulky items on the subway.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Taxi de SITIO/Radio Taxi.
(Taxi Stand/Radio-dispatched Taxi).

Use the official 'SITIO' taxis -orange, green or white/red with SITIO painted on the doors, and are equipped with meters- at important places and bus stations, it could be helpful to protect yourself from taxi crimes.

If you are at bus station be cautious and follow the same directions as in the airport.
Ticket prices are fixed, government-controlled (per car, not per person) and based on a zone system (per car, not per person), it's a map next to the ticket booth details the zones.

After purchasing your ticket, go outside to the line of taxis where an official taxi 'chief' will direct you to the next taxi in line.
Present your ticket to the driver and enjoy the travel.
Be sure it’s not a 'pirate' taxi...

Also, hotels and restaurants can call the safe radio-dispatched taxis for you at any time.

If there is no SITIO where you are, call a 'Radio Taxi'. Get the taxi number from telephone operator so you get into the correct taxi.

Radio Taxi usually looks as a car without markings, but sometimes looks as a common taxi (equipped with meter).
You can hire any one of these taxis from everywhere in the city. This is a particularly advisable option at night.
Radio Taxi type have become so popular that it is difficult to get a taxi after dark or late hours.

Finally, the USA Embassy said it was expanding earlier notices to also include warnings against cabs that congregate at designated stands because those, too, were no longer presumed safe.

It´s true.

IMPORTANT: If you do decide hire a taxi in Mexico City, read your correspondent government travel advisories about taxi cabs before you arrive, because taxi crime in the city is real.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Airplane.
Jet.
Helicopter.
Aerial Taxi.

Most of the times an airplane will be the best or the only choice to get there.
Any case you will arrive to Mexico City International Airport 'Benito Juárez'.

From USA there are a lot of flights every day mainly from New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Miami, Orlando, New Orleans, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C. From CANADA there are flights from Toronto.

From EUROPE there are direct flights from London, Madrid, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam to the Aztec capital city...

From AUSTRALIA, PACIFIC ISLANDS and ASIA, no problem, just get a flight from Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Beijing, Hong Kong or Sydney, first you will flight to any Europe, Canada, Argentina or USA main city, then to Mexico City...

From AFRICA and MIDDLE EAST. No way, first flight to any main city in Europe or Japan or Australia.

From CIS and EAST EUROPE. First flight Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Paris, London or Madrid, then flight to Mexico City.
There are flights from Moscow to Mexico City. From Kiev, first flight to Moscow,Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London or Madrid, then to the Aztec land...

From SOUTH AMERICA. There are regular flights from La Habana, Bogotá, Panamá, San José, Guatemala, Lima, Buenos Aires, Santiago de Chile... ( and connectons from Santo Domingo, San Juan, Caracas, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and other cities).

Within MEXICO. Domestic flights every day from Monterrey, Guadalajara, Acapulco, Cancún, Mazatlán, Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo, Manzanillo, Zihuatanejo, Mérida, Cozumel, Oaxaca, Tijuana... (some days from Veracruz, Durango, Mexicali, Colima, Chihuahua, Morelia, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Zacatecas...)

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Taxi del Aeropuerto.
(Airport Taxi).

Once you arrive, next step is get in to the jungle.

Mexico City International Airport is served directly by taxi, metro, bus, hotel shuttle, van and limousine.

Official airport taxis are probably the most convenient way to get downtown from the airport, they’re fast, comfortable and inxpensive.

The cabs are available after exiting the baggage claim area, near the far end of Lounge A, and E, right next to the arrival gates in special booths marked TAXI / TRANSPORTACION TERRESTRE (Ground Transportation).

Ticket prices are fixed, government-controlled (per car, not per person) and based on a zone system (per car, not per person), it's a map next to the ticket booth details the zones.

They are staffed by personnel wearing bright-yellow jackets emblazoned with TAXI AUTORIZADO (authorized taxi).

After purchasing your ticket, go outside to the line of taxis where an official taxi 'chief' will direct you to the next taxi in line.

Present your ticket to the driver and enjoy the travel.

Be sure it’s an official taxi.
These cabs should be white and mustard yellow with a white taxi light on the roof, and an airplane logo painted in black, on the doors.
They should also have an orange stripe (rather than a green one) along the bottom part of the rear license plate.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: People are often surprised when inconveniences occur because they were unaware of the laws regarding crossing the border.
The government of Mexico strictly regulates the entry of vehicles into Mexico.

If you wish to travel to Mexico City, you will need to adhere to certain procedures.
If these steps are carefully followed, there should be no problem taking your car to Mexico City.

ATTENTION: If your car is found in Mexico beyond the authorized time or without the proper documents, it is subject to seizure by Mexican authorities.
If confiscated, they are not returned!
Also, the sale, abandonment, or use of the vehicle for financial gain will result in its confiscation.

If you bring spare auto parts to Mexico, declare them when you enter the country.
When you leave, be prepared to show that you are taking the unused parts with you or that you have had them installed in Mexico. Save your repair receipts for this purpose.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Rental Cars.

Many car rental companies in the USA have clauses in their contracts prohibiting drivers from traveling out of the country.
The Mexican police are aware of these regulations and will sometimes impound rental vehicles driven from the United States.
When renting a vehicle there, check with the company to see if your contract allows you to drive it into Mexico.

The standard insurance included with many car rental contracts in MEXICO provides only nominal liability coverage.
Read your contract carefully and purchase additional liability and comprehensive insurance if necessary.

ATTENTON: Observe simmilar conditions when you rent a car in Mexico City, at car rental agencies in the airport or town.

IMPORTANT: Mexican law permits the jailing of drivers after an accident until they have met their obligations to third parties and to the rental company.

Finally, all travelers are advised to consult with the nearest Mexican Consulate in the USA, Belize and Guatemala for additional detailed information prior to departing.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Taxi.
Metered Taxi.

Taxis operate under distinct sets of rules.

For example, there are about 85,000 metered taxis everywhere in the city. They are mainly green or white/red VW 'beetle' that have white plastic roof signs bearing the word TAXI and TAXI painted on the doors.

These taxis operate strictly by the meter (taxímetro). If the driver says his meter isn't working, find another taxi.
Usually you may hire a gouging driver, or one who drives farther than necessary or applies other tricks/cheats to run up the tab.
Riding a taxi in Mexico City couldn't be a good idea if you think there are more than 4,000,000 cars fighting to pass first.

Metered taxis are essential for many people getting around the overcrowded city. They dart in and out of traffic with great ease, all for a good price.
But they are frequently involved in crimes against passengers. Virtually everybody here in this metropolis knows someone who has been held up at gunpoint in a taxi!
Taxi driver is also a dangerous profession in Mexico City, they are often the victims of assaults or even murders.
Homicide is not part of the routine, though beatings are common.

The governments of the US, UK, Canada, and Australia warn visitors against flagging down a taxi on the street.
As a tourist, perhaps your most serious crime problem here is taxi robbery.
This problem is more or less unique to Mexico City, so many forign tourists aren't aware of the problem.

Well, anybody who lives in Mexico City knows that taxi robberies are a problem, and takes certain precautions to prevent themselves becoming a victim.
The exact recommendations for residents and tourist may vary, but it is unwise to ignore the problem.
Any case, never forget that there are thousands of 'pirate' taxis (painted in green or yellow!).

IMPORTANT: If you do decide hire a taxi in Mexico City, read your correspondent government travel advisories about taxi cabs before you arrive, because taxi crime in the city is real.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Taxi Turístico.
(Tourist Cabs).

Another way to protect yourself from taxi robberies is the expensive 'Taxi Turístico'. These are, along with radio-dispatched taxis, the safest ones to travel within Mexico City.

The unmarked cabs, usually well-kept luxury cars assigned to specific hotels, have special license plates, and bags covering their meters.

The drivers are, sometimes, licensed (or not) English-speaking guides and can provide additional service.

The drivers negotiate rates with individual passengers for sightseeing, it depends on time or distance, or both!
These drivers are, sometimes, licensed (or not) English-speaking guides and can provide additional service for an additional fare (not fixed)... Bargain is the rule here.
But rates to and from the airport are well established! Ask what the airport fare should be, and establish it before hire the cab.

In general, expect to pay about 15% more than normal metered rates for taxi transportation.

Often, these drivers will wait for you while you shop or dine to take you back to the hotel, or they can be called to come back and pick you up. Remember to deal the matter before hire them.

Observe basic safe conditions while traveling on these cabs.

IMPORTANT: If you do decide hire a taxi in Mexico City, read your correspondent government travel advisories about taxi cabs before you arrive, because taxi crime in the city is real.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: TURIBUS.
(Tourist double-decker).

On September 25th, 2003, TURIBUS celebrate first year of service in Mexico City. This novel transport has welcomed about 120,000 passengers through important and interesting places for tourists.
Buses are managed by AUTOTUR that consist of 266 employers and an initial 2.3 million USD investment. At the time, AUTOTUR has only 8 or 10 buses and plans to achieve 15 buses and open new routes at San Angel or Coyoacán neighbourhoods for year 2005.

TURIBUS is a double-decker painted in red and decorated with pictures of symbolic city buildings and monuments that you can see during the tour, (a 34.5 Km circuit).
The bus has 70 seats, facilities for handicapped persons, an audio system in five languages with short explanations about sights and a selection of well-known Mexican melodies.
Obviously, there is a driver, but TURIBUS counts with a modern safety cruise control, (top speed is 60 Km/hr).
Also has a video-recording system and two policemen to improve security.

It's curious that TURIBUS was designed/developed specially for tourists, but passengers are mainly city inhabitants!
For us, the double-decker is something completely new, and helps to motivate ourselves for exploring our capital city.

You will enjoy city sightseen if you get a seat in the open air (upper deck) in a sunny day.
If you know the city, note that it has a new shine from here, it looks less hostile, architecture is closer to sightseer and you can look at eyes the proudly statues...

Fare is not expensive if consider that you can stop at any of the 24 fixed stops on the way. TURIBUS operate with unlimited hop-on, hop-off privileges!

Double-decker route covers important zones: Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park), Centro Histórico (Historic Downtown), Paseo de la Reforma (Reforma Blvd.); also Roma, Condesa and Polanco neighborhoods.

There are about 130 important sites: museums, archeological vestiges, monuments, parks, old buildings, historic places, etc...

TURIBUS, an unique sightseeing experience in Mexico City.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Other
Getting TO/AROUND: Tranvía Turístico.
(Tourist streetcar).

When you come to downtown, go for a ride on "Tranvía Turístico". It´s not a real streetcar, it's a bus that looks like an old tram from the beginning of 20th Century.

This tourist transport offers a 45 minutes travel within Centro Histórico (Historic Downtown) -since October,1993- to know curious facts and ---leyendas---, oldest buildings, streets and places to understand the ancient lifestyle of the city inhabitants.

Open everyday all round year from 10:00 to 17:00 hrs. Adults fare is about $4 USD, childs fare is $2 USD. Not expensive and has only 20 seats.

You can choose for different tours according to your interest (different fares) and time (up to 2 hours). There are a night tour. The special tours include visits to Templo Mayor (main Temple), Palacio Nacional (national Palace), Catedral Metropolitana (metropolitan Cathedral) or small museums.

This transport also offers tourist guides in English and French languages only for special groups (at least 20 persons).

Just cultural destinations.

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