Moving around Mexico City

Moving to and from the airport

From the international airport Benito Juarez the best way to get into the city is by using one of the official taxis (white and yellow with a black airplane on the doors), as unofficial taxis can be considerably more expensive (and even dangerous). Buy a ticket inside the airport building before going on to the taxis outside. The ticket counter is immediatly to your left as you leave customs, before hitting the wall of people waiting for relatives. Ignore anyone else offering you a taxi. The ride from the airport into town should be 15-20 USD, according to the distance to the hotel. You state your destination at the desk, pay and get a ticket. Taxis are waiting outside. You do not have to pay the driver, just hand him the ticket, but you might want to give him a small tip at the end of some 20 pesos. Depending on traffic conditions it could take between 30 minutes and a full hour to get to your hotel. To get back to the airport ask for a taxi at the hotel desk.

The subway also reaches the airport, but it might be inconvenient with heavy luggage.

Moving around the city

The subway or "metro" (see map here) is by far the easiest way to move around the city. It is cheap: 2 pesos per trip (about 0.2 USD) regardless of distance traveled or how many times you switch trains. It is also fast, clean and efficient, though it can be very crowded at peak times. Tickets can be bought at all metro stations (just give the person at the desk ten pesos and say "cinco", you will end up with 5 tickets). When you get in, the machine will swallow your ticket, you won't need it anymore once inside. At peak times and on very crowded stations, there can be special areas on some platforms where only females and children are allowed. Of course, females do not have to use those areas if they do not want to.

Where the metro does not reach you can also use the micro buses or "peseras". They charge according to distance traveled, starting at 2-3 pesos. Unfortunately there are no maps for their routes, so you will need to ask someone that knows them. Proper buses and electric buses (not trams) also exist, but there are fewer of them. Don't expect to find time tables at bus stops, there aren't any. The rule is simple: buses get there when they do and not before.

Taxis are abundant in Mexico City and are generally cheap (green Volkswagen beetles buzzing around). But it would be advisable to avoid taking taxis from the street at night, it is much safer to call one by phone.

If you plan to rent a car, make sure it can be used every day of the week. Mexico City has an anti-pollution program called "hoy no circula" (today you can't drive), which means that cars are not allowed to be used one day out of every week depending on their number plates (fines for using the car on the wrong day are very high). This affects mostly older cars as more modern cars are less polluting and hence are allowed to drive every day. Also, all gasoline stations in Mexico belong to "Pemex", the national oil company, and they are never self-service. The person serving you gasoline will expect a tip of 5-10 pesos. Count very well your change, as a typical scam is giving you change for a smaller bill than the one you gave them in the hope of catching you unawares.

Please remember, Mexico City is a huge city with large inequalities. So take extra care as you would in cities like New York or London (this is NOT Berlin). Avoid walking alone at night, and if you are carrying something valuable (like a laptop) don't make it too obvious. Also, except at the airport and hotels (and possibly banks), you will find that almost nobody speaks any English in Mexico, so a Spanish phrase book might come in handy.

Moving out of the city

If you are planning to stay longer and do some sightseeing, the way to move around the country (other than by car or plane of course) is by bus. Passenger train services in Mexico are rare, slow, and intended only for very long journeys.

There are several different bus stations in the City, depending in which direction you want to go (North, South, East or West). If you are going to a large city, there are usually very good, fast and comfortable buses you can take (first class or "executive"). You can even take a bus back directly to Mexico City airport from many of these places. One thing to remember, bus tickets are usually not sold for return trips. You need to buy the return ticket once you arrive at your destination.

If you prefer to rent a car, one thing to know is that there are two types of highways in Mexico. Federal or "free" highways that will take you anywhere in the country and charge no toll, and toll highways going between the largest cities. Motorways or freeways always charge toll, and this can be high (similar to the price of the gasoline you need for the trip usually), but they are fast and well kept. Federal roads on the other hand are almost always two-lane highways, they are older, longer and slower. But by law, whenever there is a toll road, there will always be a free alternative.