From the airport to the city centre Mexico
Many of Mexico's major cities have an international airport. Mexico City airport (www.aicm.com.mx) and Cancún airport (www.cancunairport.com) are the best served from Paris.
To reach downtown Mexico City from Benito-Juárez International Airport, the most economical option is to take public transport. Metro line 5 stops at Terminal 1, at Terminal Aerea Station. If necessary, you can change at a later date, but first make sure your hotel is close to a metro stop. Tickets cost $5. Line 5 of the metrobus, Mexico City's bus network, also runs to the city center. The bus picks up in front of terminals 1 and 2. To use it, you need to buy a bus card at the machine. From the airport, the trip costs $30. The most comfortable option, however, is to take a cab. If you choose this option, you'll need to contact one of the sitio cab companies with counters inside the airport. It costs between $250 and $300 to reach the center. If you have the Uber app on your smartphone, it's even cheaper and more convenient: between $100 and $200, depending on your destination.
To get to Cancún from the airport , you have several options. The ADO bus company (www.ado.com.mx) offers connections every 30 minutes to the city center. The fare is $93. You can then take a local bus or cab to your hotel. ADO also offers direct flights from Cancún airport to Tulum, Merida and Playa del Carmen. More conveniently, the Cancún Shuttle service (www.cancunshuttle.com), best booked in advance, can drop you off directly at your hotel. It costs around $300 and you'll be sharing the vehicle with other passengers. Finally, the most comfortable option is to take a cab to your hotel. This costs around $600.
Domestic flights. For more remote destinations, it's cheaper to fly than to take the bus. Low-cost airlines, such as Volaris (www.volaris.com) and VivaAerobus (www.vivaaerobus.com), offer very affordable connections.
Arrival by train Mexico
Mexico's rail network is reserved for the transportation of goods and cannot be used by individuals.
Arrival by boat Mexico
In Mexico, several shipping companies facilitate travel along the coast and between the islands. Ultramar (www.ultramarferry.com) and Winjet (https://winjet.mx/) are popular for trips between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, as well as between Puerto Juárez and Isla Mujeres in Quintana Roo. Baja Ferries (www.bajaferries.com.mx) operates longer routes between the Baja California peninsula and the Mexican mainland, notably to Mazatlán and Topolobampo. Other options include TMC Ferry for similar routes, Barcos Potosinos between San Carlos and Guaymas, and local services like Lanchas de Yelapa for more isolated destinations like Yelapa near Puerto Vallarta. These companies offer a variety of services to suit different budgets and needs.
Here are some of the best-known sea links:
Playa del Carmen to Cozumel: One of the most popular ferry connections, it takes around 45 minutes to reach the island of Cozumel from Playa del Carmen. Frequent ferries are a popular option for divers and tourists alike.
Puerto Juárez to Isla Mujeres: Located a few kilometers off the coast of Cancún, Isla Mujeres is a popular destination for its quiet beaches. The ferry ride takes about 15-20 minutes.
La Paz to Mazatlán: This crossing links the Baja California peninsula to the mainland. The journey takes around 16-18 hours.
La Paz to Topolobampo: Another option for reaching the mainland from Baja California, this link is shorter, with a journey time of around 6-8 hours.
Guaymas to Santa Rosalía: This sea link connects the port of Guaymas, in the state of Sonora, to Santa Rosalía in Baja California Sur. The journey takes around 7 to 8 hours.
San Carlos to Guaymas: Although not a long crossing, it is useful for those traveling between these two Sonoran cities.
Public transport Mexico
The bus is the best way to get around the country and is the most popular means of transportation for travelers. First class bus companies, the main ones being ADO (www.ado.com.mx), ETN (etn.com.mx) and Primera Plus (www.primeraplus.com.mx), offer a comfortable and regular service between most cities in Mexico. These buses have designated seats, reclining seats, phone charging outlets, on-board toilets and sometimes individual screens. Tickets can be purchased directly on their website or through a reservation website, such as BusBud (www.busbud.com). Second class buses are cheaper, but less comfortable and use secondary roads to drop off and pick up passengers. There is also a greater risk of luggage theft. First and second class buses often do not leave from the same bus station, so consider this when you are planning your trip. For the most distant destinations, it is more advantageous to take the plane than the bus.
Colectivos are the most practical form of public transportation for short distances or for connecting two cities within the same region. These collective cabs, which sometimes take the form of minibuses, leave as soon as they are full and drop off passengers wherever they wish. Convenient and inexpensive.
Subway. Only the very largest cities, Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, have a subway system and a real bus network with designated stops. Everywhere else, you will have to rely on city buses (in Mexico City, they are called peseros), which are very cheap but not necessarily practical if you don't know the city well. The destination is sometimes indicated, but the itinerary often holds surprises. Always have some change on you to pay for your trip on board.
Bike, scooters & co Mexico
Mexico City has its own self-service bicycle system, called ECOBICI (www.ecobici.cdmx.gob.mx). It includes more than 400 stations throughout the capital. In general, the government is trying to encourage the use of bicycles in order to limit the pollution linked to car journeys. Approximately 150 km of bicycle paths have been created. It is dangerous and not recommended to cycle outside the marked routes.
With a driver Mexico
Mexico City has the most cabs in the world! Equipped with a meter, official cabs are recognizable by their color - pink and white - and their license plate. The license plate must start with A or B and be on the side of the vehicle, painted on the body. For your safety, avoid hailing a cab on the street; instead, call one by phone or wait at a cab de sitio. For orientation, even if there is traffic or you are going a long way, a 40-minute ride costs no more than $160 (a short 15-minute ride costs about $60).
More andmore locals and tourists are switching from cabs to Uber, which offers safety and convenience for very similar or even better rates. To avoid cash transactions, payments can be made directly via the app on the smartphone.
Outside of Mexico City, cab s do not usually have meters and only accept cash. To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is recommended to negotiate the price of the trip before taking the road. Wherever you are, it is better to call a cab than to hail it on the street, this will avoid you to run into a "fake" cab without a work permit. Uber exists in some major cities or tourist areas outside of Mexico City, but not everywhere in the country. Other local VTC platforms exist, such as Didi and Cabify, and work on the same principle.
By car Mexico
Driving in Mexico can be a good idea when there's more than one of you (renting a car isn't particularly cheap), when you travel a lot and don't want to rely on public transport. Keep to the speed limit and be very careful: Mexicans don't need to pass a driving test to get their license, and their driving is no exception. For your own safety, don't drive at night.
Car rental. An international driver's license is not required for foreigners visiting Mexico, but a national driver's license and an international credit card are indispensable. Young drivers must be at least 21 years old to rent a car. Major car rental agencies can be found in all regional capitals and major tourist destinations. All airports have pick-up facilities on arrival.
Road conditions. The condition of our freeways is generally good, and the network is expanding rapidly. Numerous roadworks in recent years have made it possible to link major cities on roads in excellent condition. On the other hand, given the country's size and geography, journeys are long and sometimes winding. Beware, too, of the quality of the surface and poor maintenance, which can cause roads to deteriorate rapidly: potholes can be legion on some routes.
In the event of an inspection. You need to talk calmly to the police officer, explaining, for example, that you've only been driving in the area for a short time. In the vast majority of cases, police officers are only interested in getting a few bucks out of you. However, don't offer them a bribe (not all police officers in Mexico are corrupt!), as the conversation could turn sour. Try to keep the discussion going and stay calm.
In the event of a breakdown or accident. Contact Angeles Verdes, government-funded breakdown services that will come to your rescue 24 hours a day. To reach them, dial 078 on your cell phone.
Accessibility Mexico
Mexico still has a long way to go to make its cities accessible to people with disabilities. Public transportation does not have adequate facilities for wheelchairs or strollers, and sidewalks are often in poor condition. The exceptions are large hotels and shopping malls, which are generally equipped with elevators and ramps.
Tourist traps Mexico
Approximately 20% of the cabs that operate on the streets of Mexico City do not have a license to operate. In the capital, as elsewhere, the real risk is that you will be charged a higher rate than normal. To avoid this, negotiate the fare before you leave and make sure you only get into official cabs. When possible, opt for Uber or local equivalents instead. For those who choose to rent a car from a large company, it is advisable to do so via the Internet, as the prices charged on the web are often cheaper than those offered in agencies (between $600 and $700 per day for an economy car). However, be careful to check that the price includes mandatory insurance, which can be exorbitant.
