With nearly two million square kilometers of territory, flying across Mexico is sometimes a better alternative to ground transport, as it can take many hours—or days—to travel the long distances by car or bus

Domestic Flights in Mexico

Mexico has an extensive network of airports and Mexico City has, for many years, been the “hub” for airline travel in Mexico; although in recent years, new point-to-point routes between popular regional cities and resorts have been diminishing the capital city airport’s role as travel hub and negating the need for passengers to fly from a destination to Mexico City and then out to the final second destination as was often necessary in years past.

Domestic airfares in Mexico have ceased to be the bargain they once were.  Occasionally airlines will run special offers (you have to actively check online) but overall, “low cost” airfares have been rising gradually as markets mature, and the four main domestic carriers: Aeromexico, Viva Aerobus, Interjet, and Volaris have all moved to providing what the airlines term as “unbundled pricing” which means that the ticket price does not include things like baggage, seat assignment, or priority boarding—these once-included services are now optional extras, sold separately.

Airfares for transportation across less popular routes in Mexico, where only one domestic airline operates (or two, with one of the two offering a very limited schedule), can still be expensive—like the situation that existed before the market was opened-up to competitors.

Mexican Airlines: You can find a list of airlines in Mexico here (Wiki)

Airports in Mexico

Mexico is well served by dozens of airports. Important cities in major tourist locations and industrial centers have large modern airports, many of which offer international connections, and there are also many smaller airports; some of the smallest ones do not cater for commercial flights although they do provide facilities for small private craft and charter flights.

Facilities Offered at Mexican Airports

Main airports in Mexico are modern and offer a wide range of amenities and facilities for travelers, on-par with airports in other major cities around the world.

Stores, Bars and Restaurants

As with most airports around the world, you will find a selection of stores, bars and restaurants offering food and refreshment while you wait. Bigger airports also include international franchises like Starbucks coffee shops and those with international flights offer a Duty Free store as well.

WiFi Internet Access

Most commercial airports across Mexico offer internet over WiFi, either free or through one of the major Telco access plans. Also see Communications in Mexico.

Car Rental Agencies

Bigger airports have car rental agencies on site to receive customers who have pre-booked as well as for passers-by to rent cars on the day. You will get better rates by booking in advance online. See the Mexperience guide to Car Rental in Mexico.

ATMs and Money Exchange

All major airports offer ATM services, where you can withdraw money using debit and credit cards; Money Exchange kiosks are also available. In Mexico City, you will get excellent exchange rates for cash currency at the airport kiosks; in other cities, particularly big tourist cities, the rates may be better in town. See also: Money in Mexico and the Blog: A Fair Exchange for more details.

Authorized Taxis

All of Mexico’s principal airports have an “authorized taxi” stand. Taxis from airports are the most expensive in Mexico; although this is also true of taxis from airports world-wide. To get a taxi from the airport, follow the signs to the ticket kiosk (Taxi Autorizado), purchase your ticket and proceed to the taxi rank, where an official will ‘assign’ you a taxi from the waiting cars. Uber and other App Cab companies are now operating from some Mexican airports – check your App for details.

Airport Transfers

If you’re arriving in Mexico by airplane, you can book your airport transfer in advance. Airport Transfer services are available from all of Mexico’s main airports and offer the choice of either a Standard or VIP service level. Standard shuttles will transport up to ten people and their baggage in a modern and comfortable suburban van to/from local hotels; the VIP service provides transportation exclusively for your party, taking you and your belongings directly to/from your local hotel.

Bus Station at Mexico City’s Airport

Mexico City’s airport has a bus station adjacent. You can take a bus from Mexico City’s airport direct to some popular colonial cities including Cuernavaca, Puebla, and Queretaro. Buses also depart from here to the airport in the city of Toluca, from where other low-cost flights operate. For a wider choice of destinations, you will need to travel from the airport to one of Mexico City’s four bus stations. See Traveling by Bus in Mexico for more details.

Executive Lounges

Mexico’s major airports offer executive airline waiting lounges. Most major airlines have lounges installed at Mexico City’s airport; some offer lounges in other key cities across Mexico, although the ones situated at smaller airports tend to have limited opening hours. Check with your preferred airline to see if a lounge is available at the airport in Mexico you are traveling to and from.

Internal Point-to-Point Flights in Mexico

Point-to-point travel is not always possible on the main commercial airlines: you have to fly back to Mexico City and then out to the provinces again to get to your desired destination.

With the advent of market deregulation, point-to-point flights are increasing rapidly, providing better access to Mexico’s smaller airports without having to fly via the capital.

Mexican Airlines: You can find a list of airlines in Mexico here (Wiki)

Toluca Airport, just outside the capital and within a 45-60 minute drive of the city center, is becoming an important hub for low-cost carriers, although prices from Mexico City’s main airport have adjusted accordingly to compete. For passengers’ convenience, the low-cost airlines provide comfortable buses between Toluca Airport from Benito Juarez Airport (Mexico City’s main airport) as well as other strategic points around the capital city: check their web sites for details.

Mexico City’s airport authority has an extensive plan to continue decentralizing flights in/out of Mexico City by making significant investments in strategic regional airports within a couple of hour’s drive of the capital.

Tip: Although traveling through Mexico City airport to get to your final destination can be time-consuming, the airport is modern and has all the amenities you would expect; a stay-over may be alleviated by use of food and drink establishments, craft and curio shops as well as duty-free items (if you are leaving the country). Flight transfers are efficient and there is no need to leave the airport if you don’t want to.

Low Cost Airlines in Mexico

Low cost airlines began to appear in earnest around 2005. Before their advent, domestic flight prices in Mexico were quite high—often prohibitively high—and this is one of the factors which sparked the development of Mexico’s very professional national bus network.

As elsewhere around the world, low-cost airlines in Mexico offer no-frills, affordable air travel to the mass travel market. Low cost carriers primarily offer point-to-point travel inside Mexico.  Their services are already giving travelers access to more of Mexico by making it affordable to fly domestically between cities which were previously only served by national airlines at heavily inflated prices.

As a result of the low-cost carriers, the bigger airlines and particularly Aeromexico have lowered fares on popular routes which are served by at least one low-cost carrier. However, fares on routes not served by the low-cost players, to often smaller or less frequented towns and cities, continue to be comparatively expensive in relation to the more popular routes.

One of the side-benefits of a more competitive domestic flight market in Mexico (open skies agreement, low-cost airlines, etc) is that destinations and regions in Mexico which have much to offer visitors but which were hitherto difficult to get to because of high travel costs (or long road trips) are becoming more accessible to Mexican and international visitors alike. This, in turn, is creating new investment in communities which were regarded as ‘off the beaten track’.

Mexican Airlines: You can find a list of airlines in Mexico here (Wiki)

Planning Your Flights in Mexico

Aeromexico continues to have a network of offices and ticket sales counters in larger towns and cities in Mexico. However, the best prices are now only available online, by purchasing through the airline’s web sites.

Low-cost and regional airlines have offices and ticket counters at the airports they serve, but all ticket sales are made online or by telephone. Purchasing the tickets in person at the airport may incur an additional service fee.

Mexican Airlines: You can find a list of airlines in Mexico here (Wiki)

To get the best prices, shop online and plan ahead using these three tips:

First – Check to see if the journey you want to take may be covered by a regional point-to-point airline, within Mexico or from/via the USA. Aeromexico operates regional flights through its subsidiaries, Aeromar and Aeromexico Connect, and the schedules for these are coded in to their main booking systems, so you can find them using their web site’s online reservation systems. Compare prices with point-to-point alternative low cost carriers, where available.

Second – Consider renting a car and drive the regional leg of your journey; you can find extensive advice about renting a car in Mexico here on Mexperience.  Mexico is a big country and driving can take longer than you may expect—so if you choose this option, ensure you build-in plenty of time.

Third – You may want to take a bus instead. Mexico’s national bus network is a world away from, for example, the USA’s Greyhound and the UK’s National Express bus services. On many long-distance routes, you can ride a luxury bus with just 24 seats on board: much like business class on an airline. Some companies and routes even have a crew on board serving light snacks and soft drinks. See the guide to Traveling by Bus in Mexico for full details.

Flying Times in Mexico

Approximate Flying Times from Mexico City to:

• Acapulco – 55 Minutes
• Aguascalientes – 45 Minutes
• Cancun – 90 Minutes
• Chihuahua City – 75 Minutes
• Guadalajara – 60 Minutes
• Huatulco – 85 Minutes
• La Paz – 120 Minutes
• Los Cabos – 120 Minutes
• Los Mochis (for Copper Canyon) – 75 Minutes
• Merida – 90 Minutes
• Monterrey – 75 Minutes
• Morelia – 45 Minutes
• Oaxaca – 60 Minutes
• Puerto Vallarta – 90 Minutes
• Veracruz – 45 Minutes

Airlines Serving Mexico

Mexican Airlines: You can find a list of airlines in Mexico here (Wiki)

Many international carriers have daily flights into Mexico City and other key Mexican cities, including its popular resorts of Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos.

Major US airlines serving Mexico include: American, United, Delta, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue

Major European airlines serving Mexico include: British Airways, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and Iberia

See Also: Getting to Mexico

Mexico offers a wide range of transport choices to help visitors and residents get-around the country and local areas.  This section summarizes the options and connects you to detailed guides and resources

Getting Around in Mexico

Mexico offers visitors, vacationers and residents an extensive network of transport systems, both public and private, which make getting around Mexico efficient and affordable.

Arrival in Mexico by Airplane

If you arriving in Mexico by airplane, read this section of the guide to Getting to Mexico for advice about ground transportation options upon your arrival.

Transportation Options for All Budgets

Public transport in Mexico can be very inexpensive, but it can also be a bit daunting if you don’t speak any Spanish and are not accustomed to traveling on buses and metro systems.

Nonetheless, even taxis and private hire is affordable in Mexico; the only service which is readily apparent as being more expensive is car rental; especially in comparison to car rental prices in the USA.

Bus travel is an excellent way to get around Mexico, and we have a complete guide to help you learn about Mexico’s very professionally-run bus services and how to make use of them.

Mexico has a well-developed network of national airports and offers air passengers an ample choice of airlines, including low-cost carriers.

Speaking Spanish

If you plan to travel across Mexico by any means other than flying, then you will need to be able to speak at least a few words of Spanish to get by, especially when using taxis, local public transport (local buses, metro) and national buses. Most car rental agencies at airports will have staff that can speak English, but agencies in smaller towns may require you to make your arrangements speaking Spanish. Also see Learning Spanish here on Mexperience.

See Also: Read current articles about Travel and Transport in Mexico.

Domestic Flights in Mexico

With nearly two million square kilometers of land-space, Mexico covers a big territory and sometimes flying is the best and most effective way to get around.

The country has an extensive network of modern airports and a range of airlines to choose from, including low-cost carriers. Recent ‘Open Skies’ agreements have opened up new routes between US cities and Mexican provincial cities, giving passengers more choice and flexibility than ever before.

Read the guide to Flying in Mexico for detailed information about flights to, from and within Mexico.

Traveling by Bus in Mexico

Since the early 1990s, Mexico has been investing heavily in road infrastructure. As a result, the country has an extensive network of high quality intercity roads connecting all principal towns and cities, and more roads are being built each year to connect otherwise remote areas of Mexico.

For example, getting from Mexico City to Oaxaca City used to be a major undertaking by road. Today, the journey may be done in less than six hours on a safe, modern intercity toll-road.

The development of Mexico’s road network has given rise to a very professionally run and managed national bus network. Traveling by executive or first class bus in Mexico is a “first world” experience in comparison to Greyhound in the USA and National Express in the UK, for example.

Mexico offers travelers three classes of service on the most popular routes and at least two classes of service on most routes. The “Executive” class buses are modern, comfortable buses configured with just 24 seats on board; First Class buses also offer comfort and efficiency with direct routes to most principal destinations across Mexico.

Read the complete guide to Traveling by Bus Across Mexico here on Mexperience to learn about national buses in Mexico and how to make use of this convenient and practical public transport option.

Local Buses in Mexico

Local Buses

Local buses exist in every city and town. They are not regulated from a safety point of view, so don’t expect to see any signs restricting passenger numbers on them. Buses carry as many people as can be packed in—especially at rush hour. Don’t be shocked to see people hanging out of the doors during peak times—both front and back—this is a normal sight in Mexico!

They are very inexpensive to ride (take change with you)—pay when you board. If you want to get around during the day (off peak is after 10 am and before 4 pm in the bigger towns and cities) they are a way of experiencing a piece of the ‘real’ Mexico.

Not for the feint hearted, but independent travelers who are street-wise and know how to get themselves around a place will find the buses OK. Don’t step aboard dripping with your jewelry and wedges of cash! If you’re planning to use public transport of any kind to see a place, wear something casual, like jeans and a t-shirt, and try to blend in a bit. As with any busy populated environment, watch out for pick-pockets!

Micro Buses in Mexico

“Micros,” as they are known in Spanish, started life as VW Combis seating 9 people a few years ago, at a time when they were called Peseros (deriving from the word “peso,” in days when they used to cost just one peso to go from A to B on any given route). Today they have evolved into mini-buses, due to the volume of people relying on their services.

In Mexico City the green and white mini-buses no longer cost just one peso; the price varies on how far you’ll travel in the Federal District with an extra charge for journeys starting or ending in the adjacent State of Mexico, and for traveling after 10 p.m. Like buses, you pay when you get on.  Prices are modest, and subsidized by the government.

The advice for traveling on Micros is the same as that for local buses.

See also: On The Buses

Taxis in Mexico

Getting about by taxi cab is relatively inexpensive in Mexico. Taxis are either metered, not metered or charged by zones. In the latter, your price will vary depending on which zone you’re in and which zone you’re traveling to.

Read the complete Mexperience guide to Traveling by Taxi in Mexico to learn about the different types of taxi, fares and traveling safely by cab in Mexico.

Metro Systems in Mexico

Two of Mexico’s cities—Mexico City and Monterrey—have Metro systems in operation. The Metro can be one of the most effective ways to travel across the cities, especially Mexico City.

Metro Systems in Mexico City

Mexico City has three Metro Systems; two are rail-based, and one is a bus.

Rail Metro

El Metro is the main rail-based mass-transport system in Mexico City. The trains run principally underground, although there are several stretches where the train runs over ground, too. Some four-and-a-half million people use Mexico City’s metro system each weekday. The system has twelve lines which crisscross the capital. The Metro connects most major areas of city together and, where the Metro doesn’t reach, Micros (see Local Buses, above), run frequent axis routes from the Metro stations.

The Tren Ligero (Light Train) is an extension of Mexico City’s Metro system. In years past, the line was a 1950s style Tranvia (Tram), which was upgraded to Tren Ligero status and connects the southern-most Metro terminal, Metro Taxqueña, with Xochimilco, one of the southernmost suburbs in the capital.

See Also: It Takes All Kinds

Metro Bus

In 2006, Mexico City’s government began introducing a new Metrobus service. The service is a dedicated bus lane which runs along Avenida Insurgentes in Mexico City—a boulevard which is over 35 miles long and said to be the longest commercial boulevard in the world.

The boulevard has four lanes each side, with a dividing area in the middle. The fourth (outside) lane on each side has been cordoned-off and made into an exclusive Metrobus lane; stations have been built upon the central reservation at various points along the boulevard.  The format has worked well and is being adopted in other Mexican cities, for example, in Acapulco.

Like the Metro, the Metrobus can be a very efficient way to traverse the busy and congested capital city but, like the rail Metro, the buses can get very full at peak times – see tips, below.

See also: On The Buses

Airport Metro Bus

Line 4 of the Metrobus was introduced in the spring of 2012, a special Metro Bus that connects the downtown area of the city with the capital’s airport. The buses on this line are only two-thirds as long as the articulated ones that run on lines one, two and three, and the stops are like traditional bus stops, whereas the older Metrobus lines have stations accessible via turnstiles. Payment will also be made using electronic cards, but these will be read by a machine on the bus.

The new Metrobus line runs around the Historic Center of Mexico City in a circuit that goes from Buenavista train station to the San Lázaro station, which includes the Metro and the eastern interstate bus terminal, commonly known in Mexico as TAPO. From San Lázaro runs a non-stop extension to both airport terminals.

See also: Smart and Cheap New Buses to the Airport

Paying for Your Metro Rides in Mexico City

On the rail-based Metro in Mexico City, you can use cash to buy small cardboard tickets which will allow you through the turnstiles, or you can use a Metro card.

For transport on the Metrobus and the Tren Ligero, you must use a Metro card, which can be topped-up with credit at machines or at the ticket counter (using cash payments). With your Metro card in credit, you simply press the card against the sensor on the turnstiles.

Advice about Traveling on Mexico City’s Metro Systems

• The capital’s Metro systems (rail and bus) get extremely busy at peak times which are 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Outside of peak times, the Metro systems provide a relatively comfortable, efficient, and very cheap means of traversing the city
• At peak times, women and children are segregated into separated rail-cars on the Metro. We advise you to avoid the Metro at peak hours if you can
• Pick-pockets operate on the Metro every day. Keep wallets and valuables secured
• Baggage is allowed to be transported on the Metro, but note that at peak times, there may simply be no space to put it anywhere
• The Metro is by far the best way of getting into the center of Mexico City. Road traffic congestion in the central areas of the city is virtually constant during daylight hours (and even into the night) and the Metro will transport you straight into the heart of the city faster than a car or taxi can
• The Metro is not, as a rule, frequented by the middle and upper classes in Mexico: it’s a cultural thing. Visitors, including smart tourists, do use the Metro to get about, although it’s best to avoid it during peak hours (see times above)
• The Tren Ligero, which connects the southern terminal of Taxqueña to Xochimilco, is a very congested line. It’s almost impossible to travel comfortably on this line during peak hours.
• If you plan to attend a soccer match or other event at the Aztec Stadium, the Tren Ligero is a great way to get to and from the event. There is a Tren Ligero station (name: Estadio Azteca) with a foot-bridge leading into the stadium: however, we recommend you get there early and leave a few minutes before the event ends to avoid the crush which ensues when everyone leaves the stadium and heads away from the area using the Tren Ligero
• During the rainy season (May-October) the rail Metro system can get bogged down on lines which have outdoor stretches. When the metal tracks get wet, the trains must slow down to avoid skidding. Most rains come in the late afternoons, causing delays (sometimes severe) on evening train services.

Metro Website

Mexico City’s government runs a website about the Metro Systems in the capital, which includes information about the services, maps, etc., visit: http://www.metro.cdmx.gob.mx/

Metro Systems in Monterrey

Monterrey, Mexico’s third largest city, also has rail and bus Metro systems. The rail system is small in comparison to Mexico City’s, with just two lines (crossing each other), and connecting the city’s major areas. It’s called the Metrorrey.

There are also three complimentary systems to the Metro which help people get about the city: The Metrobus, Metro Enlace and Transmetro.

For full details, see the service website at: http://www.nl.gob.mx/metrorrey

Driving in Mexico

About Driving in Mexico

Getting around Mexico by road can be efficient or frustrating, depending on where you are, what time of day, and what the date is. Some highways, especially those connecting Mexico City to Cuernavaca, Puebla, and Querétaro get hugely congested on public holidays. However, once you are out on the open road, driving in Mexico can be a real treat, and sometimes it’s the only way to see places and locations “off the beaten” track which are not well or infrequently served by public transport.

Read the complete guide to Driving in Mexico which includes information about Mexico’s road network, driving tips, night driving, dealing with the police, accidents and breakdowns as well using as toll roads in Mexico.

Car Rental in Mexico

Car rental in Mexico is more expensive than the USA, and about on-par with European car rental costs. Connect to the complete guide on Mexperience about Car Rental in Mexico for details and advice about renting a car here.

Hiring a Chauffeured Car in Mexico

If you want to travel independently by road in Mexico, but you don’t want to do the driving yourself, chauffeured services are available for an all-inclusive for daily rate, which will vary depending on the size of the car and the number of days you hire. Ask the local car rental agency for details.

Maps of Mexico

Digital mapping has revolutionized map reading and today, excellent maps of Mexico can be found readily online with services like Google Maps, Apple Maps and Bing Maps. Connect to the Maps of Mexico page here on Mexperience to get access to maps of places across all of Mexico, using Google Maps.

Walking and Cycling in Mexico

Away from planes, buses, and automobiles, getting around in Mexico by foot and/or cycle can be rewarding, challenging, or both. Here is our advice for walkers and cyclists in Mexico.

Being a Pedestrian in Mexico

Major towns and cities have sidewalks and foot-bridges, although the condition of the sidewalks, in particular, can vary. Most sidewalks in Mexico are not suitable for wheelchairs, and even walking along them can sometimes be a bit of an obstacle course. That’s because tree-roots, loose foundations, and other ‘works’ cause the sidewalk to be raised or lowered.

The principal precaution when walking in Mexico’s town and cities is the traffic. Drivers in Mexico don’t always respect urbanized speed limits and won’t necessarily slow down. Add to this the fact that some streets are in disrepair or narrow (or both) and, losing concentration of your surroundings could cause a nasty accident.

Be especially aware at crossings. Yellow and white stripes indicate ‘pedestrian crossing’, but they are hardly respected. When the lights turn red, it’s a good idea to wait until the front row of cars has come to a stop before you cross as some drivers interpret the amber light as ‘go faster to avoid the red’. Power-cuts are quite frequent in Mexico and they affect traffic lights and crossings, too.

Colonial cities are best explored on foot. The historic centers of many colonial cities are cobbled, and this creates a natural way of keeping traffic speed down. However, there are many narrow streets and sharp (often blind) corners. Not all sidewalks are wide enough for everyone who wants to use them, so people end up walking along the roadways: be cautious at intersections and corner streets.

Cycling in Mexico

It’s not common to see many people long-distance cycling on Mexico’s roads and highways. The free highways are poorly lit at night and the road surfaces vary from good to very poor; the tolled highways don’t really lend themselves to cyclists. In any event, to traverse the mountain terrain which is ubiquitous across much of inland Mexico, you will need a great bike and have to be extremely fit.

Cycling in towns and cities is becoming more common. Mexico City has a network of cycle paths in various states of repair.

Some cities lend themselves well to cycling, others don’t. Usually, older colonial cities built up in the mountains, with their cobbled streets and narrow sidewalks and steep inclines don’t lend themselves well to cyclists. Cities by the coasts, on flatter ground and with flatter road surfaces, like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Campeche, Veracruz, and Acapulco are better.

If you plan to do a lot of biking in Mexico as a way of getting around, a mountain bike, with hard-wearing tires and strengthened suspension is advised. Bring a bike repair kit and a very good bike lock(s).

Adventure Travel Biking in Mexico

Cycling in the hills, valleys and mountains of Mexico’s Great Outdoors is a different proposition altogether. You are provided with properly equipped mountain bikes, helmets and are taken on known paths, tracks and cycle routes amidst Mexico’s fantastic natural landscapes.

See Also: Nature and Adventure Travel in Mexico

Whether you are visiting or living in Mexico, we’ll show you how to make the most of your transport choices here.

Introduction

If you are planning a business trip to Mexico, then part of that planning should include getting to know the part of Mexico that you will be visiting, as well as any nearby areas, either to give you information for light conversation with your contacts in Mexico, and / or so that you can take some time out and see some of the local attractions…

Whether you’re traveling to the Major Cities, near one of Stunning Coastal Locations, visiting some of the Colonial Cities, experiencing the Archaeology Parks, or a combination of these, Mexperience can help you discover them all.

If you’re an active person, you may also want to explore the possibility of taking part in Mexico’s Great Outdoors.

If you’re feeling stressed after some tough negotiating, why not explore the opportunity to relax and unwind at one of the quality Spas nearby?

If you’re looking for ideas about the type of hotels and resorts you might like to stay out, visit our Mexico Hotels page, where you’ll find hotels categorized by type including, for example, hotels with golf courses.

Wherever you need to do business in Mexico, you’ll need to do some pre-trip planning, and Mexperience is the perfect place to get yourself informed. This guide has been written to help you learn about the key things you need to know and plan for your next business visit to Mexico.

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Pre-Trip Planning: Mexico Essentials

Whether you’re going to Mexico exclusively for business, or intend to mix business with pleasure, you’ll need to make some pre-trip travel plans.

Connect to the Mexperience Mexico Essentials guide, where you will find a practical guide covering just about everything you will need to know about planning a trip to Mexico, whether it’s your first business trip to Mexico, or if you’re returning after previous visits.

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Staying in Touch – Communications in Mexico

Mexico offers business travelers a well-developed communications network featuring telephones, excellent cell phone coverage, mobile and fixed line high-speed internet, access to postal courier services, as well as an abundance of internet cafes in every town and city.

Staying in touch on the move is essential when you’re traveling on business.

Our guide to Communications in Mexico shows you how to make the best use of Mexico’s communications networks and how to keep your costs under control in a country that is well known for its high communications costs.

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Learning Spanish

Whether you want to learn a few phrases, or start to make a real effort to learning Spanish, the Learn Spanish guide on Mexperience can help you make your first (or next) steps in learning Spanish.

The guide shares useful information about learning Spanish, offers a series of free Spanish lessons online and also contains details of Spanish Language courses you can undertake at language schools in Mexico. If you’re serious about doing business in Mexico, then you should be serious about leaning Spanish, too.

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Getting to and Around Mexico

Getting to Mexico and knowing how to get around effectively when you arrive here are essential if you’re going to make the best use of your time.

Our Getting Around Mexico guide is comprehensive and includes guides to air travel, taxi travel, bus travel, driving in Mexico, car rental, using toll roads, as well as other local public transport options like metro systems and local buses.

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Car Rental

For maximum flexibility, you might consider renting a car for your next business trip in Mexico.

Our guide to Car Rental in Mexico explains everything you need to know about renting cars in Mexico, and you can arrange your rental car with Mexperience online—we offer pick-ups from all of Mexico’s key airports as well as principal towns and cities across the country using Hertz car rental.

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Taxis Travel in Mexico

Taxis can be an effective and economical way to get around in Mexico; they are plentiful and very affordable in comparison to taxi fares in places like the USA and western Europe.

Certain precautions must be taken when hiring a taxi, especially so in Mexico City. Read our guide to Taxi Travel in Mexico and you’ll arrive here fully prepared to find the right taxi for your needs at the best price.

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Business Accommodation

When you’re traveling on business, you’ll want to find a hotel that is situated in the right location and which offers the right services and amenities for your business needs. Our full-time team of hotel account managers are responsible for negotiating great rates at Mexico’s best hotels.

Mexperience offers you recommendations for hotels in Mexico at over 55 popular destinations, including Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. If our recommendations do not suit your needs, just one click will present you with a full list of hotels at a location of your choice.

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Golf Courses

A round of golf to network and build relationships is as important in business circles in Mexico as it is elsewhere in the world. A couple of rounds can help you to develop that all-important relationship with your contacts and start to build rapport that will lead to (better) business with them. Mexico is host to no less than 3 of the world’s top 10 golf courses.

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Night Life

From late night bars, restaurants and Mexican theme parties to modern techno night clubs, there’s something for everyone looking for nocturnal life in Mexico. To find out what night life is available at the locations you are traveling to, check out the individual travel guide to the locations you’re planning to visit.

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Getting to Mexico from the USA and Canada

Flying to Mexico

Flights to all of Mexico’s main airports are available daily from the United States, and Canada.  Read the guide to Flying in Mexico for detailed information about flights to, from and within Mexico.

Driving to Mexico

Taking a foreign (US or Canadian-plated) car into Mexico, beyond the 22 mile (35 km) “border zone,” requires a some paperwork, permit arrangements and planning. If you’re renting a car in the United States and want to cross over the border into Mexico, you must also make sure that the insurance is valid in Mexico. It is very likely that you will have to buy Mexican automobile insurance separately. You can find complete details, including information about bringing your own car, on our guide to Driving in Mexico.

Getting to Mexico from Europe

Flying to Mexico from Europe

Daily flights operate from major European cities to Mexico.

From the UK: You can fly direct to Mexico City from London with British Airways and Aeromexico; or connect to Mexican destinations via the USA with one of the American carriers. Some operators fly package-tour flights (in season) from UK airports to Mexico’s three resort destinations: Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos.

From Continental Europe: You can fly direct to Mexico City from major European hubs including Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Madrid.  Some operators fly package-tour flights (in season) from European airports to Mexico’s three resort destinations: Cancun, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos.

Detailed Information: Read the guide to Flying in Mexico for detailed information about flights to, from and within Mexico.

Getting to Mexico From Australia and New Zealand

Flying From Australia and New Zealand to Mexico

There are no direct flights from Australia and New Zealand to Mexico. Most travelers go via the USA, often Los Angeles. The best US cities for international through connections to Mexico are: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, and New York. Check to see which route offers the best fares.

It’s also possible to fly to Japan (Tokyo) and connect to Mexico from there, or else fly to a European capital city and connect through there to Mexico City (see Flying to Mexico from Europe, above).

Detailed Information: Read the guide to Flying in Mexico for detailed information about flights to, from and within Mexico.

Arrival in Mexico and Getting Around

Arriving in Mexico

Once you have arrived in Mexico, there are numerous options for getting around efficiently and affordably.

Read the guide to Getting Around Mexico (see link below) for full details, and further links to our extensive guides about flying, traveling by bus, driving, car rental, and using taxis and public transport in Mexico.

Arrival at the Airport in Mexico

If you arrive by airplane, then once you pass through immigration and clear customs, you will probably need to arrange ground transportation to your hotel or other abode.

Airport Transfers

If you are staying at a major resort in Mexico, you may have arranged to be picked up at the airport by the hotel, using an airport transfer service.

Authorized Taxis

Every airport has authorized taxi booths; they charge virtually identical (high) prices based on a zoning charge system. Look for the words “Taxi Autorizado” as you exit the customs area, or ask one of the local staff for help.   You can use App-Cab services, (e.g. Uber and Cabify) to get picked-up from some airports.  See Traveling by Taxi in Mexico for details.

Suburban Vans

At Mexico’s principal tourist destinations, including Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Los Cabos, Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo there is an option to ride to your hotel in a suburban van. The vans fill up with passengers and make a round of local hotels depending on where the passengers in the vehicle want to be dropped off. It takes a little longer, but the ride is comfortable and you pay a fraction of the price a taxi will charge you for taking you direct to your hotel.

National Buses

If you arrive at Mexico City’s airport, you can connect direct from the airport to a number of popular cities surrounding the capital including Cuernavaca, Queretaro and Puebla. To go by bus to cities not served directly from the airport, you will need to take a taxi to one of the capital’s bus stations and connect to your destination from there. See the Mexperience guide to Traveling by Bus in Mexico for full details.

Local Buses or Metro

If you’re traveling light, you may want to use the local buses or, in Mexico City, the Metro system. Buses and the Metro (in Mexico City) are not recommended if you are carrying baggage or valuable equipment (e.g. expensive cameras, laptops, etc).

Getting Around in Mexico

Connect to our complete guide to Getting Around Mexico, which shows you how to make use of Mexico’s extensive and well-developed public and private transport systems.

International Flights

International Airlines Serving Mexico

Most of the world’s major airlines serve Mexico City, and many US carriers also serve principal provincial cities from destinations in the USA.

Read the guide to Flying in Mexico for detailed information about flights to, from and within Mexico.

Domestic Flights

Airport Transfers

If you arrive from an international destination and plan to connect (usually in Mexico City) to another location in Mexico, you will need to clear Mexican Immigration and Customs before traveling on to your final destination.

Build-in extra time between your flight connections, as immigration and customs procedures have become more time-consuming in recent years.

See Mexico Entry Requirements for details about immigration and customs procedures in Mexico.

Read the guide to Flying in Mexico for detailed information about flights to, from and within Mexico.

Domestic Flights in Mexico

Mexico has an extensive network of national airports and domestic airlines, including low-cost airlines. Read the guide to Flying in Mexico for detailed information about flights to, from and within Mexico.

An alternative to flying is to take one of the first- or executive-class buses which crisscross the country regularly and provide an affordable alternative to flying. Traveling longer distances by bus might not be as trendy, or as fast, or as comfortable as flying, but it’s generally cheaper and there are more options, at least as far as price and frequency goes.

Nothing quite highlights the difference between the two modes of travel as the contrast, in the capital at least, between the airport and its proletarian counterparts the bus stations.

To start with, services that are “included” in the price of an airline ticket are apparently optional for those ‘slumming’ it at one of Mexico City’s four intercity bus terminals.

Luggage can’t be checked-in until half an hour before the bus leaves, but for those arriving early there are some luggage-storage services which cost extra even if they’re provided by the same check-in people. For a few pesos, they will stash the bags behind the counter until the time comes for them to be checked on to the bus.

Toilets are five pesos to get in — cleaning costs presumably — which will leave patrons dreading to think what they might be like for free.  Parking is considerably cheaper than at the airport, so too are the taxi services which run from each bus terminal, although with App Cabs now operating in many cities, travelers are not held hostage to the official taxi rank prices as they used to be in years gone-by.

Some other things are pretty much the same, merely on a different level. Prices at shops and cafeterias are marked up in accordance with a captive clientele, and some poor quality food can be had at rip-off rates.

If you’re meeting somebody arriving at the bus station, you won’t be quite so obviously not a traveler as you would at the airport, even when you’re not holding up a piece of card with a name on it.

Passengers disembarking from a long bus trip usually look more bedraggled than their recently airborne cousins. More often than not, they will be hauling along their own bags, not whizzing them along on wheels. Some, rather than hoping they might be recognized, will be hoping the opposite, perhaps to avoid the mutual application of the same stupid question. After all, nobody goes to an airport or a bus station for fun. Do they?

Mexico City’s airport recently underwent another extension – the second inside a decade – to accommodate the growth in air passengers through the city.  The construction of a new, second, terminal is now underway to satisfy expected demand for the next 50 years.

At the same time, the Mexican airport authorities are actively working to de-centralize flights and reduce the pressure on Mexico City’s airport (traditionally, the “hub” for most flights into, out of and through Mexico).   Regional airports such as those in the cities of Toluca, Cuernavaca and Puebla – all within reasonable driving distance of the capital – are being improved and expanded as part of the de-centralization program.   Airports in Guadalajara, Monterrey and Cancun will also see upgrades and expansion in the near future.

New routes between the USA and Mexico were agreed recently and airlines are expected to open up more direct routes between the USA and Mexico’s most popular places including Los Cabos, Vallarta and Mexico’s southern regions, for example, Chiapas and Campeche.

Mexico is also witnessing the emergence of “low cost” airlines which offer no-frills, point-to-point travel inside Mexico.  These airlines are already giving travelers access to more of Mexico by making it affordable to fly domestically between cities which were previously only served by national airlines at heavily inflated prices.

Progress and development of these new low-cost routes has been gradual over the last couple of years and none too swift; however in recent months momentum has been building up and, with alternative carriers increasing the number of routes and flights they operate, domestic passengers are beginning to take the new entrants seriously; making travel plans based on lower fares.

As Mexico’s two nationalized airlines, Mexicana and AeroMexico enjoyed a virtual monopoly on domestic flights for many years and they were often accused of subsidizing their international (competitive) routes by demanding sky-high prices for seats on domestic flights: domestic air-travelers had no option but to pay or take the bus instead.  Mexicana was sold-off in 2006 to Grupo Posadas, one of Mexico’s leading travel consortiums.  To compete with the low-cost carriers, Mexicana launched a subsiduary airline named Click Mexicana which offers lower fares to passengers booking via the web.   AeroMexico remains in the hands of the government and, as yet, has not moved to compete with the new low-cost operators.

Domestic airline travel is already experiencing some of the benefits of competition.  Another aspect of a more open market is that destinations and regions in Mexico which have much to offer visitors but which were hitherto prohibitive to get to because of high travel costs may become accessible to Mexican and international visitors alike; this may bring new investment to those communities, creating new trade and jobs for local people.

See Also: Air Travel in Mexico