Mexico Travel Information
Facts and Figures
Currency
Mexican Peso or New Peso. (the $ symbol is used throughout the country)Exchange rate
Current exchange rates (supplied by Oanda)Population
Around 103 million (in 2005). Mexico City alone has a population of over 30 million, which makes it one of the world's largest cities.Public holidays
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1st | New Year's Day |
| February 5th | Constitution Day |
| February 24th | Flag Day |
| March 21st | Birthday of Benito Juarez |
| March/April (variable) | Santa Semana and Easter |
| May 1st | Labor Day |
| September 1st | State of the Union Address |
| September 16th | Independence Day |
| November 1st and 2nd | All Saints Day - Day of the Dead |
| November 20th | Anniversary of 1910 revolution |
| December 12th | Festival of Our Lady of Guadalupe |
| December 25th | Christmas Day |
Electricity
Electricity is supplied at the US standard of 110 volts, 60 cycles. Plugs and sockets are generally of the old, pre-1970's style two-pronged, non-polar type. (A two-pronged 'polar' plug has two different prongs, one of which is too big to fit into a 'non-polar' type socket.)
Most hotels in the medium to luxury end of the market will be able to supply adaptors for US visitors. Europeans will need to bring their own, and visitors from countries with different voltages (like the UK) will also need to bring transformers.
Getting around
Mexico is a vast country, but good travel connections make it pretty easy to get around.National airlines have extensive networks and internal flights can be booked from North America and Europe, sometimes even on-line. Special passes for tourists make air travel an economical option for many journeys.
One great strength of Mexican transport is the excellent bus system. First class and deluxe services offer very comfortable and sometimes even airline standard travel facilities at unbelievably low prices. What’s more, you will see more of the country when traveling by road as opposed to air.
Planes
Mexicana and Aeromexico are the major national airlines. Mexicana offer the ‘Mexipass’ for travelers with an international airline ticket (by any carrier) to Mexico. Favorable rates apply when at least two internal flights are be booked (check with Mexicana for latest conditions).Smaller airlines offer other useful routes, including AeroTucan's services between Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido. Arrive in plenty of time for your internal flight (one to one-and-a-half hours is recommended). We have had no problems with baggage transferred onto connecting flights with Mexicana.
Most flights are routed through Mexico City, so if you want to go from Puerto Escondido to Acapulco, for example, you’ll be almost as quick on the bus.
Check our Getting There sections for your chosen hotels, sometimes the airport is quite a way from the town and the bus may be a better option (e.g.: Guanajuato is served by Leon/El Bajio airport which is around 17 miles from Guanajuato, but a deluxe bus runs direct to the town from Mexico City in 5 hours).
Remember that departure tax is applicable for domestic and international flights, although it may be included in the price of your ticket (it should be marked on the ticket).
Trains
Passenger rail services have been hard hit by the recent privatization process, and only a small number of services are operating at the moment. The exceptions are the Copper Canyon service and the luxury Expreso Maya train tour in the Yucatan.Automobiles
In some areas it is relatively easy to drive yourself, and advantageous – in others it isn’t. Don’t entertain the idea of renting a car in Mexico City unless you know the city well, the same goes for other large cities but to a lesser extent. As distances between cities can be great in this vast country, one-way rentals can work out expensive. Check the additional costs before you rent.
The Yucatán peninsular is flat and distances between the major attractions are not huge, so renting a car is a good option in this area. Be warned, however, that Mérida’s streets are narrow and very busy, and whilst exploring the Mayan villages with your own transport is much more flexible, there are relatively few road signs off the main routes. We would recommend car rental for excursions along the Caribbean’s coastal route or visits to the major archaeological sites in the Yucatán.
Buses
In many cases travel by bus is more efficient than by air, it’s also much cheaper. Luxury services are now available on many routes, offering reclining seats, air-conditioning, direct or express routes, TV screens and toilets on board.
Some buses have as few as 24 seats, each with leg support and more pitch than airline business class. We would recommend you to choose the best service available; there is often little difference in price between luxury and a slow stopping service.
A few words of warning:- ALWAYS check that your route is non-stop and/or direct. Some services stop almost on demand and it can add hours to your journey time. Ask when you buy your ticket and again when you board the bus.
Large pieces of luggage can usually be stored in a hold opened by the driver at each stop. The best lines give you a receipt such baggage and won’t hand the items back without the corresponding ticket. Smaller bags can be stored on overhead racks in the bus.
It's best to book ahead for longer routes; even booking only one day ahead before the departure seems to work without problems (except at busy times such as Santa Semana, Christmas and New Year). If you know that a regular service is on offer then you will probably be OK just turning up, if you don’t mind waiting for a few hours.
It helps if you have a company in mind, often several cover the same route. At the bus station each company will have a desk, usually with a timetable and prices displayed on a large board behind. Many now have computerized reservations, you will be asked which seat you prefer and your seat number will be recorded on your ticket. Note that ‘asiento’ is your seat number and ‘anden’ is the platform from which the service departs.
Mexican bus stations can be huge – Guadalajara’s has six ‘terminals’ in one location, each terminal covers a selection of companies. Mexico City has north, south, east and west terminals; your destination will determine which station you need.
Visa and Entry requirements
US/Canadian citizens
Passports
All visitors from the US are now required to have a passport when arriving in Mexico by air or by sea. If arriving overland from the US, nationals can generally gain entrance into Mexico with proof of their US citizenship, a certified copy of a birth certificate and photo identification. For the latest official information about entering Mexico go here.
Visas
Tourists visiting Mexico for less than 180 days can enter with a Tourist Card (issued on arrival).EU citizens
Passports
A passport valid for 6 months beyond your anticipated departure date from Mexico is required.
Visas
EU residents can enter with a Tourist card (issued on arrival) for stays of up to 180 days (except nationals of Austria, France, Greece and Luxembourg who can stay for up to 90 days).Other nationalities
Check with the appropriate consular authority.More information
Check the World Travel Guide for up to date information and more details on entry requirements.Health and Vaccinations
Mandatory vaccinations
Yellow fever (only if arriving from an infected area).Recommended vaccinations
Typhoid, Polio, Hepatitis A, Diphtheria and Tetanus.Malaria
Malaria risk exists in rural areas of the following states (in decreasing order of importance): Chiapas, Oaxaca, Sinaloa, Michoacán, Nayarit, Guerrero, Tabasco, Quintana Roo, Chihuahua, Campeche and Hidalgo. The recommended prophylaxis is chloroquine. We do not suggest preventative medication for visits to the major resorts, but the use of insect repellents and other measures is recommended.
Other Sources of Travel Information
Travel warnings from the U.S. State Government.Moon's Mexico Handbook has detailed information about traveling in Mexico - visit their site for up-to-date information and more hints and tips for independent travelers.
Karen Brown's Mexico Guide contains hand-picked special properties that share the high standards and attentive, personal service that we look for at Different World.
Top
