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Informative Articles

Identity Theft Protection and Awareness for Travelers
Identity Theft is one of the fastest growing crimes of the 21st Century. As a traveler, you should know the unobvious ways that you can become a victim of this serious crime and how you can protect yourself and your family. Travel plans are...

Safe Travel Tips On Mean Streets
The best way to avoid any possible dangers during your travels is to keep your head about you at all times. Here are some travel tips to help keep any inconveniences at bay. 1) When it comes to belongings, your passport and your money are...

Sweden Travel - Stockholm and Karlskrona
Known as the land of Vikings, Sweden is actually an odd mix of cosmopolitan cities and vast stretches of wide-open spaces. For budget travelers, Sweden is a bit expensive. Stockholm An incredibly beautiful city in the summer, Stockholm is the...

Travel Journals - How To Keep A Travel Journal
It goes without saying that memories of trips and vacations fade with time. If you learn how to keep a travel journal, this need not be the case. Traveling tends to be a schizophrenic event. On one hand, there is the trip you intended to take and...

Traveling in Germany
When deciding to take a vacation to a western country, I recommend Germany. It has various landscapes and very nice small towns and big cities. This country is, of course, to big to travel all at one time but with a trip of about one month,...

 
Traveling in Mexico City: The Ins & Outs of Getting Around

If you have never traveled to Mexico City before, getting around can be a bit overwhelming. There are many ways to travel within Mexico City, and the methods, rules and day-to-day getting from Point A to Point B can be frustrating.

This article will give you the necessary information you require to get around in Mexico City, while ensuring your travel plans are still pleasant, exciting and fruitful. So let's get started! It's an exciting journey you are about to embark upon.

Traveling in Mexico City, a General Overview

The naming conventions used for Mexico City’s streets and neighborhoods can be very exasperating to the out of town traveler if you aren't sure what everything means. The most important thing to remember when trying to find a certain location is: Patience. Many times, streets that 'should' be in a certain place, just aren't.

Numbered streets are usually (but not always) designated as North/South (norte/sur) or East/West (oriente/poneinte). A block can be numbered, depending on how far it is from an arbitrary starting point. However, you'll notice during your travels that many Mexican addresses have only "s/n" (sin número) listed after the street name, which means, literally, "no number". And yet other addresses have a kilometer designation in the address, indicating that they are located a certain number of kilometers down a major street, such as a highway.

All addresses in Mexico City are written with the street name at the start, then the street number. The postal code (código postal) is listed before the name of the city, not after. Apdo., or apartado, means box, and Postal, or A.P. means post-office box number. And finally, most addresses include the neighborhood (colonia, or col.) that the residence is in.

Traveling in


Mexico City, By Bus

The bus system in Mexico City is used extensively by locals and travelers to the area. It is often crowded, and pickpockets are an issue. Never show a wallet on the bus, and make sure to carry change with you if you plan on using this method of transportation.

When boarding the bus, tell the driver where you plan on going, and the driver will tell you the fare. Sometimes bus stops will have signs above them, telling you where you are; many times, you’ll know it’s a stop only because there are people waiting by the side of the road. Buses are rarely on time in Mexico City; if you plan on traveling later in the day or at night, alternate methods of transportation are recommended.

Traveling in Mexico City, By Car

Driving through Mexico City’s streets, especially for the traveler, can be a harrowing experience. One way streets abound, and rush hour is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Millions of people, literally, are sharing the road with you.

Renting a car is possible in Mexico City, but poses different risks for the out of town traveler. Driving on Mexico City roads is not only dangerous because of the lack of skill used for travelers (many get their license not by taking a test, but by paying someone off), but treacherous because of the unusual and poorly maintained roads.

Another option is to hire a taxi, or limousine, to chauffeur you around. Ask the travel hotel you are staying at in Mexico City for recommendations, or for the closest cab stand (sitio).

About the Author

Jean Sutherland is the owner of the informative website http://www.spasoftheworld.com/ & http://www.spasoftheworld.com/spas/index.html She has worked in the travel industry for over 10 years. She also lived in Mexico for 3 years.