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Transportation
By Air
All international flights arrive at the international terminal of Mexico City International Airport (MEX), which is within the metropolitan area in the eastern part of the city. Travel time by car to major hotels is about half an hour, except during the morning and evening rush hours, when it can take up to an hour. The airport can be crowded, so plan your schedule for a long wait enroute to the gate and at immigration.
Connecting Transportation
Take an official Transportacion Terrestre taxi: Purchase a ticket from the booth inside the arrivals area of the terminal, next to the baggage-claim area. A ticket to most downtown areas will cost about M$130. You won't be able to mistake the yellow-and-white official taxis. These are the only ones permitted to park outside the airport exit.
Hotel courtesy vans and rental cars are available. The metro has a station within easy walking distance from baggage claim, if you have very little luggage.
Bus
Bus lines connect the city to all parts of the country. New buses offer such amenities as movies, soft drinks and clean bathrooms. In terms of comfort, executive-class buses put commercial airplanes to shame.
The bus terminals include Terminal Central del Norte, which serves northern destinations including Queretaro, Guanajuato, Zacatecas and border states; Terminal Central del Poniente, also known as Central Observatorio, serving destinations to the west such as Guadalajara and Michoacan; Terminal Central del Sur, with service to southern destinations including Oaxaca, Chiapas, Acapulco and Taxco; and Terminal del Oriente, also known as Terminal Tapo, which has service to Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Veracruz and the Yucatan peninsula.
For most bus lines, reservations can be made in advance or can be purchased over the phone with a credit card. Book early on holiday weekends, when tickets sell out quickly.
By Car
If you're going to stay within the city, it's usually better to hire a taxi by the hour than to rent a car. Driving into Mexico City can be confusing because the highways are not well marked, and rentals are very expensive. For a day trip outside the city, it is best to join a tour bus with a guide. It will give you more time to look at the scenery.
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