Mexico City

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Mexico City is the capital of Mexico. About 9,000,000 people live in the Federal District, making it the most densely populated area of Mexico. Locally, Mexico City is known as Ciudad de México, Distrito Federal, D.F. or simply México (not to be confused with the country).

The metro of Mexico is a great way to get around for small money open until midnight. Minibuses (combis) are 2.50 for the first 5km, 3 Pesos 5-12km and 4 Pesos above.


Hitchhiking out

EAST: Autopista Puebla

Take the metro line A towards La Paz. You could get off at the station Santa Martha (2 stops before the last stop) and you will be on the road which turns into the autopista to Puebla. But it's better to get further out of the urban area, so you should probably get off at the last station, La Paz. From here, invest 10 or 12 pesos for a microbus towards Chalco, it's route 36 and departs from platform F. Ask to be dropped at the toll gate (Caseta de Cobro). After about a 30 min. ride you will be dropped at the autopista. You will be right next to a toll gate, but that is not where you're trying to get to. Instead, turn around and start walking back to where your van just came from. Walk up the slight incline towards the bridge you have just passed and then walk down again where you can get to the highway that the bridge you have just passed with the van crosses. (Yes, slightly complicated -- if it's too much, just ask somebody, there are people around.) When you get to the highway down there, turn right and walk about one kilometer, and you'll be at your destination. The toll gate that goes towards Puebla is called Caseta San Marcos. No trouble with police here if you walk and hitch on the autopista. Make sure to take your ID with you though. There is a military post at the toll gate. They may check you.


WEST: Autopista Toluca

Take the pink line (line 1) to Observatorio (last station). Near by there is a big bus station for "Autobuses Foráneos," the buses that take you to other cities. On the other side of the subway station, there is a more informal bus stop where the local buses run. Look for the bus that says Caseta/La Marquesa. It's important to tell the driver you want to get off before the toll (caseta), otherwise you will end up in La Marquesa. You can hitchhike near the toll without problems. The security guards might tell you to move if they think you're too close, but they just need you to step a couple meter back. If you do end up in La Marquesa, you can always ask the people who are eating quesadillas at the little food stands to give you a ride. Almost all of them will be going to Toluca.


SOUTH: Cuernavaca

If travelling towards Oaxaca, its better to pass east first through Puebla. Follow the directions above.

You can take the autopista or the beautiful carretera a Cuernavaca, if you leave the city via carretera you can (if the weather is fine) overlook the whole city. Both roads begin at the end of Tlalpan. One way to get there is by metrobus which runs down the long north south road "insurgentes". Take it to the last stop and find your way to the highway. There is a good place to hitch there. For the metrobus, you need a card (which costs about 11 pesos for 1 ride) to take the metrobus, but if you ask, people will let you use their card for 3.50 pesos. From Doctor Galvez, a minibus runs to the point where autopista and carretera split. You can take another minibus to the toll gate (caseta de cobro) de la autopista.


North: Pachuca and Querétaro

Querétaro and United States: take a metro to Buenavista where you take another suburban train. Take the suburban all the way to the last stop at Cuautitlan (I think they are building an extension of the line) and get off at the left side of the track. Cuautitlan is one of the side cities of metropolitan Mexico. The caseta (toll gate) going north is about 7-8km from here. From the train station, you can find buses (10 pesos) or minibuses going to the autopista caseta (toll gate). Ask around. Note, the bus follows the highway, but it doesnt pass the toll gate. Just few hundred meters before the caseta the buses turns in to some other town and you have to jump off. But then its easy, you have only 5 minutes walk (you can see the toll gate from when the bus turns). Its a main toll gate north of of Mexico, so you might have company of some other mexican hitchhikers. If you're having trouble at the tollbooth, there's a gas station about two kilometers down the road where you can talk to people.

Cheaper, less complicated way to get to autopista Mexico-Queretaro. Just take the blue line to the west end - Cuatro Caminos. From there walk towards the highway. A lot of traffic go on the road that is parallel with the highway. Just hitch and one of them to bring you to higway


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