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Mexico
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|capital = [[Mexico City]]
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== License plates == Mexican license plates are very easy to interpret: The name of the issuing federal state is written on them (as you will easily notice once in the country). When traveling longer distances or in central Mexico with its many small states it can therefore be useful knowing which state your destination is in (if you have one). == Cities ==__TOC__* [[Acapulco]]* [[Arriaga]]* [[Ciudad Valles]]* [[Culiacán]]* [[Guadalajara]]* [[Guanajuato (city)| Guanajuato]]* [[Mexico City]] (capital)* [[Oaxaca (City)|Oaxaca]]* [[Palenque]]* [[Poza Rica]]* [[Puebla (city)|Puebla]]* [[Querétaro (city)| Querétaro]]* [[San Cristóbal de las Casas]]* [[San Luis Potosí (city)| San Luis Potosí]]* [[Tehuantepec]]* [[Toluca]]* [[Tuxtla]]* [[Xalapa (City)|Xalapa]] == Hitchability and General Advice== Hitchability in Mexico varies wildly depending on the region and on the setting. by the touristic coast of Oaxaca, for example, it's extremely easy to find rides, while you might wait a few hours on low-traffic rural roads or by the overwhelmingly crowded ''casetas de cobro'' near Mexico City. A peculiarity of Mexican hitchhiking are the ubiquitous pick-up trucks where you just jump in the back, hold onto your hat, kiss the wind and forget about communicating with the driver. Many people will offer you food and drinks, especially Coca Cola! On routes with poor public transportation, payment is sometimes expected and ordinary pickups magically turn into ''collectivos'' (shared taxis). On the small roads, however, hitchhiking can sometimes be time-consuming – waiting times of 2–3 hours are not unheard of. Be prepared with patience, water and sun cream. Although in many places locals hitch to get home from the grocery store for instance, hitchhiking as a lifestyle or as a means of long-distance travel is not so common in Mexico and not everybody might immediately understand what you want. So, on the mountain roads for instance, your brain should be wired more to enjoy the magnificent views and eating the abundance of fruit nature has on offer rather than making a lot of progress. As for security, most hitchhikers never encounter any major problems. Mexico is an enormous country and experiences vary a lot from state to state. If you want to avoid risks, you can avoid the states close to the border with USA - Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Chihuahua and Durango, i.e. take buses and collectivos when traveling north of the line between Tampico, San Luis Potosi and Mazatlan (the map). Apparently also the states of Guerreroand Michoacán (mostly by the coast), Michoacán Sinaloa and Veracruz can be risky. If you go hitchhiking in Mexico, being able to speak and understand at least a bit of Spanish is nearly mandatory. Apart from touristic areas, most people you encounter do not speak English, unless they have lived in the US which isn't all that infrequent. Still, if you know Spanish you can communicate way better with people and get a closer connection with them. Useful [[Spanish]] words are "ride" and "aventón", both meaning a lift. Near the [[Guatemala|Guatemalan]] border the word "jalón" is used. No one understands what hitchhiking or autostop means so say “busco/buscamos un ride” instead when looking for a ride. === Signs === Signs are almost always unnecessary in Mexico. However they really seem to help when you're hitching at a ''caseta de cobro'', especially when the highway splits soon after.
If you go hitchhiking 're in Mexicoan area with a lot of local traffic, being able it might be useful to speak and understand at least make a bit of Spanish is nearly mandatory. Apart from touristic areas, most people you encounter do not speak Englishsign that says "Siguiente Gasolinera" (next gas station). If you know Spanish Then you can communicate way better with people and get a closer connection with themride to a better hitchhiking spot. Useful [[Spanish]] words are Similarly, signs that say "ridereten" and (checkpoint) or "aventóncaseta"(tollbooth) can be really useful, both meaning a lift. Near especially when cars are passing quickly and the [[Guatemala|Guatemalan]] border the word "jalón" checkpoint or tollbooth is used. No one understands what hitchhiking only 10 or autostop means so say “busco/buscamos un ride” instead when looking for a ride20 km away.
Other good places include exits from shopping centers, in truck stops or at the restaurants where truckers eat. Some petrol stations in the north don't allow people to do that, but you can try to speak with the manager. It works sometimes. Otherwise, just stay by the cashier of the petrol station or at the door (they can't forbid you that) and ask.
You can also catch long rides at the exits of the cities when you travel on the highways. Many cities have speed bumps (''tope'') where the highway begins at the edge of town. Where there are police posts at the entrance or exits to towns, there are usually topes too. On smaller highways in more rural areas, there are often speed bumps at every little town, making it easy to move quickly with a number of shorter rides.
Many of the larger, faster highways operate on a toll system. It's common for there to be a free road (''libre'') parallel to the paid one (''cuota''), the former being slower and easier to catch rides, but the latter much more likely for getting longer rides. The tollbooths (''caseta'') can be good places too, and the ones near to the cities can usually be reached by local transport. However, sometimes you have might be told to stand about 100m past the tollbooth itself (ask the attendants where you can stand), so traffic has often already picked up speed by the time they get to you and it can be difficult for cars to pull over. Fortunately, there are often restrooms, gas stations, and stores just past the ''caseta'', so you can talk to drivers that stop there. Signs can come in really handy at tollbooths.
== MapPersonal experiences ==The Guia Roji road atlas with the maps of the major cities is maybe worth the 100 Pesos, but people tend to know the roads so if you ask lots of questions you can also get around without one.
<gallery style== Personal experience =="float:right; width:200px; margin-left:25px;">Image:''It may be extremely easy to hitch Katja and Augustas in mainland Mexico, but in the Baja California peninsula, it's a completely different story! In .JPG|Hitchhikers [[Baja CaliforniaKatja and Augustas]], there is only one road, barely fit with all their stuff in the HWY 1, which isn't hell to hitchhike on but requires a lot front of patiencethis pickup.Image: there are often large distances in between cities (which are barely even cities, rather a few ranches and cactus farms) and even larger distances between petrol stations (example: El Rosario is the last one before Guerrero Negro, about 360 km further down Katja hitchhiking in Mexico.JPG|[[Baja California SurKatja and Augustas|Katja]]). Getting stuck in the middle of the desert is NOT fun, and many people can only take you from town ready to town as it is local traffic or gringos doing one of the many races down get a ride! Image:Katja on a pickup in the BajaMexico. Also, unless you are planning JPG|A usual ride on staying in Baja and going a back up towards of a pickup.Image:Augustas is helping to push the USA-truck in Mexico border, you should hitchhike from [[Mexicali]] south. If you plan on heading JPG|Sometimes hitchhikers can be of help to mainland Mexico from the Baja, you must take a ferry in either [[La Paz (Baja California Sur)|La Paz]] or driver - here [[Cabo San LucasLithuania]] towards n hitchhiker [[MazatlánKatja and Augustas|Augustas]], which costs about 80$ USDhelping to push a truck somewhere in Mexico."</gallery>
:''The Yucatan Peninsula It may be extremely easy to hitch in mainland Mexico, but in the Baja California peninsula, it''(s a completely different story! In [[CampecheBaja California]], [[Yucatán]]there is only one road, the HWY 1, which isn't hell to hitchhike on but requires a lot of patience: there are often large distances in between cities (which are barely even cities, rather a few ranches and cactus farms) and even larger distances between petrol stations (example: El Rosario is the last one before Guerrero Negro, about 360 km further down in [[Quintana RooBaja California Sur]])''. Getting stuck in the middle of the desert is NOT fun, and many people can only take you from town to town as it is local traffic or gringos doing one of the many races down in the Baja. Also, unless you are planning on staying in Baja and going back up towards the other handUSA-Mexico border, outshines all Mexico for its ease and amiability of hitchhikingyou should hitchhike from [[Mexicali]] south. You might not even fall victim If you plan on heading to Moctezuma revenge eating old papaya slushies and bean burritos out of mainland Mexico from the trash Baja, you must take a ferry in some of those tourist stripseither [[La Paz (Baja California Sur)|La Paz]] or [[Cabo San Lucas]] towards [[Mazatlán]], which costs about 80$ USD. Hey!"-- [[User:Narfette|Narfette]], April 2008
:''In 10 months and tens of thousands of km covered by thumbThe Yucatan Peninsula ''([[Campeche]], my only "bad" experience was between Pto. Angel and [[Oaxaca (City)|Oaxaca CityYucatán]] (a notorious drug route, as I later learned[[Quintana Roo]]). The driver asked me to drive and once I was behind the wheel informed me that the van was full of Colombia's finest. I nearly shat myself', but on the experience turned out to be quite interestingother hand, as we were forced to make several detours to avoid police checkpoints, taking me through beautiful outshines all Mexico for its ease and remote parts amiability of the [[Oaxaca|Oaxacan]] mountains I otherwise never would have discoveredhitchhiking. Be careful You might not even fall victim to get set upMoctezuma revenge eating old papaya slushies and bean burritos out of the trash in some of those tourist strips. A very, very, rare occurance, but one that can happen.''Hey!"
:''In 10 months and tens of thousands of km covered by thumb, my only "bad" experience was between Pto. Angel and [[Oaxaca (City)|Oaxaca City]] (a notorious drug route, as I later learned). The driver asked me to drive and once I was behind the wheel informed me that the van was full of Colombia's finest. I nearly shat myself, but the experience turned out to be quite interesting, as we were forced to make several detours to avoid police checkpoints, taking me through beautiful and remote parts of the [[Oaxaca|Oaxacan]] mountains I otherwise never would have discovered. Be careful not to get set up. A very, very, rare occurance, but one that can happen.'' -- unknown hitchhiker, July 2010
:''I traveled for 8 months in Mexico, all by thumb. I came down Baja California, hitched a sailboat from La Paz to Mazatlán, steamed over to [[Veracruz (City)|Veracruz]] for the carnival, went up and around the Yucatán, then down into [[Chiapas]], Guatemala, and then back to Veracruz, across to all the big central cities, and down the Pacific coast to Oaxaca and Guatemala once more. I got picked up by plenty of self-proclaimed drug dealers. Whatever. Lovely country. --[[User:Chael777|Chael777]]'', August 2011
:''I hitched at exits and on-ramps and speed bumps (topes) and made excellent time from [[Matamoros]] to [[Catemaco]]. As long as cars are going somewhat slow any place is really a good place to hitchhike. I rarely waited more than fifteen minutes. People were very hospitable. I was treated to lots of delicious food and given places to stay by those who picked me up. '''This is my favorite country to hitchhike thus far.''' --[[User:Eripson|Eripson]], March 2012
:''The small less trafficky roads, in the mountains and in Chiapas for instance, can test your patience. If you are coming from south (Guatemala) people might be afraid to pick you up because there are so many checkpoints. Even the ones who do stop ask if you have problems with authorities, if you are smuggling drugs or if you have a passport."--[[User:Astikain|Astikain]] ([[User talk:Astikain|talk]]) 15:59, 4 June 2013 (CEST)
"I hitchhiked for two months through the mainland and had a great experience. People are very friendly and willing to help. The biggest thing is getting outside the city. The good thing about the big highways is you are more likely to get a long ride, the bad thing it can be rough to have someone pull over. The small villages are easier to get rides but tend to be short."-- Jason "ANDALE! méxico remains my favorite place to catch a ride- starting in san diego, cali and winding up in ciudad de guatemala a month later was a breeze. forget about that one 24 hour wait in Tonalà (7eleven outside Guadalajara, you were cruel to me), and hear me out when i say that topés (speed rumps) are your besties and camionetas (pick ups) are the most splendid way -and most common ride- to view méxico, especially with a cold Modelo in your hand and Chalino Sanchez serenading your ears from the front seat. got our shit checkpoint-searched HARD in southern baja, witnessed bribes in guate, were taken to unknown aguascalientes in jalisco, had too much tequlia in Tequila, got robbed in jocotepec, hitched a ride with turkeys, bread, candy and piñatas, drank the waters of canyon aguacero in chiapas. oh what a wonderful world. thumbed it solo as a chick and with a male and later female road dawg. ¡buen viaje! signing off." -- two_string_sally april 2018 == Useful resources ==[[File:Tortugas.jpg|right|thumb|300px|New born turtles in the coast of Mexico, walking towards the ocean.]] === Map===
The Guia Roji road atlas with the maps of the major cities is maybe worth the 100 Pesos, but people tend to know the roads so if you ask lots of questions you can also get around without one. ===Shelter = Cities ==* [[Acapulco]]* [[Arriaga]]* [[Ciudad Valles]]* [[Guadalajara]]* [[Guanajuato (city)| Guanajuato]]* [[Mexico City]] (capital)* [[Oaxaca (City)|Oaxaca]]* [[Palenque]]* [[Poza Rica]]* [[Puebla (city)|Puebla]]* [[Querétaro (city)| Querétaro]]* [[San Cristóbal de las Casas]]* [[San Luis Potosí (city)| San Luis Potosí]]* [[Tehuantepec]]* [[Toluca]]* [[Tuxtla]]* [[Xalapa (City)|Xalapa]]
=== Links ===
* For general info about moneyless travels in Mexico, see [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iqhpdy67vceKm6LBTsYQFU_wulqCb7Q-dPRooZxuU0U/mobilebasic?pli=1 this] handy document.
[[fr:Mexique]]
[[ru:Мексика]]