Dateline: Mexico, DF
With apologies to the Kingston Trio
Mexico City’s Metro System is the worst possible way to get around the city. Except of course, for taking a taxi, or even worse, driving. Or taking a combi, many of which seem to have been built in the 60’s and last maintained some time in the 70’s, many driven by maniacal young men with their girlfriends riding shotgun. And don’t even get me started on the MetroBus, which at rush hour makes sardines feel like they normally live in a spacious three-story penthouse apartment in the largest building in New York City.
Of course, as is my wont, I may be exaggerating a smidgen. Just for dramatic effect. Because except for rush hour, the Metro is actually a very good way to get around DF. It’s cheap, at a mere 5 pesos, or about thirty two American cents a ride. Compare that to Boston’s “T” at about $2.65 a ride, and New York’s Subway at close to $3, and you’ll immediately recognize what a bargain it is. And there are no destinations, certainly in Boston, that can compare for sheer fascination value with stops like Garibaldi, where itinerant mariachis hang out hoping to be picked up for a gig. Or the Zócalo, former Center of the Universe, and now center for all the happenings in Mexico City. Or any number of other exotic destinations that can be yours for a mere thirty two cents. And it’ll make you feel exotic, as you’ll probably be the only Gringo on board at any given time.
It’s also probably the fastest way to get around town as you zip along underground, unimpeded by anything except the occasional suicide. And if that happens, lordy, you’ll wish you had decided to drive. Then the system gets shut down for hours and the city comes to a virtual standstill. Fortunately, this gringo has never personally experienced such a thing, but he has been told gristly tales. Apparently it happens several times per year. Seems like a very inconsiderate way to go too. Not to mention painful. I think I’d opt for a quick slug of an entire bottle of tequila, or really just about any other method, rather than throw myself in front of a speeding metro train. It is NOT the best passage into the afterlife.
Ah, but the Metro at rush hour! Then all the speedy convenience suddenly vanishes in a puff of brake dust. Take my most recent experience trying to pick up Edgar on Friday evening at the TAPO bus station, conveniently co-located with the San Lázaro station of the Metro’s Line #1. Edgar’s bus was due to arrive around 6:15, and I texted him at 5:00, saying I’d meet him in the station. Since I had been wandering the city all day, I was a mite tired, and decided to take a nap in the meantime. I set an alarm, but somehow miscalculated the time, and woke with a start at 6:00 PM. “Oh my god, I’ve got to pick up Edgar and I’m late,” I thought in a panic. Since he’s a small-town boy, I figured it was best for me to find him rather than risk losing him amongst the twenty million Defeños frantically trying to get home. So I rushed out of my hotel and walked briskly to the Cuauhtémoc metro stop and prepared to head to San Lázaro. Even with only fifteen minutes, I figured he wouldn’t have to wait long for me as it’s only 5 stops away.
Soon a train entered the station, but it was completely full, and only a few people managed to get on. I wasn’t among them. But I moved down the platform toward the end of the train, figuring that the last car of the next train was likely to have some more space. Nope. The second train came by, only this time, maybe three people got off, and the same number managed to get on. The train was absolutely packed. Meanwhile, the sardines were living large in their cans. Then, more and more people kept arriving on the platform. Five more trains came by and I wasn’t able to get on one of them, and the platform was thick with people and more were arriving by the minute.
So I gave up. I texted Edgar. “There’s no way I’m going to be able to meet you. Seven trains have passed and I can’t get on one of them. So you’re going to have to meet me. I’ll wait on the platform for you. Just take line 1 to Cuauhtémoc station, and I’ll be under the red digital clock.” Since he was going against the commute, Edgar had no trouble at all, showed up about 20 minutes later, and we were reunited.
Sadly, while I’m pretty comfortable with Mexico City’s metro, I don’t know it well enough to know which directions of which lines have this kind of problem at “rush” hour. And rush hour lasts from about 5:30 until about 8:30 or 9:00 PM, and I guess there’s also a morning rush hour too, though I’m not an early bird when in DF.
So take the metro when you can, but beware of rush hour. And if you manage to get on a train? Be prepared to get to know your neighbor. Well. Perhaps a little too well.
El Gringo Suelto 
Metros are pretty cool places to get the feel of a city, especially if you’re not under any time constraints. You get there when you get there, and in the meantime, just enjoy the ride and the people. In Mexico City that can be an eyeful and an adventure. We’ve tried all conveyances except the “combis”. Those are kinda scary.
al
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Hola Al! Indeed, one gets a great “feel” for Mexico City (and oftentimes its citizens) by riding the metro. Perhaps more of a feel than one bargained for, but that’s the price of riding at rush hour. I think I’ve done virtually all forms of transportation in DF — Metro, Metrobús, Combis, Intercity Rail, Taxis, Trajineras (limited to Xochimilco), private car, Turibus, even driving my own truck — and really, all things considered, the Metro is probably the best way to get around, assuming your origin and destination are served by the metro. The combis aren’t too bad, but I have ridden in ones where the floorboards were coming up each time the combi hit a bump — scary. Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
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I just would like to point out to those who have mentioned that combis are awful, that they no longer need to fear.
Combis have been phased out in Mexico Ciity already years ago and have been replaced with Micro buses during many years, because VW of Brazil stopped making the kind of Volkswagen buses that could be converted to combis. There are still a few routes that from certain points of the periphery of the city go to less popular places in the State of Mexico, where a bus just would not be a money making choice. In the capital I have not seen a combi for many years now and have only used one twice in all those years. The micro buses are modern buses, just a bit smaller, but still hold around 50 people. I can say based on 20 years of using the public transportation system daily and at the worst hours that great changes have been made and that imo our system is no worse ( and in many areas better ) than those in cities of comparable size anywhere else on this planet.
Just yesterday I went from the State of Mexico ( Villa de Aragon to be exact ) to my home ( Metro Buena and Metrobus to Poliforum ) and door to door it took 65 minutes, while friends made the same route by car in over 90 minutes.
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Hola Droelma! Good points all. As I wrote my comment on the combis, I was thinking that certainly on Reforma and other high visibility locations, that the combis had improved. But where F, my ex, lives (Colonia Agrícola Oriental), there are still some pretty frightful combis. At least there were a year or so ago. Anyway, saludos and thanks for your continuing contribution to the discussion!
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On the London Tube, the most feared words are “signal failure”. You’ll better have a good pair of trainers in your backpack…
On a cheerier note, I’ve just posted something you might enjoy:
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Hola Simone! I was wondering what had become of you. I’m glad to see that “falling off the edge of the earth” can now be safely ruled out, LOL. I’ll check out your post. Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
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No, no, still steadfastly glued to terra firma and enjoying the ride 🙂
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Glad to hear it. I just left you a comment on your recent shopping expedition.
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Back “in the olden days” of the 70’s when the Metro was relatively new, I thought nothing of jumping on the Metro in the Zona Rosa area, somewhere, to go out near the airport where I managed a contract. Nowadays, I have claustrophobia and might throw myself in front of a train just not to have to be packed in like a sardine………
I agree with Felipe – taxis are the way to go in DF, always. Just never tell a taxi driver you’re in a hurry~~If you do, you’ll never make the same mistake twice, ha.
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Hola Barbara! Your comment about taxis made me chuckle. I have a post up my sleeve about Mexico City taxis, and it’s not about slow, careful driving. The metro is actually very good at off-hours, but as my story and video show, don’t try it at rush hour! Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
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We are veterans of using Mexico buses – both short and long trips. Just had our first Las Vegas bus ride. I rode for half price being over 60 – Total $3 for the two of us to traverse most of Las Vegas north to south. No surprises.
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Hola John! I’m fond of the Mexican inter-city buses, and have been a fair ways on them. They are generally lovely, with assigned seats that recline, movies, and speedy city-to-city service. Unfortunately, combi or Metrobús service in DF is nowhere near that luxurious. Saludos!
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You’re not pushing hard enough. 🙂
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Hola Chris! There have been a few trips where I had to push hard to get off the Metro, but I never push that hard to get on. Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
P.S. You’re probably right. Had I pushed hard enough, I might have gotten on one of those seven trains. But then I’d have to ride with the people I pushed.
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Not only have I pushed hard enough on the Metro, there was someone behind me who pushed even harder!
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Hola Marc! Yes, that’s one of the things about the Metro — you just kind of get swept up in the tide. My biggest fear is not being able to get off when I want, but so far it hasn’t happened. Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
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Maybe you remember my 19 hour bus trip to Merida? It began badly, with me watching train after train go by at Pino Suarez, trying to get to San Lazaro. I quit a job once that required me to change train onto the brown line at Chabacano. I made the effort to get there once, and never again.
The biggest crush? That would be a metro trip to get to the first sound and light show in the Zocalo. A quarter million other people had the same idea. I’m pretty sure I accidentally sired offspring, the crush was so intense.
But I loved the metro. Avoid rush hour and it’s the best way from A to B by a mile.
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Hola Gary! I very vividly remember reading about your 19-hour bus trip to Mérida, and all the trials you had to undergo simply to catch your bus. And yeah, I can’t imagine doing some of those “sardine commutes” day after day. I’d have quit too. And I’m with you. As long as I can get on the train, I actually love the metro, especially when the vendors aren’t trying to sell music at 100 decibels. Saludos!
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Before moving to Mexico I lived in Tokyo for over ten years and in places like Bangkok, Shanghai and Singapore for another five. Moving to Mexico and using its wonderful and cheap public transportation system was a relief. Now, after twenty years in the capital, I still find rush hour to be easy in comparison to other places on this planet.
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Hola Droelma! You are probably right. Certainly off-rush hour the Mexico City Metro is a fantastic way to get around. But here in Boston, I ride the “T” (subway) all the time, and I’ve *never* not been able to get on the train. So maybe I’m spoiled. But I still think it’s ridiculous to not be able to get on after seven trains pass. Saludos and thanks for commenting. Now your comments will be approved immediately.
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Re: EcoBici
EcoBicis have become very popular in the last few years . A fairly decent network of very ample bike paths as well as relatively accessible prices have definitely contributed to that popularity.
Colinia Del Valle, Condesa, parts of San Miguel Chapultepec as well as Condesa-Escandon are peopled by bikers now. The two North-South lanes of Division del Norte, Reforma and other major through fares are not only closed on Sunday until the early afternoon, but used by 1,000s of people with dogs and baby carts included. I am sure there are other areas in the capital, but those are the ones I have personally used. Whole families take their bikes on Sunday on the Metro bus (free of charge) to go biking to further away places.
I can easily check if you can get a EcoBici card and let you know. I don’t see a problem, because the issue is payment before hand, which you can easily do ( for a few hours, a day, a week, a month or a year ) with a credit card. I have used Ecobicis, because it beats having to buy a bike (and in my case carrying it up to the 4th floor) and all that goes with it for maybe a once a month Sunday morning outing. One of my neighbors uses the EcoBici to get from the WTC to Chilpancingo Metro in the AM and does the same at night. It has saved him almost an hour of transport time, plus contributes to a healthier and fitter lifestyle.
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Hola Droelma! Wow, that’s a very sweet offer of you, but don’t worry about checking eco-bici requirements for me, though I *totally* appreciate the offer.
I knew Reforma was partially closed on Sundays for bicycling, but didn’t realize it had extended to other streets. It sounds like DF is really putting some effort behind getting people on bikes, which is good. And over the years, I’ve seen more and more bikes on the streets in DF, which is fantastic. Heck, if people can bike in Amsterdam, with its cold, rainy climate, DF seems like a no-brainer for bikes. The only real obstacle, as you know, is that Mexicans tend to think that bikes are only for poor people. Hopefully that attitude is changing. Thanks again for your comments; they are terrific!
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You should try and ride the subway in Tokyo and you will see and enjoy the spacious DF subway in comparison. In Tokyo they have station attendants that actually push and cram people into the cars in order to close the doors. I am sure that they get at least 50% more people into each car that way.
Can you imagine the scent of all those bodies crammed into the space? I do not handle claustrophobia very well….
I got picked up in DF at the airport one day, by a secretary of a friend of mine, two people, bags, me in the back seat, in a car that was smaller than a VW bug. After about 3 or 4 blocks stuck in hot, non moving traffic, no AC, not a good experience I thought I was going to suffocate.
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Hola Tancho! While I don’t want to cast aspersions on Mexicans, Japanese are noted for their politeness. I’m not sure you’d come away with the same conclusion about Mexicans based solely on riding DF’s subway. My most claustrophobic experience was on the Metrobús one morning. Even after I (a confirmed urbanite and subway rider) felt the bus was completely full, more people kept squeezing on until it seemed dangerously, impossibly full. Yet we all somehow managed to arrive safely. As for the crowds in general, Mexicans have very good personal hygiene, so odor has never been a problem for me there. Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
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“…Japanese are noted for their politeness.” Sorry some far easterner must have come up with that. We do not see that in the U.S. or Mexico.
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Hola John! Well, my own experience supports it, but maybe it’s a stereotype. Though I consider Mexicans to be far more polite than Americans in face-to-face situations where introductions have been made, on the Metro (and on the road) none of that is in evidence. Since I’ve never been to Japan, perhaps I shouldn’t have commented. Saludos and thanks for stopping by.
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I have experienced all manners of Mexico City public transport and have concluded there is only one way to go: taxis. Sure, you can and likely will get stuck in a traffic jam, but you will be sitting comfortably and the driving is left to the cabbie. Just relax, and you’ll get there. It beats the Dickens out of all other ways to go, in my opinion.
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Hola Felipe: Well, I have mixed feelings about taxis. Mostly they’ve been good, but I’ve had some *very* crazy taxi rides, mostly supplied by twenty-something drivers who fancy themselves frustrated race car drivers. Whenever possible, I try to find an older taxi driver. But even with that, F and I have abandoned ship more than once when a taxi got hopelessly stuck in traffic. We typically just walk the rest of the way. Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
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That is why I like the hotel-provided drivers. They are mature, and their cars are immaculate. Sure, they cost more, but they are a great rue.
My preference, as you know, is walking. Especially in Mexico City.
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Hola Steve! My preferred mode of transit in DF is also walking. Not only is it easy and fun, you get to see the sights along the way. If I thought I could get an EcoBici card, I’d go for that. But I doubt they issue them to tourists, and I’ve been too lazy to put that thesis to the test. But a bike is definitely becoming a more viable alternative, as the city continues to expand bike lanes, and I see more and more people getting around on them. And of course you can easily zip through stalled traffic on a bike too. As for the hotel drivers, yes they are good and solid, but the prices are exorbitant, not by USA standards, but certainly by local standards. Saludos and thanks for your thoughts!
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You and Señor Cotton make me giggle. Walking? Bicycling? Well, sure, that sounds cool and tree-huggy, and it works in a neighborhood, even maybe from one neighborhood to the adjoining one. But Mexico City is the size of Rhode Island or bigger. If you really need to go from one Point A to a distant Point B, and almost all are distant, you ain’t gonna walk or bicycle, not if you want to arrive in the same day or week or month.
Mexico City is a fascinating place, but getting around it is the deal-breaker for me. It’s simply too much, too stressful and even perilous. If I never set foot there again, I would be elated but, alas, I have to go back in September due to the danged apartment. Pray for me.
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Hola Felipe! Many of the distant points in DF are places few expats or Gringo tourists would need to find themselves. But biking close by doesn’t rule out using more motorized methods to go farther either. By the way, Rhode Island is a great place to get around on a bike too. Saludos and I’m praying for you, whether you go to DF or not!
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Walking around DF is great. With a camera and a walking companion, even better. Those were the days…
As for cycling. There are limits. But I used to put mine to great use. I’d do 15 to 20 mile round trips some days, getting around to various jobs. And I got there quicker and cheaper than any other form of transport most of the time! Got reasonably fit too….
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Hola Gary! Indeed, apart from the occasional downpour and the chaotic Mexican drivers, Mexico City is a great place to get around by bike. And the government is slowly adding some bike lanes to deal with the drivers. As a totally flat place with a better-than-average climate, there’s no good reason bike use can’t be as important a mode of transportation as it is in The Netherlands. Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
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Since all of my life happens here in the capital and I still work full time, I would never take a taxi during rush hour. While it is true that sitting in the back of a car and not being responsible for anything is relaxing, that applies mostly only to visitor. I, for my part, after work I want to get home and not waste my time relaxing in a taxi. Also, since I get paid in MN and can’t marvel at the wonderfully favorable exchange rate, I also have no intention to pay four to five times the normal fare, just to “relax.” I admit, for visitors mostly unrestrained my time traveling by taxi is THE way to go, but for locals (or people like I , who count themselves among the local population) it’s neither a fast, nor a cheap option. Luckily I have the Metro bus (Poliforum) in front of my home and that has made my life much easier and faster.
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Hola Droelma! I’m with you. To me there’s nothing relaxing about sitting in a taxi stuck in traffic, going nowhere, while the meter is running. I don’t care how cheap it is; it’s still maddening. I’d rather just walk. And in your situation, I can relate 100%. Saludos and thanks for adding to the discussion.
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I had a similar experience on the Metro last year. I tried to make a simple trip from the Zona Rosa to the Zócalo in the early evening… thinking that the worst of the rush hour was over. Several trains arrived at the Insurgentes station and left with hardly anyone managing to get on because the cars were so packed. Suddenly a completely empty train arrived… someone must of have been notified of the situation and sent out an extra train.
On another occasion Alejandro and I tried to use the Metrobus to head a couple miles up Insurgentes to go out to eat. A couple buses came and went… we didn’t even try to get into the sardine can. Finally Alejandro said, let’s go back to the apartment and take my car. The short drive took, if I remember correctly, something like 40 minutes. It probably would have been as quick to walk.
I love Mexico City, but the traffic is one reason why I would never want to live there. There have been many times stuck in traffic in Alejandro’s car where I wanted to jump out of my skin!
However, if you catch them at the right time, the metro and Metrobus are a great way to get around. Once in a while I have even found an empty seat!
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Hola Bill! Indeed, I’ve had many a successful Metro ride, and I’ve been there during rush hour plenty of times too, but I’ve never had to let seven trains pass me and *still* not get on. As for driving, you might recall my post “Busted!!!” where it took me 45 minutes to drive about eight blocks in DF rush-hour traffic. I think the trick to successful living in DF is to not have to commute at all, and to live somewhere you can get to most of what you need by walking. I can’t imagine living there and having to commute any distance to work. Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
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I really like the MetroBus concept, but twice we have been “mousetrapped” by the mechanical doors as they sprang open and folded back—on us.. Never stand in the “well” of the door, or you may suffer the same fate. Luckily, there were no serious injuries, just a big fright.
About two years ago, we made our last underground Metro ride. We are too old for such stresses.
Saludos,
Don Cuevas
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Hola Don Cuevas! I had the most tightly-packed ride of my life one morning on the Metrobus. My companion and I were nearly lifted off our feet by the crowd. Fortunately the metro wasn’t that bad, but rush hour is definitely to be avoided. Saludos and thanks for stopping by!
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I absolutely agree with you ! Luckily during my first posting abroad a seasoned traveler told me, that if I did not have the money to pay for the transport I wanted, or did not want to pay for a porter to carry my luggage, I should either change my job or stay at home. I had complained to him how difficult it has been to travel with two suitcases in public transport to my hotel ( growing up during the frugal post war years in Germany, a taxi had not even occurred to me ) and that I found a dollar a bag too much to pay a porter ( that was appr. in 1973 ). I took my bosses advise to heart and never had reasons to complain.
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Hola Droelma! Smart woman! I did a *ton* of business travel before I left my job. Fortunately, it was all pretty short duration — never more than a week — but I had to carry my own bags, and I just sucked it up. Saludos and thanks for all your comments!
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