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Local time Mexico City

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Mexico City Benito Juárez International Airport

Travel to Mexico City

Flying to Mexico City

Aeromexico and British Airways operate direct flights to Mexico City from the UK. Numerous airlines offer direct flights from US cities, include Aeromexico, American Airlines, Delta, Interjet, United and Volaris. Prices are fairly consistent year-round, but tend to rise over Christmas and Easter.

Flight times

From London - 11 hours 20 minutes; New York - 5 hours 15 minutes;Los Angeles - 3 hours 40 minutes; Toronto - 4 hours 45 minutes; Sydney - 19 hours 30 minutes (including stopover).

Travel by road

Mexico's well-maintained toll motorways fan out from Mexico City to connect with all large cities. In contrast the via libres (free roads) are often dangerously rutted and potholed. Cuotas (tolls) vary but rising charges mean the roads are often congestion free.

Traffic drives on the right and the minimum age for driving in Mexico is 18 years. Speed limits are usually 100-110kph (62-68mph) on motorways and 30kph (19mph) or 40kph (25mph) in cities. A valid driving licence from your home country is required and an International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended.

Insurance is not mandatory but is strongly advised; note that Mexican law only recognises Mexican seguros (insurance). It is not advisable to drive at night.

Emergency breakdown services

SECTUR's Angeles Verdes patrols (tel: 078, in Mexico only).

Routes

The 57/57D motorway links Mexico City to the north and Querétaro, San Luis Potosí and Monterrey, with 45D branching west at Querétaro to reach León, Aguascalientes and Zacatecas. Route 150D heads east to Veracruz and Puebla (with branches to Oaxaca and Villahermosa) while 15/15D goes west to Toluca and Guadalajara. To the south, 95D links Mexico City with Cuernavaca and Acapulco, with a branch going to Taxco.

Coaches

Mexico's inexpensive coach travel connects the capital to most cities in Mexico. Standards run from non-stop, luxury, air-conditioned services to rickety, second-class affairs. Check out schedules at the Terminal Terrestre at the airport or contact any of Mexico City's long-distance hubs.

Terminal Central de Autobuses del Norte (north), Eje Central Lázaro Cárdenas 4907 (Metro Autobuses del Norte), is served by around 30 different bus companies linking Mexico City to the north of the country, Guadalajara, Colima and Puerto Vallarta.

Terminal de Autobuses del Pasajero de Oriente (east), Calzada Zaragoza 200 (Metro San Lázaro), is better known as TAPO and serves destinations east and southeast of Mexico City, such as Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca and the Yucatán Peninsula.

Terminal Central de Autobuses del Sur (south), Avenida Tasqueña 1320 (Metro Tasqueña), offers southward services, including Acapulco and Zihuatenejo.

Terminal Central de Autobuses del Poniente (west), Avenida Sur 122 (Metro Observatorio), handles westbound services, including frequent shuttles to Toluca.

Time to city

From Toluca - 1 hour 30 minutes; Acapulco - 4 to 5 hours; Oaxaca - 6 hours.

Travel by Rail

Services

Other than a suburban train service in and around Mexico City, it's not currently possible to travel around the country by rail, although there are proposals to reintroduce intercity trains.

A digital image at https://illuminoto.com

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Book Accommodation

Featured Hotels

Hotel Escandón

Hotel Escandón offers quite remarkable value for money. It is situated in the Escandón neighbourhood, just 10 minutes away on foot from the hip Roma-Condesa regions of the city. But if you want to get there faster the free bicycle hire is bound to be an attractive feature; as are their spacious rooms, on-site fitness centre and room service. There is a restaurant in the hotel serving authentic Mexican food and plenty of restaurants and cafes on the same block as the hotel.

Camino Real Polanco México

Stylish, modernistic with bold yellow and pink walls, the Camino Real was designed by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta. Luxurious and original, this Mexico City hotel is renowned for a huge mural in the entrance lobby by artist Rufino Tamayo. Spacious guest rooms offer views over a delightful garden and large pool with terrace. Convention facilities include a business centre and meeting rooms, shops and a gym.

Hotel Majestic

Boasting an enviable location overlooking the fine historic monuments of the Zócalo the 85-room Hotel Majestic has five large suites. A mirrored lobby is adorned with fountains and Mexican tiles. Choose a room overlooking the square for bird's eye views of the daily ceremonial raising of the flag at 0600. Simple décor centres on comfort with a TV mini-bar coffee-making facilities and rustic wood furniture. Popular terrace restaurant Terraza overlooks the Zócalo and serves basic Mexican and international food at reasonable prices.

Gran Hotel Ciudad de México

A shrine to art nouveau styling, this is one of the most elegant and original hotels in Mexico City. The lobby has a cathedral-like quality, with a stunning coloured-glass window canopy overhead, ornate wrought iron balconies and lifts at either end. Located conveniently on the Zócalo in the Centro Histórico and a 15-minute drive from the airport, this Mexico City hotel also has convention facilities, making it popular with the business community and upmarket travellers. The 124 rooms all have art nouveau touches and TVs. There is a restaurant in the lobby and a terrace café over the square.

Hotel Casa Gonzalez

Finding a better choice in terms of a central location, low price and excellent quality all at once is likely to be tough. Yet somehow Casa Gonzalez combines a small, personal guesthouse feel with close proximity to Paseo de la Reforma making it excellent value for money. The property has its own little garden and each room has a private bathroom.

Hotel Gillow

Located in the heart of the Centro Histórico, this elegant mid-range hotel in Mexico City is perfectly placed just a stone's throw from the Zócalo and its fine architecture and museums. An attractive art deco-style facade opens up onto a cheerful, rose-coloured marble lobby hung with leafy plants. Rooms boast a simple pastel colour scheme together with TV and private bathroom with views overlooking the street or a quiet inner courtyard. A reasonably priced restaurant Capilla and bar offers a decent range of international beers and liquors together with Mexican dishes with a global twist.

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