World Country Guide

Travel - International

Air
Mexico’s national airlines are Aeromxico (AM) (website: www.aeromexico.com) and Mexicana (MX) (website: www.mexicana.com). British Airways operates three direct flights each week from Heathrow to Mexico City.

Approximate flight times
From Mexico City to London is 11 hours 25 minutes; to Los Angeles is four hours 20 minutes; to New York is six hours; to Singapore is 22 hours 45 minutes and to Sydney is 19 hours.

International airports
Mexico City (MEX) (Benito Jurez) is 13km (8 miles) south of the city. Buses run to and from the city at regular intervals (travel time – 35 minutes). Underground trains and taxis are also available. Airport facilities include duty free shops, restaurants, bank/bureau de change, bar, snack bar, chemist, shops, tourist information, left luggage, post office, first aid (with vaccinations for cholera and yellow fever available) and car hire (includes Avis, Budget, Dollar and Hertz).
Guadalajara (GDL) (Miguel Hidalgo) is 20km (12 miles) southeast of the city (travel time – 35 minutes). Airport facilities include restaurant, bar, snack bar, bank, post office and shops.
Acapulco (ACA) (General Juan N Alvarez) is 26km (16 miles) southeast of the city (travel time – 35 minutes). Coaches and taxi services run to the city. Airport facilities include restaurant, bank, post office and car hire.
Monterrey (MTY) (General Mariano Escobedo) is 24km (15 miles) northeast of the city (travel time – 45 minutes). Coach and taxi services run to the city. Airport facilities include restaurant, bar, bank, post office, shops and car hire.

Departure tax
Approximately US$23.20; children under two years and transit passengers are exempt. The tax is sometimes included in the price of the ticket.

Sea/River
The major cruise ports in Mexico are Acapulco, Cozumel, Manzanillo, Mazatln, Puerto Vallarta, Tampico and Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa. Regular passenger ships run from the USA and South America. Principal shipping lines are Fred Olsen Lines, P&O and Star Clipper. There are also riverboat services from Flores and Tikal (Guatemala) to Palenque, Chiapas in Mexico; enquire locally for details.

Rail
Railway connections with Mexico can be made from any city in the USA or Canada. All trains are provided with pullman sleepers, restaurant cars, lounge observation and club cars. Most trains are air-conditioned.

Road
Main points of entry from the USA are Mexicali from San Diego; Nogales from Phoenix/Tucson; El Paso/Ciudad Jurez from Tucson and Alberquerque; Eagle Pass/Piedras Negras from Del Ro, San Angelo and El Paso; Laredo/Nuevo Laredo from Houston, San Antonia and Del Ro; and Brownsville/Matamoros from Houston and Galveston. From Guatemala, there are two main roads into Mexico. The Pan American Highway crosses into Mexico from Guatemala and continues through Central America and South America. There is also a road border crossing point from Belize near Chetumal and Corozal.