If you get lost...

If you get absolutely lost and you are far away from your hotel, hop into a pesero (mini bus) or bus that takes you to a subway station. Most of them do. Look for the sign with the stylized metro "M" in the front window. From there and using the wall maps you can get back to a more familiar place.

Bus stations

The easiest way to get to (or to get out of) these main transportation hubs is by subway.
Take a look to the Subway map to plan the path you need to follow to reach your destination.
If you are feeling too lazy to use public transportation you can use a taxi.

North bus station
Bus station for northern destinations: Teotihuacán, Pachuca, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Guadalajara, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas and so on.
Closest subway station: Autobuses del Norte (L5-yellow)

South (Tasqueña) bus station
Bus station for southern destinations: Acapulco, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Taxco, Cuernavaca, Tepoztlán.
Closest subway station: Tasqueña (L2-blue)

TAPO (San Lázaro) bus station
Transportation starting-point for trips to Puebla, Tlaxcala, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas and the Yucatán Peninsula.
Closest subway station: San Lázaro (L1-pink & LB-green/gray)

West (Observatorio) bus station
Bus station for western destinations: Toluca, Morelia, Pátzcuaro and Guadalajara.
Closest subway station: Observatorio (L1-pink)

Airport

The easiest way to get to (or to get out of) the airport is by subway.
There is a subway station 200 m away from Gate 1 in T1.
If you are in T2 keep reading to know how to get to T1.

The airport has 2 Terminals: T1 and T2. They are on opposite sides of the airport runways, and connected by shuttle buses.

T1 is a very long thin terminal, which takes 10-15 mins to walk the full length. Arrivals and transport is on the lower level. At one end is Domestic Arrivals (Hall A), and at the other, International (Hall B). Domestic check in is in the centre of the lower level. Upstairs is for departures, International Check-in, shops & restaurants. International flights depart from hall B. Buses depart from a bus station reached from the upper level of Hall B (see bus section below). Airlines serving T1: Interjet, MagniCharter, Mexicana, Volaris, Aerolíneas Argentinas, Avianca, LAN, Air Canada, British Airways, Lufthansa, Cubana, Taca, Alaska Airlines, Iberia, Air France, KLM, United, American Airlines, Lacsa and US Airways.
T2 is more compact and easier to navigate than T1. It is all on one level. Airlines serving Terminal 2: Aeromar, Aeromexico, Aeromexico Connect, Aero Republica, Continental, Copa and Delta.

Transfer between Terminals
Aerotrén/Airtrain is a fast free train that runs from the upper level of T1 (follow signs across the walkway over the road) to and from T2. It is only for use with connecting passengers with onward boarding cards on the following airlines: Aeromexico, Aeromar, Continental, Copa, Delta and LAN.




There is a Red Bus that runs from outside door 7 on the lower level of T1 to the bus station at T2. Route: T1 - Aduanas - Hangares subway station - T2. Buses run every 10 mins and take 10 mins to get to the other terminal. The cost between T1 and T2 is $12.50. To Hangares subway station and Aduana is $6.50.


Taxis wait outside Terminal 1 (Hall A & near door 10 at Hall B) and Terminal 2 arrivals. However, you are recommended to use an authorized taxi from one of the desks in arrivals.
Prepaid taxi tickets are available from the Authorized Taxi Service booths in baggage reclaim. Authorized taxis are white and mustard yellow with an aeroplane logo, and travellers are strongly advised to use these and to lock the taxi doors when inside. Companies with desks in T1 and T2 are Nueva Imagen , Sitio 3000 , excelencia , Pro Taxi , ToTaxi , Yellow Cab .
Taximeters charge $24.64 initially, then $1.65 per 250m travelled or 45 seconds waiting. 20% surcharge applies 23h to 6h.
Taxi fares are calculated on a zonal basis, the city being divided up into a number of zones. The city center (Zócalo and Zona Rosa) are in Zone 4. To the city centre you will pay $260-$360, it takes 40-60 mins.

Taxi

Taking a random taxi on the street might be dangerous, but there are some general precautions that will minimize the risk:

●      Taxis have special license plates. The registration number starts with "A" for free-roaming taxis, and with "B" for base taxis (registered taxis based on a certain spot, called "sitios"). Base taxis are safer. These plates are white and have small green and red squares at the bottom corners.
●      The taxi license should be displayed inside the taxi; usually it is mounted somewhere above the windshield. Check that the photo of the driver on the license is of the actual driver. Make a point of looking at it.
●      Look for the meter. Without it, they will be more likely to rip you off. All taxis in Mexico city have meters.
●      If you are nervous, take sitio taxis only. These may be a bit more expensive, but they are well worth the expense.
●      If you are safety-conscious or require additional comfort, consider radio taxis, which can be called by phone, and are extremely reliable and safe, although a bit pricier than other taxis. Most restaurants, hotels, etc. have the number for radio taxis. Radio taxis will usually give you the price for the trip on the phone when you order them. Radio taxis charge more than regular taxis, but are available all night. Hotel taxis will be significantly more expensive than site or radio taxis.

Mexico City is so large, and many street names are so common that cab drivers are highly unlikely to know where to go when you give only a name or address of your destination.
Out of the city’s eighty-five thousand streets, there are about eight hundred fifty called Juárez, seven hundred fifty named Hidalgo, and seven hundred known as Morelos. Two hundred are called 16 de Septiembre, while a hundred more are called 16 de Septiembre Avenue, Alley, Mews, or Extension. So, always include either the name of the neighborhood (colonia) or the district, as well as any nearby landmarks or cross streets. You will probably be asked to give directions throughout or at least near the tail end of the journey; if either your Spanish or your sense of direction is poor, carry a map and be prepared to point.

Metrobús

The Metrobús operates 5 lines in dedicated lanes. Plans exist for additional routes. It costs 6 pesos to ride, but a card must be bought in advance (15 pesos and also works for subway) at vending machines. There are stops approximately every 500m. Expect it to be crowded around the clock, but its a great way to get up and down these two major thoroughfares very rapidly. While the Metrobús operates only in this two avenues, you must check the bus' billboard before boarding to see which is the last stop they will visit, for some don't go from end to end of the line. There are reserved areas (indicated on the platforms) for women.

If you need to switch lines, you need to go outside the station, and access the corresponding station (you have to revalidate your card but the transfer is for free). Usually you need to walk about 100m.

The buses works from 5:00 until 23:30 everyday, after that over Insurgentes between Indios Verdes until Dr. Gálvez works an alternate service, is a common bus that goes in the cars lines and has specific stops, you have to pay with coins and the exact amount, the cost is 10 pesos, the frequency is less than regular service but for sure the bus will appear. 

Light Rail

The Tren Ligero consists of one single line that runs south of the city, connecting with subway station Tasqueña (L2, Blue). For tourists, it is useful if you plan to visit Xochimilco or the Azteca stadium. The rate for a single ride is 3 pesos.

You must buy a keycard to use it, but this card, as we said previously, can be used in the subway and Metrobús systems too.

Subway

It is one of the largest and most used subway systems in the world, comprised by 12 different lines that measure more than 170 km and carry 4.4 million people every day. You'll quickly see how busy it is, particularly during the day: trains are often filled to significantly over capacity, and sometimes it will be hot and uncomfortable. Despite the close quarters, it's relatively quick and efficient.

Tickets for one trip with unlimited transfers within the system cost 5 pesos.
Operating hours are from 5AM to midnight on weekdays (starts at 6AM on Saturday and 7AM on Sunday), so if your plans will keep you out beyond midnight, be sure to have alternate means of transport.

Although the Metro lacks informational signs in English, the system was originally designed with illiteracy in mind, so finding your way around should not be a problem. Lines are defined by number but also by a color (most of the time we remember the color, but not the number of the line). Stations are identified by name but also by a pictorial icon that represents that area in some way.
As you enter a Metro station, look for the ticket booth. There might be a short queue for tickets, and to avoid having to always stand in line, many people buy a small handful of tickets at a time.
Once you approach the agent, simply drop some money into the tray and announce (in Spanish) how many tickets you would like (" uno " for $5, " cinco " for $10, " diez " for $50, and so on). You do not need to say anything about where you are going, since fares are the same for everywhere in the system.

The turnstiles won't give you the ticket back. Some frequent Metro users use keycards instead of tickets (this card can be used for the Light Rail and Metrobús systems too), so if you see any turnstiles marked with "sólo tarjeta" that means the ticket reader is broken; just move to another turnstile.

While on the train, you will see a steady stream of people walking through the carriages announcing their wares for sale. Act as if you are used to them (that is, ignore them, unless they need to pass you). Most often you'll see the city's blind population make their living by selling pirate music CD's, blaring their songs through amplifiers carried in a backpack. There are people who "perform" (such as singing, or repeatedly somersaulting shirtless onto a pile of broken glass) and expect a donation.

A few words of warning: there have been incidences of pickpocketing. Keep your belongings close to you; if you have bags, close them and keep them in sight. As long as you are alert and careful you won't have any problems. Women have complained of being groped on extremely crowded trains; this is not a problem on designated women's wagons, or any other time than rush hour. If theft or any other sort of harassment do occur, you can stop the train and attract the attention of the authorities by pulling on alarms near the doors, which are labeled " señal de alarma ."