Mexico is a huge country. There’s an awful lot to see. And with a quick glance at the map, it seems easy… It is not even an inch of distance. But only on paper.

In order to save time and be flexible, it is always important to choose the right mode of transport. Public transport in Mexico is well organized, cheap and safe. Nevertheless, you should pay attention to some things when planning the details of your trip and how you will be getting around in Mexico.

The roads in the country usually are very well developed, so you will have no issue when getting around in Mexico with a rented car. Anyway, journeys by car maybe should be avoided after dark and to remote areas.

When looking for the right rental car in Mexico, you should carefully reconsider your needs. Which routes do you want to drive at all?

In a big city you’re probably best off with a small car – the less space it needs when parking, the better. But if you want to cross the country, convenience for hours of driving would be an important point. And, of course enough space for your luggage. However, if you want to explore a few exotic places, you might want to think about an off-road vehicle.

Whatever you choose, if you don’t have a suitable contact for a rental car yet, we highly recommend CityCarRental for their great service.

If you are travelling with a rental car in Mexico, please note that most highways are subject to tolls. You should bring cash with you, as the toll booths usually do not accept credit cards.

All available insurance should also be purchased when renting a car. You cannot automatically assume that in the event of an accident, the opponent is insured.

Anyone who insists on a rental car in Mexico should be aware that police officers in Mexico have an extremely low base salary. It can easily happen that one is stopped and accused of an incomprehensible traffic violation with a very expensive fine.

Never argue with a policeman. A small motivational payment of about 200 pesos should very quickly convert the problem into a verbal warning.

Mexican police officers can also collect your driver’s license without replacement for reasons of proof. To avoid this problem, please always take only a copy of your driver’s license with you and don’t give away the original.

Please remember the size of Mexico when planning your trip – a relatively short distance on the map can also take hours or days by car. Apart from trips to the surrounding area, domestic flights are often the better alternative. The enormous distances in the country can be easily and inexpensively overcome on plane.

Check your desired flight connections on Mexican airlines:

Aéroméxico
Aéromar
Interjet
Volaris

Public bus transport in Mexico is cheap, safe and highly recommended. Public busses stop at almost every major village. The first-class busses are up to good European standards. Most destinations are approached by Autobuses De Oriente (ADO).

When using cabs in Mexico, you should only board registered taxis at official taxi sites („sitios“) or at your hotel. You should ask in advance at your hotel’s reception for the approximate taxi fee to your destination.

All legal taxis must, by law, have a copy of the driver’s license with their personal details such as name, address and date of birth in A4 format on their font window.

In Mexico, usually the price is agreed with the taxi driver before entering the car. If you have already asked what your route can cost, simply refuse expensive offers and find another taxi, or negotiate with the driver. There are rumors that some taxi drivers charge higher prices to a  request in English, than to a Spanish one. So if you come in a group and have native speakers with you, let them ask.

For shorter distances in Mexico, collective taxis (“colectivos”) a good and cheap way to get around.

Often, however, collective taxis have no fixed stops. They are stopped on the road by waving your hands and you should ask where the cab exactly goes before boarding. Outside the bigger towns, the drivers give light signals to let the people waiting aside the road know that they have free seats.

You also need to let the driver know when to stop so you can get off. For the use of collective taxis it is clearly an advantage to be familiar with the place, and fluent in Spanish.

Collection taxis are often full, but they circulate so frequently that you usually don’t have to wait long for the next car.

If you speak Spanish and find a good connection to the Mexicans, you may also be able to hire a taxi driver including a taxi for a day and be taken to the desired destinations.

In such cases, the driver should be invited to eat with you and offered soft drinks. In exchange, there are often gastronomic insider tips that tourists usually do not get to see.

Those who are not fluent in Spanish and know the culture should, however, refrain from this possibility. This is also not recommended in large cities.

You cannot wait to start your trip to Mexico and see all the great things you have in mind? You can expect even more… delicious super yummy food. Learn more in this post about Mexican regional cooking.

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