Entry requirements | Organizing your trip | Visiting | Eating | Paying | Speaking |

Entry requirements

Passport and visa service

Visas for foreigners

Diplomatic representations

List of Mexican Embassies

For more information

Organizing your trip

Means of transport recommended in town

Recommendation

Traffic circulation in Mexico City is very heavy as well as in the other major cities, especially in the downtown areas.  There is a lot of road work as well.  The use of seat belts is mandatory.
It is recommended to use public transportation, but the conditions of city buses are not too good and these are driven recklessly.
The subway, called Metro, circulates all over the city and it is very inexpensive.
Taxis are available in all major avenues, however, it is better to use authorized taxis (a directory can be found in:  taxis ) which will guarantee a safe ride and rapid access at a fair price.  Currently, there is also a suburban train which connects the main cities in the state of Mexico with the capital (D.F.), and in only 15 minutes travels 20 km.

Maps of urban networks

Maporama
Mapblast
UT Library on line

Means of transport recommended in the rest of the country

Recommendation

The bus is the most popular type of transportation to travel around the Mexican territory.  Prices are inexpensive and the conditions are, in general, good.

There are 57 international airports in the country which allow traveling in a short time.  Fifteen companies manage the airlines market.  They offer several itineraries and frequent  flight connections in between the capital and the major cities.  In the last few years, airlines companies called  "low cost" have integrated the market, increasing the use of airplane transportation in the country.  The fares can be high if the reservations are not booked in advance.

Rail companies

Ferromex

Flight from Tunisia

Distance between capital cities in km: 10 344
Flight duration between capital cities: 16h (via Paris)

Airlines offering direct flights from/to Tunisia

Airline	Low-cost solution	From	To

Traveling by yourself

Recommendation

Roads are asphalted, well kept and functional in most parts of the country.  The toll highways guarantee safety.
International insurances are not valid, therefore it is necessary to obtain auto insurance in Mexico.
In Mexico City, an alternating traffic system has been established in order to fight environmental pollution (it is based on the vehicle plate's number).  Vehicles with a foreign plate cannot circulate on Fridays.

Road maps

Guide to Roji-Mexico, Guadalajara and Monterrey
Travel by Mexico - Road maps
Road map - Ministry of Tourism

Find an itinerary

Map24

Visiting

Different forms of tourism

Historical

In Mexico City and its surroundings: The Templo Mayor, the historic city center district,& The Museum of Anthropology and History, the pyramids of Teotihuacán, Taxco, Morelia, Tula. In the center of the country: Guanajuato, Guadalajara,San Miguel de Allende, Querétaro In the south of Mexico: Palenque and Chichen Itzá, la Riviera Maya.

Cultural

The Metropolitan Cathedral, Coyoacán, Xochimilco, Craftsmanship in Morelia, Gastronomy in Puebla,Ruta del Tequila en Jalisco, Festival of the Guelaguetza, Oaxaca, Contemporary architecture in Tijuana

Nature

La Peña de Bernal, Querétaro;; El Chico National Park, Hidalgo; , Michoacán;Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl Volcanoes, The Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary, Michoacán; Ecotourism, Yucatán,Kayak, Veracruz.

Religious

The Metropolitan Cathedral, The Basilica of Oulr Lady of Guadalupe, The Sanctuary of Christ the King, Cerro del Cubilete.

Thermal

Baja California, Hidalgo,  Chihuahua.

Beach

Mexico has many beaches on the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans' coasts. For further information, visit the website of the Mexican Ministry of Tourism.

Winter sports

No tourist activities have been developed for this type of sport.

Outdoor activities

Diving, camping, canoeing, fishing, surfing... Mexico offers an endless list of activities. Consult the website VISIT MEXICO

Shopping

In the Mexican state capitals, there are shopping centers, markets and stores where one can obtain  folkloric and odd articles.

Tourism organizations

Ministry of Tourism

Eating

Food specialties

Recognized all over the world for its cultural wealth and its flavor blending,  Mexican cuisine varies as much as the ingredients that compose it.
Some typical dishes are:
-Guacamole: mashed avocados with tomatoes, onions, and chili peppers.
-Mole poblano: chicken and rice covered with a sauce prepared with a variety of  peppers and chocolate.
-Tamales: Corn flour with chicken or vegetables, cooked inside plantain or corn leaves.

Drinks

Typical Mexican alcoholic drinks are tequila, mescal and pulque.
Mexicans usually accompany their  meals with a beer or a "flavored water", based on fruit juice concentrates.

Paying

Domestic currency

Mexican Peso

ISO Code

MXN

To obtain domestic currency

The currency is the Mexican peso; it is issued in bills of 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 pesos. You can obtain Mexican pesos at the exchange desks at the international airports.

Possible means of payment

Dollars and euros are accepted as a means of payment in shops in tourist areas. Credit cards are frequently used (Visa, Mastercard).

Exchange rate on

Automatic Teller Machines (ATM)

To find out the locations of ATMs in in Mexico, click on the link to your credit card: Visa, Mastercard or American Express

Speaking

Official language

Spanish

Other languages spoken

Many Mexicans also speak English. In some rural areas, native dialects are spoken.

Business language

Spanish and English

Getting some knowledge

Use the Spanicity service.

Free translation tools

Systran - Free English-Spanish-English translation of texts and web pages
Translated - Free translation arabic-spanish-arabic
TV5 - Free translation arabic-spanish-arabic
lexicool - Free translation arabic-spanish-arabic

We can translate your foreign-language documents.

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Last updates: February 2012