Mexico city transportation

The public transport network in Mexico City is extensive and constantly growing. It is also relatively cheap.

The Mexico City transport network includes the following:

• Metro (12 lines)
• Buses - including trolleybuses (8 lines), Metrobús (5 lines), microbuses (micros) and passenger vans (colectivos)
• Suburban railway (1 line)
• Light railway (1 line)
• Taxis
• Bike share
• Carshare
• Scooter share

Metro

The Mexico City metro system is the best and the easiest for a non-resident to figure out.

The map is very easy to understand and follow.

• There are also designated women and children carriages.

The Mexico City Metro is made up of 12 lines, all of which have a corresponding number and color. For example, Line 1 is Pink.

• The Mexico City Metro hours are 5 am to 12 am on weekdays, 6 am to 12 am on Saturdays, and 7 am to 12 am on Sundays and official holidays.

The journey costs MXN$5 and the rechargeable Mexico City metro card costs MXN$10.

Subway cars and stations are safe, although you have to be aware of pickpockets.

Metrobus

The Metrobús is a fast bus (it has its own traffic lane). You can find it only in the following areas of the city:

• The historic center
• The popular neighborhoods of Condesa and Roma
• The south of the city — including the interesting area of Ciudad Universitaria, the main university of UNAM, the biggest and most important public college in Mexico.
• You can catch a bus only with a rechargeable card that you can buy directly in the stations. It costs $16 pesos and includes the first ride. Later, you can refill it at any station. One ride costs $6 pesos.

The same card can be used in the Metro.

There are six lines of Metrobús and all of them run from around 5 AM to 10 PM.

Regular bus

Best-known as “peceros”, they are all over the town but are the last option I would recommend for travel around Mexico City. They are old, drivers drive very badly, and they change their routes as they wish.

They accept cash only and some of them don’t give change, so be sure to have coins with you.

Tren Ligero

The Tren Ligero is a Mexico City train.

The Tren Ligero has one line and 18 stops, which connects Metro Tasqueña with the town of Xochimilco.

The operating hours are the same as the Mexico City Metro.

It costs MXN$3 per journey and you will need the same rechargeable swipe card you use on the Metro and Metrobus.

If you’re planning on visiting the canals of Xochimilco using public transportation in Mexico City—or the Estadio Azteca for a football game—you’ll need the Tren Ligero.

Suburbano

The northern equivalent of the Tren Ligero, the Suburbano consists of one line connecting the north of Mexico City with the bordering State of Mexico. This is perhaps the least likely mode of public transport to be used by visitors

Price: MXN$6.50

Operating hours: From 5 am-3 am on weekdays, 6 am-12.30 am on Saturdays and 7 am-12.30 am on Sundays and official holidays.

Trolebus

The Trolebús is kind of like the weird, worn-out older brother of the Metrobús. Like the Metrobús, they follow a fixed-route way.

• They’re cheaper and often cover parts of the city the Metro or Metrobús don’t.
• There are eight lines in the Trolebús system, which are known as A, CP, D, G, I, K, LL, and S, although I’ve never heard anyone refer to them by those specific names. Destinations, endpoints, and key stops are sometimes painted on the front window.

The Trolebús system operates from 4 am to 1.30 am on weekdays, 4.50 am to 1.30 am on Saturdays, and 5.30 am to 1.15 am on Sundays.

Some routes run even through the night.

It cost MXN$4 per journey that you can pay with a swipecard.

"Turismo" and Sitio Taxis

These are by far the safest way to travel within Mexico City.

• Turismo taxis are unmarked cabs, usually well-kept luxury cars assigned to specific hotels that have special license plates.

Although more expensive than the VW Beetle and libre taxis, "turismo" taxis, along with radio-dispatched sitio taxis, are the safest ones to use.

Uber and Cabify

Both Uber and Cabify are excellent options for private transport in the city. In comparison to the rates in the United States and Europe, Mexico’s are very cheap and the service is very good.

If you’re a woman and feel unsafe using Uber or Cabify, try Laudrive — it offers is services only to women.

Bicycle rent

Ecobici is Mexico City’s bicycle loan service. It works very well and has stations (where you can take or leave bicycles) in the main areas of the city such as:

• The historic center
• Polanco
• Reforma
• Chapultepec
• Roma and Condesa neighborhoods

As a visitor, you can easily register for temporary service of one, three, or seven days. It has a handy mobile app where you can locate the stations, see if there are available bikes, and report any incident.

Electric scooters

Those are taking the world by storm.

Officially you can use them in bike lanes only.

Currently, there are several different companies operating scooters in Mexico City, including

• Grin,
• Lime,
• Movo, and
• Bird.

To rent one you’ll need the app downloaded and set up on your phone.

Scooters in Mexico City are typically priced either per minute or per hour, including a set unlocking fee. Lime charges MXN$190 per hour; Grin charges MXN$130; Bird charges MXN$140, and Movo charges MXN$130.