Getting around · Mexico City · Mexico
Getting around Mexico City
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Carlos Valenzuela, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Mexico City is vast, so plan days by area. Within Roma, Condesa, Coyoacán and the Centro walking is easy; for longer trips, app-based rides are affordable and convenient, and the Metro and Metrobús are fast and very cheap but crowded at rush hour. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Metro
- Airports
- MEX, NLU, TLC
- Need a car?
- No
- Travel pass
- Mobility card (Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada)
Ways to get around
Metro
The Metro's colour-coded lines reach the Centro, Chapultepec, Coyoacán and the bus terminals for a very low flat fare, but carriages are packed at rush hour.
Avoid peak hours with luggage, and keep phones and wallets in front pockets.
Bus
Metrobús runs in dedicated lanes along main avenues such as Insurgentes (Line 1) and Reforma, and Line 4 links the Centro with the airport.
Metrobús requires a rechargeable mobility card, sold at station machines.
Ride-hailing
Ride-hailing apps are widely used, inexpensive by international standards and the recommended way to travel at night.
Taxi
Use taxis from official 'sitio' ranks or authorised airport booths rather than hailing them on the street.
Walking
The Centro, Roma, Condesa and Coyoacán are pleasant to explore on foot, though pavements can be uneven.
Cycling
Ecobici bike-share covers the central neighbourhoods, and on Sunday mornings Paseo de la Reforma is closed to cars for cyclists.
Tickets and passes
Mobility card (Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada)
A rechargeable card valid on the Metro, Metrobús, light rail, Cablebús and Ecobici, sold at station machines.
From the airport
Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) is only about 5 km east of the Centro, 20–45 minutes by authorised taxi (buy a ticket at the official booths inside) or ride-hailing, depending on traffic; Metrobús Line 4 and Metro Line 5 also serve the airport. Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU), about 45 km north, can take 1–1.5 hours by road.
Do you need a car?
No. Traffic is heavy, parking is difficult and driving restrictions apply on some days. App-based rides, the Metro and Metrobús are far easier; hire a car only for longer trips outside the city.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Teotihuacan | About 1 hour by bus | Bus from Terminal Autobuses del Norte, or an organised tour |
| Puebla and Cholula | About 2 hours by bus | Bus from TAPO or Terminal Norte |
| Tepoztlán | About 1 hour 15 minutes by bus | Bus from Terminal Sur (Tasqueña) |
| Taxco | About 2.5–3 hours by bus | Bus from Terminal Sur (Tasqueña) |
| Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve | About 3.5 hours by car | Car or organised tour |
| Valle de Bravo | About 2.5 hours by car or bus | Car or bus from Terminal Poniente |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Mexico City?
No. Traffic is heavy, parking is difficult and driving restrictions apply on some days. App-based rides, the Metro and Metrobús are far easier; hire a car only for longer trips outside the city.
+How do you get from the airport to Mexico City?
Benito Juárez International Airport (MEX) is only about 5 km east of the Centro, 20–45 minutes by authorised taxi (buy a ticket at the official booths inside) or ride-hailing, depending on traffic; Metrobús Line 4 and Metro Line 5 also serve the airport. Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU), about 45 km north, can take 1–1.5 hours by road.
+What is the best way to get around Mexico City?
Metro: The Metro's colour-coded lines reach the Centro, Chapultepec, Coyoacán and the bus terminals for a very low flat fare, but carriages are packed at rush hour.