Last Updated: June 3, 2024
Mexico City, CDMX or Ciudad de México is ginormous!
Dating waaaaayyy back to 1325 in the Aztec period, the city has grew.. and grew… AND GREW!
And has now become the largest metropolitan population in North America and 6th largest in the world!
With the huge size and vast amount of people who live here, it can be a daunting city to tackle when trying to get around.
But with so many awesome things to do in CDMX, you need to get around.
Luckily, there is a brilliant public transport system in Mexico City which can make getting from A to B pretty seamless most of the time.
Even with kids there are some great options, and some family targeted aspects that can really help you get around this vast concrete jungle.
Transport Safety in Mexico City
Before we get into it, a quick word on safety.
All transport systems around the world in major cities are unfortunately prone to some crime, and CDMX is no different.
But don’t let that put you off.
If you’re vigilant and sensible you are unlikely to get any problems. And the CDMX transport system has a number of safety measures to help keep tourists and locals as safe as possible.
Pick-pocketing happens, particularly when the public transport is busy. But if you take the right precautions you should be ok.
Keep an eye on your bag, don’t put things in your back pocket, don’t flash expensive stuff around etc. the usual common sense.
Sexual harassment can also be a problem on public transport in all parts of the world. But CDMX has some safety features to combat this. With it’s ‘women and children only’ areas on some of the transport.
Which can give families and female travellers some extra protection.
There’s also a high police presence in most of the metro stations, with guards on duty at lots of the major ones.
It’s worth noting that that all the public transport methods get very busy during rush hour (weekdays 7.30-9.30am and 17.00-18.30pm).
If you travel during this time you may be crammed in like sardines. Even the women and children carriages will be very busy at rush hour. So try to avoid travelling at this time if possible.
Taxi’s in CDMX do unfortunately have a bad reputation for being a little unsafe and muggings have happened.
This is improving, but it can still happen.
If you are hailing taxis, use the apps where possible (more on this below). But if you can’t and you’re hailing one off the street, only go for the pink and white official taxis. Keep an eye on where you are and be vigilant.
The Mexico City Government Website also advises to ensure that the license plate numbers are preceded by the letters A or B and that the number matches that painted on the vehicle. Also, check that the ‘carta de identificación’ ID is displayed inside the cab and that the driver matches the photo in it.
Having said all this above don’t be too concerned. We give out (and follow ourselves) similar advice for every transport system we use across the world.
Generally speaking, the CDMX transport network is safe. Just use sensible precautions and you should really enjoy using this awesome network that’s been very well put together.
The MI Card
One of the best things about Mexico City’s public transport system is the reasonably new ‘Mexico City Integrated Mobility Card’ or just MI Card for short.
This card can purchased at Metro and Metrobus station kiosks and machines for 15 MXN.
Once you have the card you then top up at the same kiosks and machines that are dotted around Metro and Metrobus stations. Then you’re ready to swipe on/off/through Metros, Buses and even Cable Cars!
This makes navigating the system very easy for tourists and locals alike. Without the worry of having to check the price of everything and route around for the right change every time.
Get an MI Card as soon as you can then you’re armed and ready to take on the CDMX transport network with it’s abundance of options below.
Metro
The Metro is easily the best way to get about quickly and economically.
The metro network in Mexico City is just like any other metro system you will have used elsewhere and navigating it is no different.
But even if you’re not familiar with using a metro system, you will soon pick it up.
First thing to do is find a station.
You will see signs all around the city pointing you in the right direction to the underground (and sometimes over ground) stations. You can also easily find them on Google Maps if your using that for your navigation.
Once you are in the station, you can use your MI Card to swipe though turnstiles or just buy a one way ticket at a booth/machine if preferred.
Each journey will cost 5 MXN. Whether your going one stop or twenty, the price is the same.
You can make unlimited connections with this one cost. Just don’t exit through the turnstiles as that’s your journey over and you’ll need another ticket or to swipe again.
You can grab a map from the booths also to help you navigate, but you will also find plenty of static maps at stations.
Google Maps also has the Metro system clearly marked in it and will give you the best lines to take if you plot a route in the app.
In the carriages on the train there will also be a list of the stops of the line you are travelling on and each stop will show if it has a transfer option (either to another line on the metro or a bus line etc.).
If and when you do need to change lines, just follow the signs with a white ‘C’ in a black box (‘correspondencia’ or connection) to the other lines and look for the end stop for direction you are going towards to find the right platform.
All this info really makes navigating the wide reaching network easy-peasy.
As mentioned above, one of the additional safety features that the CDMX Metro has is the women and children only carriages.
This can be helpful for women and families. I would usually just ride in the carriage next door to the women and children one whilst Nadia would be in the designated area with the kids.
Try to avoid travelling at rush hour if you can, but if you really cant avoid it, then try to stay off the lines that run through the centre at this time.
Line 3 in particular gets very busy, as it runs right through the centre of CDMX and has a connection to almost every other line.
So if you can make a route to go around the centre a little bit during rush hour, do it. Although it may take you a little longer, it will be a lot more pleasant!
One final tip…
HOLD ON TIGHT!
We’ve experienced a lot of various metros around the world, but never have we come across on with such hard braking!
The trains will literally throw you across the carriage if you’re not careful. So always always hold on!
Metrobus
The Metrobus is an interesting concept.
As the name suggests, it is a bit of a mix of a metro and a bus.
You will see these red bendy buses (and sometimes double decker buses) flying through the city when all else seems at a standstill.
This is because they have their own dedicated lanes.
This makes them a great way to get about as an add on to the Metro.
They work more like a metro than a bus in the sense that you swipe through a turnstile to get onto the bus stop. Then just get on and off the bus where you want. Before leaving through an exit turnstile at your alighted stop.
The exceptions to this are the double deckers, on line 7 and airport bus, where you swipe onto the bus instead of onto the platform.
The cost is 6 MXN per journey. This is not included in the Metro fare i.e. when you transfer from a Metro to a Metrobus you have to pay the new fee and visa-versa. But you can change between Metrobuses at no extra cost within a 2 hour period (going in the same direction).
You can only use an MI Card on the Metrobus, cash is not accepted.
Again, like a metro, the Metrobus will stop at every stop without fail (unless the stop is closed for maintenance etc.) so you don’t have to press a bell or shout the driver or wave your hand when they’re pulling up. Just wait for your stop and get off.
The Metrobus also has the Women and Children only sections, marked by pink seats. So make use of these if you wish.
Trolleybus
The Trolleybus is a mix between a tram and a bus.
With an overhead antenna that connects to cables as it goes. This helps reduce the carbon emissions (which is really needed in Mexico City) by partly running on electrical current.
The bus works more like a traditional bus then the Metrobus. You will swipe onto the bus as you enter next to the driver. You can pay cash if preferred, but you need exact change to drop in the machine at the front.
The Trolleybuses all have a set fee, dependant on the line you use, they will be in the region of 2 to 10 MXN. So you don’t need to swipe off as it will not matter if you have gone 1 or 20 stops, the fee will be the same.
They can be a good connection from various places where you don’t have a Metro or Metrobus option to hand and are pretty efficient.
RTP Green Buses & Purple Buses
The RTP Buses are the bright Green ones you will see regularly and you will also see smaller Purple Buses.
They work with a fixed rate payment systems much like the Trolleybus. So swipe on when you enter or pay cash (exact change).
With these buses you will need to press the button or bell when you want to get off. And also wave them down (somewhat frantically at times!) when you want one to stop for you.
The bus stops can sometimes be difficult to find and you may have buses pass you by with no explanation on occasions. So these take a little more patience then the Trolleybus and Metrobus, but can still be a good option for getting to some areas.
Cable-Cars
We’re not done yet!
There are even some cable-cars you can take to get to the higher elevated areas of Mexico City.
Officially called the Cablebús, there’s a couple of lines south and a couple north.
It’s unlikely you will need to head to these areas, as tourists are not often found in these parts. But it can actually be a fun trip to take just for the novelty.
You get some awesome views on the cable cars and passing over the colourful houses can be great fun!
You swipe through a turnstile with your MI Card to enter the station, usually to the tune of around 7 MXN. Then just hop on the next available cart.
Then when the doors open you can get off or carry on if you are going further up or down.
You might get lucky and have a cart to yourself.
But remember, this is primarily a way to commute, so don’t be surprised if the locals get in with you. They do have a maximum limit for safety, so you won’t be in like sardines in this mode. There are attendants ensuring the carts don’t overfill.
Peseros and Combis
So all the above are all the government run public transport that you can use your MI Card on.
But if the above still isn’t enough, there are privately ran buses called ‘Peseros’ or ‘Combis’ that you can take as well.
You will need cash for these (small notes as change is unlikely to be given) and pay the drivers/conductors as you enter.
The prices vary depending on how far you are going, so let them know your destination before you get on.
They are a little more challenging to use and finding set routes and timetables is near impossible. But if you’re a fluent or even broken Spanish speaker you might want to try these as they can be a quick option in the right circumstances.
Taxi & eHailing
Finally we’re down to the car.
But it’s the one method we would advise the least when in Mexico City.
Mainly because of the traffic you will encounter and the cost.
Mexico City gets very busy so don’t be surprised if your sat in traffic for long periods with this method.
Most of the above options have their own dedicated lines and lanes so will most likely be quicker, even with all the changes and walking you might have to do.
They’re also likely to be cheaper than a taxi.
But there are some cases you might not want to take public transport.
If you’re arriving in rush hour with a lot of luggage for example, the Metro might not be the best idea.
So on the occasions where you do need one, taxis and Uber are available in Mexico City.
The CDMX authorities have tried to improve the safety of Taxis by creating their own app called MI Taxi App.
This means you can verify the pink taxis and ensure the driver, registration plate etc. is registered with the authorities. It also means you can hail them on the app as well as on the street.
If you already use Uber though, it’s unlikely you will need the MI Taxi app. You can use Uber just like in your home country and it essentially has the same functionality and safety measures. So setting up a new app might be something you don’t want.
If you don’t have data, there are lots of free WIFI areas in CDMX where you can connect to the City WIFI and use your app.
If you still cant use an app then you may need to hail one the old fashioned way. You can flag taxis pretty easily and they are in most tourist areas in taxi ranks.
They should use a metre, so make sur this is on when you get in or ask them to if it’s not.
So that’s it!
You certainly can’t say you don’t have options for getting around in Mexico City!