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peabody

Sep 1, 2011, 8:22 AM

Post #1 of 16 (3037 views)

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bus travel in mexico

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Howdy: Being new to mexconnect and hoping to make a 3 day bus ride to either San Miguel de Allende or Mazatlan from Virginia Beach soon, I wanted to see if anyone out there could tell me what the Greyhound-associated sites from Dallas are that are identified as "AAP", "ASV", and "AEF". I could not find out from Greyhound and wanted to know if there is any way to tell what the type, quality, advisability is about this type of travel. Go ahead, talk me out of this recent insanity of mine! And Thanks!

YucaLandia

Sep 1, 2011, 10:19 AM

Post #2 of 16 (3000 views)

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Re: [peabody] bus travel in mexico

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"Go ahead, talk me out of this recent insanity of mine!"

I don't know the acronyms. If possible, I would choose a route that does not stop in Monterrey.

In terms of relative risks Drug war related deaths have been reported at 30,000 for the past 5 years. For Mexico's population of 125 million, this equates to 73,000 deaths for the US population of 305 million. How do the Drug War related deaths compare to typical avoidable deaths in the US?

Reported US driving accidents kill between 31,000 and 38,000 people a year. These 180,000 US deaths translates to 73,000 US highway deaths for 125 million Mexicans vs the 30,000 Mexican drug war deaths during the period of Calderon's war with the Narco-Trafficantes - so, you are roughly 2.4X more likely to be killed on the US roads during your trip. (according to official US DOT figures and assuming roughly equal travel distances).

Research studies report that US Physician and Hospital errors unnecessarily kill 125,000 Americans per year. This translates to 625,00 unnecessary US deaths during the 5 year Drug War. If you ratio the Physician and Hospital death rate down to Mexico's population, you get 256,000 unnecessary US deaths vs 30,000 Mexican drug war deaths, or an 8.6X higher likelyhood of being killed by US Physician and Hospital error vs living in Mexico.

The US homicide rate (according to CDC) is 18,361 per year, which translates to 92,000 US homicide deaths during the drug war, which ratios down to 38,000 homicide deaths for Mexico's population vs. only 30,000 actual drug war homicides in Mexico, which means you are 1.25X more likely to be murdered in the USA than in Mexico's war on drugs...

So, if you're actually concerned about the real risks of traveling in Mexico, rational people would also want to stay off US roads, stay out of US doctors offices, and not be in US cities. 5 years of data indicate that the US is a more risky place to live, when compared to the issues and risks around Mexico's Drug War.

It seems rational to not want to hang around in New Orleans, Juarez, Detroit, Monterrey, New York City, Tijuana, Washington DC, or Nuevo Laredo, unless you happen to live there.
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Read-on MacDuff
E-visit at http://yucalandia.com

YucaLandia

Sep 1, 2011, 10:33 AM

Post #3 of 16 (2991 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] bus travel in mexico

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In case Canadians are feeling that travel to Mexico is unnecessarily risky:

Roughly 3,000 Canadians are killed in driving accidents per year, which translates to 15,000 Canadians killed during Mexico's drug war. Canada has 33.8 million people, which ratios the driving Canadian deaths up to 55,500 Canadian driving deaths vs. the 30,000 killed in Mexico's drug war.

By ratio-ing Canada's traffic deaths up to match Mexico's population, shows 1.85X higher death rates from Canadian driving vs. deaths in Mexico's drug war.

So, the deaths in Mexico's drug war are shocking, but they are still less than common risks that Canadians and US citizens accept on a daily basis.

Hopefully, this puts the real risks into perspective.
steve
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Read-on MacDuff
E-visit at http://yucalandia.com

Reefhound

Sep 1, 2011, 11:34 AM

Post #4 of 16 (2962 views)

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Re: [YucaLandia] bus travel in mexico

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If you want to put it in perspective you'd have to add in all those other causes of death in Mexico on top of the drug murders. The 30,000 narco deaths (if you even believe that since they were reporting 40,000 last I checked and Mexico doesn't have the best rep for statistical reporting) is not the only risk of traveling in Mexico.

La Isla

Sep 1, 2011, 11:57 AM

Post #5 of 16 (2957 views)

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Re: [peabody] bus travel in mexico

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For me the only insane part of your plan is the length of your proposed bus trip : ) . I can't help with the acronyms either, but I can assure you that the Mexican buses you will take will be far more comfortable (luxurious at times) than any that Greyhound will provide.

¡Buen viaje!

sioux4noff

Sep 1, 2011, 1:03 PM

Post #6 of 16 (2946 views)

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Re: [La Isla] bus travel in mexico

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I took Greyhound while on a recent trip to Texas. I was surprised at how new, clean and relatively roomy the bus was.

La Isla

Sep 1, 2011, 1:13 PM

Post #7 of 16 (2936 views)

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Re: [sioux4noff] bus travel in mexico

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I took Greyhound while on a recent trip to Texas. I was surprised at how new, clean and relatively roomy the bus was.

Sounds like Greyhound has gotten some ideas from its Mexican counterparts!

dongringo_catemaco

Sep 2, 2011, 4:27 AM

Post #8 of 16 (2863 views)

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Re: [peabody] bus travel in mexico

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"AAP", "ASV", and "AEF"

AEF stands for Autobuses Expreso Futura
AAP, I think stands for Autobuses Americanos.
ASV, I have no idea
The bus lines may or may not be partially owned by Greyhound

As for talking you out out of your recent insanity: Protect your sanity and rearend: FLY to Mexico City from Norfolk, then take a bus.
Visit Catemaco News

Altahabana

Sep 2, 2011, 5:34 AM

Post #9 of 16 (2846 views)

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Re: [peabody] bus travel in mexico

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You can fly from Norfolk to Mazatlan r/t on American Airlines (with no overnight on either leg) for $425. I would bet that is less than the bus.

cookj5

Sep 3, 2011, 8:56 PM

Post #10 of 16 (2728 views)

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Re: [dongringo_catemaco] bus travel in mexico

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Might make more sense, given his preferences for San Miguel de Allende and Mazatlan to fly to Guadalajara, then bus to either. Much shorter bus ride than from Mexico City. I've done the bus trip from Guad to Maz and it was great (Primera Plus was the line).

davidkrug

Sep 4, 2011, 7:00 PM

Post #11 of 16 (2653 views)

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Re: [cookj5] bus travel in mexico

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Seriously not a bad bus trip from Guad to Mazatlan. Just make sure to avoid chicken buses, and stick to the high end bus lines and your golden!

Retirement: World's longest coffee break. ~Author Unknown
Visit Me Online at: DavidKrug.org

Altahabana

Sep 5, 2011, 6:33 AM

Post #12 of 16 (2610 views)

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Re: [davidkrug] bus travel in mexico

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Perhaps I missed something in the OP's question but if the ultimate destination is Mazatlan why would he fly to Guadalajara and then take a bus, absent some huge differential in price? It's about 300 miles from Guadalajara to Mazatlan and probably 6-8 hours by bus. SMA would require a bus trip from somewhere in Mexico if he flies in, but there are direct flights to Mazatlan from the hubs (DFW and Houston) the OP would pass through if he chooses to fly.

carlw

Sep 5, 2011, 1:51 PM

Post #13 of 16 (2560 views)

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Re: [peabody] bus travel in mexico

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Unless you have an aversion to flying or just want to see the landscape between Dallas and your destination, fly. If you insist on the bus, break the trip up into at least 2 parts as those bus rides are very long. I usually go from Dallas, where I live, to Monterey, where I spend the day and night at a hotel across the street from the bus station. Then head to San Miguel or Mazatlan.

Even with the improved buses of Americanos, the Greyhound afffiliate, I prefer to take a Mexican bus line such as Turimex or Rodriguez from Dallas. Both are much more comfortable and have regular schedules out of Dallas.

Mazatlan is a wonderful place and I would recommend putting it No. 1 on your list.

davidkrug

Sep 5, 2011, 5:36 PM

Post #14 of 16 (2522 views)

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Re: [carlw] bus travel in mexico

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I second the putting Mazatlan #1 on your list. Such a great city!

Retirement: World's longest coffee break. ~Author Unknown
Visit Me Online at: DavidKrug.org

cookj5

Sep 8, 2011, 9:29 PM

Post #15 of 16 (2380 views)

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Re: [peabody] bus travel in mexico

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Here's a link for a book with lots of useful info about bus travel in Mexico written by a buy who traveled by bus from California to Guatemala. You can get it through Amazon.com

http://dickwdavis.intuitwebsites.com/BusJourney.html

(This post was edited by cookj5 on Sep 10, 2011, 2:11 PM)

cookj5

Sep 10, 2011, 2:13 PM

Post #16 of 16 (2257 views)

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Re: [Altahabana] bus travel in mexico

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The OP asked about bussing to either San Miguel Allende or Mazatlán. Flying into Guad would place him between the two, so he could go to either or both.