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jscully216

Aug 17, 2003, 7:48 AM

Post #1 of 12 (1157 views)

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Bus Routes

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Can anyone help me with information about bus routes from towns such as Ciudad Juarez and Nuevo Laredo to Guadalajara? I simply cannot find any on the internet.

Gracias.
John Scully

Guapo Gabacho

Aug 17, 2003, 12:33 PM

Post #2 of 12 (1138 views)

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Re: [jscully216] Bus Routes

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If I were looking to travel from Cd. Juarez to Guadalajara by bus I would just go to the Central de autobuses in Juarez, select the best thing based on my needs, and go.There will be a bus out soon. Forget reservations and de-compress. Many Mexicans travel on night buses to avoid a hotel bill. You will have several available bus lines each offering a different level of service and number of stops. Two luxury items to take are, one of those blow-up neck ring pillows, and a set of earplugs.

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We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.

Esteban

Aug 17, 2003, 1:44 PM

Post #3 of 12 (1132 views)

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Re: [jscully216] Bus Routes

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I totally agree with Guapo. The bus system in Mexico moves millions of people and there is never a problem getting a bus to wherever you want to go. Around Xmas and Easter may cause a few delays but other than those times, don't worry. It's a piece of cake. A lot of the bigger terminals are like US smaller airports. Also, I've found that in the US, the Greyhound stations are horrible and used a lot by very destitute people. They are infested with disadvantaged people seeking warmth or whatever. That's just not the story in Mexico. It's very upscale compared to the US. When Greyhound made a deal with the Mexican Crucero buslines in PHoenix and Tucson, they used Mexican buses and publically announced it was a step up in quality of service. One time we were going from San Miguel de Allende to Guanajuato and my daughter had to go to the bathroom VERY badly. There wasn't a bathroom on this short haul bus so I talked with the bus driver and when he had a chance, he pulled over and let her out so she could go. There were no people on the bus who said a word. She went got back on the bus and we were out of there.

Guapo Gabacho

Aug 17, 2003, 5:02 PM

Post #4 of 12 (1122 views)

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Re: [Esteban] Bus Routes

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Should Alto o to escurirlo, Stop or you mop it, be in the phrase book?

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We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.

Esteban

Aug 17, 2003, 5:23 PM

Post #5 of 12 (1120 views)

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Re: [Guapo Gabacho] Bus Routes

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I think I used the words dolor fuerte and basically implied what you say. The biggest surprise or I should say the biggest difference between a bus ride in the US and Mexico was that the other people on the bus (all Mexicanos) never batted an eye over the short pit stop. No looks, no words.......like it was a natural thing to do.

Carron

Aug 18, 2003, 9:40 AM

Post #6 of 12 (1097 views)

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Re: [jscully216] Bus Routes

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I agree with the other posters about the general awfulness of Greyhound as compared to the sophisticated, assigned seating system of Mexican buslines. This may be in part because Mexican buslines are not a virtual monoply but consist of many different regional companies or it may be simply that buses are the transportation mode of choice in Mexico and therefore enough people from the business and upper classes choose to utilize their comfort and convenience so overhead for cleanliness and even luxury can be maintained.

That said, my family and I have often used Greyhound from Houston to Nuevo Laredo, then taken a Mexican bus from there on south. Greyhound has a program in many US cities, even great distances from the border, so that a traveler can purchase a ticket from his original departure point to almost any destination in Mexico. The Greyhounds actually cross the border, walk you through customs and migracion (to obtain a tourist visa if necessary), and hand you over to a charming Mexican agent in the terminal at Nuevo Laredo who gives you your Mexican ticket and seating assignment. The terminal is clean with lots of nice bathrooms and snack areas.

When returning to Texas, there is a small Greyhound ticket kiosk set up right in the Mexican terminal and they will handle getting you on the bus and back into the States. After the charm and gracious demeanor of the Mexican chofers, the frequent rudeness and sloppy attitudes of the American drivers can come as a shock!

Matamoros, across the river from Brownsville, Texas, is another city where we have used the Greyhound connection with similar success.

Ed and Fran

Aug 18, 2003, 8:00 PM

Post #7 of 12 (1076 views)

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Re: [Carron] Bus Routes

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Far be it for me to take exception to the advice given here, but I don’t like just going down to the terminal to find what the next bus to my destination might be. I’ve traveled sufficiently by bus here to know that there isn’t always a bus going where you want, when you want, and with space available. And one of my favorite pastimes is not waiting with my bags for 8 hours in a hot bus station because I missed the early bus to wherever, and there’s not another one until evening, and there’s no checked luggage facility, and I therefore have to sit there with the baggage and wait.

That’s okay if you’re very laid back, with little or no luggage, and no need to get where you’re going at any particular time.

Otherwise you need to at least check to see the frequency and schedule of buses to your destination. Making reservations ahead makes me happier, although it’s not for everybody.

If the original poster was asking for info on buses along the gulf coast I could help. ADO (and their luxury versions ADO-GL and UNO) have websites where you can see schedules/prices between different cities, and phone numbers to call to reserve ahead. But I don’t ever travel through Guadalajara or Cd Juarez and don‘t know the bus lines around there. I would have thought that one of you guys in the Chapala area would know of bus lines that service the Guad-Cd Juarez route and maybe even a website address that you could post.

Earplugs are a good suggestion.

Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

Ed & Fran

raferguson

Aug 27, 2003, 7:48 PM

Post #8 of 12 (1024 views)

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Re: [jscully216] Bus Routes

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From Ciudad Juarez to Guadalajara, figure 24 hour travel time, around $100 US one way, Turistar or Omnibus de Mexico, 6 buses per day, per "Bus Across Mexico".

A similar story from Nuevo Laredo, same bus lines plus a few others, 15 hours and around $70 US.

This info is generally not on the internet, most first class bus lines do not have web sites with schedules.

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

Ed and Fran

Aug 28, 2003, 12:28 PM

Post #9 of 12 (1004 views)

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Re: [raferguson] Bus Routes

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Like I say, I hate to publicly disagree, but first class bus lines (at least on the east coast) do have this info available on the internet.

The luxury line UNO is on Uno.com.mx, and you can get destinations, schedule, duration, and pricing there.

ADO-GL is at adogl.com.mx. The site has destinations, schedules, duration and pricing.

Regular ADO works their schedules through TicketBus. Ticketbus.com.mx will give you destinations, schedules, duration and pricing for ADO and others including Maya de Oro, Plus, Cristobal Colon, and others.

Unfortunately the above lines don't run Cd Juarez/Gualalajara.

But, just for kicks I typed in www.omnibus.com.mx and up came the Omnibus de Mexico site (spanish only, the english version is under construction) which also has the same info. So our original reader only need go to that website and he can find the info needed to plan his trip, under "consulta nuestros horarios y tarifas". May not be able to make reservations through the website, but you can get numbers to call.

Maybe Turistar doesn't have it, but saying that first class bus lines don't put that info on the net is not exactly correct.

Best regards

Ed

Guapo Gabacho

Aug 28, 2003, 5:28 PM

Post #10 of 12 (984 views)

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Re: [Ed and Fran] Bus Routes

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Ed,

My previous reply was removed, so this time I will try to be more upbeat.

Your travels between Matamoros and Tuxpan by no means is normal for Mexician bus service. You aren't headed to a hub or are you entering in a large portal city. Go from N. Laredo to the DF or Guadalajara and things are quite different.

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We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.

Ed and Fran

Aug 28, 2003, 5:47 PM

Post #11 of 12 (980 views)

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Re: [Guapo Gabacho] Bus Routes

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Guapo

Guess I still don't understand your point, but if you'll say what part of my post you disagree with I'll be glad to discuss it.

Most of my travel is not between Matamoros and Tuxpan, probably 75% has been back and forth between the D.F. (Terminal del Norte) and Tuxpan. I suppose you'd agree that D.F. classifies as a hub.

Best regards

Ed

Guapo Gabacho

Aug 28, 2003, 5:57 PM

Post #12 of 12 (977 views)

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Re: [Ed and Fran] Bus Routes

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No, Tuxpan alone is enough.

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We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.