Forums > General > Traveling Mexico

barry

Aug 29, 2002, 11:06 AM

Post #1 of 6 (1096 views)

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2nd class buses

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Are the 2nd class buses any good. And about how much do they cost compared to the 1st class buses? I am not worried about noises, cramped quarters,etc. I just want to be able to travel extensively throughout Mexico and spend the bare minimum on transportation!! Heck, while I'm at it, what about 3rd class buses? Do they even exist??GraciasBarry

sermextr

Aug 29, 2002, 2:00 PM

Post #2 of 6 (1094 views)

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2nd class buses

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It's more about time than comfort. The cheaper buses stay on the free highways to go through all the little towns and they stop for every person who wants to get on or off. The routes are shorter, so to cover any longer distance you would have to keep changing buses, which means spending time in terminals.The first-class buses are pretty economical. Even the pullman-class won't hurt your wallet much. Considering that you have to pay for lodging and meals, second-class buses won't save you much if you spend more days just riding on buses. Some people (not me) ride the first-class buses at night so they can sleep and avoid hotel costs.I can't remember any buses being called third class. Some remote places aren't served by buses but only by VW Combi-wagons.The way most people use the buses is to take first-class when it's available and second-class when they have to to get to their destinations.There's a wrinkle you should know about. In some cities/towns the different bus companies have their own terminals. In some others there are separate terminals for first and second class. There also are some other permutations. Chances are you won't have city maps to show you how to get to them. Get the best guidebook you can because that will help you find the terminals in the larger cities.: Are the 2nd class buses any good. And about how much do they cost compared to the 1st class buses? I am not worried about noises, cramped quarters,etc. I just want to be able to travel extensively throughout Mexico and spend the bare minimum on transportation!! Heck, while I'm at it, what about 3rd class buses? Do they even exist??
: Gracias: Barry

Pernel

Aug 30, 2002, 9:51 AM

Post #3 of 6 (1092 views)

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The 3rd class bus is the TRAIN!

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The 3rd class bus is the TRAIN!Take the first class bus, then the communal taxis, then the 2nd class bus and to get there real slow the TRAIN!Pernel
www.digthatcrazyfarout.com

boyce

Aug 30, 2002, 11:11 AM

Post #4 of 6 (1092 views)

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2nd class buses

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barry here is just one example. on trips ive made from gomez palacio to juarez and back, the second class bus was 150 pesos, old, cramped and hot. took about 14 hours lots of stops to eat and use the restroom. you catch them in the plaza. the first class bus cost 350 pesos, good condition, very comfortable, couple of movies. took about 10 hours. not to many stops. easy to get in the main bus stations. if i wasnt so tall i would not mind the second class. you see more on the trip, and i can buy 40 bottles of beer with the savings. good luck

awcharro

Aug 30, 2002, 3:10 PM

Post #5 of 6 (1092 views)

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Sometimes the price difference between first and second class buses is not that much

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In Monterrey, there is no difference in price between first and second class buses to Saltillo. Going from Aguascalientes to León, the difference is only 11 pesos. There is another class above first class, which is called "ejecutivo" or "de lujo". The ETN bus, which goes from Aguascalientes to Mexico City, costs only 85 pesos (about $9 U.S.) more than Primera Plus, which is a first class bus. With the ETN bus, you can get a large seat all to yourself, without having someone alongside of you. However, if you are over six feet tall, you may have a problem with the person in front of you putting his or her seat all the way back. But, many times, if this happens, there are empty seats you can move to on this bus.Another problem with second class buses is that the bathrooms often do not work or are non-existant.So, I believe that most of us on this forum who have had a lot of experience riding buses in Mexico would advise you to take a first-class bus, especially if you will be traveling for a long distance on a bus. It is well worth the small difference in price, in my opinion! : Are the 2nd class buses any good. And about how much do they cost compared to the 1st class buses? I am not worried about noises, cramped quarters,etc. I just want to be able to travel extensively throughout Mexico and spend the bare minimum on transportation!! Heck, while I'm at it, what about 3rd class buses? Do they even exist??
: Gracias: Barry

andrew

Sep 5, 2002, 1:37 PM

Post #6 of 6 (1094 views)

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None of these are still there, though!

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Well, that's, for all practical purposes, defunct now. Aside for a couple tourist routes, and, may be, a few places where there are just know roads, the only passenger trains now are the metros in DF, Guad., and Monterrey. As for the buses - the difference in price between 1st and 2nd bus is often small, and between the 1st and lujo it is, on occasion, not that much more than the price of the complimentary coke and snack they give you on the lujo -and the increase in comfort is substantial. 2nd class buses vary a lot, but on some routes they are adequate, similar to the older Greyhound buses you get on occasion north of the border - I would call U.S. Greyhound a "borderline" 1st/2nd class bus, by Mexican standards. The main problem is a) they stop everywhere and take long time to get anywhere and b) there is no assigned seating (like on Greyhound) and people are allowed to stand - things can get quite crowded. You can use them when needed - but avoiding the better buses when they are available is unlikely to make your budget that much more elastic (and will cost you a lot in time spent on the route). If you go overnight - definitely consider going for the most expensive version available, you'd get much better sleep in the "business-class-like" lujo buses, perhaps even better than in some hotels (unless they put the movie on without earphones, as happens on some lines); definitely worth it.