Forums > Areas > Central Highlands

tashby

Jul 15, 2009, 4:16 PM

Post #1 of 7 (7181 views)

Shortcut

Mexico City to Patzcuaro by Bus

Can't Post | Private Reply

Next week, a friend plans to travel from Mexico City to Patzcuaro by bus. I seem to vaguely remember reading somewhere that there is bus service that is direct, stopping in Morelia, but then continuing on to Patzcuaro (with no change of bus). Has anyone heard of this or am I making it up? If it exists, it seems worthwhile as long as the bus is comfortable enough, the schedule accomodates, and Morelia is the only stop.

Short of that, I'll just recommend that she take ETN to Morelia, then change busses. That said, I haven't been to the bus station in Morelia in years and can't remember who serves between the two. Flecha Amarilla? The company with Purepecha in the name? Or are there several - without stops in between - and she just needs to step into the terminal and grab the next available? Thanks.

(This post was edited by tashby on Jul 15, 2009, 4:21 PM)

raferguson

Jul 15, 2009, 8:18 PM

Post #2 of 7 (7154 views)

Shortcut

Re: [tashby] Mexico City to Patzcuaro by Bus

Can't Post | Private Reply

Bus Across Mexico says look for Herradura de Plata, or Primera Plus, maybe Flecha Amarilla (first class). Herradura de Plata has many departures per day, from Terminal Poniente in Mexico City.

A five hour bus ride, but might be worth taking a non-luxury bus to avoid a change of bus in Morelia.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

jennifer rose

Jul 15, 2009, 8:41 PM

Post #3 of 7 (7144 views)

Shortcut

Re: [raferguson] Mexico City to Patzcuaro by Bus

Can't Post |

Autovias makes the Mexico - Patzcuaro run with a stop in Morelia. It's a luxury bus,, but a notch belong ETN. It has 2+2 seating and wireless Internet.

Anonimo

Jul 16, 2009, 2:50 AM

Post #4 of 7 (7130 views)

Shortcut

Re: [tashby] Mexico City to Patzcuaro by Bus

Can't Post | Private Reply

I think only very few departures on AutoVías have wireless Internet. No matter.

Here's my Mexico City Airport to Pátzcuaro bus FAQ.

At the Mexico City Airport, be sure to buy your taxi ticket at the official taquilla, or sales window, for example, Sitio 300, not from some tout. This is very important! The fares are calculated by zones. There are regular taxis, which are fine for most people's needs, and they are much cheaper than the large expensive Suburbans. Pay attention to which service you are buying. Once you pay for your taxi ticket at the window, you do not pay the taxi driver anything more, except for a very optional tip, if you had a lot of luggage, or his conversation was especial cool, whatever.

Once at Terminal Poniente, also called Terminal Observatorio, go to the AutoVias ticket counter. There are at least 3 desks, close by each other. It may take a moment to figure out which is the one needed. read the "Salidas" or Departures board. Credit cards are accepted for payment. If paying with cash, check your change. Get a bus direct (Sin Escalas) to Patzcuaro. While it does stop 15 minutes in Morelia, you stay on and do not change buses. Escalas are changes.

(Certainly, it's easier than taking ETN to Morelia, changing to a Patzcuaro bus once at Morelia for which a change of building is probably necessary as well.) It has to be faster to get on the AutoVias bus than the ETN. Though the AutoVias buses are one level down in luxury than ETN, they are quite comfortable. AutoVias has a separate waiting room, with free restrooms and free coffee. They will also check in your larger luggage while you are still at or near the ticket counter. The buses are equipped with passable restrooms. The movies are generally awful.

You get a crappy "ham" and cheese sandwich and a soft drink when boarding. I recommend Boing! a natural fruit drink. You can also buy decent baguette, croissant, or torta sandwiches or pan dulce at Terminal Poniente's restaurant or snack bar, inside. I avoid the outside stands and the inside carnitas places. The main restaurant does a decent breakfast. There's an internet place or two, which are sometimes open and sometimes functioning.

One drawback of AutoVias is that you can't yet book on line. But you wouldn't be able to book the Patzcuaro section online either, as far as I know.

WAIT! You can now book on line, as long as your trip isn't very far in the future. Go to http://www.hdp.com.mx/ But it should be no problem getting a seat during normal, daytime non-holiday conditions, walking up to the counter and paying for the next available departure.

Buen viaje,
Anonimo

tashby

Jul 16, 2009, 8:10 AM

Post #5 of 7 (7100 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Anonimo] Mexico City to Patzcuaro by Bus

Can't Post | Private Reply

Perfect.

Since ETN has more Morelia-bound busses out of Poniente/Observatorio anyway, I'll just send her there. Then she can take her pick between AutoVias or ETN (with the subsequent change of busses in Morelia).

Thanks everyone. Along with the hotel recs I gathered earlier, she'll have everything she needs.

Anonimo

Jul 29, 2009, 5:05 AM

Post #6 of 7 (7011 views)

Shortcut

Re: [tashby] Mexico City to Patzcuaro by Bus

Can't Post | Private Reply

We came back yesterday (Tuesday, July 28, 2009) from a weekend in Mexico City.

At 9:30 a.m., at Terminal Poniente, Autovías had no INAPAM discounted seats available until early afternoon.

Since we'd used AutoVías Doble Piso (not as nice as it sounds) on the way to Mexico City, and had already seen the movies. ;-) we decided to try ETN.

ETN had INAPAM seats available on the next departure, at 10 a.m. We boarded and were very pleased by the 2-1 seating (24 seats total), and the overall comfort. The legroom is great. Cost; about $335 MXN with INAPAM discount, for the two of us.

The movies, which you can ignore by not wearing the optional headset, were actually pretty good, and the included sandwiches a few points above the sual mayo on Bimbo with ham-like-food substance plus yellow cheese-stuff of AutoVías. (Best bet: make your own sandwiches and brownbag it.)

It was a very comfortable trip, and we didn't mind getting a second-class bus at Morelia, on Purépechas lines, to drop us off at the Tzurumútaro junction.

We may make our next visit to Mexico City on ETN, despite the minor inconvenience of the change of buses at Morelia.
All generalities are suspect, including this one.

Saludos,
Anonimo

gpkgto

Jul 29, 2009, 11:44 AM

Post #7 of 7 (6974 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Anonimo] Mexico City to Patzcuaro by Bus

Can't Post | Private Reply

ETN agents (at least here in Irapuato) have the abiltiy to "override" the limit of INAPAM seats--my friend had gotten his half price ticket twice that way. You do have to ask, though.