© Mexico Connect 1996-2007
Posted by Anonymous, on December 30, 1996
I will be flying into Mexico City and then leaving for Acapulco the next day. Was wondering if anyone would know how long of a bus ride I am looking at and what the cost may be. Or where I can get this information. I live in Toronto and will be leaving in a few weeks.
Posted by tony ferrell on December 30, 1996
I am surprised Dumois hasn't responded yet. I swear by the Lonely Planet Mexico guide. It has given us a starting point when my family travels- and my wife is from Mexico! Off the top of my head I think it is at least 6+ hours. And what ever you, travel in a first class bus. Unless you have no schedule and want to see "real" Mexico. I wouldn't recommend it to beginning travelers. Have Fun, TonyPosted by Geri Anderson on December 30, 1996
You wouldn't recommend a bus from Mexico City to Acapulco? Am I the only one who likes bus travel? The buses are comfortable, entertaining, cheap and in my experience reliable. I was going to guess about 6 to 8 hours for the Acapulco to Mexico City run. It probably goes over mountains. Buses leave frequently between two major points such as these, so I personally wouldn't worry about a schedule. Just click into Mexico time and enjoy!
Posted by Steve on December 30, 1996
in response to Acapulco to Mexico City
To bus or not to bus or is there a bus and when, those are the questions we ask to travel in Mexico. I hate all vehicles for long periods of time. The seats are too small, they never fit my neck, and I feel trapped like a rat in a cage. I actually feel that most of the first class busses (not all) are more comfortable than any coach class seat I have ever flown. The 7 or so hour ride from Mexico City to Acapulco is not much in scenery especially if you don't get a window seat or do not sit in front. Almost everyone on the bus preferred to keep the windows shaded and even the bus driver kept the shotgun side of the front window shaded until I asked him if I could look at the scenery. On other long rides everyone wanted the shades pulled so they could enjoy the "C" ultra violence movie that is so popular on the bus routes. I always take food and something to drink. Mexico City goes on forever until you get a glimpse of the spectacular snow covered mountains.
City busses, now there is where you will find culture!
I heard the Macarena before it was played in the United States. The music, the bumpy streets, the friendly people...this is Mexico. I always liked that you could open the window and buy a drink or something to eat while the driver was stopped for something. You can flag em down too and get a ride anytime. It only cost pennies and you can go anywhere in any town and explore other places off the beaten track. Doing this for 5 or 6 hours has never interested me, but for up to an hour is no big deal at all. No parking, no worry, no money, friendly people, and discovering new places...all reasons for the city bus.
Mexican Buses
Posted by Geri Anderson on December 31, 1996
Steve: Sorry, I was being egocentric when I said first class buses are comfortable. I'm short! I like flying too. I'm so active, hectic, scattered, etc. in my day-to-day living and work that I find long distance sitting a welcome change! I, too, love the city buses. Sometimes I just hop on one not knowing where it's going. If I get lost, I can take a cab back to hotel.
geri
To bus or not to bus or is there a bus and when, those are the questions we ask to travel in Mexico. I hate all vehicles for long periods of time. The seats are too small, they never fit my neck, and I feel trapped like a rat in a cage. I actually feel that most of the first class busses (not all) are more comfortable than any coach class seat I have ever flown. The 7 or so hour ride from Mexico City to Acapulco is not much in scenery especially if you don't get a window seat or do not sit in front.
Almost everyone on the bus preferred to keep the windows shaded and even the bus driver kept the shotgun side of the front window shaded until I asked him if I could look at the scenery. On other long rides everyone wanted the shades pulled so they could enjoy the "C" ultra violence movie that is so popular on the bus routes. I always take food and something to drink. Mexico City goes on forever until you get a glimpse of the spectacular snow covered mountains.
City busses, now there is where you will find culture!
I heard the Macarena before it was played in the United States. The music, the bumpy streets, the friendly people...this is Mexico. I always liked that you could open the window and buy a drink or something to eat while the driver was stopped for something. You can flag em down too and get a ride anytime. It only cost pennies and you can go anywhere in any town and explore other places off the beaten track. Doing this for 5 or 6 hours has never interested me, but for up to an hour is no big deal at all. No parking, no worry, no money, friendly people, and discovering new places...all reasons for the city bus.Re: Mexican Buses
Posted by tony on January 06, 1997:
In Reply to: Mexican Buses posted by geri Anderson on December 31, 1996
Steve: Sorry, I was being egocentric when I said first class buses are comfortable. I'm short! I like flying too. I'm so active, hectic, scattered, etc. in my day-to-day living and work that I find long distance sitting a welcome change! I, too, love the city buses. Sometimes I just hop on one not knowing where it's going. If I get lost, I can take a cab back to hotel.
geri
To bus or not to bus or is there a bus and when, those are the questions we ask to travel in Mexico. I hate all vehicles for long periods of time. The seats are too small, they never fit my neck, and I feel trapped like a rat in a cage. I actually feel that most of the first class busses (not all) are more comfortable than any coach class seat I have ever flown. The 7 or so hour ride from Mexico City to Acapulco is not much in scenery especially if you don't get a window seat or do not sit in front. Almost everyone on the bus preferred to keep the windows shaded and even the bus driver kept the shotgun side of the front window shaded until I asked him if I could look at the scenery. On other long rides everyone wanted the shades pulled so they could enjoy the "C" ultra violence movie that is so popular on the bus routes. I always take food and something to drink. Mexico City goes on forever until you get a glimpse of the spectacular snow covered mountains.City busses, now there is where you will find culture!
I heard the Macarena before it was played in the United States. The music, the bumpy streets, the friendly people...this is Mexico. I always liked that you could open the window and buy a drink or something to eat while the driver was stopped for something. You can flag em down too and get a ride anytime. It only cost pennies and you can go anywhere in any town and explore other places off the beaten track. Doing this for 5 or 6 hours has never interested me, but for up to an hour is no big deal at all. No parking, no worry, no money, friendly people, and discovering new places...all reasons for the city bus.
Geri,
I meant that taking a Second class buss is not recommended
for the first time traveler. I did this trip in a 1 and
a half class bus at night. It was wild! This was a way
of saving money. By driving all night, we saved the
cost of a hotel room. When we arrived at 4am, I expected
to see a closed up tourist town. Wrong! People were
commuting to work, eating tacos, drinking etc...
I loved it, changed my attitude about Acapulco. In any
case I think we agree more than disagree about how
MEXICO - BUS TRAVEL IN SOUTHERN MEXICO
Posted by Nancy on December 04, 1996
Has anyone here taken a bus from Acapulco to Oaxaca (Or to Puerto Escondido)? Has anyone taken a bus from Puerto Escondido to Oaxaca (or vice versa)? Is it a dangerous or arduous trip? Is it expensive? (I am only interested in first class bus service)How about flights? How long do flights and bus trips take?
I do know not to take a bus in the middle of the night in those states. My toddler and I will be traveling alone. Also, will our luggage be safe if I keep my money and personal papers on my "bod"?
Reply to bus travel in southern Mexico Posted by Larry
I just got back last week from spending 3 weeks in Mexico. I flew into Chiapas and then traveled 1300 miles by bus before flying out of Mexico City. I can't comment on the Oaxaca coast as I mostly stay up in the cool, dry mountainous areas, but can tell you of my experiences on the bus. I traveled 90% by first class daytime busses and always felt safe.
Some of the bus chassis are well worn but the engines, transmissions and brakes are top notch. Lots of depart- ures everywhere and lo prices make buses the way to go. I usually just put my luggage in the overhead rack but you can check it in at the side of the bus if it won't fit. I'm totally trusting of Mexicans and never had any kind of problems, except maybe when making connections there was never enough time to catch a bite to eat.
It's truly a great and cheap way to get around. Another thing, your toddler will make you real pop- ular in Mexico-Mexicans really love kids. You'll have a great time.
Reply posted by Larry:
Yes, I've taken the bus from Acapulco to Puerto Escondido. A few days later I went farther south to Puerto Angel (about one hour). Pto. Angel is a cool area and smaller than Pto. Escondido to find out more including bus schedules (approximate) get your hands on Lonely Planet's, "Mexico - A Travel Survival Kit". They have a good website (any search engine should show you the way). Any good book store will order it for you if they don't have it.
The ride to Escondido was a long 8 hours, on a 2nd class bus. No problems were encountered (five years ago). The bus stopped to pick up people... lots of people... but no chickens. I enjoyed the ride and the sights, but with a toddler, could prove rather challenging. Escondido has an airport you could fly there.
Two years ago I returned to Pto. Angel via Huatulco, one hour to the south. It has an international airport that makes access to the state of Oaxaca better than via Acapulco. HOWEVER :-( I have heard that the Zapatista insurrections have spread from Chiapas state, to the south, into Oaxaca. Truth or rumor, I do not know, check with your country's embassy or consulate for travel advisories.
Back to the buses. Angel lies on the coast, west of the main hi way. The town of Pochutla is the junction where you get off the Hi way and can catch a cab 10 minutes to Pto. Angel. Pochutla is where I catch the bus to Oaxaca city. This is a fabulous ride up over the mountains to a plateau where the state capitol is found, a beautiful Spanish colonial city about 400 years old. Well actually people have lived there for thousands. I have taken this route twice and love the ride up. Down would be challenging even for roller coaster buffs! I flew back to Huatulco and to Mexico City.
Reply posted by Marvin
Bon Voyage
I suggest you fly into Zihuatanejo (Ixtapa) instead of Acapulco. While I'm sure that many people greatly enjoy Acapulco, it isn't like the kind of place you describe. It can be a fascinating city, but it is very much a busy, exciting international city.Zihuatanejo on the other hand is a large town or small city (the entire county that includes 14 communities has a population of about 60,00-70,000). Outside of Zihuatanejo there are several towns and beaches with little development (Playa Larga and Barra de Potosi 10 and 30 km to the south and Troncones 30 km to the north).
If you then decided to go to Escondido, you could take the bus. My wife and I did the bus trip a couple of years ago. It was 10-12 hours on a first class bus. We left at about 10:00 PM and arrived the next morning. Friends of ours in Mexico say that they will never drive at night, but prefer night buses over daytime buses. I cannot speak on the safety of buses in that area. But I do know that in Sonora and Sinaloa bus robberies are quite common( almost be weekly). Near Guaymas they have robbed not only money but jewelry. Some of the Mexican women keep their money in their bras. I guess they don't strip search. I know that lots of travelers use the buses but I find the drivers poorly trained, overworked and the equipment not up to standards(even First Class) However I would still use the bus as I think the ride with locals , etc. would be exciting and interesting(go figure)
Reply posted by geri:
Marvin must have hit the buses on off days. I went from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido last June in a nice Mercedes Benz bus. Drivers are very professional in their white, stiffly starched shirts. There are assistants to do the menial tasks. Note: There are two first class buses from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido. One takes 6 hours and one takes 10 hours because it goes around through Hualtalco. That's the one I was on, and actually, it took 12 hours because we got a flat tire. You should have no problem with the child, because as you know Mexicans love children.
I also took a bus from Puerto Escondido to Mexico City at night. Both of these trips are over winding roads, but that's not the driver's fault. Scenery is spectacular as you approach the ocean from the north. Bus travel is cheap. I can't remember exactly, but something like $12 for the trip. Uniformed, rifle-toting policemen board our bus a few times. The woman next to me said it's because of drugs. It may be the government's way of showing strength because of reported robberies. They can't afford to have the buses unsafe. These federalism (or whatever they were) didn't search, just walked up the aisle. The first time it happened the bus driver was surprised and ran the blockade, so it's a new policy. Oh, at night on the way to Mexico City, they did ask a young, blond-haired guy in the front seat for his passport. He showed it. I got mine ready, but didn't have to show it. I think it's a good idea to take a passport, even though you don't need one. Have a good trip.