Getting in and visas for Mexico

From Australia

By plane

The cheapest way to fly to Mexico from Australia is via Hawaii (i.e. with Jetstar) and then onward to LA Hawaiian Airlines. Direct flights (or via New Zealand) are also available but cost two to four times as much.

From the United States

The Mexican Consulate in Phoenix says that each country has a different agreement with México. Citizens of many countries may enter México as tourists with a visa. US citizens will need visas to enter México for tourism in 2008 . (However, for business or education, they may need the appropriate visa not a tourist visa). Other people must contact a Mexican consulate in order to find out the requirements for citizens of their country, and may have to apply for and obtain a visa in advance of travel. If you are in need of other information, Mexico has consulates in the following US cities: [3]. The consulates in the USA are typically open for business to non-citizens (by telephone or in-person) only from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

By train

There is at least one place where Mexico is accessible via rail and a short walk - south of San Diego. The San Diego Trolley can be taken from downtown San Diego (which Amtrak serves) to the California-Baja California border. (note: El Paso/Juarez is also well served by Amtrak, the station is within a stones throw of the rio grande)

By car

American automobile insurance is not accepted in Mexico, however it is easy to obtain short-term or long-term tourist policies that include the mandatory liability coverage, theft and accident coverage for your vehicle, and often, legal assistance coverage. Should you decide to drive to Mexico, the Transport and Communications Secretariat website [4] has free downloadable road maps. Foreign-plated vehicles must obtain necessary permits before being allowed into the interior of Mexico. This can be done at the border checkpoints by showing your vehicle title or registration, as well as immigration documents and a valid credit card. It is now possible to apply for your vehicle import permit online. [5]

By bus

The Mexican bus system is reportedly the most efficient in the world. There are many different independent companies but all use a central computerized ticketing system. Rates per mile are generally comparable to those of Greyhound in the U.S., but there are more departures and the system serves much smaller villages than its American counterpart. There are many bus companies based in Mexico with branch offices in major U.S. cities. A ticket to a major Mexican city from the U.S. can be bought for as little as $60 roundtrip (San Antonio TX to Monterrey N.L.). These companies however, do cater to mostly Hispanics or Mexican Nationals living in the U.S. and operate mostly in Spanish.

By boat

• Border crossing from Guatemala.
• Cruise ships from United States.