Expert: Ron - 11/20/2004

Question
we are going to drive down for the first time what do we need to cross the border? we have pasports. what about insurance? and we are going to cross at Laredo TX what is the best rutes to take their? and is their a good place to stay on the way down? we plan on crossing in the morning. I Know about the animales at night.
   Also is their any thing we can bring across for you? we are going to be staying at the Chapala Inn.  

Answer
Hi Larry, this is a long answer, if it doesn't all come through ask another question. Hope the formatting is ok.

The only thing we're having trouble getting to Mexico is my mother-in-law but I won't ask you to bring her.

Driving to Mexico – General Information, August 2004

All you need to enter Mexico is a Birth Certificate but I recommend having Passports for all travellers. A great website with lots of information about Mexico is  http://www.canadianclubmx.com/toc.htm

The CAA/AAA TripTiks are invaluable in finding your way through the big US cities.

Driving a distance of 600 km per day is a good goal. Be nice to your navigator, you will need him/her.  

The CAA/AAA Travel books contain recommended motels and rates.  Ask for the AAA discount. State Tourist offices have motel discount coupons available. CAA/AAA have a book Traveling with Your Pet giving details of pet friendly motels.

Your Canadian/USA auto insurance is not valid in Mexico. For Mexican Auto Insurance contact Nancy Hicks at Mexican Insurance Professionals 1-888-467-4639 or email mexicoinsurance@aol.com. Or contact Raquel Reyes Aceves at rachelin@prodigy.net.mx.  Given enough time either agent can fax a policy to you.  A faxed copy is legal. If you just need insurance for a couple of weeks you can buy daily insurance in Laredo. Best is Sandborns, they have an office in Laredo, one of the largest insurance companies in Mexico, but pricey.

Estimate the day you will be crossing the border and make the insurance effective from that date. Ask your Canadian/American Insurer to suspend your insurance for the time you spend in Mexico.

Important Spanish:   
Cuota and Autopista refer to TOLL roads with the letter D  after the highway number

Libre (Free Roads)
                                           
Aduanes is Customs.

Periferico is a bypass around a city

At the Pemex stations, ask for Magna (regular unleaded gasoline) and lleno (pronounced yeno meaning full).

THINGS TO BRING:
If you don't have pesos get them on the US side of the border or at an ATM as soon as you cross. The Pemex stations and the Toll Booths in Mexico will not take dollars. Check at Wal-Mart for a book of Mexico maps that includes city maps, it could come in handy. Fill up on
gasoline, drinking water and snacks - we buy breakfast bars for the trip. In Mexico fill up with gas whenever you get to half full. The Phone booths do not
take cash so buy a phone card in Mexico at a convenience store or Pemex. ATMs are prevalent in larger towns and cities and dispense pesos. If you have roaming your Cell Phone may work in Mexico but calls will be expensive.

It's also a good idea to carry some toilet paper and wet naps. Be prepared for lack of toilet seats. In addition to your regular auto emergency kit include a full size spare tire, flash light, extra serpentine belt and a 12 volt air compressor or aerosol tire repair kit.

If you have new purchases with you throw away the boxes and packaging before crossing into Mexico.

Most Mexican motels/hotels have standards of hygiene that you will find satisfactory, but be sure to ask to see the room. Many will NOT take pets.

Mexican Customs and Car Permit Offices are open 24 hours. It can take 3 hours to get the necessary paper work but on a weekday, early in the morning, you might get through in 30 minutes.  Patience is a virtue. We cross at 6:00am.

If it takes too long to do the paperwork and it is getting late in the day, get your permit but then cross back across the border to spend the night and get an early start the next morning.

Do not drive at night in Mexico. The hazards include animals on the road and vehicles driving without headlights. As you drive through villages, watch carefully for topes...these are major speed bumps. DO NOT drive over them at any speed other than dead slow!

You will probably be stopped at Mexican army checkpoints looking for illegal drugs and perhaps at agricultural checkpoints concerned with the spread of insects between Mexican states. Be courteous as they do their job.

Laredo Texas to Chapala via San Luis Potosi
(mostly Toll & 4 - lane highways)
      12 hour trip with a heavy foot.

As you approach Laredo, Texas watch for and visit the Texas Travel Information Centre located in a large colourful hacienda on the LEFT side of the highway.  Ask for a Laredo/Nuevo Laredo map.  The staff can show you which bridge to cross into Mexico, provide a map of Laredo and Nuevo Laredo and provide directions to get your car permit.  Also ask for directions to highway #85D to Monterrey.

CROSSING THE BORDER at Laredo: Take Bridge # 1. The toll ($2 usd Aug 2004) can be paid in US or Mexican currency. Just across the bridge in Nuevo Laredo is a Red Light/Green Light Customs stop. Best to declare any items over $50 but just tell them you are visiting Chapala for the winter and bringing in only your own personal items.  Alternate crossing is at Columbia, but there are no services there.

Tourist Visa and Vehicle Permit: Just over the bridge turn right and then follow signs to a  sharp right turn down under bridge just crossed. There is a new building behind fenced in area with parking lot.
Inside get your Tourist Visa first. Cost is about $200 pesos each ($30 CDN). You fill in application first.and then return to agent who will issue Tourist Visa. Check amount of time is enough for your stay, up to 180 days.
Next you need a Vehicle Permit. You need original and one copy of Driver's Licenses, registration, Passport and Birth certificate of all drivers, (and FM3 if you have it instead of Tourist Visa) and a credit card. We make copies at OfficeMax in Laredo. There is a copy area if you did not bring copies. Be sure to have the vehicle registration in your name or have a letter of permission to take the vehicle into Mexico from the lease holder. They will also ask to see originals. Permit costs about $40. There is a form to sign promising to take your car out of Mexico within six months and to return the car permit.
Permit is issued and you apply it on centre of the windshield behind rearview mirror.
You can exit the same road you came in. Follow signs to Monterrey as you exit.

Take #85D towards Monterrey.

About 26 km into Mexico you will hit the main Aduanes (Customs). There is a Green Light/Red Light system too. Hope for a Green. If you get Red explain that you are only carrying personal items for your stay in Chapala. Customs will probably do an inspection anyway.

Continue on to Monterrey. There are few services on this route. As you approach the outskirts of the city you will pass a large monument in the middle of the highway and then just past the airport on your right is a Pemex Station.  It is very clean and has a good restaurant. Fill up with gas.

Depending on the time of day you might continue on this road to find accommodation in Monterrey for the night. The Best Western Royal Courts about 12 km on the left side of #85 is a good choice. It has a nice restaurant for supper
and breakfast. You'll have to backtrack in the morning to find the Toll Road - Periferico to #40 and on to Saltillo.

If you carry on, about 3 km past the airport Pemex to the right (west) is the bypass or Periferico towards Saltillo. This bypass joins #40 towards Saltillo. There was lots of construction at this intersection in August 2002.

Just before you get to Saltillo, take #57 to Matehuala. In Matehuala there are several hotels, the Las Palmas Hotel has a pool and restaurant but is expensive. El Dorado in Matehuala is inexpensive and clean.

As you near San Luis Potosi take VIA CORTA with a sign to Lagos Moreno. This is a toll bypass around SL Potosi avoiding a very treacherous route. The toll is worth the money! You will join #57 just south of SLP for a short distance, watch for signs to Lagos Moreno for the rest of the bypass, about 76 km. You will come out just north of pottery corners on #80 near Ojuelos de Jalisco.

(If you drive into SLP there are several motels at the junction of #57 and #70/80 and a Holiday Inn.)

As you approach Ojuelos, you will see a sign pointing to Guadalajara, this is a bypass around the town.

Continue on hwy 70/80, with signs pointing to Guadalajara. You will drive through Ojuelos, and Lagos de Moreno. This is a long 2-lane road and too much construction for the new 4-lane highway coming soon. Near Zapotlanejo you head west on #90 which becomes Lazaro Cardenas for a short drive to Guadalajara.

As you enter Guadalajara watch for signs to Chapala and Aeropuerto.  You will turn right under an overpass and then merge onto the Chapala Highway. Drive past airport on Hwy 23/44 and over the mountain home to Chapala.


RETURN Chapala to Laredo via San Luis Potosi
(mostly Toll, quickest route)

Head east from Guadalajara on #80 (Lazarus Cardenas, the way to Tonala) towards Zapotlanejo. You will merge with #80 4-lane, then down to 2-lane.

Watch for signs for #80 north towards San Luis Potosi. You will pass via Lagos De Moreno and Ojuelos. A long drive through farming country with lots of construction on the new 4-lane highway coming soon.

Take bypass around Ojuelos.

Twenty (20) kilometers beyond Ojuelos de Jalisco near pottery corners, while still on Hwy 80, you will encounter a new by-pass, Via Corte. The by-pass leads off to the southeast and connects with Hwy 57 south of San Luis Potosi.

(Note:  When you get to the end of the by-pass at Hwy 57 (about 76 km) you are directed south for about two kilometres.  It's obvious that they still have work to do relating to this intersection (or maybe not by the time you get there!)  but at present you're directed south until you encounter a "legal" u-turn that directs you north towards San Luis Potosi and Matehuala.  Prior to reaching San Luis Potosi you'll be directed to a by-pass off to your right that allows you to completely avoid SL Potosi and head directly for Matehuala.  All the while you'll still be on Hwy 57

Take #57 north to Matehuala where there is accommodation.

Continue north on # 57 towards Saltillo and then on #40 towards Monterrey. Lot of construction at this intersection in August/02. Watch for the bypass north towards # 85D and Nuevo Laredo. For accommodations as you leave the bypass north of Monterrey turn south to find several motels including the Best Western Royal Courts about 12 km on the left side of #85. It has a nice restaurant for supper and breakfast.

Follow 85D for about 3 hours to the border.  There are few services on this highway. At the main Mexican Aduanes (26 km from the border) there is a Booth to return your car permit or in Nuevo Laredo follow directions to return Car Permit, near Bridge #1. If you cross at Bridge #2 there is NO Mexican Customs.

In Laredo we usually stay at the Fiesta Inn or Red Roof on San Bernardo.

Best regards, enjoy your adventure.

Ron