Mexico - Get Around

Take to the skies or see the country at ground level on a bus.

Mexico's 32 states are easily divided into six regions. In the northwest, Baja California combines desert landscapes with coast perfect for swimming, surfing and watersports. Northern Mexico is the bustling industrial heart of the country with its fair share of colonial charm and beach serenity.

Central Mexico features the capital, along with volcanoes and charming nearby towns, while Southern Mexico boasts famous beach resorts, cultural wonders and a tropical ambience. Finally, the southeastern Yucatan Peninsula attracts beach-bums, scuba divers and archaeologists.

Due to the huge distances between cities, the most efficient way of getting around Mexico is often by plane. Mexican law limits domestic carriers to Mexican companies only, and these companies can sprout and fold at an impressive rate. Mexico City is the main hub for passengers flying between cities.

The best way to get to more out of the way destinations is by bus. There are a number of variations on the bus and mini-bus theme serving the countryside and within cities, including combis, colectivos and peseros.

Those willing to get off Mexico's beaten track in a car will be amply rewarded, but driving in Mexico requires equal measures of some proficiency in Spanish, quasi-telepathic navigational skills and patience in times of poor traffic and road conditions. It also helps to have some mechanical knowledge and a small reserve of cash in case of emergency.

Those travelling between Baja California and the mainland will most likely do so by hopping aboard one of the car and passenger ferries plying the route. Ferries also link the Yucatan peninsula with Isla Mujeres and Cozumel.

Mexico's train system is sadly a shadow of its former self. If you take the train at all, it's most likely to be on the famous Copper Canyon line from Chihuahua to Los Mochis or on the Tequila Express from Guadalajara to Tequila.

Mexico's best roads are toll roads. Although the cost can mount up over long distances, the time, stress and aching bones you will save will compensate. Buses take toll roads when they can, and the toll fee is included in the price of the ticket.

Explore Mayan ruins in the thick of the Chiapas jungle at Palenque; marvel at Aztec sophistication at the pyramid of Teotihuacán and feel the exuberance of Hispanic colonial architecture in the centre of cities like Puebla and Guanajuato.