Sky Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 Hello all. Your recommendations are requested. A friend is arriving at GDL at midnight. Is it smarter to stay in Guadalajara over night or is it safe / ok to drive to Ajijic at this hour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suegarn Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 If they are driving themselves, I would suggest staying in Guadalajara. The highway has many dark areas, and they may run into livestock on the road. Plus, the potholes are dangerous and hard to see in the dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arroyos Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 I second this recommendation. Unless you can arrange a well-trusted driver who will pick her up in GDL and bring her to Ajijic, then I strongly recommend staying overnight in GDL, preferably at the airport hotel, unless she can get a shuttle to a nearby hotel. There are lots along the highways before the centre of GDL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 2 minutes ago, Arroyos said: I second this recommendation. Unless you can arrange a well-trusted driver who will pick her up in GDL and bring her to Ajijic, then I strongly recommend staying overnight in GDL, preferably at the airport hotel, unless she can get a shuttle to a nearby hotel. There are lots along the highways before the centre of GDL. Please note this in OP: " is it safe / ok to drive to Ajijic at this hour? " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bisbee Gal Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 There is no longer a hotel at the airport. There are hotels with shuttles from the airport. Friends used the Ramada last year when they arrived late and they sent a shuttle for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 Frankly I don’t think this is an appropriate question to ask of anyone on a Board. Is it safe? Compared to what? I think that if there were/are many occurrences of mishaps on this road in the wee hours it would be one thing, but to suggest that any of us can predict what a given night might look like.... well not me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 Yes, it is safe to drive at night, watching out for those things mentioned by suegarn. If your eyesight is good, anyway. I can't do it anymore, because much of the highway is very low on reflective lines, and I can't take the glare of headlights. In terms of other dangers, it is pretty much as safe as any other road up north. If you don't have a car, the taxis are perfectly good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomas Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 Take a taxi...or spend the night near the airport unless you / they are familiar with the GDL.- Chapala Hwy. and exactly where they are going locally.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
court0503 Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 You ask if it’s ‘smarter’ to stay in a hotel..IMO definitely yes. Why take the chance of major potholes, & wandering livestock. And mechanical trouble can happen to anyone & a middle of the night breakdown with no one around would certainly not be fun for your guests Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerGuy Posted October 5, 2018 Report Share Posted October 5, 2018 I have to tell ya, there just isn't much "wandering livestock". Certainly not on the main highway from Guadalajara, and not very much here. Just keep eyes open, is all. Y'all make it sound like some backwater boonie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy2013 Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Ther can be wandering livestock especially going up the hill after Ixtlahuacan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayBearII Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 The hwy is really dark at night, no lines or reflectors at all in many places, and if it's raining, that makes it worse. At best, the drive would be a lousy introduction to our charming town. At worst, it would be an introduction to a ditch and how to use a cell phone in the middle of nowhere or throw yourself on the mercy of friendly passersby who may not speak English. And all this when your friends are probably dead tired from the flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmh Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 I sometimes arrive on late flights, I take a taxi from the airport to Ajijic and never had a problem. The cab drivers know about the potholes and the dark highway It is a good idea to have detail instructions on where you are going and a phone number so the cab driver can call for directions if he is not sure on how to get there. I am a woman and travel alone and never had a problem in the last 17 years I have lved in Ajijic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
More Liana Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 1 hour ago, daisy2013 said: Ther can be wandering livestock especially going up the hill after Ixtlahuacan Amen! After dropping someone off at the airport at 4:00AM for an early flight, I once came up that hill and around a curve and was horrified to see about 8 big black cows standing in the middle of the road. I hit the brakes hard and missed them by the skin of my teeth. Terrifying! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vetteforron Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 There is a Holiday Inn about 10 minutes toward Guadalajara. They have van and will pick you up. I have stayed there when I have a very early flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyBee Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Last year I took a friend to the airport from recollection around 3 in the morning. It was the rainy season. On the way back I could hardly see where I was going because it was so dark. Came over a hill and suddenly my car was in about 2 feet of water. I floored the gas pedal and some how my little Tsuru floated thru. Yes there is live stock, did you ever see the number of dead horses along the Libriamento. And yes the Chapala to Guadalajara Highway is not really safe at night. (just ask the locals). And yes I would stay at a Hotel near guadalajara. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Posted October 6, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Posted October 6, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Thank you everyone for your valued opinions. As a newbie, livestock, major potholes, water hazards, no reflective lines are things we did not know about for this stretch of road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Assuming one is arriving at the airport, why not take a taxi here? The taxistas know the ropes. My wife returned from the U.K. at that hour and no problem. There have been a lot of repairs to the road, it is much better now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyBee Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 Forgot one other major risk, the few on the road at that time are probably drunk..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wookie Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 If you are driving yourself definitely get a shuttle to a nearby hotel. If you're not then get a taxi and come on into Ajijic and wherever you are staying. We have some excellent drivers that will meet you at any hour and drive you to your destination. We had a late doctor's appointment last evening and hired a driver to take us. Thanks to the flooding rains in Guadalajara we didn't get back until after midnight. There's no problem when you have a driver that knows the roads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dichosalocura Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 If you are arriving at Guadalajara at midnight and plan on coming to Chapala or Ajijic, I would definitely just come on to Ajijic by way of taxi, my folks do it frequently at that hour, there are always taxis, and the airport taxis know the road well. I don't think there is anything to really worry about, now if they are planning on driving, maybe........but the taxi drivers know the stretch well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringal Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 The safest bet is to stay overnight in Guadalajara. That was the original question, si?😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johanson Posted October 6, 2018 Report Share Posted October 6, 2018 My suggestion is, if possible, schedule flights that allow you to come at a better hour, you know not so late or early, something I can do when commuting between Seattle or Vancouver and Guadalajara. When it wasn't possible I chose to stay overnight at a stop-over that landed in the early evening, and then took an earlier flight the next day that landed mid day in Guadalajara. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gringohombre Posted October 7, 2018 Report Share Posted October 7, 2018 10 hours ago, Sky said: Thank you everyone for your valued opinions. As a newbie, livestock, major potholes, water hazards, no reflective lines are things we did not know about for this stretch of road. Your OP was not clear. Does your friend have a car parked at the airport? If so and with good eyesight and decent driving skills no problem driving to Ajijic. If not or if he/she is concerned about driving, for about $500 there is a line of taxies just outside the exit of the airport. Buy a ticket at a booth there and the drivers are all registered and insured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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