JGiff Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 I know it's early after the border announcement today BUT has anyone traveled across the Mex/US border on there way to Canada ? I can't find anything online. I know I can get into Canada but not sure about Mex/US border. TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostlylost Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 The Mexico US border is open. You can google border wait times to see website with crossing wait times live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 News from south texas https://valleycentral.com/news/local/county-judge-bridge-operations-to-remain-the-same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGiff Posted March 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 Thank you very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 You can drive to and cross the Pharr bridge in one day and there are plenty of reasonably priced accommodations right across the bridge. When we went to Texas up until late last year we did this all the time in 11 hours or less. Decent roads and tolls significantly less than going via Laredo. Very little time difference to San Antonio versus the Laredo route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yo1 Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 You can't use the Pharr bridge between 8am and 4pm. It is closed to car traffic between those hours. Hidalgo bridge is pretty fast and open to car traffic. If you are going to eastern Canada a Texas bridge makes sense. But if you are going to central or western Canada, it's shorter to go through Arizona, New Mexico or California. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuphel Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 Please keep this thread open. We will be crossing into US (fingers crossed) mid day Monday, and then up through the US to Canada. Trying to keep on top of info, but things are changing rapidly. If anyone is crossing before we do and has info that is helpful, we would appreciate it. Looks like the US Government may be announcing changes imminently, but itś unclear what they may be. They SOUND like they are focussing on undocumented workers travelling across, and may let two Canadian pensioners going home across, but itś hard to tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 45 minutes ago, Yo1 said: You can't use the Pharr bridge between 8am and 4pm. It is closed to car traffic between those hours. Hidalgo bridge is pretty fast and open to car traffic. If you are going to eastern Canada a Texas bridge makes sense. But if you are going to central or western Canada, it's shorter to go through Arizona, New Mexico or California. I went to the Pharr bridge web page and can't find anything there about this. Do you have a link? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 The border between Canada and the U.S. is to be closed to non essential traffic on Friday. I don't know how this affects you but it may be prudent to find out before you start your journey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 Canadian citizens are not part of the travel ban at that border. The question is what is going on at the Mexican border. I can't find any verification the Pharr bridge is closed to passenger vehicle traffic. It was closed for a time beginning in July of last year but we drove across it in the following October. I went to another bridge site and indeed it shows passenger cars only from 6AM to 8AM and 4PM to 6PM. No explanation as to why this. Better take Yo1's advice and go to Hildalgo if going in that direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oatsie Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 Friends of ours drove northbound at the Colombia - Solidarity crossing yesterday (Wednesday) late afternoon without any problem. They do it annually and said it was the best crossing ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuphel Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 Thanks for the info Oatsie. Are your friends US citizens or Canadians?JGiff if you cross into us before Sunday please let us on this board know? I will do the same when I find out what happens to us when we try to cross on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 I read on the local news that Pharr Bridge is only open to passenger vehicles on weekends. The rest of the week is for commercial traffic. Since I haven’t used it in a long time I cannot verify this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 49 minutes ago, Jreboll said: I read on the local news that Pharr Bridge is only open to passenger vehicles on weekends. The rest of the week is for commercial traffic. Since I haven’t used it in a long time I cannot verify this. I just looked at the "Bridge Crossing Times" website and they have a graft now. Shows traffic during the day. Sure enough passenger car traffic went to zero at 8:00 am and came back up at 4:00 pm. Today's average crossing time was 22 minutes and last hour was 10 minutes. (However I have been puzzled as to what their crossing time might mean as I was sitting on the Laredo Bridge in February and the site said was saying 'average crossing time' is 20 minutes but I was in that line for about 45 minutes.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapalence Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 If you want to get home, I would leave immediately. Things are happening rapidly at this point. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuphel Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 In our case, Monday is as immediately as we can cross. If anyone crosses between now and then and either has trouble or doesn't, we'd appreciate the info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoneyBee Posted March 20, 2020 Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 According to MSN news today the WH will be announcing the closure of the US/Mexican border tomorrow Friday. This should only apply to non essential crossing which sadly would probably apply to Canadians trying to get home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Solar Posted March 20, 2020 Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 So far it appears "non essential" is being defined as tourism, and there is recognition that people traveling "home" are not considered tourists. They could be doing a better job about detailing this.....for sure. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted March 20, 2020 Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 I know a coyote that can get you across.😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted March 20, 2020 Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 In the news tonight US citizens who want to return from Mexico should do it soon. https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/19/politics/us-mexico-border-coronavirus/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted March 20, 2020 Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 Supposed to be like the Canadian version. If you are a U.S. citizen you can return however there will probably be some sort of self quarantine requirment. Trying to return might be quite another matter. I'd follow a more credible source for updates on this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted March 20, 2020 Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 Expecting news tomorrow from Trump that would close the borders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oatsie Posted March 20, 2020 Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 8 hours ago, stuphel said: Thanks for the info Oatsie. Are your friends US citizens or Canadians?JGiff if you cross into us before Sunday please let us on this board know? I will do the same when I find out what happens to us when we try to cross on Monday. They are Canadian - heading to Southern Ontario. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JGiff Posted March 20, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 21 hours ago, stuphel said: Thanks for the info Oatsie. Are your friends US citizens or Canadians?JGiff if you cross into us before Sunday please let us on this board know? I will do the same when I find out what happens to us when we try to cross on Monday. Hola stuphel Unfortunately I won't be able to cross till probably the 1st week of April or maybe the 2nd due to vehicle problems. I would like to go now and my boss back in Canada would love it as well. I am an infection control officer in the health sector ,semi retired , and because of that I am not anticipating any problems. I know it won't be entering Canada and from what I know so far it should get me into the US. Please let me know how you make out Gracias Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuphel Posted March 20, 2020 Report Share Posted March 20, 2020 A couple of updates: I called the Canadian Embassy in Mexico City and the person I spoke to said I should get official information from the US Embassy but that it's Canada's understanding that we can enter US territory if we are on our way home. I tried the US Embassy, who patched me through to Border Control, who did not answer the number I was patched to. Articles I'm reading seem to be focussing on leisure and tourism as examples of 'non-essential' business. Also, the regs that will define some of the terms the agreement between the US and Mexico are using are not set to come out until Tuesday. With these things in mind, and unless we get different information, we're going to try to cross the Mexican border on Monday mid-day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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