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Planning to drive from Canada to Mexico - Dec 2022


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My husband and I are hoping to drive from Canada (Montreal) to Mexico (Lake Chapala) this coming Dec so that we can visit family in the US south and have use of our car while we avoid Canadian winter.  I am interested in hearing from others who have done this with any advice and experience to share - both good and bad.  I am a little concerned about the safety aspect at the border -  maybe binge-watched too many narco-thrillers?😏  Would like advice on which crossing is best and things to consider/plan for in order to stay safe.  Also any tips on where to stay en route would be appreciated. 

Many thanks!

 

 

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I have done the drive many times over the past 10 years and tried many different routes.  There are many many options but I have settled on the following. From Montreal:

Ontario 401 to London, 402 to Sarnia.  Cross into Michigan - I69 to an overnight stop around Fort Wayne/Indianapolis area. I70W to Effingham, I57S to junction of I55S to West Memphis.  I40W to Little Rock, I30W to Texarkana for a 2nd overnight stop.  I59S/I69S through Houston to Victoria, TX.  77S to Riviera,TX, 285W to Falfurrias, 281S to McAllen.  Take I2W across to the west side of the city to 396S to the Anzalduas crossing into Mexico.  Get on Hwy. 40 to 40D and follow across to Monterrey.   Just as you enter Monterrey on the east side, exit onto 100 heading NW towards Apodaca.  Time for another overnight stop so exit onto Hwy 85N and a great place to stay is the City Express Monterrey Norte.  Good restaurants and lots of gas stations close by.  Next morning head back south on Hwy 85 and back onto 100W towards Saltilo. On the west side of Monterrey, take the 40D toll road towards Saltilo and stay on it all around the west side of Saltillo.  Go straight ahead onto 54S towards Zacatecas.  As you approach Zacatecas, at a town called Morelos get onto 45D toward Aguascalientes/Leon and follow the signs through Aguascalientes to Leon.  There are 3 ring roads in Aguascalientes and any number of ways to get through but I have had the most success with Ave. Heroe de Nacozari just on the east side of downtown.  Take it all the way south and merge onto 70/45 and head west.  Then make a left onto 45S in a few blocks and head on south towards Leon, past the airport exit and onto the toll road. Just past the toll booths, take 80D west to Guadalajara.  Follow the signs carefully at San Juan de los Lagos to continue on the 80D toll road.  At Zapotlanejo, continue straight on the main road towards Chapala (don't take the exit toward Guadalajara) and this becomes the Macro Libramiento.  Take the Chapala exit and go north toward Guadalajara a ways to find the first retorno (a return to the southbound lanes of Hwy. 23) and then you are home.  Nice 4 day drive.

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You should get car insurance and your car permit & tourist permits in advance to save time  Otherwise you will need to stop after crossing border for FMM tourist permit & car permit. 

I Travel the border to Chapala 4-5 times a year. Always overnight in Laredo. Cross at daylight on bridge #2  then Monterrey-Saltillo-Matehuala-San Louis Potosi-Lagos de Moreno-Chapala. It is about 11 hours at 100-110km per hour. 2 gas stops in Mexico with clean rest rooms gets you to Chapala with gas to spare. . Many decide to overnight in Matehuala at the Las Palmas Midway Inn. This route does not leave the autopistas to pass through a city.

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So far as the danger component, I drove down in my 94 motorhome diesel pusher and took 3 nights taking my time. Contrary to advice I camped over at Pemex station-truck stops. I never had a problem and found Mexican truck drivers much more polite and giving than their Canadian and American counterparts. [I had stayed at truck stops all across both other countries] 

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I, like Ezzie, have driven in and out of Mexico a bunch of times for 10-15 years. And if these folks were seasoned Mexico travellers I 'd second his route advice.

HOWEVER, they are NOT and therefore I agree with Mostlylost on his route and stopover recommendations. Keep it simple and stay on the "freeways" the entire route.

P.S.  It is my opinion that on ANY given day or trip, unless there are known and current safety concerns about a SPECIFIC route/area, it is not that valuable to point out potentials . Tens of thousands of miles are driven on these routes by thousands of vehicles monthly.... probably an understatement... with zero problems.

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My way is rather unorthodox but it works. I go across the afternoon before and get all my paperwork done. I then cross back and stay overnight.  Next morning I’m at the bridge(Anzalduas) at 6:00 am.  and drive straight down, arriving in Chapala before sunset.

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Over the 15years I have driven from Toronto many times.

Don’t bother getting your paperwork in advance, you have to stop anyway.

I always cross at Windsor, I have tried several routes to Laredo and really there isn’t much difference, interstates all the way. 
I always stay in north Laredo usually at the Days Inn. I cross at Colombia it’s much quieter than Laredo. Expect about 15 mins or less for your paperwork.  Head towards Monterrey, Matehuala San Luis Potosí Guadalajara, stay on the toll roads. I always do the trip from the border in one day, about 11 hours. 
Don’t go the Zacatecas - Aguascalientes route those are two cities that are a  pain to get through..  Use a GPS  I use a Gamin, don’t rely on a phone, I use my phone as a backup.  It’s a little stressful your first time, but really it’s not difficult a drive.. 

 

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I agree that Aguascalientes 'can' be problematic.... especially if one hasn't gone through there ever/much.  BUT.... Zacatecas City is no problem at all because there is a bypass freeway and one never sets foot in the city.... clear sailing around the city to the east/north. That part couldn't be easier. 

Also agree about using the Colombia crossing west of Laredo.... especially if going north. But since it is out in the boonies and does take longer I would still recommend first-timers to just go on I35 into Laredo and use International Bridge 2 to cross over into Nuevo Laredo to the 'paperwork' location (which is right under the bridge).  

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On 7/5/2022 at 3:53 PM, Mostlylost said:

Many decide to overnight in Matehuala at the Las Palmas Midway Inn. This route does not leave the autopistas to pass through a city.

We crossed a year ago just north of Laredo at the Columbia International Bridge. Don’t worry about your FMM or auto TIP (Temporary Import Permit) in advance, you have to stop anyway. BUT, do get your Mexican Tourist Insurance and start it a few days before you arrive at the border just so you know it’s in force.

My wife and I like the Las Palmas Midway Inn, Matehuala, San Luis Pitosi. It felt safe, nice restaurant, good rates (hotels.com or booking. com) and it broke the 12 hour drive from the border - ALL ON TOLL ROADS - in half. We had overnighted in Laredo, TX the night before crossing in the morning.

FYI…. we had very good luck using the traffic and navigation app Waze.com instead of messing around with a navigation system. Worked great on our phone and continues to work well living in Mexico.

Buena suerte!

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On 7/6/2022 at 2:47 PM, RickS said:

I agree that Aguascalientes 'can' be problematic.... especially if one hasn't gone through there ever/much.  BUT.... Zacatecas City is no problem at all because there is a bypass freeway and one never sets foot in the city.... clear sailing around the city to the east/north. That part couldn't be easier. 

Also agree about using the Colombia crossing west of Laredo.... especially if going north. But since it is out in the boonies and does take longer I would still recommend first-timers to just go on I35 into Laredo and use International Bridge 2 to cross over into Nuevo Laredo to the 'paperwork' location (which is right under the bridge).  

There is now a bypass to Aguas around the west side.  They extended the road that going north used to stop at Ruta 70 with a cuota that cuts back into the main route north of town.  We will be using it in August going north and will report on it then. 

 

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Good luck with finding a cell phone signal from Zacatecas to Saltillo.  At km 38 N of Zacatecas you will hit the monster tope that will set you airborne while the federales are conveniently waiting for you at the underpass .5 km ahead of you.  Got a flat tire midway between Zac and Saltillo, good luck!   An adventure for sure.

 

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Well, I've driven that route maybe 8-10 times in the last 10-12 years. Never once did I feel like I was 'in peril'. The last time was probably in early 2021.  Many roads in Mexico often do not have cell coverage when out in the boonies. And this road is in the boonies much of the time but there is surely a good bit of traffic, there are a couple of towns and now even several Pemex stations (which was not true years ago).

Having said that, this thread was about 'newbies' getting from the border to Lakeside. I would not send newbies on 'back roads' like this one but otherwise it is a very reasonable way to get from Lakeside to Texas for a seasoned Mexican driver. IMO. 

 

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On a positive note, I just read today that Mexico has agreed with the Biden Administration to spend $1.5 billion USD to upgrade border infrastructure bridges and roads.  I would think the US will spend 2X the Mexican investment.  From what I know, the focus will be improvements at all bridges and roads but more so in Coahuila with the Eagle Pass/Piedreas Negras crossing.  Laredo and the Valley are saturated.

The intent is to provide a more secure supply chain of the maquiladoras in Mexico to the US.    Autos, auto parts, semi conductors, chips, etc.  Mexico and the US need each other despite all of the political noise.  Huge project in year 3.  Completion estimated in about 7 years.

Mexico and the US win, China loses.   

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  • 2 months later...

Aside from the COVID years, we have made this trip annually for over 10 years and will do so in November.   All the advice given here makes sense.   Here's what we would reinforce:    Take the Columbia bridge instead of Laredo.  It's much smaller, easier and less stressful for your first trip.   Do follow the letter of the signs when making the 20k trip from Columbia to Laredo bypass after crossing the border.  There are 2 cops who try to hustle for money in that region.  Just keep insisting on the ticket, and keep your sense of humor.  They will give up.         

Take the toll roads for your first trip.  You may feel more confident on future trips and take some free roads, but it's worth the money (more than $100) in tolls when you are still nervous about supposed bandidos and narcos.   You'll soon find that the roads are excellent and safe.

We cross the border in the morning and stop at Las Palmas Matahuala, mostly because we travel with a dog, and they are dog-friendly.  It makes for a shortish day ( 6 or so hours) for your first day in Mexico, and  you don't need more stress your first time.  We leave by 8 am and are iat Lakeside mid afternoon.

Use your GPS.   Make sure the maps and instructions for Mexico are up to date and comprehensive.   There are a couple of places where you might go wrong, as the signage is not clear, but you should be never more than one or two minutes out of your way and getting back where you belong isn't hard.  

Enjoy the ride.  The view in the mountains is fabulous, and the truckers are courteous.   You will be fine.  

 

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Pre-order pesos in mixed denominations (for gas and toll roads in Mexico) through your Canadian bank. We like to have at least 5,000 pesos.

Just chose the fastest route to the Mexican border. 

Avoid driving at night in Mexico: break the Mexican leg of your trip in 2 (we like to stay in Cotulla, then cross at Colombia bridge, stay overnight in Matehuala, and then continue on down. Use only toll roads.

I cannot stress this enough: do not drive at night, even if you think you know the way by heart. Mexican toll roads are way better than any of Ontario's 400-series highways; that said you may encounter road surprises you'd never expect north of the border.

Do not bother with a dedicated gps unit. Get yourself a phone app with live traffic updates (we like sygic); activate roaming on your phone and find a hotel if it suggests you won't make it to destination before dark (approx. 30% of our annual trips over the last 20 years down were slowed by severe delays at various stages on the Mexican side.)

Enjoy.

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  • 2 months later...

Hello everyone  -  we made the drive down over the last two weeks, just ahead of the bad weather.  I want to thank everyone for their input.  I made good use of all your advice and the route info. Very much appreciated!!

Here's a little update for those who might be searching for this information in the future or interested in hearing about our experience: 

We had a couple of golden trip rules  -  no night driving and have your hotels booked in advance. Both proved to be good rules.  We stuck to the US interstates but found they are full of big, fast trucks so it wasn't as leisurely a trip as I had envisioned. There are plenty of rest stops where you can get out and stretch, use the toilets etc. 

We enjoyed our first night on the New Jersey shore and the view of NYC very much.  Next stop was Richmond, Virginia - didn't get in until late and left early the next day so didn't do the place justice.  We spent two days in Savannah - historic district is lovely. Next night in Pensacola FL right on the edge of the ocean and the town was literally empty of people and it was really quite chilly. But we wanted to say we saw the beach. Good pizza at Papa's Pizza.  Two days in New Orleans (could have spent a week here!) and two days in San Antonio (River Walk was all lit up with Christmas lights - very nice).  Really glad we took our time coming down and hope to do the same again on the way back home in the spring but may take secondary roads rather than the interstates just so we can see the countryside a bit more.

Attn Canadians: Definitely get medical insurance for the US part of the trip at least.  My normally very healthy husband got some kind of food poisoning and we had to seek medical treatment at a walk-in clinic.  We didn't actually use our medical insurance but I kept thinking...what if it had been something more serious!?$$$$$

We drove south from San Antonio for a few hours and crossed the border at the Laredo. I had spent a few sleepless nights going over and over which border crossing to use.  Hubby was set on Laredo...so it was pointless to argue. Well, we had exactly zero issues and I felt silly for all the worrying I had done in advance. Maybe we were lucky or maybe you shouldn't believe all the horror stories on facebook?  In fact the atmosphere was quite festive and the Mexican authorities were friendly and helpful.  We had applied for our FMM tourist visa online from Canada. In hindsight, it probably didn't make a big difference in the amount of time the crossing took but the Mx authorities seemed pleased that we had tried the new website. I did have to return to their counter at one point to get my 180 days because they forgot to mark it down the first time. Not a big deal. Getting through the process for importing the car (TIP) took about 1 1/2 hours because of all the pre-Christmas travellers but went very smoothly.  The process is well-communicated with signage and people were very patient with my poor Spanish and again there were lots of Mexicans willing to help me and chat about their own experiences. At no point did anyone ask to look in the car or seem even the least bit interested in what was in our suitcases although we had everything documented and numbered in case this were to happen. There was a security vehicle offering to accompany a convoy of travellers to city limits but we decided to skip the wait and head out on our own. No regrets.

Uneventful drive from border to Monterrey on the cuota and then through to Saltillo where we spent 1 night at Sheraton Four Points just north of city limits -  this is a simple hotel but we felt safe and there was a surprisingly good onsite Mexican-Lebanese (!) restaurant. We somehow missed the cuota coming out of Saltillo where we got onto a libre by mistake but made our way to Aguacalientes without any problems - we pretty much had the road to ourselves at one point.  Although I did think that if we had had car problems, we were in the middle of nowhere...so I second the advice to stay on the cuotas ...which can be a bit hair-raising at times when there is no divided highway but at least there are places to stop and gas up or ask for help.

The navigation app on the car was invaluable to making this a less stressful trip.  We made use of cellphone apps quite often and I was grateful for MakeItSo's advice on being able to roam (Roger's "roam like home" at $15 Cdn/day). We also brought our garmin  and made sure it was loaded with the Mexican maps but as it turns out we didn't need it.  Also, I bought a "televia" transponder at the Oxxo in Nuevo Laredo so that we didn't have to rummage for pesos at the tollbooths -  we just drove through without stopping.  It cost $150 P and you can load them up to $2000 P.   There was one toll booth where the system wasn't working but not a big deal if you have cash -  so do bring some pesos with you. And just a note -  credit cards are not always welcome.

We took the Guadalajara by-pass to Chapala and thought we were very clever only to screw up and miss getting off at the right exit  - it does not say Chapala at this point - it says back to Guadalajara. So we ended up on the cuota to Colima by mistake.🙄  We continued along for about 40 km cursing ourselves and then lucked out and saw a tiny sign for Chapala which got us onto the back roads north and west of Lago Chapala.  It was slow going to make our way back and lots of topes but kind of a nice end to a long trip as we started to recognize things and feel like we were "home"... We arrived at the top of the libremente just as the sun was setting over the lake.☺️

Thank you again to all who answered my request for information.  We'll be heading back to Canada in April if you have any other suggestions or recommendations!  

Happy New Year !

FeeWee

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