Apachewoman Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Have relative traveling alone ...driving from Canada in his late model truck Non Spanish speaking Has traveled alone to Baja....only Mexico experience. Please your opinion of crossing at Laredo?🤫 Thanks  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daisy2013 Posted February 3 Report Share Posted February 3 Never had a problem crossing there 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 Good route. "Totally" cuota and free 4-lane. Thousands use it daily. Long drive for a 1-day drive. Matehuala is a good "mid" stop area. Las Palmas hotel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibarra Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 Been going to Laredo and back for 16 years, never a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hodge Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 Did not the governor of Nuevo Leon recently call the highway between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey the "Highway of Death"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 Late model truck not the best thing to drive into Mexico, really preferred by the hijackers. Risky at best.   1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dostortas Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 7 hours ago, Dan Hodge said: Did not the governor of Nuevo Leon recently call the highway between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey the "Highway of Death"? I think that refers to the stretch near Monterrey which winds, climbs and descends through the mountains.  It’s a tricky road to drive and requires great attention and a well maintained vehicle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Hodge Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 A "winding, climbing road" doesn't contribute to hijackings, robberies, thefts that the governor referred to in his statement. He said, in effect, that the cartels and not the Mexican government controlled the road. I haven't recently driven it, but I think it would be wise for a non-Spanish speaking gringo in a late model truck to further explore road conditions. Â Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jubilacion Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 16 hours ago, RickS said: Good route. "Totally" cuota and free 4-lane. Thousands use it daily. Long drive for a 1-day drive. Matehuala is a good "mid" stop area. Las Palmas hotel. Just had some friends/neighbors drive down from Alberta a couple months back, with no issues. Used our suggestion of the Laredo Solidarity International Bridge (about 20 mins northwest of the main Laredo crossing) which is much less crowded and easy to get your vehicle TIP. They also stayed at the Midway Las Palmas hotel in Matehuala, San Luis Potosi as we did which is about a 6 hour drive from the border, with bathroom stops. You can book that hotel online in hotels.com or booking.com. It felt safe to us with a nice restaurant and pool. Bring pesos for the tolls (cuotas), no CC or USD, need your vehicle title for your TIP, and Mexican Auto Insurance policy.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 7 hours ago, Dan Hodge said: Did not the governor of Nuevo Leon recently call the highway between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey the "Highway of Death"? Could you provide us with a source for this? I *think* that comment is in reference to the highway (highway1?) west of the 85D cuota, not the cuota itself. Thousands drive the cuota weekly. If it were a constant deathtrap 'we' would know about it in spades. Life if full of possibilities and probabilities. IMO this cuota is as safe as anywhere in Mexico can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 10 minutes ago, Jubilacion said: Used our suggestion of the Laredo Solidarity International Bridge (about 20 mins northwest of the main Laredo crossing) which is much less crowded and easy to get your vehicle TIP.  Yes, this is most often called the  Colombia crossing that many take instead of coming straight through Laredo.  Just be wary of the crooked cops on the road out to the crossing... stopping one for 'speeding' and willing to let you pay the fine right there instead of going back to the station. Been there done that a couple of times but always 'out wait' them. No Habla Espanol over and over tends to work for me.  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artsnob Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 I have friends who just arrived yesterday in a late model Mercedes SUV, with texas plates, they had do trouble anywhere but they only drove in daylite... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostlylost Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 The toll road from Laredo to Monterrey has thousands of vehicles passing daily. Even more on weekends. Many late model pickups, and expensive cars in addition to all the truckers. The problems usually occur on the free roads. Now the first toll road begins about 20 miles south of Laredo. If your friend travels in daylight hours on toll roads the possibility of a problem is about the same as being hit by lightning.  Entering at Colombia means more time on free roads and doesn't change the route to Monterrey. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hud Posted February 4 Report Share Posted February 4 We always drive the free roads and only on a Sunday thru Wednesday. Never seen any sign of trouble. We cross at Laredo. No night driving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apachewoman Posted February 4 Author Report Share Posted February 4 THANKS SO VERY MUCH...for the excellent input.. HAVE shared with my relative... YOU community folks...on Chapala.con are 'awesome'😊  THANKS  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjt Posted February 5 Report Share Posted February 5 Out of precaution we did the Columbia Crossing near Laredo... It was quick and easy. This was on Dec 25th.  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted February 5 Report Share Posted February 5 10 hours ago, tjt said: Out of precaution....  Most people use the Colombia crossing for its perceived ease-of-use. Crossing at Laredo proper is usually not considered 'dangerous'. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomgates Posted February 5 Report Share Posted February 5 Columbia opens at 8am. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oatsie Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 2 hours ago, tomgates said: Columbia opens at 8am. That's 8 AM "MEXICO time" ! ! !  Still worth the time in crossing at Laredo - Colombia Solidarity. Here is a link to Border Wait Times to check yourself: https://bwt.cbp.gov/  For the Colombia Solidarity Crossing - be sure to click on the "READY" tab! https://bwt.cbp.gov/details/07230403/POV  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wanderer Posted February 6 Report Share Posted February 6 i travel from chapala to austin area 4 times per year. i am now crossing both ways at the roma texas,/miguel aleman border crossing, in the upper rio grande valley and i like it a lot better than laredo , colombia or piedras negras. as i go around monterrey on the periferico headed east i go past the exit for nuevo laredo, a few miles past that exit you come to a toll booth with a big sign says miguel aleman hwy 54. take that exit and go past the monterrey airport on 54 91 miles to cd. mier, there is a small bypass around the town then on to miguel aleman on hwy 2 about 6 miles. its a nice town, follow the signs to the bridge, very little traffic coming both ways. when you get to the US side, turn right on hwy 83 and go 5 miles to garceno then a left on tx 649 to the north, follow it to hwy 16, a right on 16 thru hebbronville and freer etc to san antonio. very little traffic except for right around the monterrey airport and its very busy but it moves along ok and you are soon past that, good road and plenty of gas available. i like staying at the fairfield inn by the airport 1 block off of 54, good prices, convenient and excellent early breakfast and there are several places to eat within 1 block . there is a lot less stress and truck traffic on this route than the others and i will continue to use it for the forseeable future. i also take hwy 54 thru aguascalientes and zacatecas and right thru the middle of saltillo and on toward monterrey. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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