How to get there

By air. Mexico City International Airport (MEX), named after Benito Juárez, sits inside the city in Venustiano Carranza, with two terminals linked by an internal shuttle (the Aerotrén, for passengers with a boarding pass). Metro line 5 stops at Terminal Aérea, but with luggage the practical options are the authorised taxi desks inside the terminal, an app taxi from the designated pick-up point, or Metrobús line 4, which runs to the historic centre and San Lázaro and accepts the travel card only. A second airport, Felipe Ángeles (NLU), opened in 2022 some 45 km north and is served by its own bus services and a suburban rail connection; allow appreciably longer from there. Toluca (TLC), 60 km west, handles some domestic and low-cost traffic.

By coach. Four terminals, one for each direction, all on the Metro. Norte (Autobuses del Norte, line 5) for the north and the Bajío; TAPO (San Lázaro, line 1) for Puebla, Veracruz and the south-east; Sur (Taxqueña, line 2) for Cuernavaca, Acapulco and the south; Poniente (Observatorio, line 1) for Toluca and the west. First-class services are comfortable, punctual and inexpensive, with assigned seats and tickets sold online.

By road. Five motorways feed the city: México–Querétaro, México–Pachuca, México–Puebla, México–Cuernavaca and México–Toluca. Note that the Hoy No Circula scheme restricts which vehicles may drive on which day, by number plate and emissions sticker, and it applies to visiting and rental cars. Check before driving in.

Arriving at night. Use the authorised taxi desks or an app, agree nothing with anyone who approaches you inside the terminal, and have your accommodation's full address written down with the borough and postcode.