Metrobús

Transportation system based on buses with an exclusive lane for administration of highways. With seven lines in operation, the Metrobús covers the city’s main corridors, north to south and east to west. There are exclusive buses for women. It uses a prepaid system card which can also be used on the Metro.

Timetable Regular:

From 04:25 to 00:40 hours. Nochebús: From 00:00 to 05:00 hours. 1 bus every 20 minutes.

Price per trip: 6 pesos. Free access for the elderly (70 years old), handicapped and children younger than 5 years old.

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The lines and what each is good for. There are seven lines, identified by colour: Line 1 (red) runs along Insurgentes from Indios Verdes to El Caminero and is the most useful for visitors, passing Roma, Condesa, the World Trade Center and Ciudad Universitaria; Line 2 (purple) crosses from Tepalcates to Tacubaya; Line 3 (light green), Tenayuca to Pueblo Santa Cruz Atoyac, was the first electric one; Line 4 (orange) cuts through the Historic Centre between Buenavista, San Lázaro and Alameda Oriente; Line 5 (navy) runs along Eje 3 Oriente; Line 6 (pink) covers the north between El Rosario and Villa de Aragón; and Line 7 (dark green) runs up Paseo de la Reforma with double-decker buses.

Two tricks worth knowing. Line 4 has an express service to Terminals 1 and 2 of the airport: it is the cheapest way in or out of AICM, with a special fare and space for luggage. And the upper deck of Line 7, along Reforma, works as an improvised sightseeing tour: you pass the Ángel, Chapultepec and the museums for the price of a normal ticket, a fraction of what a tourist bus costs.

How to pay. You need the Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada (MI), which costs around 15 pesos from station machines and holds up to 500 pesos; it also works on the Metro, Tren Ligero, trolleybus and Cablebús. Turnstiles additionally accept contactless bank cards and phone payments via Apple Pay or Google Wallet, which solves the problem for anyone arriving without a local card. The machines take cash and cards. Transfers between lines are free inside connection stations. The standard fare is 6 pesos and the airport one 30; check before travelling, as fares are adjusted from time to time.

Hours and peak times. It runs every day of the year: Monday to Saturday from 4:30 to midnight, Sundays and public holidays from 5:00 to midnight; some corridors have an overnight Nochebús service. The busiest stretches are 7:00–9:30 and 18:00–20:30. In the rainy season buses slow down for safety, so allow extra time.

Rules and safety. Every bus has a mandatory reserved section for women, children under 12 and people with disabilities; pink seats are for women, blue ones for older adults, pregnant women and people with disabilities. Stations have cameras and security staff. At busy times, wear your backpack on your front and keep nothing valuable in outer pockets.