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First, yes I know I could go to San Diego and walk across the border but the plane ticket to San Diego was like $200 more. Plus I have a friend in Los Angeles I want to see.
Second, my gameplan is to catch the Greyhound bus from Los Angeles, to the bus terminal in Tijuana. From that point things get fuzzy. I know the ABC bus company can take me all the way into Ensenada, but it isn't in that same bus terminal that Greyhound would drop me off at. Should I just take a taxi there?
Any help or advice would be appreciated. :)
Edited by: SenorMike
Why do that, when you can walk right past them, over the border, and be at the ABC station, before the driver finishes his cigarette? http://alh.net/ensenada/
Note that this bus will drop you off in the old Centro of Ensenada. The Greyhound affiliate stops several blocks away, at the Ensenada station.
The DOWNside to taking a bus across the border is where to get a tourist card, the FMM. They no longer issue them in Ensenada. Not a good idea to keep going either. The last fine I helped a person with in Guerrero Negro was 990 pesos, paid three miles away at BanaMex, then a pleading argument to not be sent back to the border. Things have changed.
I understand there is an office at the big Central Camionera, but don't know their hours. The border office is always open.
Posted from banned Tor address 93.182.129.84 and 31.172.30.3 . All you're doing with your banlist, admin, is inconveniencing your legitimate users.
2. Take SD Trolley from downtown to border at San Ysidro.
3. Walk across border and proceed to Migracion office on left.
4. Obtain FMM.
5. Exit west out of border compound area to street.
6. Ignore touting taxi drivers and cross street, veering left.
7. Proceed 2 blocks to small ABC bus terminal at Plaza Viva.
8. Buy ticket to Ensenada, approach waiting bus and board.
9. Select seat on right side of bus so you can see Pacific en route.
10. Go to Hussongs in Ensenada at some point.
Before reading this thread I actually bought a ticket from Los Angeles to Tijuana. But looking at box-of-rain's post, that seems kinda feasible. I just want to have as few steps as possible to prevent myself getting lost. Plus I'm 90% sure I'll bring my guitar (its in a wooden case with a nylon exterior, and straps that let me wear it like a bookbag) in addition to a bag of clothes and a bag for my laptop, so there would be walking around with those three items, too.
I'm from North Carolina, and the only place I've ever been besides Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is Mexico City earlier this year. So I've never been to Los Angeles before. My friend got a good job there so he moved earlier this year, so I'll visit him before embarking on my journey.
And I feel silly that I forgot about the tourist visa thing. I took a bus from NC to Mexico City (never doing that again), and at the border, they made the Americans get out, go to an office, and get a visa. Either pay there ($20 American), or pay at a bank. I paid at a Scotiabank in the DF.
But yeah, I forgot about that part of this journey. And I'll have to get it somewhere. I'm guessing they'll tell me the same thing, pay there or pay at a bank?
So box-of-rain, the only thing I'm worried about in your 10 point list: if I take the greyhound from LA to downtown SD, how far is the trolley from downtown SD? Thanks.
I don't see any advantage to getting off the bus there, unless you want to hike to the Gaslamp District. Otherwise, its in a sterile, institutional part of town that's next to the unsterile, unrenovated part of town. The Dog will take you to the same destination at the San Ysidro crossing. The up-and-over was replaced by a different up-and-over than the photos above, but just follow the crowds.
Your tourist visa question was answered above, unless you have some special reason to not get it at the border. But, you won't need one at all if you're just visiting Ensenada for a few days. Chances are you will not speak with any Mexican BP at all. The only border hassle will be coming back in, you'll probably have to stand in line for an hour or so.
Your other option would be to get off the bus or trolley, and walk in, pick up your papers if needed (which you don't for Ensenada) and go a couple of blocks to the local ABC station in the link above.
So I guess my confusion is: which takes me to the San Ysidro border so I can get my visa? The Greyhound going to Tijuana, the trolly, or both? If its both, I'll just keep my Greyhound ticket the way it is.
You can follow your original plan, and take the Greyhound, which will transfer you to a Mexican bus at the border, which will take you to the Central de Autobuses, and get another bus for Ensenada. You should be able to get a tourist visa there, if needed.
You can take the Greyhound to the San Ysidro border, then cross on foot, get a tourist visa if needed, then walk three blocks to the ABC station then on to Ensenada, per the link above.
You could take the Greyhound to the S.D. station, take the trolley to the border, cross on foot, get a tourist visa if needed, then walk three blocks to the ABC station and thence to Ensenada.
Or you could even take the Greyhound to the S.D. station, take the trolley to the border, cross on foot, get a tourist visa if needed, then walk three blocks to the ABC station, but take a bus from there to the Central de Autobuses, and get another bus for Ensenada, and a tourist visa, if needed.
I think this part of your trip should be easier than the rest, actually. Getting around in L.A. is a bear; transportation is terrible, it's really big, and there's a lot to see. You should spend a day at least in S.D. The transportation is better, and you could hang at Pacific Beach, or see Balboa Park with its great museums, or the maritime museum and Old Town in another day, and see the Gaslamp District at night. There's some good hostels there too. But getting back to Mexico,.. If you're getting off at TJ, you might want to check out Revolution Ave and all it's tawdry fun along the way.
GLI DE MEXICO TIJUANA CEN
CALZADA LAZARO CARDENAS Y
RIO ALAMAR S-N COL LA
MESA CENTRAL DE AUTOBUSES
Tijuana Central Bus Term, MX 22540
Hopefully this is very close/takes me to San Ysidro, and from there I can find the ABC bus.
I'm guessing it'll be identical to how I came to Mexico City: I took El Expreso to the boarder, where I changed to a bus called El Futuro, and once we went a little further they had all the Americans get out to get tourist visas.
EDIT: This isn't a day trip, or even a week trip, I'm gonna be here for a while, at least a few months. I'm not bypassing getting a visa.
Edited by: SenorMike
You should be able to find the point where the San Diego "5" freeway intersects a line (possibly by zooming in) denoted United States on one side, and Mexico on the other. This is the San Ysidro border crossing.
A little bit north of this line is a building labeled McDonalds, at least on my screen. In front of this building is a reddish elongated rectangle. That, for some reason, is called the "Blue Line" trolley. It's the end of the line at the border; "La Linea."
Now follow that group of buildings south, to the last building. That would be the San Ysidro Greyhound terminal. That could be a couple of buses you see parked out back. It looks like there's a van, or "burro" parked next to the terminal. There is also a building nearby on the screen marked "Greyhound Bus Lines" but I am not familiar with its function.
This is the point where you have the choice of staying with the Greyhound system and going on to the Central de Autobuses, or going to the local La Linea ABC bus station. If you stay with Greyhound, you will be driven a couple of blocks, then transferred to a Mexican bus, to be taken to the Central de Autobuses.
Enter 'Central de Autobuses de Tijuana, Murua Poniente, Tijuana, Mexico' in a new tab, and you will see that it is some distance away. This would be the office of the Mexican Greyhound affiliate that you posted. Go this route if you like. There is an ABC desk at this terminal that will get you to Ensenada. I believe there is also an office at the Central where you can get a tourist visa but I can't verify that from personal knowledge.
If instead you walk away from the Greyhound terminal that we looked at on the previous tab, you can cross the border which is right there, get your tourist visa, then walk a couple of blocks to the other ABC terminal which is next to the De la Amistad roundabout shown on Google, and is also the last photo in the link http://alh.net/ensenada/ that I posted above earlier. This will get you to Ensenada via a quicker route, with buses leaving every half hour between 6:30 and 21:30. You could also wander over to the Calle Revolucion for a burrito and a beer while you're in the area. Al su gusto!
Don't those ABC buses use the free road instead of the cuota and stop in Playas, Puerto Viejo, Cantamar, Rosarito, ad naseum? Or are they a direct shot? The PLUS bus is non-stop.
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From LA to Ensenada?
Hey folks. I am trying to figure out how to get form LA to Ensenada.First, yes I know I could go to San Diego and walk across the border but the plane ticket to San Diego was like $200 more. Plus I have a friend in Los Angeles I want to see.
Second, my gameplan is to catch the Greyhound bus from Los Angeles, to the bus terminal in Tijuana. From that point things get fuzzy. I know the ABC bus company can take me all the way into Ensenada, but it isn't in that same bus terminal that Greyhound would drop me off at. Should I just take a taxi there?
Any help or advice would be appreciated. :)
Edited by: SenorMike
1
The Greyhound will drop you off at the centro de camiones station. Enter the door make a hard right and proceed to the PLUS bus kiosk. You will exit a different door to board the PLUS bus to Ensenada. Yes the Autotransportes de Baja California (ABC) and AGUILA buses also run to Ensenada but the plus imho is more comfortable.2
Tijuana has three bus terminals that I am aware of. There could be more! The main terminal is about 40 minutes from the Chula Vista crossing. The next stop for the Dog is about two blocks away, where they transfer you to a Mexican bus to make the journey.Why do that, when you can walk right past them, over the border, and be at the ABC station, before the driver finishes his cigarette? http://alh.net/ensenada/
Note that this bus will drop you off in the old Centro of Ensenada. The Greyhound affiliate stops several blocks away, at the Ensenada station.
3
I keep forgetting that I am lugging several bags. Trudging across the border bridge with them is a bit much for me, but your mileage may vary. The Main Bus station is on Ave Riveroll in Ensenada, and always has taxis waiting out front.The DOWNside to taking a bus across the border is where to get a tourist card, the FMM. They no longer issue them in Ensenada. Not a good idea to keep going either. The last fine I helped a person with in Guerrero Negro was 990 pesos, paid three miles away at BanaMex, then a pleading argument to not be sent back to the border. Things have changed.
4
You can get your tourist card at the San Ysidro border, first building on the left assuming you are walking across. There is a bank window right next door to pay for the stamp. Convenient! you'll miss the inspection table if you go all the way in down the back way. I've never been inspected, but good to know.I understand there is an office at the big Central Camionera, but don't know their hours. The border office is always open.
Posted from banned Tor address 93.182.129.84 and 31.172.30.3 . All you're doing with your banlist, admin, is inconveniencing your legitimate users.
5
1. Take Greyhound from LA to downtown SD.2. Take SD Trolley from downtown to border at San Ysidro.
3. Walk across border and proceed to Migracion office on left.
4. Obtain FMM.
5. Exit west out of border compound area to street.
6. Ignore touting taxi drivers and cross street, veering left.
7. Proceed 2 blocks to small ABC bus terminal at Plaza Viva.
8. Buy ticket to Ensenada, approach waiting bus and board.
9. Select seat on right side of bus so you can see Pacific en route.
10. Go to Hussongs in Ensenada at some point.
6
Hey guys. First of all, a million thanks to all the replies. And fast, too! Sorry I'm just now getting back to it.Before reading this thread I actually bought a ticket from Los Angeles to Tijuana. But looking at box-of-rain's post, that seems kinda feasible. I just want to have as few steps as possible to prevent myself getting lost. Plus I'm 90% sure I'll bring my guitar (its in a wooden case with a nylon exterior, and straps that let me wear it like a bookbag) in addition to a bag of clothes and a bag for my laptop, so there would be walking around with those three items, too.
I'm from North Carolina, and the only place I've ever been besides Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is Mexico City earlier this year. So I've never been to Los Angeles before. My friend got a good job there so he moved earlier this year, so I'll visit him before embarking on my journey.
And I feel silly that I forgot about the tourist visa thing. I took a bus from NC to Mexico City (never doing that again), and at the border, they made the Americans get out, go to an office, and get a visa. Either pay there ($20 American), or pay at a bank. I paid at a Scotiabank in the DF.
But yeah, I forgot about that part of this journey. And I'll have to get it somewhere. I'm guessing they'll tell me the same thing, pay there or pay at a bank?
So box-of-rain, the only thing I'm worried about in your 10 point list: if I take the greyhound from LA to downtown SD, how far is the trolley from downtown SD? Thanks.
7
They moved the downtown SD Greyhound station. It's now over by the stadium, but it's next to a trolley station. Can't miss it.I don't see any advantage to getting off the bus there, unless you want to hike to the Gaslamp District. Otherwise, its in a sterile, institutional part of town that's next to the unsterile, unrenovated part of town. The Dog will take you to the same destination at the San Ysidro crossing. The up-and-over was replaced by a different up-and-over than the photos above, but just follow the crowds.
Your tourist visa question was answered above, unless you have some special reason to not get it at the border. But, you won't need one at all if you're just visiting Ensenada for a few days. Chances are you will not speak with any Mexican BP at all. The only border hassle will be coming back in, you'll probably have to stand in line for an hour or so.
9
The Greyhound and the trolley both end at the same place, at the San Ysidro border. I said Chula Vista above by mistake, it's close, but not accurate. There is a 20 minute or so layover, then the bus goes a few blocks to a place where you transfer to a Mexican bus if you are going on the the central camionera, about a half-hour away.Your other option would be to get off the bus or trolley, and walk in, pick up your papers if needed (which you don't for Ensenada) and go a couple of blocks to the local ABC station in the link above.
10
Ryon: okay, right now my Greyhound bus ticket is from Los Angeles to Tijuana. Should I go ahead and change it from L.A. to San Diego, or keep it just as it is? I will need to get papers/the tourist visa, since I don't know when I'm leaving Ensenada.So I guess my confusion is: which takes me to the San Ysidro border so I can get my visa? The Greyhound going to Tijuana, the trolly, or both? If its both, I'll just keep my Greyhound ticket the way it is.
11
I'm guessing that your ticket is good for the entire trip from L.A. to the Central de Autobuses, so your options should be open:You can follow your original plan, and take the Greyhound, which will transfer you to a Mexican bus at the border, which will take you to the Central de Autobuses, and get another bus for Ensenada. You should be able to get a tourist visa there, if needed.
You can take the Greyhound to the San Ysidro border, then cross on foot, get a tourist visa if needed, then walk three blocks to the ABC station then on to Ensenada, per the link above.
You could take the Greyhound to the S.D. station, take the trolley to the border, cross on foot, get a tourist visa if needed, then walk three blocks to the ABC station and thence to Ensenada.
Or you could even take the Greyhound to the S.D. station, take the trolley to the border, cross on foot, get a tourist visa if needed, then walk three blocks to the ABC station, but take a bus from there to the Central de Autobuses, and get another bus for Ensenada, and a tourist visa, if needed.
I think this part of your trip should be easier than the rest, actually. Getting around in L.A. is a bear; transportation is terrible, it's really big, and there's a lot to see. You should spend a day at least in S.D. The transportation is better, and you could hang at Pacific Beach, or see Balboa Park with its great museums, or the maritime museum and Old Town in another day, and see the Gaslamp District at night. There's some good hostels there too. But getting back to Mexico,.. If you're getting off at TJ, you might want to check out Revolution Ave and all it's tawdry fun along the way.
12
Ryon: Well the address for the Greyhound in Tijuana (not the one that goes to the airport), according to the Greyhound website, is:GLI DE MEXICO TIJUANA CEN
CALZADA LAZARO CARDENAS Y
RIO ALAMAR S-N COL LA
MESA CENTRAL DE AUTOBUSES
Tijuana Central Bus Term, MX 22540
Hopefully this is very close/takes me to San Ysidro, and from there I can find the ABC bus.
I'm guessing it'll be identical to how I came to Mexico City: I took El Expreso to the boarder, where I changed to a bus called El Futuro, and once we went a little further they had all the Americans get out to get tourist visas.
EDIT: This isn't a day trip, or even a week trip, I'm gonna be here for a while, at least a few months. I'm not bypassing getting a visa.
Edited by: SenorMike
13
No. San Ysidro is the border crossing between the United States and Mexico. This is where the Greyhound run effectively ends. This is also where the trolley ends. You can see it by going to maps.google.com and entering 'San Ysidro, San Diego, CA'.You should be able to find the point where the San Diego "5" freeway intersects a line (possibly by zooming in) denoted United States on one side, and Mexico on the other. This is the San Ysidro border crossing.
A little bit north of this line is a building labeled McDonalds, at least on my screen. In front of this building is a reddish elongated rectangle. That, for some reason, is called the "Blue Line" trolley. It's the end of the line at the border; "La Linea."
Now follow that group of buildings south, to the last building. That would be the San Ysidro Greyhound terminal. That could be a couple of buses you see parked out back. It looks like there's a van, or "burro" parked next to the terminal. There is also a building nearby on the screen marked "Greyhound Bus Lines" but I am not familiar with its function.
This is the point where you have the choice of staying with the Greyhound system and going on to the Central de Autobuses, or going to the local La Linea ABC bus station. If you stay with Greyhound, you will be driven a couple of blocks, then transferred to a Mexican bus, to be taken to the Central de Autobuses.
Enter 'Central de Autobuses de Tijuana, Murua Poniente, Tijuana, Mexico' in a new tab, and you will see that it is some distance away. This would be the office of the Mexican Greyhound affiliate that you posted. Go this route if you like. There is an ABC desk at this terminal that will get you to Ensenada. I believe there is also an office at the Central where you can get a tourist visa but I can't verify that from personal knowledge.
If instead you walk away from the Greyhound terminal that we looked at on the previous tab, you can cross the border which is right there, get your tourist visa, then walk a couple of blocks to the other ABC terminal which is next to the De la Amistad roundabout shown on Google, and is also the last photo in the link http://alh.net/ensenada/ that I posted above earlier. This will get you to Ensenada via a quicker route, with buses leaving every half hour between 6:30 and 21:30. You could also wander over to the Calle Revolucion for a burrito and a beer while you're in the area. Al su gusto!
14
Ryon,Don't those ABC buses use the free road instead of the cuota and stop in Playas, Puerto Viejo, Cantamar, Rosarito, ad naseum? Or are they a direct shot? The PLUS bus is non-stop.
