border crossing. Eagle Pass, TX vs Nogales, AZ

Replies: 27 - Last Post: 06-May-2008 01:33 Last Post By: Elliott_Moore

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basilicious

30-Mar-2008 04:42
Posts: 21

border crossing. Eagle Pass, TX vs Nogales, AZ

If anyone has taken either of these border crossings, please share your experience. I will be crossing one of these this summer to go back to the Pacific Northwest.

I'll be driving from Morelia and these 2 options seem most likely.

a) I can boot up the Pacific Mexico coast to cross at Nogales, AZ. Then drive toward LA and up the coast. This is the most direct route but requires less miles in the States (better highways) and more miles in Mexico (worse highways).

or

b) I can cut a bit northeast to Eagle Pass, TX. Looks to be a bit out of the way, more miles in the USA (from google maps, an extra 500 miles in the States) but less miles in Mexico (fewer cities to cross through on the Mexico side).

Thanks

Keith
http://gaspachoforgringos.blogspot.com

Pernel

30-Mar-2008 04:49
Posts: 442

Well I take Eagle Pass every time, for one thing the Texas highways are superb -- they could teach the world how to make them -- plus they are FREE. Not to mention much safer IMO. Also Mex #57 was greatly improved since NAFTA and is the fastest, flattest route into or out of central Mexico. The Pacific coastal route is still plagued by some bad pavement and plenty of PGR & Army checkpoints.

Pernel S. Thyseldew
'DigThatCrazyFarOutPlanetMan'
"When you are down to a macrame g-string and a monkey on one shoulder and a parrot on the other ...then nobody will steal from you... except the PARROT thieves!"

mexico

30-Mar-2008 08:55
Posts: 352

Yep- Eagle Pass, no muss no fuss.

carracar

30-Mar-2008 09:22
Posts: 3,137

And the middle road... IS...Morelia, Aguas,Zacatecas,Gomez Palacio,Chihuahua.The 07 D to Casas Grandes exiting Douglas Az....carracar

The moving finger, having writ,moves on...

louiem

30-Mar-2008 09:24
Posts: 287

I'm not familiar with the nogales at all but I do use Eagle pass regularly. I agree that 57 is a great road and very fast. Yes, Texas roads are great. New Mexico roads not so great.

basilicious

31-Mar-2008 03:49
Posts: 21

Thanks for the input everyone. Roughly how long do you think the drive would be from Morelia to Eagle Pass? Possible to do in one day during daylight?

Elliott_Moore

31-Mar-2008 05:13
Posts: 482

My Guia Roji lists the distance from Morelia to Piedras Negras
(opposite Eagle Pass) as 824 miles. If your average speed is
50 mph, this requires 824 miles/50 mph = 16.5 hours. It would
be difficult, but not impossible, to do it at this time of the year
and distinctly possible in late June when days are longer.

I have no personal experience with driving this route, and have
no idea of the conditions inside Mexico on the roads there and
the stops you will have to make on those roads

I do live in New Mexico, have recenty driven I10 (in pretty bad
shape) and I25 (semewhat better, but not first class). Our
governor Richardson has taken road repair money and spent
it on a commuter railroad near Albuquerque, many say here.

Elliott Moore

severla

31-Mar-2008 07:23
Posts: 64

I can't comment on the other highways, because I haven't ever been on them, but I have driven highway 15 up to Nogales and back to Guadalajara a couple of times. The road isn't in bad condition and it's a toll road most of the way. There is a slow section from Tepic to Mazatlan where a toll road is being built. Part of that section was completed the last time I rolled through there last summer and it may be finished by now.

There are also a couple of stretches in Sonora that aren't toll roads, one is around Cuidad Obregon and another is around Santa Ana, but the highway in these places is in decent condition.

Overall, the highway is fast although as Pernel mentions, there are several army checkpoints which can cause a delay.

From Morelia to Nogales it’s a little under 2000 kilometers. I’ve made the drive to Nogales from Guadalajara, which is about 1700 kilometers, and it’s taken me 17 hours, including short stops for meals, gas, and to stretch the legs.

The Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes has a feature on its website that gives you distances and tolls between two points in Mexico.

Consulta de Ruta

basilicious

31-Mar-2008 08:47
Posts: 21

wow. That Consulta de Ruta website is amazing. Just what I need. Thanks severla

According to that web page, I can do Morelia to Eagle Pass in 12 hours. Very interesting.

louiem

31-Mar-2008 09:41
Posts: 287

It's more like 14-15 hours. That's assuming that you drive at least the limit or faster(110km). Most of the roads from Morelia to Eagle Pass will be free roads except for a few bypasses. I would definitely take the bypasses around Queretaro, San Luis Potosi, Matehuala and the toll road in Saltillo. I usually turn off the toll road in Saltillo after paying the first toll (around 50-60pesos) and head in to Saltill but I turn just past Arteaga towards Monterrey. Fairly quick and less confusing to me. I always seem to miss the turn-off to Monclova when I keep traveling on the toll road. The only other toll road is from Rosita to Allende but I never take that one. It's around 70pesos if you want to take it.

Pernel

31-Mar-2008 12:39
Posts: 442

That Ruta site is really cool... Just to compare I checked Taxco to Eagle Pass fare: 273 pesos -- compare that to Taxco to Cd Juarez: 1,323 pesos. So there is a saving of U$100 to use for gas across Texas

carracar

31-Mar-2008 14:37
Posts: 3,137

If the 57 it is, a couple thoughts. It is not necessary to drive through Saltillo...stay on the bypass & after the last toll booth when one gets on the free 4 lane road to Monterey there is a new 2 lane to the North that yet ,does not appear on the AAA Mexico map.It may well be marked Moncolva .It joins the 57 near Santa Cruz...As the road(277) along the river, after Eagle Pass, is slow.Consider the 29 into Cd.Acuna,crossing into Del Rio.The 90 to Sanderson & 285 to Ft Stockton is the faster more direct route.If you want to continue on the 90 to Van Horn it's not much slower than the I-10 and a more interesting drive...Happy trails...carracar

The moving finger, having writ,moves on...

Brian2d

01-Apr-2008 18:36
Posts: 100

While driving is probably possible, are you sure you want to drive that far. Mexico has an excellent bus system which is often cheaper than the toll roads, and it would save a lot of frustration and dealing with gas. You may have a good reason, I dont know, but in my travels through northern and central Mexico I have met more than one American wishing they left the car at home.

Kenster

02-Apr-2008 09:52
Posts: 12

I am a Tour Director. I have done the "Copper Canyon" loop in and out of Tucson twice this spring. We enter Mexico at Nogales but re-enter the US at Douglas, AZ. I think the Mexican border town is Agua Prietas. The lines at the border crossing seem to be very short there. My motorcoach driver, who also works for other companies who use El Paso to cross the border, says that El Paso can take much much longer to get across than Douglas. The road is a wee bit rougher once you veer off of the Pan American Highway which continues on to El Paso, but I don't think it's worth the extra time and mileage to go either El Paso or Eagle Pass since that takes you pretty far out of your way. If you do enter the US at Douglas, try to stop and have a meal in the historic old "Gadsden Hotel" in downtown Douglas. Or at least stop and have a peek.

basilicious

02-Apr-2008 11:40
Posts: 21

Hi Brian2d,

Bus is not an option for us. We have to drive our car out of Mexico.

This is pretty much the break down.

Morelia to Nogales 1970km, 1570 pesos for tolls

Morelia to Eagle Pass 1250km, 300 pesos for tolls

The total distance to Vancouver is pretty much the same. It's either an extra 700km in the States or 700km in Mexico. Driving 700km in the States will be better/faster/smoother than the same in Mexico. Also, close to $120 savings.

Morelia > Querétaro > Eagle Pass. highway 43 to highway 45 to highway 57.

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