It's a bit klugey, but take a look at Ticket Bus' English version.

If you are a debit card user instead of credit card, be aware that US based cards don't seem to work to buy seats on ETN buses. I attempted to use mine on their site and at the bus station and both transactions were rejected, so I ended up having to use cash.

That being said we had a great quick round-trip on ETN from Guanajuato to San Miguel Allende. We were the only two passengers on the way there! The touchscreen entertainment worked well with about 8 or 10 dubbed movies and early episodes of Downton Abbey (?!) and every passenger received a little snack pack and choice of soda or water, even though the trip is less than 90 minutes. For the return trip, which had about 20 passengers, the guy at the ticket counter let us look at the seat map and pick the best options.

You can use PayPal on some bus sites in MX including reserbus and clickbus

Definitely opt for higher class buses if you have the option. Usually it means you take the tollway and less stops. I took a half price bus and the result was a 3 hour journey became 5 hours, and people were picked up and dropped off all over the place, including the side of a mountain. It was fascinating but I wouldn't do it again. This was on Vencedor in San Luis Potosi state, an ok bus line if you go primera.

I'll certainly agree with that.

I am arriving at MEX on Tues at 2.10pm. Planning a bus to SMA or guanajouto from Norte bus station. What's the best way? We will have one small suitcase and small back pack each. Metro or Taxi?

ADO Review: ADO = Absolutely Dumpy and Overpriced
 

I really don't know what the Gringo love affair with ADO is. Compared to anything but US buses, these are expensive and terrible for what you pay. This is a public service review for travellers to Mexico.

We took 5 Primera Plus (PP) buses before being forced to take ADO, as they have monopoly on many of the routes south of CDMX. Boy, were we in a shock! The lines to buy tickets stretched around the terminal. Customer service was terrible. No private terminal like Primera Plus. In fact, no where to sit while waiting for the bus! Bus left late. Bus was fairly old, with very tight legroom. Movies were blasting the whole ride, unlike Primera Plus, which has individual seatback touch screens with headphones. No refreshments (like on PP). And obviously no WiFi (as on PP).

And all this cost around 50% more than equivalent distance on Primera Plus! And ADO also discriminates against foreigners, who can only buy the full priced tickets, not the discounted tickets that Mexicans can buy.

In sum, avoid ADO (and their related brands like AU and OCC) if you can. Any other buses will either be much cheaper and/or much better. Sadly, the government has allowed ADO to have a monopoly on many routes, so often there is no competition. This allows ADO to provide poor service and inflated prices.

And please do not compare ADO to Greyhound, 'cause that's just silly. Compare them to Primera Plus, or long distance buses in other mid-income countries like Argentina, Peru, Malaysia etc. On that metric, ADO is terrible!

In sum, when it comes to ADO, just ADOn't.

Unfortunately, Mexico has some political issues with oligarchic influences determining many contracts and monopolies or near monopolies. ADO is a product of some of that.

I also believe it’s perfectly valid to compare ADO with Greyhound if we’re going to compare it with Primera Plus or the bus schemes available in other countries.

Member jackal has a report of an ADO Platino trip in post #41.

Thanks for your input.

May it also have something to do with the time of year you are traveling? You and nearly half the population of Mexico travels by bus during the holidays.

Hi, I'm a newbie here to this forum and read the bus info. I just wanted to say I've been going to many different parts of Mexico for about 14 years now and ride the bus regularly. I've been on many chicken buses, some with broken seats, some without! Ridden my share of really lovely first class buses with bathrooms, comfy seats, tvs in Spanish only, great views out the window. I love bus travel there, and feel it's a shame there's so many tourists out there who are just too afraid to ride the bus. Not sure what they think is going to happen to them if they do!

I'm happy to have joined this forum!
Maybellene in Ontario, Canada.

Welcome to FlyerTalk and the Mexico forum, Maybelline.

I'm thinking of traveling to Mexico next winter, and I found this to be an interesting and encouraging thread, but I haven't seen the answer to this question: Is smoking allowed on long-distance buses in Mexico?

Smoking is not allowed on Mexican busses. Smokers usually take advantage of the stops longhaul busses make for meals, etc.

For smokers subject to withdrawal symptoms, as I suggest for longhaul air trips, I recommend nicotine polyacrilex gum like Nicorette, which comes in several flavors and two strengths, 2mg and 4mg. (Be sure to use it properly - the nicotine is absorbed through the oral mucosa, and swallowing nicotine can disturb your stomach and cause belching. An alternative would be the nicotine patch, good for 16-24 hours and available in three strengths. (I’m not a physician, and this should not be construed as medical advice. Check with your health provider for further information.)

Thanks, I'm not a smoker myself, but I remember what airplanes were like when smoking was allowed, and the possibility of a smoky atmosphere was one of my concerns. But if smoking is not allowed, then I see no problem in traveling by bus.