Mexico City metro & Metrobús, to travel and pay
 

Hi!

I have found a lot of info about the metro and buses, like here https://mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx/e/get...ing-the-metro/

I can buy a single ticket for 5 MXN and a pre paid "Integrated Mobility Card” for 15 MXN. These I can buy and fill (min 6, max 120) on Metro station ticket window, from the light rail ticket windows and Metrobús station machines.

On Metrobús lines 1, 2, 3 and 4 you can also use you bank card to buy/fill the "Integrated Mobility Card” according to https://www.metrobus.cdmx.gob.mx/dependencia/PagoMB

You can also fill the card at various convenience stores here https://app.semovi.cdmx.gob.mx/visor_puntos_recarga/

The card works on Metro, Metrobús, Light Rail, Ecobici, Trolleybus, RTP buses, and on Cablebús.

If I stay in Condesa, as an example, I can get from Sevilla to Pino Suárez to visit the Historic center (example from the map here https://mexicocity.cdmx.gob.mx/tag/metro-line-1/ ).

Peak hours are 07:30 - 09:30 AM - and 17:30 - 20:00, that is when pickpockets are most active.

Bus price is 6 MXN per ride

1. First. Is it a good idea to ride the metro, say from Sevilla to to Pino Suárez, during non peak hours 09:30 AM - 17:30? Or is a Uber safer?

2. Can I pay for a "Integrated Mobility Card” and fill it with a Visa card also at the metro stations?

3. Metro map, to use as "from address" --> "to address"?

I have found a map in the thecity.mx app ( https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...ty&hl=en&gl=US ). But not really a official app, not even from https://www.metro.cdmx.gob.mx/ .

In https://www.tripadvisor.in/ShowTopic...ulf_Coast.html someone writes "Use the app called "MB Metro-Metrobus Mexico" developer name "yalla ya"", but who knows what motives that user has.

Via I found "App CDMX", but in it there is only a map.

Not even Google maps seemed to know the best routes.

3. Is there a Mexico city metro app where you can add a from address and a to address and get all metro travel info?

Your biggest concern will be pickpocketing - it's unlikely to occur, but it does happen (even to me, once). Trains and buses can be absurdly crowded during rush hour, and pretty packed even outside of those times.

Do you speak/read Spanish? If not, getting around the system may be confusing, and you may not reliably find anyone to translate for you and help you find your way. If you do speak Spanish, and you can handle the comfort level (or lack thereof) of a third-world transit system, then it's a very cheap and convenient way to get around the city. The Metro in particular can also save time by letting you escape surface traffic.

I'm pretty sure you can't use payment cards at Metro ticket booths - at least I've never seen that availability.

I take public transit in CDMX all the time, but I'm a city boy and I speak Spanish.

The metro can be busy all day on certain lines regardless of so-called peak times. The terminals in some metro stations and metro bus stations accept bank cards (debit cards). Not sure if the accept credit cards yet. I would recommend using cash (pesos) for a metro ticket or loading a metro card. Not sure if they accept credit cards yet. Depending on when you come the metro will no longer sell individual tickets and the entire system including all the buses will be on the metro system card format by January 1, 2024.

Metro app by yalla-ya in the play store works fine and has been one of the main ones used in CDMX for several years. It's based out of Roma and the CDMX government uses its platform.. There's no official metro app operated by the government.

Pickpocketing is like in any other city in the world. Just secure your stuff. It's no big deal. Definitely not like Italy or Barcelona. I would say phone snatching is more at the top of the list in CDMX. They know they're getting something of value and don't have to dig in your pockets to find it. So, don't lay your phone on a restaurant table while being preoccupied and unaware of what's going on while sitting outside to eat regardless if you see others doing the same thing. When they catch this perpetrators they always have a boatload of stolen phones on them for just one day of snatch and grabbing, that ultimately end up in Tepito for resell.

....I just want to add that the Metro card can be reloaded in corner stores if you have a local account with mercado libre (app).

We have been to Mexico City four times and are generally heavy public transit users wherever we go, but have been slowly transitioning away from public transit in Mexico City as our hotel choices has gotten further away from convenient stations and on the next to last trip, it was quite warm and the Metro was quite crowded. (I don't mind crowded, but I'm becoming less tolerant of heat as I get older and getting heat rashes and such.) Regardless, I heavily recommend the Transit app for most cities worldwide, including Mexico City. Transit isn't great for preplanning, but excellent for "I'm ready to depart now on a trip to x destination. What's the best route from where I currently am?"

For Mexico City, we now primarily use Cabify or Uber, because it is door to door, not hot, and there have been averaging $5USD per ride (We had as low as $2.28 for one and $9.05). While the Metro is very inexpensive, the $5USD/ride for 2 of us made it worth it. It might be a bit more expensive now since we haven't been back since the pandemic, but we would still likely go with primarily Cabify on the next trip.

UBER has been uncomfortably inexpensive at times. I don't recall the total fare from near Xochimilco to the Sheraton Maria Isabel but it was relative peanuts. On the other hand, it all really depends where and when one is traveling. I've spent the better part of a half hour advancing two blocks in a vehicle.

Exactly this. We stayed at the Sheraton the last time and it isn't super convenient for transit, especially when we were going to places like Centro Banamex or Pujol, which aren't super convenient on the other end for transit either. (And we've always taken something from the airport as we don't want the hassle of multiple transfers with luggage in a crowded system.)

If we are near a Metrobus stop though and where we are going is close to another Metrobus stop, we will easily grab that, because of the dedicated bus lanes. e.g. walking from the Sheraton to MetroBus 1 for the Saturday Market. A bit of a walk on both ends, but we've done that a couple of times so know it and the bus is quick and easy for that. Actually, as I looked over our itin from the last time, I think it was more giving up on the Metro itself because of the heat and the crowds, but still using the buses half the time we were there. But very much agree with what Easbay1K said, depends where and when.

I'm just coming back to confirm that USA issued bank cards work at the MetroBus kiosks to reload Metro Cards. I just inserted a "Wise Debit Card" and it took out 60 Mexico Pesos automatically without me inputting any amounts manually. The max the cards hold is 100 pesos. It only had 3 pesos on it before I loaded it. Next time I'll try the "card reader machine", but it should work the same but just for the exact amount of 6 pesos. Personally, I wouldn't use a bank card on a card reader like that, it's just one more chance of the reader being remotely compromised. Loading 100 pesos on a card would be a little safer, but I have always used cash only for reloads.

Good News: Today the MetroBus director announced that ALL of the pay terminals entering MetroBus stations accept all bank cards and credit cards including American Express and also including NFC tap and go methods including Apple Watch (and similar type access).

So, instead of reloading your Metro Card with cash, you can simply tap and go. The reader will simply deduct 6 pesos from your account. But, you can also just reload your Metro Card by using a credit card/bank card too with a larger amount.

Photos below:

Just for clarification, this is just for Metrobús and not the Metro, right?

Yes. For right now all the MetroBus stations city wide have the new technology. The Metro Trains will have the same technology by January 2024 according to the Mayor. The Metro will no longer have tickets and will soley be operated by a plastic Metro Card or by credit card/bank card or smartphone/watches etc. The ticket price is still 5 pesos. Also, all the transportation stations will be hooked up with Wifi. Most are already but they plan to expand it in all stations. But, there's already free citywide Wifi on just about every corner in every neighborhood.

....and for you guys that like to collect old stamps, tickets, etc below are all prior year Metro Tickets used in CDMX. If you arrive before they go totally electronically maybe save one for old-time's sake :)

https://www.metro.cdmx.gob.mx/boletos-de-aniversario

And until all the Metro Stations all get set up totally electronically, many are using the metro card readers and may already be able to accept bank cards. But, the tickets are certainly going away by January 2024.

MetroBus Announcement: (Line 6)

"METROBÚS ANNOUNCES STAGED CLOSURE OF STATIONS ON LINE 6 DUE TO CHANGES IN THE TOLL SYSTEM

With the aim of having a safe, reliable toll system, with greater payment alternatives and better safety standards, Metrobús announces the first stage of scheduled station closures on Line 6, which runs from El Rosario to Villa de Aragón, from June 10 to July 26, 2023.

During this period, various stations will be temporarily closed for one day, in a staggered manner, to change the current toll equipment for new equipment that will be the most modern in the country, that is, there will be new validators, turnstiles, and charging machines, with better technology. .

For this reason, Metrobús shares the scheduled dates for the corresponding closures in order to keep the user population informed in a timely manner and to anticipate their routes to avoid setbacks."

Here's the schedule of closures right now:
https://www.metrobus.cdmx.gob.mx/renovacion-pago

Just an FYI:

The government head of CDMX, Claudia Sheinbaum will resign on this Friday to campaign for ranking in the upcoming Presidential election. She was responsible for implementing the CDMX cable bus system and upgrades to the Metro/Metro Bus systems. I mention this because the newest cable bus route #3 (the one that many visitors will ultimately use) is still slated to be inaugurated and open this December 2023 and is supposedly still on schedule regardless of her departure. The fare for the cable bus system is 7 pesos on all routes and accepts the metro card.

Below is the map of the new route, #3 that will travel over Chapultepec Park between Los Pinos and Santa Fe city limits (5.4km):

Metro Update: Effective yesterday all metro stations will no longer accept metro paper tickets. You must purchase a metro card, that can be used on Metro buses, street buses and cable cars in the city.