londinense

You will probably get as many different answers to this as in the earlier posts.
For what it's worth, I would not bother to take the metro to and from the airport nor from any of the bus stations in Mexico City. Secure taxis are very cheap and just save a lot of hassle. I know you don't want to hear this, but getting both to the Zocalo and Polanco areas involves some time-consuming changes.
I don't know if there are any statistics on armed robberies in the metro. My guess is that during the day there are just too many people travelling to make it a viable prospect for a robber.
However, I do use the metro quite a bit whenever I am in town and not carrying lots of bags. I don't find it all threatening, and far less spooky than, say, the NYC subway.
I also hail cabs on the street, as do thousands of other people every day, without incident. But usually only in the daytime, and I choose my vehicle carefully. (The last statistic I read was that there were about 6 taxi highjackings a day and mostly of women travelling on their own).
So my answer to you is: take a cab from the airport. Come on, you can afford it! (It'll be less than $20). Then by all means use the metro to get around once you are settled.

londinense

If you read Spanish, the following might be of interest. It's about taxi highjacking and seems it mostly takes places at night, so that 2 days-worth of withdrawals can be made from the ATM.
http://impunidad.wordpress.com/2009/...pres-en-taxis/
Safety in the metro is said to be better now that there are over 2,000 security cameras installed.

flugvergnugen

The subway in Mexico City is just like any other subway system - you'll be fine if you take it. Just use large-city common sense, like don't openly wear or display anything of large value (incl. your watch), don't wander off into solitary sections of any station, etc. One advantage of taking the subway is that you'll avoid surface traffic, which can be hell at any time of the day. Note that the airport connection is not ideal, ie, the line that goes by it is a secondary one, and the transfers can be long and cumbersome. Btw, the word used on signs for 'connection' in Mexico City is 'correspondencia' (as opposed to 'transferencia' or 'combinacion').

maltasr

I spent three days in MEX in July and had no personal safety issues. I would still refrain from taking the subway, particularly from the airport and particularly if carrying any baggage. Just don't do it and you should be able to sleep better at night.

londinense

I agree with the previous post. I use the metro all the time in Mexico City, but NOT when getting to and from the airport or a bus station with my baggage, passport and credit cards. Then I always take an authorised coupon taxi.
By the way, almost all the people on these forums who say "never use the subway" are Americans who, unless they are from somewhere like NYC or San Fran, are totally unaccustomed to public transport. If you come from Europe the metro in Mexico City is a doddle, and we don't find it intimidating to travel cheek by jowel with poorer people of wildly varying ethnic backgrounds.

Bob'sYourUncle

So has anyone taken the subway to/from T2? What is the most practical way of getting from T2 to the nearest station? I see people walking from the outside roadway to/from T2 whenever I'm there - I imagine they walk to/from Pantitlan? Anyone know if that's right, and how far it is/how long it takes/how easy it is? And where is the Hangares station anyway in relation to T2? I must admit I have never seen where that station is.

londinense

Google maps shows it as being about a km from T2. It's along a busy highway that I personally would not want to walk along. Why spend hundreds of dollars to fly to MEX and then risk life and limb walking to the metro to save $10?
The Skytren is out of service, but there is said to be a a shuttle bus between the terminals. It costs $10P. Then you can take the metro from terminal Aerea. If you must.

Bob'sYourUncle

Oh absolutely. I was just wondering what the subway access to T2 was like, if any....

Btw, Reforma reported a couple of weeks back that the intra-terminal train is back in service.

londinense

I'll be flying out of T2 next Monday and will try to make a point of checking to see that it is indeed running.

adelauro

The subway system in Mexico City is fine, very crowded, but not any more so than NYC at rush hour. But as previous posts have indicated, save yourself the trouble and take a cab from the airport. It's not really a saftey issue, so much as just the inconvenience of dragging baggage around a crowded system.

FloridaRobert

Never take a Metro in Latin America, the cost difference between a taxi and a metro is not worth the 'high risk activity'. It is NOT Europe.

ricardobtg

I honestly feel a lot safer taking the subway in Mexico City vs getting on a cab (as long as I'm not carrying bags, the Metro in Mexico City is not quite bag friendly). The driving in Mexico City is not for the faint of heart, I much rather be on that trusty long orange subway Beats traffic too !

WillTravel

Indeed, I think traffic fatalities must be a much more likely outcome than subway murder, at least for Buenos Aires and Mexico City (the only Latin American cities on which I have taken the subway).

Bob'sYourUncle

Correct indeed. You will be much SAFER on the subways of Santiago, Buenos Aires or Rio than on the subways of Rome, Barcelona or Prague.

itsme110

i´ve extensively used the subway system in Barcelona, and feel perfectly safe. Never travelled really late at night, but have come home from dinner at 10:30 and seemed to be ok