Getting Around Mexico City

now you can rent a bicycle in df and ride around,it might be crazy but its very popular and some stands have no bikes, the best way to get around the traffic n the city.

For the eco lover in us.
This folks plan on doing some rides on sundays check it out
http://www.bicimexico.com/paseo-dominical-muevete-en-bici/

the link in contact is from the govt of Mexico DF in Spanish with all the info

I had to take a taxi only once when I had to go to the airport to find my lost suitcase. Our hotel was in the very centre of the city at Paseo de la Reforma. A driver of a taxi asked 250 Mexican pesos (about 12 USD) to get to the Mexico City International Airport. But another driver (not official) agreed for 150 pesos. It took us about half an hour in the way. I found my suitcase and came back by official taxi.
You can see my check on the picture. Don’t be afraid to see the price $240! They use the sign $ for Mexican pesos though 1MXN=12 USD, haha!

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I asked a seat at a window and so I was able to take a video about the flight. It was 24th of January and Sheremetievo was covered by snow. We had a flight over the Baltic Sea and we landed in Paris where wasn’t any snow like in autumn. Now I can say that I was in Paris four times in my life (three days in August 1995, a week in November 1995, three days in September 2003 and an hour in January 2011, haha!)
Then we crossed la Manche (the English Channel) and the British Islands. And for the first time in my life I crossed the Atlantic Ocean and found myself over America which I haven’t seen before… I watched Canada and the USA through the window and those were unforgettable impressions…
When we landed in the Mexico City International Airport it was our pleasant not very hot summer! And the adventure began!

You can watch my 5 min 01 sec HD Video Moscow-Paris-Mexico City flight with Adelita HD out of my Youtube channel.

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I traveled in Mexico City with a tourist group that’s why I haven’t any problem with transportation from one sightseeing to another by a tourist bus. Every time we went from one place to another I was taking videos out of a bus window which remind me the city and help me to see details which I couldn’t see when I was there…
I wouldn’t say that traffic in Mexico City had been very difficult in comparison with Moscow. We have never been in jams and were able to reach every place rather easy and it was very convenient for us. Our bus had very unusual colors of a zebra and we could see it from a distance very well and distinguish from other buses.

You can watch my 2 min 42 sec HD Video Mexico City around part 6 out of my Youtube channel.

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That was my longest flight I ever had – about 12000 km! We started early in the morning in Moscow (Sheremetievo Airport - SVO) by joined Aeroflot-Air France flight (Airbus-320) and landed in Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport-CDG) to change the airplane for Air France Paris-Mexico City flight (Boeing-777).

It took us 3 hours in this flight. I had only 30 minutes in Charles de Gaulle Airport to get another terminal by local airport train. I almost run and was in time…
The second flight from Paris to Mexico City (Mexico City International Airport) lasted about 12 hours… It was rather difficult, but I was happy nevertheless.

If you arrive to Mexico city airport and plan to take a taxi from there to town then you should use the taxi stand inside the arrival terminal.
They organise taxi rides for a very fair amount of money.
Buying the cabride from that stand is generally a lot cheaper and a lot safer than hailing a cab in the street as you have a few rotten apples among the taxi drivers who hang out at the airport and try to get people in to their taxis.
The taxi stand is a cheap and safe way to take a cab.

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The Turibus is a sightseeing double-decker hop-in hop-off bus.A one-day ticket costs $120 pesos and its route includes Zona Rosa,Chapultepec, Polanco,Condesa,Roma,the Historic Centre. There is a second route which runs from Condesa to Coyoacan and Xochimilco.

The Metro can be used by anyone. Dont be afraid. The metro system is easy to follow and is colour/picture coordinated to help users.It has stations close to most points of interest and is a bargain at only $2 mexican pesos per journey. It runs until late and most lines are open by 6am. At rush hour the metro can be very crowded in some areas and there are special carriages designated for women and children only although you do not have to use them.

Metro bus goes through insurgentes all the way from indios verdes (close to the basilica de guadalupe) on a 20km journey throughout the city south stopping a metro bus stops along its route. This is a good way to travel is you know where you need to go to or prefer using a bus to the metro. These buses are more comfortable than most other buses but you need a charge card to ride which can be aquired at any stop for 11 pesos and is rechargable with the money you use to ride. Metrobus is often very crowded.

Other buses.
There are two kinds of buses. The first, are full-sized buses operated by the City Government known as RTP and cost $2.00 anywhere you go but you need to pay with exact change as they don't give change back. The other kind of buses are known as "Micros" or "Peseros". These type of buses are private-run and come in small and bigger sizes.
They cost 3.00 pesos for shorter trips, 3.50 for 6-12 km trips and 4 pesos for 12+ km trips. So once you know where you are going, or make frequent journeys, you will know how much you should be paying but most will have a sign indicating the name of the stops and the price. Full-sized private buses are 3.50 pesos for shorter trips, and 4.50 for longer trips. You may have to take a bus when visiting places like santa fe or going out of the city towards satilite. Most buses get crowded at rush hour but they are very frequent and run everywhere around the city.

By Car - unless you know the city VERY WELL, it wouldnt be advisable to hire a car to see mexico city for many reasons including the heavy traffic, traffic laws and the complicated road structure including many one way systems that leave even the locals confused ! If you do hire a car, expect to get stuck in a traffic jam and have difficulty finding a place to park. Some areas will have parking meters but they will readily clamp your car if you are a second late, hotels charge alittle more but you are usually welcome to park inside. At night in the "downtown" areas, most restaurants will have a "valet" to take and park your car which is usually is not expensive and takes away the hassle of finding a spot!

Taxis - taxis come in many different forms in mexico city and as a visitor you should use the taxis outside your hotel or "sitio" cabs that you call as the safest way to travel. They will cost more than street cabs but they will guarantee your safety as they are legal and the drivers are licensed, they also have set fares etc which make it easier for travelers.
You will see two other forms of cabs, the green and white vw beetles which are the cheapest and also red and white saloons that are slightly more expensive. The may be unlicensed or "fake" taxis as we say in mexico. Many of them are normal cabs driven by good people making a living but some are stolen or used to hike fares to the unsuspecting, it is also known for the cheaper cabs to be involved in kidnappings, muggings and assults.

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If you dont feel comfortable taking the bus or the metro you can hire a driver to take you around. Establish a price first and go with someone you can trust. Our driver was Celso Montiel. He is a very nice man who has alot of knowledge about the city and its history. He was very trustworthy and he is also very affordable.
He drives his Chevy Suburban and he is very safe, his car is immaculate. His wife is a nurse and he is usually out at the Holiday Inn Reforma. He works out of there but you dont have to stay there to contact him. He also chauffers certain people around that come to Mexico City regularly. He also work with the Japanese embassy and chauffers some of their employees.