Mexico Trip Summer 2008

EEN UUR MET DE BUS VAN MEXICO CITY

Getting to Puebla. From Mexico City International Airport, Estrella Roja buses depart for Puebla every half hour, with the last bus of the night leaving at 12:20 a.m. The fare was 150 pesos (= about US$ 15) in November 2005. From Mexico City's TAPO, the eastern bus terminal, fares are slightly lower and service is available almost 24 hours a day via Estrella Roja and ADO (Autobuses de Oriente) bus lines. Buses depart every five minutes from 6:00 a.m. to midnight. Express, non-stop service with guaranteed seating is available every 15 or 20 minutes. The departure time for your bus is printed on the ticket, and tickets are non-refundable. Travel time between Mexico City and Puebla by express bus is 1 hour and 50 minutes. Buses arrive at Puebla's main terminal, the Central de Autobuses Puebla (CAPU), in the northwest sector of the city. The Estrella Roja bus line also makes a stop further south (at 4 Poniente, near 11 Norte), which is closer to the Historic District.
Taxis and Buses in Puebla. At the CAPU bus terminal and elsewhere in the city, kiosks sell government-authorized taxi rides at flat rates to specific destinations. Pay the attendant at the kiosk for your ticket. Pay no money to the driver except for an appropriate tip (10% of the fare). A map at the kiosk tells you the fare zone for your destination. Public buses are plentiful and cheap (four pesos per trip in November 2005), but you should carry exact change. If you need to hail a taxi in the street, which is not recommended, use only marked cabs and negotiate the fare with the driver before accepting the ride. Always write down the taxi identification number for your protection.