BajaNomad

4 hours to cross at mexicali west yesterday

caj13 - 1-4-2020 at 01:51 PM

Got there at 12:15 pm, not sure why everyone in Mexicali decided that was the exact time to cross - but i waited in line for 4 hours. To make matters worse, once I finally got to dividing into the lanes for specific agents - i unfortunately ended up in the only Cars AND motorcycle lane. meaning every minute or 2 another bike showed up , cut to the front of the line- no cars were getting through. Eventually some good Samaritan let me switch lines. The interaction with the agent took all of 15 seconds and I was on my way - what a mess!

Don't know if I'm just unlucky or what, last time i crossed at Mexicali east - at 10 am on a sunday April last year - that took 2 hrs 45 minutes. last 2 times i tried San Ysidro It took 2.5 hours and 1:45 hours respectively. those were especially maddening because they had less than 1/2 of the lanes open.

sentri would be great , but those crossings are with 3 different vehicles, with different people each time , or pulling a trailer. Global Entry you don't need to list a vehicle - right? and you use the sentri line ? (which was over 45 minutes yesterday for sentri.

bajaguy - 1-4-2020 at 02:16 PM

With Global Entry you still have to list vehicles on your Trusted Traveler account

JZ - 1-4-2020 at 02:44 PM

We crossed at Calexico East about 1pm. I was kinda p!ssed it took us 15 mins in the Sentri lane.

Couldn't imagine not having Global Entry. Also, going South always cross at the West, going North, always cross at the East.




[Edited on 1-4-2020 by JZ]

msteve1014 - 1-4-2020 at 05:45 PM

I crossed at Mexicali west, northbound, on a Tuesday about 2 weeks ago. Just under an hour, starting at 230 pm.

Friday is not the best day to head north

freediverbrian - 1-4-2020 at 10:12 PM

Crossed at Mexicali east 11:00 am Saturday with GE , 10 minutes

[Edited on 1-5-2020 by freediverbrian]

bajapedro - 1-5-2020 at 08:50 AM

Crossed on Friday 0830. Mexicali West. Had friends with us, so no Sentri lane. Took 90 min. There is a "medical lane " opens 9am to 9pm,(might be 8-8?) and allows traffic to go to nearly the front of the line. It feeds into the #2 lane. The #1 lane moved almost twice as fast.

caj13 - 1-5-2020 at 05:08 PM

yeah, what exactly is the medical lane anyway? as far as I could tell, it just allowed those "smart enough" to use it a way to cut in front of a couple of miles of line-up.

Bajazly - 1-5-2020 at 06:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by caj13  
yeah, what exactly is the medical lane anyway? as far as I could tell, it just allowed those "smart enough" to use it a way to cut in front of a couple of miles of line-up.


A Mexican national couple I know who live in So Cal told me one time when they want to go to TJ for tacos, they stop into a docs office, pay him 10 or 20 dollars and get a note saying they were there and to the front of the line they go. Never done it myself. YMMV

Pacifico - 1-7-2020 at 06:08 AM

Does anyone have recent knowledge of the status of the Mexicali West construction? The Sentri lanes are open?

bajapedro - 1-7-2020 at 06:54 AM

is OPEN staring at 4am to midnight.
There is a narrow lane to the left to get into it. Some signs to guide you.
No idea when construction will be finished.

Bajazly - 1-7-2020 at 09:51 AM

As you are driving west along the border fence, only way to get into line at this time, the right two lanes are all traffic, the third lane from the right is Sentri and the far left lane is local traffic. The first sign you will see on the third lane from the right is Medical Lane, that is where you want to be.

BajaBlanca - 2-24-2020 at 05:42 AM

A month ago, when we went north via san Ysidro, it took us 15 minutes on a Thursday. It was UNREAL. Not only that, but the agent never even looked at our passport cards. Have a nice day, folks is what he said.

matthew_mangus - 3-12-2020 at 12:01 AM

3 hrs wait at Tecate Northbound on Sun March 1. After the first hill, i wised up and dropped the truck into 4lo to crawl up the hills, but after 3hrs my knee was killing me from the constant in and out on the clutch. I've got to learn to plan my trips so that i cross back North midweek.

JZ - 3-12-2020 at 12:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by matthew_mangus  
3 hrs wait at Tecate Northbound on Sun March 1. After the first hill, i wised up and dropped the truck into 4lo to crawl up the hills, but after 3hrs my knee was killing me from the constant in and out on the clutch. I've got to learn to plan my trips so that i cross back North midweek.


Get Gobal Entry. Cross at Otay Mesa on a holiday weekend in 15mins. Avoid driving an hour out of the way.

Why ppl don't do this is mind boggling.

caj13 - 3-12-2020 at 09:43 AM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Quote: Originally posted by matthew_mangus  
3 hrs wait at Tecate Northbound on Sun March 1. After the first hill, i wised up and dropped the truck into 4lo to crawl up the hills, but after 3hrs my knee was killing me from the constant in and out on the clutch. I've got to learn to plan my trips so that i cross back North midweek.


Get Gobal Entry. Cross at Otay Mesa on a holiday weekend in 15mins. Avoid driving an hour out of the way.

Why ppl don't do this is mind boggling.



well one issue is how long it is taking to get global entry!

Bajazly - 3-12-2020 at 09:44 AM

I crossed south about a week ago on a Friday evening about 7 thru Mexicali east and the line going north was about 10 cars in the all traffic lanes. I was in a longer line going south but it was pretty quick.

On a different note, the new Sentri lanes are operational now at Mexicali West so the approach is seemingly straight up 5 now. Looked like the all traffic lanes remained the same along the border fence.

Bajazly - 3-12-2020 at 09:50 AM

Quote: Originally posted by caj13  
Quote: Originally posted by JZ  
Quote: Originally posted by matthew_mangus  
3 hrs wait at Tecate Northbound on Sun March 1. After the first hill, i wised up and dropped the truck into 4lo to crawl up the hills, but after 3hrs my knee was killing me from the constant in and out on the clutch. I've got to learn to plan my trips so that i cross back North midweek.


Get Gobal Entry. Cross at Otay Mesa on a holiday weekend in 15mins. Avoid driving an hour out of the way.

Why ppl don't do this is mind boggling.



well one issue is how long it is taking to get global entry!


If you never apply you will never get it, just apply and when you get it all will be good. That argument is about as valid as DK's to not get it as he only goes a few times a year.

Besides, someone on here a week or so ago had conditional approval in something insane like the next day.

[Edited on 3-12-2020 by Bajazly]

tjsue - 3-12-2020 at 10:00 AM

I applied for my GE in October, right before my Sentri was due to expire, and I'm still waiting for my conditional approval.

I've heard that it's taking up to a year for it now.

AKgringo - 3-12-2020 at 10:17 AM

On Friday (March 6) I crossed north at Mexicali west at about 9am.
I intended to cross at the east, but missed the correct turn.

The actual US entry point has moved since my last crossing there, so I was fooled into thinking the line along the fence was not too bad. After a half hour in line, I was at the old crossing point, and it took another half hour to get through the new improved facility.

They did not have a ready lane there, but the agent told me that there is one at Mexicali East, and my passport card was a good enough ID to use it!

thebajarunner - 3-12-2020 at 10:26 AM

Some of us that live 500 miles from the border and 125 miles from SFO don't have the luxury of just "make and appointment and get your GE/Sentri"
I had planned to try and get it on my return from an Asia trip next month...… so much for that plan.

So, we just grit our teeth and wait it on the line.

Sunday, March 1 we returned mid-afternoon (I had obligations that day through to about 2 p.m. and could not get an earlier start from Guadalupe)
Longest line I ever saw at Tecate
Hop on the Cuota and head for Otay Ready Lane- backed up solid and stopped for two miles
On past the airport to SY and only 2 hours to cross.

If I had an easier way to get GE then life would be much simpler.
But hearing your endless mantra "Just get GE/Sentri" does not help!!!

Bajazly - 3-12-2020 at 10:45 AM

Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner  

If I had an easier way to get GE then life would be much simpler.
But hearing your endless mantra "Just get GE/Sentri" does not help!!!


The cool thing is you have a year to do the interview so what I did was once I got the approval, in like 3 weeks, I planned my next trip around the interview date I could get in Calexico. They had appointments a few days out and wide open from there.

mtgoat666 - 3-12-2020 at 10:57 AM

Quote: Originally posted by thebajarunner  
Some of us that live 500 miles from the border and 125 miles from SFO don't have the luxury of just "make and appointment and get your GE/Sentri"


125 miles to SFO aint much. Book an appt, make your trip to the city an overnight, and have fun in the city. if you dont like driving in the city, you can train from modesto to the city and SFO with amtrak and BART, or train it from pleasanton to SFO and city with only BART.

David K - 3-12-2020 at 11:02 AM

Or just buck it up and not make up drama over the border wait... and use Tecate.

JZ - 3-12-2020 at 11:11 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Or just buck it up and not make up drama over the border wait... and use Tecate.


Of all your crazy stances, this is most baffling. Couldn't imagine being w/o GE.

Why anyone would want to waste their time and burn gas money makes no sense at all.

David K - 3-12-2020 at 11:40 AM

It is an option. The process is (from what I read) not easy, not free, and you can't have friends in your car or easily change cars.

I didn't drive my car south in all of 2019 and only once in 2018. All my 8 trips in 2017 were easy northbound with little or no wait at Tecate. In 2020, I might cross three times... The thing is not at all needed for me, but thanks for your drama.

By all means, if you cross frequently... Get it!

JZ - 3-12-2020 at 12:20 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
It is an option. The process is (from what I read) not easy, not free, and you can't have friends in your car or easily change cars.

I didn't drive my car south in all of 2019 and only once in 2018. All my 8 trips in 2017 were easy northbound with little or no wait at Tecate. In 2020, I might cross three times... The thing is not at all needed for me, but thanks for your drama.

By all means, if you cross frequently... Get it!


It's not difficult at all. It is a very easy process. 20-30 mins for the application, about a month or so for conditional approval, go to the airport for a 5 min interview. Your CC company reimburses the $100 fee - which is good for 5 years.

You'd have gotten a return on you investment after 2 of your 7 trips. Even if you don't drive your vehicle it allows you to go through Sentri in someone else's.

Don't be afraid of it. If you travel to Baja it's a must.