bajagrouper - 5-27-2007 at 06:07 AM
Hola All, I will be driving to Mazatlan this July and do not wish to drive through Nogales this time, if I cross the border at Mexicali is there a
checkpoint to register the car along highway 2 somewhere? thanks in advance, Rick
Pescador - 5-27-2007 at 06:38 AM
Yes, there is a checkpoint and a Sonora Only checkpoint and I think it was around Caborca, maybe a little earlier. You will absolutely love this
stretch of road, if you like being in the Sahara Desert. The area around from San Luis to Sonoyta is some of the most amazing real estate I have seen
in Northern Mexico. When Hollywood wants to shoot a Sahara Desert scene, they usually end up here.
Bajafun777 - 5-27-2007 at 08:24 AM
Hi bajagrouper, if you are going through Mexicali go through the new East Port and as you cross into Mexico stay to your far right and go in the last
lane next to the building itself. Have your window down as Secondary will walk up to see what you need just tell them immigration and tourist card.
They will wave you on again you stay in that lane keep going forward and you will see a number of small offices and parking in front of you. Find a
parking place usually very easy to find one and go into the second office from when you entered the parking it is where you will pay for your fees for
your tourist card and the vehicle sticker. Then they will have you walk back over to the main building you passed and were waved through by Secondary
and go to the Mexican Immigration desk that is inside. As you enter it will be all the way to your right it has a sign and you can not miss it. They
will look over over your paperwork stamp it and send you back to the other office you just left so they can sign off and give you the sticker for your
vehicle window. Make sure you have your american insurance, vehicle registration, passport or certified birthcertificate, mexican vehicle insurance
(get it online through this site), and everyone going needs to get their tourist card and will have to go in with you, as you can not get it for them.
I went down to Maztalan in February of this year, took the toll road all the way down and did go through Nogales. I got a map for the trip that
pointed out all of the Premex stations by number (all premex stations have a number on their signs and all are different) so I knew which ones ahead
of time had diesel as my truck uses it. The map told you this and what places to eat, sleep, and sites along the way if you wanted to stop and see.
You can get one of these maps at this site ontheroadin.com This will be the best $5.00 dollars you ever spent and you can download your map. It
tells you where the Federal Checkpoints, Ag checkpoints, Federal Hwy Patrol stations are, speed traps, topes, areas on the road to watch out for due
to bad traffic or patches of bad road, toll booths, etc. My wife and I had no arguements at all with her reading the map and directing me as we took
our first drive all the way to Maztalan. You will not regret getting one of these maps definately a life saver and the way they are laid out just
follow the arrows and turn at the Premex stations or Building sites they tell you on the map and they tell you plenty of time ahead of time and all
the way down you know where you are as the map is marked on the KMs at the side of road you can find yourself very easy if someone slips, I don't know
how though, in reading the map----just follow the arrows going up and follow the arrows coming back as the map does both for you, no fight, no stress,
be Happy!!!!! They have maps for any direction you want to go to get anywhere in Mexico and all done in the same manner, so you pick.
Hook - 5-27-2007 at 05:03 PM
You can also cross at Lukeville, Az after going through Organ Pipe N.M. Believe you avoid two toll booths this way. Permit for driving past Sonora is
also now available below Empalme, or so I have been told.
Iflyfish - 5-27-2007 at 05:35 PM
Bajafun777
Thank you for this very comprehensive and helpful post.
We look forward to hearing more of your adventures in Mexico.
Iflyfish