BajaNomad - Save time corssing at Tecate?-Forget it!

Save time corssing at Tecate?-Forget it!

Cielomar - 8-5-2012 at 09:10 AM

I had never waited more than 45 minutes to cross at TJ so was curious when people suggested Tecate as the better crossing. It is if you have 3-4 more hours to waste, want to see even more dry desert or are going in that direction! Highway 3 branches off of Hwy 1 north (or perhaps west) of Ensenada just before Hwy1 turns into the excellent toll road to TJ. At first Hwy 3 is four lanes but quickly drops to an improved 2 lane through the small wine country of the Guadalupe Valley and finally reverts back to the typical narrow, windy, no shoulder Baja road ( with construction delays, of course). Several problems on this route. Slow trucks hauling containers from the Port of Ensenada to Mexicali hog the road and make the approx 120km a 2 hour + ordeal. A major military stop 36 km before Tecate takes 45-60 minutes to clear, especially when you’re behind the container haulers. Then there’s the 2-1/2 hour wait at the border crossing (2 portals only), the windy Highway 94 in San Diego County and the 20 minute secondary US Immigration inspection wait about 20 miles down the road from the crossing. This turned the normal El Rosario-Ventura 475 mile run into a 13 hour grind (I averaged about 35 mph). I also understand that TJ is improving their crossing lanes and waits are now shorter. Happy travels…

Quick Crossing

bajaguy - 8-5-2012 at 09:36 AM

I think everyone should cross at Tecate or San Ysidro, and stay away from Otay Mesa (you won't like it).

Also do not use the Ready Lanes or SENTRI, they are just government rip offs.......... :lol:

beachbum1A - 8-5-2012 at 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajaguy
I think everyone should cross at Tecate or San Ysidro, and stay away from Otay Mesa (you won't like it).

Also do not use the Ready Lanes or SENTRI, they are just government rip offs.......... :lol:

I LOVE IT! :lol:

If we didn't know how much in love you are with Otay Mesa we might even begin to take you seriously. :lol:

David K - 8-5-2012 at 10:11 AM

Tecate is the pits, be affraid, be very affraid! :rolleyes:

lol

BornFisher - 8-5-2012 at 10:18 AM

Totally agree-- Tecate is no time saver. You might get a shorter time in line, but your extra driving will chew up that time you saved!

woody with a view - 8-5-2012 at 10:18 AM

just go south and never come back..... i'm trying like hell myself!

David K - 8-5-2012 at 10:20 AM

:wow:

RnR - 8-5-2012 at 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cielomar
I had never waited more than 45 minutes to cross at TJ so was curious when people suggested Tecate as the better crossing. It is if you have 3-4 more hours to waste, want to see even more dry desert or are going in that direction! Highway 3 branches off of Hwy 1 north (or perhaps west) of Ensenada just before Hwy1 turns into the excellent toll road to TJ. At first Hwy 3 is four lanes but quickly drops to an improved 2 lane through the small wine country of the Guadalupe Valley and finally reverts back to the typical narrow, windy, no shoulder Baja road ( with construction delays, of course). Several problems on this route. Slow trucks hauling containers from the Port of Ensenada to Mexicali hog the road and make the approx 120km a 2 hour + ordeal. A major military stop 36 km before Tecate takes 45-60 minutes to clear, especially when you’re behind the container haulers. Then there’s the 2-1/2 hour wait at the border crossing (2 portals only), the windy Highway 94 in San Diego County and the 20 minute secondary US Immigration inspection wait about 20 miles down the road from the crossing. This turned the normal El Rosario-Ventura 475 mile run into a 13 hour grind (I averaged about 35 mph). I also understand that TJ is improving their crossing lanes and waits are now shorter. Happy travels…

Yup, Agree!

It takes 4 hours (or more) to go from Ensenada to the I-15/I-8 jct no matter which way you go. Two hour driving and a 2 hour wait at San Ysidro or Otay, or 3 1/2 hour driving and a 1/2 hour wait at Tecate. (If the wait at Tecate exceeds 30 minutes, it's faster to go thru TJ.)

Overall, I find it FASTER to go thru TJ and I find it less STRESSFUL to go thru Tecate. So.... choose your poison :fire:

bigboy - 8-5-2012 at 11:47 AM

I always cross the border at the TJ crossing. Even with the construction at the port of entry, I never wait more than 15 minutes in the Sentri lanes. Last Monday morning, 11:00am, the wait was 4 minutes!

Bajaboy - 8-5-2012 at 03:26 PM

sounds like a big whine fest :biggrin:

Glad you finally made it home.

zac

Pure nonsense!!

thebajarunner - 8-5-2012 at 04:12 PM

Quote:

You must be having a really bad day- cuz none of your numbers make sense.

I do agree, that the Tecate wait can be aggravating.
But, I have never waited longer than 5 minutes at the "major military checkpoint"
Sometimes we don't even stop rolling at the North of Border Migra station, and never sat there a full minute.
Yeah, the trucks are aggravating, but that road presents plenty of passing opportunities- never been stuck long behind a truck or any vehicle for that matter.
Never waited 2.5 hours at Tecate- longest was just under 2 hours.
Maybe I am lucky, all around,
but I still think that your post is pure hyperbole...

bajario - 8-5-2012 at 05:39 PM

3 minutes in the Sentry Lane this morning at SY. 10:00 am. Maybe 6 cars in front of us.

willardguy - 8-5-2012 at 05:54 PM

I hit it about the same time, thirty-seven seconds in the ready lane! and the regular lanes were blowin by me! you guys gotta lose those flippin sentri passes!

Udo - 8-5-2012 at 06:34 PM

Believe it or not!

What has worked out really great...!

Fly from Orange county to Cabo...2 hr flight; rent a car in Cabo...15 min, 1/2 hour waiting to board in the OC.

All this works out to two hours less than driving to Ensenada!

BornFisher - 8-5-2012 at 07:53 PM

So I just checked here http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/
The wait @ 7PM 8/5/12 is 4 (as in FOUR) hours. If you want to challenge the accuracy of the time................. be my guest!!

[Edited on 8-6-2012 by BornFisher]

surfdoc - 8-6-2012 at 08:56 AM

Yep..........the wait at Tecate last time I went thru (2 weeks ago) sucked !!!!!!!!!!

I waited longer to get my McDonalds Big Mac and fries then at the border..
Didn't even eat any french fries !!!
Cause there were NO cars at 1930........

Oh and hate the wine country/trucks/construction...try this secret road...Avenue 2000...

Now lets discuss the benefits of each border crossing when heading south LOL..........

David K - 8-6-2012 at 09:04 AM

Now what sucks is Mexicali, imo... I try again on occaision, but when coming north from San Felipe, I greatly prefer Tecate. We crossed back Saturday afternoon (a week before last Sat.) and the total wait was about 45 min. and that's not bad after being in Baja for 15 days!

No, No, No

bajaguy - 8-6-2012 at 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by surfdoc
...try this secret road...Avenue 2000.........

NEVER take Corridor 2000...............road construction, traffic, cops seeking mordita, bodies hanging from bridges, beheadings........ALWAYS use San Ysidro and Tecate........ :lol:

Lee - 8-6-2012 at 12:38 PM

See? Those who have traveled the routes know the score and it's sometimes personal. I like the SY crossing South but not North. To me, there's always a wait going North -- it's a matter of how long. And then you have the human zoo to entertain you plus hundreds of cars jockeying for position. It is quicker to SY from Ensenada and then you get to wait.

Tecate is for those with time and who aren't in a hurry. It's more driving and it helps if you like the wine country. Construction is mostly completed and following a slow semi is luck of the draw. The crossing wait at Tecate is a poop shoot anyway. No rocket science here. Sometimes you wait, mostly you don't.

Personally, I enjoy the 94 road, and Otay Lake Rd. Feels like California and I like that.

Either way, it's about a toss-up. Drive more, wait less, or drive less and wait more. I'd rather be driving, even if it's slow, than traveling a few feet (at SY) every few seconds for 2 hours. That's about the average wait when I've gone through. You can't really look away from the vehicle in front of you or else there'll be an accident. Forgetaboutit.

There's also a pattern for rush hour traffic. Don't know what those hours are since I never cross on weekends, or later in the day. SY or Tecate seems to be fine at 7am going South, and Tecate mid-week early afternoon (going North) is good too.

Sometimes I check the wait at SY and Tecate when I'm in Ensenada and if you have internet, that's an option.

http://apps.cbp.gov/bwt/

oxxo - 8-6-2012 at 04:43 PM

I cross at Tecate, forth and back, 4 to 6 times a year. I don't recommend it, use some other POE. :saint:

cabobaja - 8-6-2012 at 05:21 PM

OK.....I'm the bad guy. I recommended Cielomar take the Ruta De Vino and
to cross at Tecate. Jack, I'm sorry!! The past many, many years heading north I hated SY and the long waits. I took Ruta De Vino and never had a problem going to Tecate via this route. In the last, many years, I have never waited more than 30 minutes to cross.

I will say that I never crossed on a weekend as you did. Last time I crossed
was a Monday in Feb. I'll be crossing again in Septmber on my way to Thailand. And, it will be a weekday between 10:00 & noon.

Glad you made it home safe & sound!!!

Bajaboy - 8-6-2012 at 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cabobaja
OK.....I'm the bad guy. I recommended Cielomar take the Ruta De Vino and
to cross at Tecate. Jack, I'm sorry!! The past many, many years heading north I hated SY and the long waits. I took Ruta De Vino and never had a problem going to Tecate via this route. In the last, many years, I have never waited more than 30 minutes to cross.

I will say that I never crossed on a weekend as you did. Last time I crossed
was a Monday in Feb. I'll be crossing again in Septmber on my way to Thailand. And, it will be a weekday between 10:00 & noon.

Glad you made it home safe & sound!!!

paybacks

cabobaja - 8-6-2012 at 05:30 PM

Yea Zac.............I'll never hear the end of this from Jack. And Ned is probably
really peeed at me. How many times does a dog have to pee in 13 hours???

J.P. - 8-7-2012 at 08:28 PM

Crossed at Tecate going North yesterday The line wound up the hill through a residential neghborhood along the fence. In the 8 or so years I have been crossing there I have never seen a line that long. We arrived in line at 8am. and crossed at about 10am. Which I thought was remarkable. For as long as the line Was.

Pescador - 8-7-2012 at 08:40 PM

I have crossed a lot at both San Ysidro and Tecate and even when the wait is longer at San Ysidro (going North), the entertainment with all the street vendors and all the goings on certainly make it all worth it.
Tecate is the most boring crossing in all of Mexico. Not much to look at, Vendors have very little personality, street food is the pits unless you like tortillas and small cokes.
San Ysidro is a classic. They have Churros, fried Potato Chips, Clam c-cktail, frozen ice, ice cream, frozen yogurt, Tortas, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Fruit cups, souvenirs, Original Elvis Paintings, Marilyn Monroe original blankets, guitars, Little dogs that come out of pockets, Cell Phone Accesories, Tortillas, Candy, Coke, and you can even get last minute liquor, pharmacy, and probably almost anything else you might need. Free Enterprise at it's very best.

sancho - 8-8-2012 at 10:46 AM

Crossed back at Tecate last Sun. 8/5/2012, almost
3 hrs., never again, although Sun. is probably the impact
time of the week. Otay will be my choice of poison
in the future, never have spent more than 1 hr, or so,
in the Mexicali downtown crossing

Cielomar - 8-10-2012 at 02:33 PM

Well, all is well that ends safe and sound at home. One benefit was the discovering El Sarape cart across the street from the ferry landing in Ensenada, Absolutely the best mariscos c-cktail I've ever had! I talked to a guy from Mexicali while devouring my second shrimp c-cktail and he asked me why I would take Hwy 3 when I could enjoy the amazing sites along the coast to TJ. You know, Mexicans usually know what they are talking about when it comes to all things Mexican! Anyway, chalk one up to experience. Ned slept for about 4 days after we got home ...

Yes to the Positive Comments About the San Ysidro Crossing

Gypsy Jan - 8-10-2012 at 02:46 PM

And, additionally, the SY crossing has clean bathrooms located in the permanent vendor areas located on the west side of the lanes.

Quote:

Originally posted by Pescador
I have crossed a lot at both San Ysidro and Tecate and even when the wait is longer at San Ysidro (going North), the entertainment with all the street vendors and all the goings on certainly make it all worth it.
Tecate is the most boring crossing in all of Mexico. Not much to look at, Vendors have very little personality, street food is the pits unless you like tortillas and small cokes.
San Ysidro is a classic. They have Churros, fried Potato Chips, Clam c-cktail, frozen ice, ice cream, frozen yogurt, Tortas, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Fruit cups, souvenirs, Original Elvis Paintings, Marilyn Monroe original blankets, guitars, Little dogs that come out of pockets, Cell Phone Accesories, Tortillas, Candy, Coke, and you can even get last minute liquor, pharmacy, and probably almost anything else you might need. Free Enterprise at it's very best.