BajaNomad

What is a collective taxi? How do I find them?

walterbyrd - 10-18-2013 at 08:22 PM

I am trying to get from the San Diego Trolley at San Ysidro to the Real del Mar Golf y Resort (a little north of Rosarito).

I have read that collective taxi rates can be very low. Supposedly there is a "Tijuana Downtown-Rosarito collective taxi" I don't know if I could take that to Real del Mar Golf y Resort.

wilderone - 10-19-2013 at 08:43 AM

Collectivos are small vans that have various destinations - painted on the doors or across the windshields. There are a bunch that board near the end of the trolley line in San Ysidro. You could also walk across and take a taxi - $5.00 - to the bus station on Revolution and take a bus to Rosarito. It is likely that the driver would drop you off near the golf resort en route, or just go all the way into Rosarito - I think the drop-off is the Rosarito beach Hotel - and then take a taxi from there to the golf resort. If you know anyone else going, maybe they could pick you up in Rosarito. You could ask 2 or 3 the drivers of taxis - WHITE ones - not yellow - how much to Rosarito - may be within your budget.

DavidE - 10-19-2013 at 11:30 AM

The pick up area is known as a PARADA PARA COLLECTIVOS. But many locals also refer to them as TAXIS de RUTA. Many end up jam packed. I have spent some trips laying on my side in the back of a absolutely jam-packed station wagon. I would not have wanted to try and brought along a set of golf clubs.

dasubergeek - 10-20-2013 at 07:16 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by walterbyrd
I am trying to get from the San Diego Trolley at San Ysidro to the Real del Mar Golf y Resort (a little north of Rosarito).

I have read that collective taxi rates can be very low. Supposedly there is a "Tijuana Downtown-Rosarito collective taxi" I don't know if I could take that to Real del Mar Golf y Resort.


It's a route taxi. You wait until it fills up and then it goes, or you offer to pay more if it doesn't seem like it'll fill up. The taxis de ruta for Rosarito leave from Madero between 3rd and 4th and cost 25 pesos per rider when full. You can take a yellow cab from the border to Madero and 3rd (cross the aluminium bridge) for 10 pesos, or just walk. Let them know where to let you off, but bear in mind they take the free road, which joins the coast at the north end of Rosarito, near Wal-Mart. If where you're staying is on the toll road, you'll need to take a private taxi; up to you whether you take the taxi de ruta to Rto. or whether you take it from Tijuana.

[Edited on 10-21-2013 by dasubergeek]

Alm - 10-22-2013 at 10:37 PM

Cross the border, take a bus to Rosarito from that small station - it used to be near the old SY crossing. Tell the "shofer" the hotel name, he'll understand. Now, I don't know where exactly that hotel is, but I do know that the bus stop in Rosarito (or "main stop" if there is more than one) will have cabbies waiting around. The only time when I could not find any cabbies at bus depot was on Christmas VERY late in the evening.

Skipjack Joe - 10-23-2013 at 12:16 AM

Collectivos are common throughout latin america. They are much cheaper than a taxi in my experience. In Lima, Peru they are the best way to get around town. They are as inexpensive as a bus fare and they appear much more frequently when you need a ride. The fare is never fixed, so you can bring it down a bit, but only if he doesn't have a full van already. Be prepared to be sitting on someone's lap the entire way or them sitting in yours. You may end up sitting sideways or with your back against the wall. That was Lima.

Alm - 10-25-2013 at 04:24 PM

Lima is different. In Baja the best way to get around is 10 pesos transit bus - if there is any, and between the towns - long distance bus. Areas not covered by transit, like airports, have taxi or collectivos. Any taxi that is a van, can work as a collectivo, and in airports they usually do, leaving as soon as it fills up. Half hour after major arrival, when there are just few passengers left, those vans become regular taxi, because they can't fill the van, and charge accordingly. Usually collectivo is ~50% of the solo cab ride.

dasubergeek - 10-28-2013 at 11:59 AM

I took a colectivo from CECUT downtown; it would have been a 40-peso ride in a libre, 25 in a taxi económico, but in the "taxi de sardinas" (you should have seen the anguished faces as my 6' tall frame got in) it was 10 pesos.