BajaNomad

Parking for Tourist Card at Tijuana Crossing

degoma - 2-2-2014 at 11:16 PM

We crossed at Tijuana on Christmas day. Only the second time at the new crossing but this time we needed tourist cards. It was not clear where to get the tourist cards or where to park. After the short and courteous secondary inspection I asked where the office was. He pointed to the building; OK but where do we park I asked. With a broad sweep of his arm he indicated an area off to the west side over near the exit…a good distance from the building he had pointed out. We managed to park somewhere but it didn’t seem right and if we’d been in anything larger than a pickup….ummmm….wouldn’t have been easy.




After getting the tourist cards I asked where is the real parking. Ah, it’s on the north side of the building. But what would one do if they had a bigger rig or a trailer? Perhaps park in that area where I have written ‘parking’? Cross at Otay?

In any case it will work well for cars or pickups.

David K - 2-3-2014 at 12:46 AM

Nice view of the new border... Thank you!!!:light:

degoma - 2-3-2014 at 07:57 AM

Here's a closeup of that parking area:

Bob and Susan - 2-3-2014 at 08:22 AM

actually that's a BIG lot...

and that's about how many cars I see each time I pass

a neighbor just used it and commented that he had NO problem with his HUGE motorhome

Ateo - 2-3-2014 at 09:19 AM

Nice photo. Yeah, the lot on the northwest corner is plenty big. Just enter right where the arrow is and turn right if you're driving a large vehicle.

bkbend - 2-3-2014 at 10:05 AM

What Ateo said. They just aren't pull-through slots, you will need to back out of the lot and go out the back end to re-enter the declare/no declare lines.

Alan - 2-3-2014 at 10:25 AM

It is super easy and much better than the old crossing. Last June I pulled right in and parked my full size GMC Sierra towing my 23' Parker in one of the slots just to the left of the flag pole. Got my paperworked completed, backed out of my slot, exited out the west side of the lot and got right into line to cross.

dasubergeek - 2-3-2014 at 11:13 AM

Yah, it's a little different than the old way and Tecate. At Tecate, you go through the stoplight and then pull over and get your FMM. Here, you pull in and get your FMM *first*, then you pull back almost to the border fence and go through the stoplight and inspection.

mcnut - 2-3-2014 at 12:55 PM

Over the holidays we crossed southbound at the new San Ysidro crossing which I had researched beforehand. We needed FMMs and were driving a fairly long rig, extended cab long bed + 22" travel trailer for close to 50' combined length.
As we slowly approached the building to park and go inside (near the end of the flag's shadow in the photo) a smallish young female officer with a big gun shook her head and pointed southeast to the entry lanes. Now I don't speak Spanish but none of my words including "inmigración" would convince her otherwise.
We ended up going through the inspection booth lanes and were instructed to park in small (area lower right with the concentration of vehicles in the photo). A real shame as the area north of the entry lanes was vastly better and closer.
Our error may have been not driving directly & with confidence, into the area labeled parking in the photo but there is something of a wall and it was not clear what kind of room we would have once inside. It is labeled for buses.

Bruce

bajaguy - 2-3-2014 at 01:03 PM

NEVER argue with a female that has a big gun

Quote:
Originally posted by mcnut
.........As we slowly approached the building to park and go inside (near the end of the flag's shadow in the photo) a smallish young female officer with a big gun shook her head and pointed southeast to the entry lanes........... Bruce
:lol:

bkbend - 2-3-2014 at 06:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcnut

We ended up going through the inspection booth lanes and were instructed to park in small (area lower right with the concentration of vehicles in the photo). A real shame as the area north of the entry lanes was vastly better and closer.
Our error may have been not driving directly & with confidence, into the area labeled parking in the photo but there is something of a wall and it was not clear what kind of room we would have once inside. It is labeled for buses.

Bruce


Oh well, that's Mexico for you. Need to stay adaptable. It was my first time through the new entry and I did not drive with confidence into the new parking area (didn't even see it at first) so I asked a nearby officer where to park for IMN and was directed to the parking area. And I was pulling a trailer. So, as always, YMMV.

[Edited on 2-4-2014 by bkbend]

Ateo - 2-3-2014 at 07:04 PM

Hey Mexico: invest in a couple large signs that read "TOURIST CARDS HERE" and put this topic to rest! That will never happen. :LOL::lol::lol: