BajaNomad

Crossing in Tecate Questions

phoenix2121 - 3-19-2014 at 04:13 PM

I've crossed at San Ysidro (uggh) and Otay Mesa (a little better), but I've never crossed at Tecate. In fact, I didn't know it existed.

For someone living between TJ and Ensenada (which will be our settling point - unless someone can show me some rentals in San Felipe - love it there), it seems to be about 45 minutes out of the way... When we do cross, it'll typically be to go to San Diego, so my question is... is it worth it to drive the extra 45 minutes to cross at Tecate (still waiting on Sentri decision)... I've never crossed in under 2 hours at Otay or San Ysidro, and even though it might add 90 minutes to the drive, at least we're moving... right?

Can someone who has crossed there give me some info? Is the wait time really 30 minutes or less most of the time or am I getting bad information?

Bob53 - 3-19-2014 at 04:25 PM

That's the only way I go now. Going north that is. I have heard stories of people having to wait an hour or two but the longest I have ever had to wait so far is about 20 minutes. There have been a couple times that there was no cars in line at all. I just drove right up to the gate. I have never crossed on a weekend though.

I would rather drive two hours out of the way than sit two hours in line, breathing exhaust and saying "no thanks" 200 times to the street peddlers.

absinvestor - 3-19-2014 at 04:27 PM

When we lived in Ensenada we always crossed at TJ. However. once we relocated to Playa El Burro (Mulege) we crossed at Tecate. We have crossed at Tecate over a dozen times and never waited more than 30-40 minutes. Maybe we have just been lucky but even when the line seems to be miles long it moves steady and again never has it taken us more than 40 minutes to get to the entrance. (Everytime we crossed in our motorhome we were sent to secondary but even there seldom spent more than 20-30 minutes)

Udo - 3-19-2014 at 04:40 PM

One thing that all the northbound crossers need to remember...

Tecate has only one line, and that line feeds between two and four gates, depending on (?) (haven't figgered that one out yet). I'm with Bob53, yes, the line may be 1/2 mile long, but it keeps moving. Our average wait has been about 15 minutes. That takes into account the no wait times, and the times it takes us an hour (very few of those).
And Mex 3 is such a gorgeous drive!

I did a measured run from the 5 & 55 freeways in Tustin, Ca (central Orange County, near Disneyland.
From our front door to Tecate, was 12 miles farther than crossing (southbound) at Otay. I stay away from San Ysidro.

Gulliver - 3-19-2014 at 04:41 PM

When you hit town from the South (from Ensenada) watch for a sign turning you to the right a couple of blocks form the border that says 'border'. It will take you about quarter of a mile East and then a couple of rights and then you end up headed West right along the border fence.

A couple of days ago we hit a 1/2 hour wait in line that might have been due to lunch staffing. There are some Mexican army guys directing traffic as you make the last right into the gates. We got selected for inspection (towing a closed cargo trailer) but it was only a half hour in line (mostly stopped due to the previously mentioned stoppage) and then maybe a half hour stooging around parked in the shade while a polite guy asked us a few ordinary questions.

Declare everything, especially food stuff like fruit and vegies.

Best place to cross. No squeegie guys and only a couple of polite vendors with push carts.

Mike

phoenix2121 - 3-19-2014 at 05:01 PM

Awesome info. You guys are great.

Whale-ista - 3-19-2014 at 05:49 PM

FYI, Supposedly a ReadiLane is being planned for Tecate. Not sure of timeline, but noticed a sign announcing it when I crossed there last month.

I drove up from Ensenada and crossed on a Tuesday morning the day after a Monday holiday. It took about one hour 15 minutes. I think it was long because of the holiday though.

Also Highway 3 from Ensenada has been much improved so it's a nice drive.

absinvestor - 3-19-2014 at 06:21 PM

If you go to search and put in "directions to tecate border north" you'll find excellent directions and maps with arrows etc that David K posted. I used them and the crossing went slick!!

David K - 3-19-2014 at 06:32 PM

Getting to Tecate USA is pretty easy... the border wait can be nearly none to 5 hours long... all depends. Best to avoid Sunday afternoon or the last day of a holiday weekend/ week!

From Ensenada take the Ruta de Vinos / Hwy 3 north.
From Rosarito/La Mision take the Corredor 2000 north to Hwy. 2 east.
From San Felipe/ Mexicali take Hwy. 2-D west, exit for Tecate onto the free road (Mex. 2) a few miles east of Tecate.

The northbound border line is accessed from the free Hwy 2, on the east side of downtown Tecate, well signed. So coming into Tecate from Hwy. 3 or Corredor 2000/ Hwy 2, head to the east side of town, as if you were going to Mexicali ON THE FREE ROAD.

dasubergeek - 3-20-2014 at 09:45 AM

Just stay away from crossing north on Sunday afternoons and holidays (like this week's Benito Juárez/St. Patrick's Day fustercluck), as David K says. When I cross on Sundays I can count on an hour.

I don't have that issue with Otay, though—I've never waited, even without SENTRI, for more than an hour at Otay except the one awful, awful day that the scaffolding collapsed at San Ysidro and they sent everyone through Otay.

mtgoat666 - 3-20-2014 at 09:49 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by phoenix2121
I've crossed at San Ysidro (uggh) and Otay Mesa (a little better), but I've never crossed at Tecate. In fact, I didn't know it existed.

For someone living between TJ and Ensenada (which will be our settling point - unless someone can show me some rentals in San Felipe - love it there), it seems to be about 45 minutes out of the way... When we do cross, it'll typically be to go to San Diego, so my question is... is it worth it to drive the extra 45 minutes to cross at Tecate (still waiting on Sentri decision)... I've never crossed in under 2 hours at Otay or San Ysidro, and even though it might add 90 minutes to the drive, at least we're moving... right?

Can someone who has crossed there give me some info? Is the wait time really 30 minutes or less most of the time or am I getting bad information?


if you are going to live there and cross often, then get SENTRI pass and cross at SY or Otay.

after you got SENTRI, driving to tecate is huge waste of time

AFTER You Cross At Tecate

DavidE - 3-20-2014 at 01:34 PM

Lee - 3-21-2014 at 02:40 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
Just stay away from crossing north on Sunday afternoons and holidays (like this week's Benito Juárez/St. Patrick's Day fustercluck), as David K says. When I cross on Sundays I can count on an hour.

I don't have that issue with Otay, though—I've never waited, even without SENTRI, for more than an hour at Otay except the one awful, awful day that the scaffolding collapsed at San Ysidro and they sent everyone through Otay.


Just curious: Sunday afternoon defined as late in the day or after Noon time?

And, why is there almost never a wait at Otay? And does that include Sunday afternoon?

Martyman - 3-21-2014 at 02:47 PM

I tried Tecate once. Once you cross into the states it's another hour back to the coast. So 1 hour inland extra to Tecate and 1 hour back=2 hours more.
A person would be better off timing their crossings (in TJ) to early or late in the day.

Gulliver - 3-21-2014 at 07:47 PM

For me the whole point of crossing at Tecate is to avoid San Diego. After I cross I head to the right and Anza Borrego State Park.

After months in Baja, the last thing I want to do is get tangled up in Southern California cities. Horrors!!

Mike

1bobo - 3-21-2014 at 08:05 PM

Last June we got in line at 8:45 PM on a Sunday (I know...) and were next in line when the border closed at midnight. Had to drive to Otay or find a room. It can be bad.

willardguy - 3-21-2014 at 08:31 PM

30 minutes in the san ysidro ready lane yesterday at 10 am, last half dozen crossings were no more than 45 minutes, always mid morning. yup, go to otay or tecate, pleeeze!:D

Gulliver - 3-21-2014 at 09:42 PM

The last two times I went through as Ysidro the squeegee dudes pestered me half to death. And when I smiled and waved off one of them, he swung his grubby plastic jug of soap and dirt against one of my windshield wiper blades and knocked it off.

By the time I get there I've driven through the whole god awful mess from San Quintin and I'm usually pretty road tired and I just don't need the hassle.

I'll take Tecate. Besides, where else can you watch the Mexican bob sled team practice in trucks between Ensenada and Tecate. Wheee!

Mike

willardguy - 3-21-2014 at 09:52 PM

sweet! that'll make it 29 minutes next time!:lol:

Cliffy - 3-22-2014 at 06:38 AM

Next year when the road south of Gonzaga gets finished the stories will change :-)

Gulliver - 3-22-2014 at 08:17 AM

That will be a mixed blessing from my point of view.

On one hand, I wouldn't have to look at any of that monstrous mess from the border to El Rosario ever again. I've seen enough dust and plastic bags to last me for a couple of lifetimes!

On the other hand, the leg from El Rosario to within fifty miles or so of Guerro Negro is, to my eyes, the most beautiful and interesting in Baja. I'd miss everything from Chapala North.

vandenberg - 3-22-2014 at 08:50 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Cliffy
Next year when the road south of Gonzaga gets finished the stories will change :-)


Which "NEXT YEAR" might that be ??

:?::?::P:P:biggrin::biggrin:

dtbushpilot - 3-22-2014 at 08:59 AM

Crossed Tecate at 5:00 yesterday afternoon northbound, was figuring on a long line being Friday afternoon. 10 minutes, had a truck with a shell, trailer with a UTV, 2 dogs and 2 cats with food for all, didn't go to secondary......good to be back but already counting the days till I return...