BajaNomad

SY Crossing

roundtuit - 12-8-2014 at 03:26 PM

Friend of mine going to calif for holidays. She is a newbe at crossing by bus and would like detailed instructions on what to do. Will take a bus from Mulege to TJ bus station. Then What.. Wants to end up at Amtrax in SD
Thanks for the help:yes::yes::yes:

Bob and Susan - 12-8-2014 at 04:09 PM

bus to tj station about 1450 pesos...ride all nite

take change...bathroom at Ensenada and tj bus station 3-5 pesos
I don't remember

at the tj bus station... out front is a taxi stand to pay for the taxi fare
pay at the guy at the stand about 180 pesos...
lots of drivers to ask if you need a taxi...they can show you how to do it

have the taxi driver take you to the walk across line...tip him
walk across...its about a 300 yard walk
the line may be long but moves quickly...
lots of people crossing

as soon as you cross...
get a trolly ticket at the ticket machine for the trollies and
board the next trolly to the santa fe station

the trolly ticket machine takes debit and credit cards and dollars

Amtrak is at the santa fe station...
takes about 20 minutes on the trolly to get there
starbucks is across the street...free wifi and expensive coffee

dasubergeek - 12-9-2014 at 08:16 PM

180 pesos from the Central Camionera to the SY crossing?! That's way too much. 100 is more reasonable, 120 tops.

Then, as Bob says, buy a Blue Line trolley ticket for the train that is literally directly in front of you as you exit U.S. customs. Fare is $2.50. Take the train all the way to the last stop, America Plaza. Then walk across to the Santa Fe Train Depot where you will pick up Amtrak.

theotherone - 12-9-2014 at 11:02 PM

I think it would be easier to catch the regularly scheduled Greyhound/Crucero bus service (every hour) directly from the Tijuana Bus Terminal (Camionera Central) to the San Diego Greyhound Bus Station. Yes, you will have to make one transfer at the US Border (San Ysidro), but it's easy & cheap.

A one way ticket from the Greyhound website is $13.00 US ($186.55MXN).

Santa Fe Amtrak station (San Diego) is within walking distance of the San Diego Greyhound Station. Only problem is that the whole trip is about 2 hours., depending on how many buses are waiting in line at the border.

Whale-ista - 12-10-2014 at 01:59 AM

Bus may be faster from SY to downtown. But the San Diego Greyhound station is a very long walk to train station.

Better to take the trolley across downtown, or taxi, esp w/luggage.

DENNIS - 12-10-2014 at 07:49 AM



TJ has two bus stations. One in the city, and the other at the border ....La Linea. La Linea bus is the one you want.

Alm - 12-11-2014 at 01:33 AM

What I normally do:
- ABC bus to Camionera Central bus station in TJ. About $130 or so. They raise prices every year. 14-15 hours from Mulege. Then $20 Greyhound aka Crucero destined to SD or LA, takes 20 minutes to the border and 40 minutes to cross the border. Yes, it's only $13 online, but you lose it if your ABC bus is late.
- US customs will make you exit the bus and walk 100 yards through the customs "barn", no big deal IF YOU DON'T HAVE MUCH LUGGAGE. I always travel with a small folding hand truck, so to me a few bags is not a problem. Greyhound bus will be waiting on the other side of the barn.
- In the past Greyhound arrived at the downtown SD station. Now it drops you off at the cab stand at some square, I didn't notice any station around, and not sure how far is to Amtrack from there. Can't be too far, and there are always cabbies waiting. I usually take cab to airport from that square, as I have lots of bags.

Possible variation if you don't have much luggage:
Take a trolley when exiting SY customs, instead of getting into Greyhound again (and possibly waiting for it). Trolley goes pretty fast, almost same fast as Greyhound.

I didn't try "La Linea" bus station in TJ, but I have some doubts about this route. ABC buses from Mulege arrive to Camionera Central, not to La Linea. So to get to La Linea, you need to switch in Ensenada from ABC bus to another bus - no big deal, but still some trouble. Also, from La Linea you need to walk through the looooong pedestrian line at the border, because "La Linea" means "The Border", and I suspect this is where the bus dumps you - at the end of pedestrian line at the border.

OTH, Greyhound would take you directly to the entrance of the US customs, and you would use Nexus pedestrian line. A lot more comfortable, though might not be much faster as there are sometimes several buses in front of your bus. But it won't be slower either.

If you're really in a hurry when you arrive to Camionera Central, and there is no Greyhound expected within an hour, - take a cab to the border and walk the pedestrian line.

[Edited on 12-11-2014 by Alm]

dasubergeek - 12-11-2014 at 10:06 PM

The "La Línea" bus station is not at the pedestrian line. It's just off the circle at Frontera and Amistad in Col. Federal, near the McDonalds. It's a good 7-10 minutes' walk, more if you have to walk all the way back to the hill where the taxis drop you off.

Alm - 12-12-2014 at 03:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by dasubergeek  
The "La Línea" bus station is not at the pedestrian line. It's just off the circle at Frontera and Amistad in Col. Federal, near the McDonalds. It's a good 7-10 minutes' walk, more if you have to walk all the way back to the hill where the taxis drop you off.

I remember this station now. Been there once, before all that construction. Yes, you have to walk a while before you reach the end of the pedestrian line, and then you have this pedestrian line.