BajaNomad - Otay Crossing Northbound

Otay Crossing Northbound

Alm - 11-13-2015 at 07:34 PM

Tried it for the 1st time. From Ensenada through Corredor 2000 aka Blvd 2000.

Impressions - mixed to positive.

Toll fees - oh yeah. 2 booths (vs 3 to SY crossing). 2nd booth is awaiting for you in ambush after you've turned off the Hwy1 to Corredor. This 2nd booth is in the actual Corredor and is meant to charge people going through the Corredor (though one might argue that this is for already covered section of 1 Quota).

Hwy quality - acceptable. Not as good as 1 Quota. Last one third it's going through Tijuana suburbs and looks funny. More like some Avenida rather than highway. Unmarked exits that are actually streets into new suburban blocks, with bus stops and people standing in the exits. There is still a divider, with cars parked sometimes on the divider, and people running across the divider to catch the bus. Thanks God, no goats and chickens walking across.

Unmarked exits/streets on the right can drive you crazy when you're going there first time and looking for your exit to Otay. Luckily, this one was marked.

There is one wrong fork before Otay exit (to Tecate? don't remember), and it came suddenly and I would've mistaken it for my exit if were going fast, but luckily I was crawling at pedestrian speed behind one of many transit buses. 5 pm rush hour, there was sometimes 3 or 4 buses going on God knows what lanes on the right - 2 usual Northbound lanes kinda "multiply" on the last one third of Corredor.

Once exiting the Corredor and heading West on Blvd Industrial, after 5 miles there is a right turn marked "Garrita de Otay Autos Ligeros". I took my chances and turned. Later I've learned that Autos Ligeros simply meant "passenger cars". Huh??? No amount of Spanish would help you in situations like this. I knew that there was no truck crossing in this block, but is it regular cars, or Sentri, or what???

Turned out to be regular (which I wanted). Had I turned half block farther, I would've gotten into Ready Lane. Sentri gate appeared later on the right, as I recall.

Crossing time - faster than it took me to type all this. 30 minutes at 5.30 pm on the 1st working Tuesday after the holiday de los Muertos. Not bad. I've got lucky, my leftmost lane was served by 2 gates, splitting in 2 just before the gates. Cars from other lanes couldn't get there, so I would think 50-60 minutes for them. Still not bad.

Navigating - easy. Just 2 right exits (one from Quota, one from Corredor) and one right turn.

[Edited on 11-14-2015 by Alm]

Maron - 11-13-2015 at 09:52 PM

Nice report/info

thks

Bajahowodd - 11-14-2015 at 05:10 PM

If you were coming from Ensenada, you should have exited at Ruta de Vino. Going all the way North to Blvd 2000 just adds unnecessary time and miles to your trip. If you choose the BLVD 200 route, it's just so much shorter to go to Otay.

woody with a view - 11-14-2015 at 05:17 PM

last night at 8:03pm at SY 17 cars in the far left lane = 20 minutes! it was worth the 31 pesos for that last toll!!!!

Skipjack Joe - 11-15-2015 at 04:39 PM

3 nights ago, Thursday, at SY at 8 pm it was 30 minutes in the middle lane.

Alm - 11-16-2015 at 02:47 PM

Yeah, SY is getting better. Still longer than Otay, but not much, especially in off-hours. At 5.30 pm rush hour I wouldn't count on 30 minutes in SY though.

Udo - 11-16-2015 at 02:58 PM

The SETRI lane is REALLY worth the money. Average wait from nothing to 10 minutes.
Honk your horn at the churro guy as you start to make your left to the SENTRI gate and you'll have some hot churros on your lap in seconds.

sancho - 11-16-2015 at 02:59 PM

The CBP site last Thur. listed reg ped line at TJ, coming back at 3 pm as 20 min. The following day, Fri. it took me 2 1/2 hrs. in the ped line coming back at 3 pm. At 5 pm, there was 1 1/2 + mi. back up on the 5 going into TJ

Mateo-Feo - 12-22-2015 at 08:37 PM

Otay border needs more Tacos. I rather Tijuana for the simple fact that you can get anything while you wait.

Udo - 12-22-2015 at 08:54 PM

There are two taco stands and a churro stand...albeit at the SENTRI lanes.

gsbotanico - 12-23-2015 at 08:35 AM

I've found that crossing the border at San Ysidro, Otay, or Tecate is a bit of a crap shoot, even with Sentri. I usually use the old highway to San Ysidro, but traffic can mess this up. On Monday a lane reduction caused traffic to back up for miles and added ½ hour to the trip. Sentri crossing times can vary from a few minutes to almost an hour. I avoid the last segment of the toll road because of the added distance and awkward access to the Sentri lanes.

Otay is best if carrying non-Sentri passengers. They can hop out of car near the line and cross as a pedestrian and be picked up on the US side. This does not work easily at San Ysidro. Blvd. 2000 works if coming from south of Rosarito, but the truck traffic can be very heavy. It is clearly marked for the newbie. And the vehiculos ligeros vs. vehiculos pesados is simply the Spanish way to distinguish the auto (light) crossing and the truck (heavy) crossing. There is a separate truck crossing at Otay for commercial trucking.

I didn't understand the comment about using the Ruta del Vino. This goes to Tecate, where the crossing time can be 5-10 minutes or 1-2 hours. There is no Sentri lane. There is a toll road that goes to Otay from Tecate that is very fast, so this is another option, if you want to cross at Otay and are coming from Ensenada.

Jerry S.

bajaguy - 12-23-2015 at 08:52 AM

We find the crossing at Otay to be the fastest and most simple when coming from Ensenada. We make 3 turns from the toll road and Blvd 2000 to the SENTRI crossing.

Usually cross Tuesday - Thursday between 7:30 and 9am, Commercial trucks must be taking a different route (other than Blvd 2000) as we have not run into the morning convoys as in the past. Minor traffic on Industrial Blvd, but not a deal breaker.

Of course, YMMV

Bajahowodd - 12-23-2015 at 05:28 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaguy

We find the crossing at Otay to be the fastest and most simple when coming from Ensenada. We make 3 turns from the toll road and Blvd 2000 to the SENTRI crossing.

Usually cross Tuesday - Thursday between 7:30 and 9am, Commercial trucks must be taking a different route (other than Blvd 2000) as we have not run into the morning convoys as in the past. Minor traffic on Industrial Blvd, but not a deal breaker.

Of course, YMMV

Bajahowodd - 12-23-2015 at 05:31 PM

The absolute best thing about making the crossing at Otay is that there is a McDonald's just before the turn up to the gates. Best place to relieve oneself before getting in line.

bajaguy - 12-23-2015 at 05:43 PM

Or D'Volada coffee in the shopping center just east of McDonalds.

If you turn right on the street between McDonalds and the PEMEX (Carranza) it sets you up for an almost straight shot at the Otay SENTRI lanes

Quote: Originally posted by Bajahowodd

The absolute best thing about making the crossing at Otay is that there is a McDonald's just before the turn up to the gates. Best place to relieve oneself before getting in line.