BajaNomad - Border wait in the last couple of days?

Border wait in the last couple of days?

Howard - 11-25-2020 at 12:46 PM

Using the normal lanes as anyone crossed northbound at either Tijuana, Otay or Tecate in the last couple of days? How was the wait and at what time?

I am crossing Thanksgiving morning from the Ensenada area and usually go the Tecate route but have read that the lines at Tijuana/Otay are shorter than normal lately.

Happy Thanksgiving!

bajagregg - 11-25-2020 at 12:53 PM

I crossed yesterday mid-morning from the left most lane which almost always moves faster than the other regular lanes. Took us about 1 3/4 hours.

BornFisher - 11-25-2020 at 12:57 PM

Thanksgiving morning last year was 5 minutes in Otay ready lane. That was about 8 am. You`ll be fine, just don`t be late (like after 10 am).

torch - 11-25-2020 at 06:34 PM

otay tuesday 3pm 1 hour regular lanes (2). not bad great trip not much surf but great weather and a fun 1000.

Howard - 11-25-2020 at 07:38 PM

Thank you for the reports

ehall - 11-26-2020 at 10:52 AM

Tecate monday at 10am - 2hours

Amazing northbound crossing at Tecate today

Howard - 11-26-2020 at 11:32 PM

Expecting the worse, I decided to go the Tecate route and at 11:00 today there was absolutely no one in line, I drove right up to the kiosk. It was so empty I thought that maybe they closed the border crossing due to Thanksgiving.

The agent took my passport looked at his computer screen and gave me back my passport and waived me thru. Not any questions, nothing.

JZ - 11-27-2020 at 09:40 AM

You guys need to get Global Entry.

bajaric - 11-27-2020 at 04:29 PM

Tecate NB a long slow 2hrs 27min today
Guess it like they say in surfing
should have been here yesterday --

BornFisher - 11-27-2020 at 05:29 PM

Quote: Originally posted by bajaric

Tecate NB a long slow 2hrs 27min today
Guess it like they say in surfing
should have been here yesterday --

Shopping on Black Friday has always been essential!!

RocketJSquirrel - 11-27-2020 at 05:53 PM

I've seen Tecate so long that I drove on to Mexicali. I estimated 4-5 hours wait. It is quite variable.

Edited.

[Edited on 11-28-2020 by RocketJSquirrel]

bajapedro - 11-28-2020 at 07:50 AM

Crossed into US yesterday about 0900 at Mexicali East. Sentri-drove trough. BP did't even get up from her hair. Asked no questions and waved us through.
Regular line was very short. Probably 5 min wait to cross.

AKgringo - 11-28-2020 at 08:11 AM

I crossed northbound at Mexicali west Tuesday about 2 PM. That is about the time it was when I found where to get in line, it is completely different than when I crossed the first of March!

An hour and fifty minutes from that point, and the only thing I was asked was "What are you bringing back from Mexico?" "New teeth" seemed to satisfy the agent, and he waved me on.

Following the detour signs to the new line up (west of the crossing point) put me in a tough spot trying to squeeze my way into a line of angry traffic, and I could not back up and try another approach. A real cluster-f, and at that point there was no way for some one with GE or Sentri to get in the fast lane!

Bajaboy - 11-29-2020 at 08:44 AM

Mexicali East, Saturday, November 28 at 2:30. Took us about 1:45. Including border wait, about 12 hours door to door via Hwy 5---Bahia Asuncion to Spring Valley, CA

ehall - 11-29-2020 at 05:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

You guys need to get Global Entry.

Useless at Tecate where I normally cross. I should get it for the rare crossings at Mexicali.

Don Pisto - 11-29-2020 at 05:59 PM

Quote: Originally posted by ehall

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

You guys need to get Global Entry.

Useless at Tecate where I normally cross. I should get it for the rare crossings at Mexicali.

FBer's have reported 2 hour SENTRI crossings at SY today....mr. AMLO is in town on top of holiday traffic

[Edited on 11-30-2020 by Don Pisto]

mtgoat666 - 11-29-2020 at 09:30 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Pisto

Quote: Originally posted by ehall

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

You guys need to get Global Entry.

Useless at Tecate where I normally cross. I should get it for the rare crossings at Mexicali.

FBer's have reported 2 hour SENTRI crossings at SY today....mr. AMLO is in town on top of holiday traffic

[Edited on 11-30-2020 by Don Pisto]

A couple comments:

If you have GE, you won’t have to make that drive to tecate.

Covid is spiking, people are quarantining from work, due to sickness or being a close contact,... staffing is being impacted in all industries. Likely explanation for low staffing of booths at border.

[Edited on 11-30-2020 by mtgoat666]

surabi - 11-29-2020 at 10:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

If you have GE, you won’t have to make that drive to tecate.[Edited on 11-30-2020 by mtgoat666]

Why would you assume he "has to" make the drive to Tecate? Maybe he lives closer to that crossing, it's closer to his destination in Mexico or he prefers it.

PBJoe - 11-30-2020 at 10:22 AM

At 11:30 pm San Ysidro Sunday 11/29 It was 15 min in the left lanes. Sentri looked to be about the same. I also crossed north at 545am Sun 11/22. About 30 min in left lanes.

That Sunday I was in the far left lane. 3 lanes open (I think). Guys started racing to the left toward new lanes. The signs we're still red. I just stayed in what I knew was an open lane. Maybe they saw the gate open? These guy made a mad dash. They sure didn't turn the big green light on.

The signs above say lane 17, 18, 19 stayed red for the 15 minutes I waited in line 16. Ten cars ahead of me in my lane, so I wasn't going to risk it.

But, I did see cars exiting the port. Red closed port sign still on. Yes, I've put off Global Entry for years.

JZ - 11-30-2020 at 10:39 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Nobody lives close to the Tecate crossing but we use it to have a low-stress (and usually shorter) crossing wait. I would rather drive an hour to use Tecate than be in a line for an hour (+) at Tijuana or Mexicali.

Get GE and stop being stubborn wasting your time driving an hour out of the way.

Once you make up your mind on something it seems it is not possible to evolve from that for you. Why is that?

GE/Sentri is better than sliced bread.

JZ - 11-30-2020 at 11:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Why in the World would I get GE or Sentri when I do not live in Mexico, work in Mexico, or travel monthly to Mexico. It is for those people these programs are made. It makes no sense for me to go through that process. I am not even sure I will be crossing the border ever again.

The future is not bright with the latest events in the world. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love Baja as much or more than most here and I wish I could be there all the time. Just having a reality check. It was 2016-2018 that I did so many trips (11) for fun, and researching for the Road Guide and my maps. The two trips in 2019 were both for TV shows and I was a passenger both trips. Two trips in 2020 were cancelled due to Covid (one was a TV show gig).

Not even the remote possibility I would go to the border, wait for an appointment, pay money I don't have, and wait months for GE or Sentri... and then use it maybe once or twice a year when I can drive to Tecate and cross the border mid-week with little or no wait??? It's not rocket science.

The world isn't ending and stop being stubborn.

gnukid - 11-30-2020 at 11:36 AM

Many Credit Card companies offer to pay for GE application fees and you can have an appt at Airports or POE. Still it may only provide some small advantage since each vehicle and each person in the group must be pre-approved.

Bob and Susan - 11-30-2020 at 11:48 AM

yesterday the wait at

tecate arriving at 3pm was

14 hours...

Don Pisto - 11-30-2020 at 11:56 AM

SENTRI....can't tow, can't bring friends, jump through hoops, no thanks!

AKgringo - 11-30-2020 at 12:00 PM

The hours of operation at Tecate are currently 5;00 AM to 2;00 PM. seven days a week.

JZ - 11-30-2020 at 12:08 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Don Pisto

SENTRI....can't tow, can't bring friends, jump through hoops, no thanks!

I take 2 KTMs on a carrier and an 11ft Zodiac on top through every time. What hoops to jump through? The app takes about 5 mins. The interview less than 10 mins. You waste more time every single trip.

Everyone we go with has it. We breeze by 3,000 cars and cross in 10-15 mins.

Get GE ppl.

[Edited on 11-30-2020 by JZ]

del mar - 11-30-2020 at 12:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Quote: Originally posted by Bob and Susan

yesterday the wait at

tecate arriving at 3pm was

14 hours...

LOL, as it closed at 2 pm!

funny how that works! :lol:

mtgoat666 - 11-30-2020 at 12:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

I am not even sure I will be crossing the border ever again.

The future is not bright with the latest events in the world

What is possibly going to stop you from ever going to baja again?

BajaMama - 12-2-2020 at 08:57 AM

David K I am sorry to hear your pessimistic view, I would never have pegged you as a pessimist.

If you (in the future) plan to travel to any other country, GE is fabulous (we switched from SENTRI to GE this year, only $100 and you still get the SENTRI pass and TSA/Pre). That works out to $20/a year and worth every penny. Past five years it has taken me an average of 20 minutes to cross the border, we never wait in line for domestic flights and we expedite coming back into the country via plane.

Unfortunately the current administration has dramatically slowed the process of initial application. For some reason my renewal application took 3 days to approve and I had my new SENTRI in a week, but my husband still not approved. Very sporadic until CBP agents get back to their real jobs after January.

[Edited on 12-2-2020 by BajaMama]

del mar - 12-2-2020 at 10:47 AM

I would think you SENTRI holders would be thrilled to have one less car in your lane rather than urge more and more folks to sign up?