Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
|
|
Otay Mesa Pedestrians
Spent some time waiting for our daughter to walk across the crossing to the U. S. and I enjoyed observing the heavy flow of pedestrians; many were
pulling wheeled luggage, one guy walked across carrying a car door on his back, then there was a man who cruised across in a four-wheeled go kart and
was picked up by a car waiting next to us.
While we were waiting, a couple of vans that said they were airport transport pulled up to wait for customers.
Does anyone know about this service?
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
|
|
|
bajadock
Super Nomad
Posts: 1219
Registered: 12-20-2006
Location: Punta sur de \'Nada
Member Is Offline
|
|
Bumping Gypsy Jan's request....AND
Where is the pedestrian line at Otay Mesa? Looks like it may be the far right, on the side of SENTRI lane?
I have a guest next week and plan on throwing them in Ped line for speed on way back to San Diego airport.
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajadock
Bumping Gypsy Jan's request....AND
Where is the pedestrian line at Otay Mesa? Looks like it may be the far right, on the side of SENTRI lane?
I have a guest next week and plan on throwing them in Ped line for speed on way back to San Diego airport. |
Yup, follow the SENTRI car lane, it will make a slight jog to the left.....the pedestrian lane is on your right, a covered walkway.
Pedestrians exit the CBP check right at the circular driveway next to the SENTRI office.
|
|
|
bajadock
Super Nomad
Posts: 1219
Registered: 12-20-2006
Location: Punta sur de \'Nada
Member Is Offline
|
|
Thank you Terry! Is there a spot/restaurant handy to reconnect with my passenger on USA side?
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
Yes
Eric's Deli. Walk up the road/driveway from the CBP building (it turns into Roll Drive). As soon as you get to the first cross street - Via de la
Amistad (or something close), turn right, walk to the stoplight (a short 1/2 block). Turn left, cross Amistad and look to the left in the small strip
mall......clean restrooms and Wi-Fi
|
|
|
bajadock
Super Nomad
Posts: 1219
Registered: 12-20-2006
Location: Punta sur de \'Nada
Member Is Offline
|
|
Perfecto, gracias! From what I can throw together from sources, the green line is the pedestrian path from Otay crossing to Erik's Deli & Grill.
Wow, we get accurate info, directions AND lunch from this forum. What could better?
Jan, I'll ask at Erik's Deli if they know about airport transport.
[Edited on 11-27-2011 by bajadock]
|
|
|
woody with a view
PITA Nomad
Posts: 15940
Registered: 11-8-2004
Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
Member Is Offline
Mood: Everchangin'
|
|
| Quote: |
Wow, we get accurate info, directions AND lunch from this forum. What could better?
|
5 people in line in front of you.....
|
|
|
bajadock
Super Nomad
Posts: 1219
Registered: 12-20-2006
Location: Punta sur de \'Nada
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by woody with a view
| Quote: |
Wow, we get accurate info, directions AND lunch from this forum. What could better?
|
5 people in line in front of you..... |
Woody, do you mean at the border or at the deli?  
|
|
|
Kalypso
Nomad
Posts: 147
Registered: 5-17-2011
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
|
|
This is mostly in response to GJ about the shuttle service.
Yes, there are shuttles that go back and forth across the border, mostly to and from the airport, though they'll take you anywhere. And mostly they do
use the Otay crossing. They'll come to your home on the US side, pick you up and take you to the airport, and vice versa for your return.
It is not, however, an inexpensive proposition. I have friends that live in the Eastlake/Otay Ranch area, which is fairly close to the border. It is
$75 one way from their house to the airport. From my house in the Del Cerro/San Carlos area it is $125-$150 (depending upon the shuttle service) one
way. The shuttle we use most frequently is TTE and, unfortunately, I can not remember what their whole name is right now because I'm so used to just
calling them TTE. There are several locations at TIJ to purchase the ticket - baggage claim, just outside of baggage claim as you exit to the right,
and then again when you get outside to the taxi/shuttle area. TIJ is under some serious construction in preparation for the cross-border terminal that
is projected to open in 2013 and that outside shuttle area seems to be a moving target depending upon how construction is going.
We flew into TIJ this past Tuesday and used the shuttle service from the aiport to Eastlake. The shuttle uses the SENTRI lane and drops passengers off
for the pedestrian line there. We were dropped off about 9:15 am; the line was fairly long. It did move pretty quickly though and we got through in
about 15 minutes. The same can not be said for the shuttle van.
Our shuttle was in back of 2 tour busses, both of which had to undergo screeening before the shuttle. Apparently ICE has installed some pretty
sophisticated x-ray equipment on the bus lane and all busses and shuttles are being x-rayed. We had to wait for our shuttle for 20 minutes (we
actually thought we'd been abandoned), which is unusual as they usually get through before the pedestrians. Our shuttle driver said the x-ray
procedure was fairly new and was really slowing down the pick-ups on the US side of the border.
As you walk away from the customs building and up a walkway/driveway, you'll come to a cul-de-sac. This is where the shuttles pick up passengers. It's
convenient and not really too crowded. Busses, both tour and MTS make a left right before the cul-de-sac to do their pick up.
I'm a big fan of the Otay crossing because it's usually less crowded, less congested and (as usual) depending upon the time of day, a somewhat shorter
wait if in a vehicle. Just be aware that the topes on the U.S. side of the border as you're driving away are real killers, you can't take them very
fast or you'll do some pretty good damage to your car.
[Edited on 11-27-2011 by Kalypso]
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
Close
Doc.....your "green line" is close. peds exit the CBP building at about the 6:00 position of the traffic circle, then pick up the sidewalk at the 3:00
position.
Now that you have the photo, a simple route would be straight (up Roll Drive) to the 7-11 in the strip mall, then make a right turn to Eric's (on the
right)
To pick them up, exit the 905 (after the US CBP vehicle port of entry) at Siempre Viva, right turn onto Roll Drive (first street after exit), left
into the parking lot to Eric's....to get back on the 905/Otay Mesa Road, exit the parking lot at Roll Drive, left on Amistad, left at the stoplight,
left at Siempre Viva to the 905 on ramp........you can't (legally) make a u-turn from Eric's parking lot onto Paseo de las Amistad back to Siempre
Viva...........
Easy squeezy.....last Sunday, it took us 2 minutes to clear CBP in the SENTRI vehicle lane, our passengers 45 minutes to walk across........
|
|
|
Bomberro
Nomad
Posts: 157
Registered: 7-19-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
Does anyone know if the Comfort Suites provides shuttle to the hotel? We are renting a car from Sunset, however, our Volaris flight does not get in
until 5PM so we are spending the night and going to Sunset in the morning.
|
|
|
paranewbi
Senior Nomad
Posts: 913
Registered: 4-15-2011
Location: San diego
Member Is Offline
|
|
Can I jump in here?
Not really on point...we sometimes walk across at TJ entry and have a taco or two, cross back over the bridge and walk back across and over to the pay
& park on the US side. All in about 1hr...pretty much qualifies as a vacation with our schedules and finances right now (David K is probably
seething with jealousy).
Is there a good walk to Taco stand at the Otay border Mex side, for a quick bite...Interem Parking on the US side? This would be new to us and qualify
as an Adventure/Vacation!
We live in IB and do a Ministry/Visitation thing at Donovan Prison on Saturdays so we know the way pretty well...just never been up the the crossing.
|
|
|
bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
Member Is Offline
Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by paranewbi
Can I jump in here?
Not really on point...we sometimes walk across at TJ entry and have a taco or two, cross back over the bridge and walk back across and over to the pay
& park on the US side. All in about 1hr...pretty much qualifies as a vacation with our schedules and finances right now (David K is probably
seething with jealousy).
Is there a good walk to Taco stand at the Otay border Mex side, for a quick bite...Interem Parking on the US side? This would be new to us and qualify
as an Adventure/Vacation!
We live in IB and do a Ministry/Visitation thing at Donovan Prison on Saturdays so we know the way pretty well...just never been up the the crossing.
|
I have not seen any taco stands in close proximity to the Otay crossing, however it's about 1/3 of a mile from the border straight down to Bella Artes
Avenue. Plenty of shopping and local flavor there. Might be worth an adventure.
There are pay parking lots on the US side of the Otay crossing and a pretty cool Duty Free store. If you exit the 905 s/b at Siempre Viva Drive, cross
back (left) over the 905 and make the first right at Roll Drive, you will find a couple of parking lots and about 3 small strip malls.
Walk south on Roll drive towards the CBP building and there is a walkway over the border vehicle crossing (both US and Mexico), enter the turnstiles
and you are in Baja!!!........follow the pedestrian directions (above) to get back to your car.
[Edited on 11-28-2011 by bajaguy]
|
|
|
paranewbi
Senior Nomad
Posts: 913
Registered: 4-15-2011
Location: San diego
Member Is Offline
|
|
thanks Bajaguy! Might have to skip the early morning surf session here in IB and save it up for that 1/3 mile walk 
Thats about how far I get when returning to the US before I wish I was staying in Baja!
|
|
|
mtgoat666
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 20374
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Kalypso
It is not, however, an inexpensive proposition. I have friends that live in the Eastlake/Otay Ranch area, which is fairly close to the border. It is
$75 one way from their house to the airport. From my house in the Del Cerro/San Carlos area it is $125-$150 (depending upon the shuttle service) one
way. |
you probably already know this: if 2 or more people traveling together, is cheaper (and quicker) to use taxis than shuttles.
|
|
|
Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
Member Is Offline
Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
|
|
Otay Area Taco Stand Recommendations
http://www.streetgourmetla.com/2009/10/tijuanas-magnificent-...
http://masaassassin.blogspot.com/2009/05/tacos-el-mazateno-t...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080222223859AA...
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/790808
Also, once you cross the border into Mexico there usually are taxis waiting for customers.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
