funkynassau
Junior Nomad
Posts: 46
Registered: 5-7-2011
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My 2 wks is almost over
I cant believe our time here is almost over. We are in Ensenada, housesitting, and we leave here on Mon. Two days in San Diego and then we fly home
to Ontario, Canada.
It's been a good trip for the most part, the house sit is basically good. I'll send a better report once we are home.
The concern now is getting over the border and into Calif. We may get a ride to the border, which would be awesome. Worst case scenario is we take
the bus and walk over.
I know this has been flogged to death but does anyone have a good guess at how long we may need to wait to cross into the US on a Monday, hopefully
before 11 am? All we have are backpacks, nothing illegal in them, not even a legal bottle of wine.
I've been told this can take anywhere from one to four hours.
Thanks,
Funkynassau
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Mulegena
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Anyone know if you can buy a bus ticket from Ensenada or Tijuana to San Diego?
If so, that's a good way to fast-track through the border crossing north.
"Raise your words, not your voice. It's rain that grows flowers, not thunder." ~Rumi
"It's the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." ~ Aristotle
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Roberto
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Depending on the hour (and that's a big variable), it can be anywhere between 20 minutes and close to two hours, with somewhere around 20 being more
typical if you hit the border between 10:00 and 15:00.
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funkynassau
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I had heard you can get a form from a restaurant or store here that lets you fast track thru the line, because you are a tourist. Found out that has
been cancelled as of a few months ago.
Doing some reading, the wait to get across can be from 10 mins to 2 hrs. Seems nuts to me that it would take more than 15 mins., but we'll deal with
it!
A bus that goes from here to SD would be awesome, I'll be watching here to see if there is such a thing.
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
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Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Best of luck on your trip back ... relax and take it easy ... it will all work out...
And will be looking forward to your report ... after ya get back home... 
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funkynassau
Junior Nomad
Posts: 46
Registered: 5-7-2011
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Thanks, it's been a great trip for sure. I'll send a report when we get back. We found it easy to navigate around Ensenada whether walking or on the
bus. It's a lovely city, from what we saw of it.
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funkynassau
Junior Nomad
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Thanks for that info. If we are lucky we'll get a ride to SD. If not, we'll be taking a bus from the big bus stn. in Ensenada. The clerk's English
wasnt the best when I asked if it took us to the border or not, she just said it went to Tijuana...anyone have any info on where that bus will take us
to? I'd be delighted to get a bus that would take us to SD from here, if possible.
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danaeb
Senior Nomad
Posts: 991
Registered: 11-13-2006
Location: San Diego; El Centenario
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Mood: groovy
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Your Ensenada bus will undoubtedly take you to the central bus terminal in TJ. From there you can get a Crucero bus to San Diego (Greyhound station
on Broadway).
http://www.crucero-usa.com/
Don't count on a 15 min crossing. More likely 1+ hours. Even though you're in a dedicated bus line, it all depends on the CBP agents as to when you
can get off the bus to go into immigration. Then you have to meet the bus on the other side to continue to downtown San Diego.
[Edited on 11-27-2011 by danaeb]
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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mcfez
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 12-2-2009
Location: aka BN yankeeirishman
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Remember...there are 1000's of folks going to work....into the USA. I suggest you go during non commuter hours.
Old people are like the old cars, made of some tough stuff. May show a little rust, but good as gold on the inside.
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Kalypso
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Registered: 5-17-2011
Location: San Diego
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The ABC bus should go from Ensenada to Tijuana and you should be able to get dropped off just a couple blocks from the border. If you do end up at the
central bus station, just go to the booth selling taxi tickets and buy one for "la linea". It will probably cost about $5 and will drop you off at the
end of the line.
I've had fairly short waits at TJ, but then I've been crossing between 10 pm and midnight, not much action that late. I flew into TIJ this past
Tuesday morning and crossed at Otay via shuttle. The line was long but moved fairly quickly and we were through both immigration and customs in about
15 minutes (arrived at the end of the line about 9:15 am). We did, however, end up having to wait for our shuttle to meet us on the U.S. side for
nearly 20 minutes. The shuttle driver said they've got new x-ray equipment and all busses and shuttles have to drive through it so ICE can scan the
whole vehicle.
I've not had the best luck with the Crucero bus from TIJ to San Diego. Last time I took it we were stuck in the bus lane for 2 hours before we got up
to the bus drop off point. Less than 10 minutes to actually get processed and out the other side. Once again, we were through immigration and customs
before the Crucero bus was. Their busses are kind of beat up so the wait was not particularly comfortable.
A friend recently (as in the last week) crossed at San Ysidiro mid-morning during the week. He said the line was horribly long, beyond the taxi drop
off point, but that he was through in less than 30 minutes as the line moved pretty quickly. At 11 am you should have missed the going to work folks,
and you're also crossing the day after the (Thanksgiving) holiday ends.
The northbound crossing is a PITA no matter where you cross. Easiest thing is to just go with the flow, eat some churros (they're good), check out
what the hawkers are selling and follow the person in front of you.
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