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elskel
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Mexicali Border Crossing West / East - info needed
Hey all: I have a neighbor heading North next week. I need info on the two Mexicali crossings East / West. What are the differences, I actually have
not crossed there since around 1992 when the two bridges were washed out around San Quintin. I will not be heading north until July to visit the
kids, so the info will help me also. Plan on heading up the 5 when I do head North. Thanks for any info.
Tight Lines bk
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Bajazly
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West you pretty much go straight up 5 to the Sentri lanes. Last time I crossed a couple months ago the all cars lane still goes along the fence. East
you have to angle thru Mexicali to the east but it's pretty straight forward to get there. The all cars lane is always longer at the east port. The GF
lives out that way so I drive past east pretty frequently and am shocked at the line most of the time.
With Sentri, east is just a big detour unless you are heading to Az.
Believing is religion - Knowing is science
Harald Pietschmann
"Get off the beaten path and memories, friends and new techniques are developed"
Bajazly, August 2019
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elskel
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Gracias, so as I look at Google Maps, looks like the entrance runs right along the fence on, Cristobal Colon?
thank you bk
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elskel
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So looks like the East crossing, comes off of Calzada Abelardo L Rodriguez. What are the feeling of other who cross over at Mexicali? That East
crossing looks to be a few miles east and outskirts of town. In July, I will be towing a boat.
thanks bk
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bajaric
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Quote: Originally posted by elskel  | Gracias, so as I look at Google Maps, looks like the entrance runs right along the fence on, Cristobal Colon?
thank you bk |
Yes, the line is a one way street right on the fence. The right lanes are regular, the left is Sentri. I have heard the east crossing is better,
northbound, but being a creature of habit I always use the west. (or Tecate. if arriving from Ensenada) Approaching the border on the 5, I make a
right turn at the last possible street before the border. This puts you on a one way street parallel to the border line, in the opposite direction.
(east) Proceed east five blocks, and start looking to the left down the side streets until you can see you are past the end of the line, turn left,
get in line, prepare to wait a couple hours plus or minus.
Hope you have air conditioning. In July it might be better to take Hwy 1
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David K
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| Quote: Originally posted by elskel | So looks like the East crossing, comes off of Calzada Abelardo L Rodriguez. What are the feeling of other who cross over at Mexicali? That East
crossing looks to be a few miles east and outskirts of town. In July, I will be towing a boat.
thanks bk
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What Ric said, but if your destination is Orange County, cross at Tecate! Come north of Hwy. 5 to the 2-D toll road which goes over the top of Hwy. 5
(about 10 miles south of the Mexicali border). You need to go past the bridge to the first safe opening in the divider and make a U-turn to get on the
2-D westbound. It is an easy drive to Tecate. You exit the 2-D a few miles before Tecate onto the free road to best access the border. I have all the
kilometer markers if you're interested.
Oh, during the virus, Tecate and other crossings are closing at 2 pm. So check the CBP website to be sure it will be open when you arrive! Otherwise
Mexicali West and Tijuana may be the only 24 hour borders?
[Edited on 5-10-2020 by David K]
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | | Quote: Originally posted by elskel | So looks like the East crossing, comes off of Calzada Abelardo L Rodriguez. What are the feeling of other who cross over at Mexicali? That East
crossing looks to be a few miles east and outskirts of town. In July, I will be towing a boat.
thanks bk
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What Ric said, but if your destination is Orange County, cross at Tecate! |
If your destination is OC, it makes no sense to cross at tecate. Much faster to cross at Mexicali, and jump on I-8.
Xing at tecate involves lots of extra driving on twisty roads at lower speed.
Also, I don’t think tecate has a SENTRI lane, so is a slow border xing. If you don’t have GOES or SENTRI then you are wasting time...
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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David K
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LOL... so funny.
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bajaric
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Tecate, generally speaking, has a much shorter wait than Mexicali west, although sometimes it can be just as bad with no rhyme or reason to it, and
you do not know if until you get there.
Mexicali west is a well travelled crossing, once you get there
I do not agree that driving Hwy 2 up the Rumorosa grade is an "easy" drive towing a boat,although I am biased because I have a fear of bridges and
steep drop offs there have been a number of spectacular accidents over the years.
[Edited on 5-10-2020 by bajaric]
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David K
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I figured if anyone has driven the road south of El Rosario or the grade to Santa Rosalia, a four lane mountain road should not be a big challenge. My
Tacoma zips right up the Rumorosa Grade without thinking twice. Towing was not mentioned, so I didn't consider it.
The plusses of not waiting in 110° heat at Mexicali for an hour or two vs. the typically short line at much cooler Tecate, is my reasoning.
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bajaric
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Rumorosa grade is a decent, divided two lane concrete highway, most people have no problem with it. Unfortunately, I developed a phobia about bridges
and steep drop offs in middle age. It really is a bummer, because I can't drive to Tecate from Mexicali on the 2. Lots of other roads, as well.
Sierra San Pedro Martir, nope. Ridge line roads with no guard rails, nope. It really limits the places one can visit in Baja. Another thing is if
on the inside lane, its OK, but on outside lane, bad. Its a pretty common phobia.
[Edited on 5-10-2020 by bajaric]
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mtgoat666
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | I figured if anyone has driven the road south of El Rosario or the grade to Santa Rosalia, a four lane mountain road should not be a big challenge. My
Tacoma zips right up the Rumorosa Grade without thinking twice. Towing was not mentioned, so I didn't consider it.
The plusses of not waiting in 110° heat at Mexicali for an hour or two vs. the typically short line at much cooler Tecate, is my reasoning.
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Why don’t you have SENTRI?
It makes no sense that the top bloviating nomad and purported baja travel expert has not taken advantage of sentri and continues to go to tecate to
save a few minutes... when sentri could save you hours each trip to Mexico.
Woke!
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Prefered gender pronoun: the royal we
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AKgringo
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| Quote: Originally posted by bajaric | Rumorosa grade is a decent, divided two lane concrete highway, most people have no problem with it. Unfortunately, I developed a phobia about bridges
and steep drop offs in middle age. Its a pretty common phobia.
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I understand the phobia, I have witnessed it interacting with other people in steep terrain, and on construction projects. Fortunately for me,
adrenalin has always been my drug of choice, so living on the edge is fun for me and I love that road!
Ironically, about the same age that you acquired a fear of the steep, I became claustrophobic and can no longer tolerate being in tight spaces. I
won't even set foot in some of the old caves I used to explore when I was younger,
[Edited on 5-10-2020 by AKgringo]
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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David K
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| Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666 | | Quote: Originally posted by David K | I figured if anyone has driven the road south of El Rosario or the grade to Santa Rosalia, a four lane mountain road should not be a big challenge. My
Tacoma zips right up the Rumorosa Grade without thinking twice. Towing was not mentioned, so I didn't consider it.
The plusses of not waiting in 110° heat at Mexicali for an hour or two vs. the typically short line at much cooler Tecate, is my reasoning.
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Why don’t you have SENTRI?
It makes no sense that the top bloviating nomad and purported baja travel expert has not taken advantage of sentri and continues to go to tecate to
save a few minutes... when sentri could save you hours each trip to Mexico. |
Sentri is fine if where you live and work requires daily or say weekly border crossings... My average is less than once a month, and more typically
2-4 times a year, it does not justify the cost and hassle to get a Sentri pass. I often have different passengers with me, too. Besides, at Tecate
mid-week I can drive right up to the gate with little or no wait, so why would I need a Sentri?
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RFClark
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All things are relative. Hwy2 is not that steep or narrow relative to other Mexican Hwys. To “cure your fear of Hwy2 take the bus from Mexico City
to Cuernavaca and Taxco Hwy95 down the side of the Volcano and then along the canyon to Taxco! The buses all had the really big shrines with Christmas
lights on the dash!
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MrBillM
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East/West Best ?
Whatever !
Unless things have (relatively) changed in recent years, the difference would seem to be how one feels about the traffic and the sights. Back in the
days when we were traveling south of San Felipe on a regular basis, we'd often go south via the (more interesting) West, but most
often north via the East. Although the East route was 10 miles greater, (back then) the time involved tended to be
roughly the same.
Tecate ? As noted, THAT choice would depend on how one feels about the grade, wouldn't it ?
Speaking of Tecate and time ................... Years ago ('85), at the end of the Memorial Day holiday, I arrived at the
border fence turn late afternoon and (rather than wait for hours) decided to go to Tecate instead.
After a quick crossing, I headed east on I-8 and just west of turning North on Forrester in El Centro, I saw the van that had been just in front of me
in Mexicali heading west on I-8.
SO, we had gotten to the same place at the same time after a substantial difference in miles.
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JZ
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K | I figured if anyone has driven the road south of El Rosario or the grade to Santa Rosalia, a four lane mountain road should not be a big challenge. My
Tacoma zips right up the Rumorosa Grade without thinking twice. Towing was not mentioned, so I didn't consider it.
The plusses of not waiting in 110° heat at Mexicali for an hour or two vs. the typically short line at much cooler Tecate, is my reasoning.
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Until you get sentri I can't take your border crossing info seriously.
Why someone wants to drive way out of the way to Tecate makes zero sense.
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elskel
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Right on, thanks for all the responses. The one neighbor is going to visit a brother in San Diego area and the other is heading towards Oregon. So
sounds like the SD bound guy, take pick and the Oregon guy Mexicali and maybe work up towards the 395 in CA and maybe (I think) the 58 towards
Bakersfield and pick up the 5 North.
For me in July: I guess either crossing heading to Orange County. I drive a Tacoma, not too worried about the grade. I am towing an aluminum 21'
skiff, pretty light. I guess as I get closer see whats happening at the borders. Sounds like for the most part both of the crossings have been pretty
painless with what is going on right now. Yes July muy calor, will have to make a decision towards end of next month.
gracias bk
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AKgringo
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For the Oregon bound driver....I recommend taking 95 north through Nevada.
CA 395 is one of my favorite drives, and would eliminate some of the desert heat since it has three passes over 8,000 feet, but gasoline can be
godawful expensive compared to Nevada prices.
If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much space!
"Could do better if he tried!" Report card comments from most of my grade school teachers. Sadly, still true!
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BajaParrothead
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Yes, Bridgeport can often times be $5+ / gal. Bishop is pretty reasonable, but if you can wait until Carson city, it's about half of what they get in
Bridgeport.
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