Walk straight until you get to Calle Coahuila (about 2 blocks). 1. Upon exiting Playas via Highway 1D you will start seeing San Diego/5 signs, these will guide you to the Tijuana border crossing. Similar to the San Ysidro crossing, you might receive a red light at Mexican Customs, which means you will have to go through secondary inspection. The San Diego Tijuana pedestrian border crossing is relatively fast on Saturday nights and Sundays, specially when compared to using a car. The pedestrian Tijuana crossings will also have Ready Lanes available to US Citizens, these will also have shorter wait times than the regular lanes. The traditional San Ysidro crossing is the larger and busier of the two - on Sunday afternoons and on holidays expect at least a one hour wait at the crossing (it could be shorter or longer). Once you complete the Customs process, you will continue on the same walkway until you reach a Taxi stand. For more info, check out my guide: Using Uber in Tijuana. There should be plenty of signs to guide you, though you shouldnt have any trouble finding the entrance (theres literally only one way to go). You will walk down a pathway, through a large metal turnstile, and into the Mexican immigration building. Sharing the love of Jesus is one of my favorite things ever, hence why I started this blog! The yellow cabs have a fixed rate and are more expensive. Youll then pass through customs as outlined above. Either the book style or card style is fine. San Ysidro Land Port of Entry | GSA Read more:Decrease Your San Ysidro Border Wait Time: Introducing PedWest! If you must travel by car on a weekend, try to cross very early Sunday morning, like plan to be at the border before 8AM. We are planning an impromptu trip for 02/10/2023. The Passport Card application costs $65 and can be handled via mail, you can check out the US Department of State website for all of the information. 5 years ago Save Do NOT drive of walk to this place without a Global Entry or NEXUS card with Sentri access. Most importantly, the US Passport Card allows you to use the Ready Lanes at the San Ysidro and Otay ports of entry, both pedestrian and vehicle crossings. Youll need to negotiate the rate before you get in the cab. Much like you get forms to fill out when entering the country on an airplane, this is a quick and simple form declaring your entry. Upon leaving Playas via Highway 1D you will start seeing San Diego/5 signs, these will guide you to the Tijuana border crossing. Obtaining Mexican pesos before you trip is not a necessity, unless you particularly want to. 03, 2023 If you're considering crossing the border between San Diego, CA and Tijuana, Mexico then check out this helpful guide with everything you need to know about the San Ysidro border. Copyright 2023 - Where The Road Forks. About 2 miles after Playas, there will be a sign (5 San Diego/ Zona Rio) directing you to take a right turn. Driving across the San Ysidro borderback into the United States usually takes a minimum of 45 minutes to an hour, howeverI have personally waited at the San Ysidro border crossing for up to 7 hours during a holiday weekend. var shrs_empty =''; var shrs_MAP59508_loadSubPage = function (pageNum, aEl){ try{ var arrPage = shrs_getElementsByClassName(document.getElementById('shrs_MAP59508_target'), 'MAP59508_pagedDisplay'); var pageToshow = document.getElementById('MAP59508_page'+pageNum); var menuEl = document.getElementById('shrs_MAP59508_pagingListEl'); var dspCurrentPage = document.getElementById('shrs_MAP59508_pagingDspCurrentPage'); for (var i=0;iPedWest opens to the delight of cross-border commuters The only time I would recommend it is if you also have plans to visit other locations in Baja California such asGuadalupe Valley, Rosarito, or Ensenada. Line Chart Bar Chart All you need is your passport. If you rent a car, you have no choice but to buy auto insurance from the rental agency. The McDonalds in the picture above is a great stop if you want to get some food or use the bathroom before heading into Mexico. The Ready Lanes are special lanes that only US Citizens who have the US Passport Card can use. Nobody checks your FMM upon exit. After your bag passes, you can grab it and leave the building. But I'm pretty sure you'd run into problems if let's say you enter TJ on foot like I did without getting the FMM, and then try to exit MX by plane. Its like you read my mind! There is free parking at many of the trolley stations. The crossing is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and typically has shorter wait times than the vehicle crossings. If its a green light, you may continue through into Mexico, if its red, you will be asked to stop for secondary inspection. You can also cross the border at Otay Mesa, but it is far from anything you'd most likely want to visit in Tijuana, and it is normally faster crossing back into the United States at San Ysidro as well. Anna is a freelance writer and editor based out of San Diego. Take this loop, it will connect you to the Via Internacional. 1. choose a lane type by clicking on an image below: . Make sure you have the Passport cards, as this entrance is only for Ready Lane. Tijuana is only 20 miles south of San Diego. once you arrive in Tijuana, you can easily get around the city using taxis, Uber, and collectives. He told me about how the previous week he had been held at knifepoint by a group of guys and robbed. It is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that allows quick border crossing for pre-approved, low risk travelers. Passport- You need to bring your passport. Because of Tijuanas close proximity, many San Diego visitors make a day trip to Tijuana to experience a little bit of Mexican culture. For more info, check out my guide to police corruption in Tijuana. This includes around 70,000 vehicles and 20,000 pedestrians. Prices are also higher during these times. Hi, we are planning on crossing the border from Tijuana to San Diego after flying to Tijuana Airport. 2. As you can see, parking is limited and will be on the expensive side. Upon crossing the border, simply get on the 905 and take either the 5 or 805 Freeways to continue North. This way, you dont have to worry about buying Mexican auto insurance and driving in a foreign country. Tijuana has really undergone a restoration process in the past couple of years. For more information, you can check out my travel insurance page. In 2016 a second pedestrian crossing was opened, "PedWest", connecting Plaza Viva Tijuana via a walkway to the border next to the El Chaparral auto crossing, with Virginia Avenue in San Ysidro. Pickpocketing and robbery occur. Exit 1A is the last exit before the Mexican border. In the terminal, youll pass through immigration and customs. There is a side road to the East of the car line, you can have a Taxi/Uber drop you off in that area, and then you simply continue via the walkway until you reach US immigration. Seriously, dont even try to risk it, you will most likely get towed! I have heard several stories of people being held up by armed muggers while walking between the border and downtown. It really is nothing to be worried about. Let us know if there is anything you would share! 4. The most common question I get (ironically mostly from real life not so much from my blogging life) is how I afford Hello, I really enjoyed reading your information here. The insurance policy doesnt have to cover the vehicle you are driving, but instead is only required to cover the damages you do to another persons property. The ride takes about 40-50 minutes from downtown San Diego to the San Ysidro trolley station. I know the biggest question you have is, is Tijuana safe? For more info, check out my guide: Do I Need a Passport to Go to Mexico? Add to . At this point, follow the walkway into Mexico, it will be lined with fences on both sides. San Luis - San Luis I; San Ysidro; Santa Teresa - Santa Teresa Port of Entry; Tecate . I do not recommend making this walk after dark for safety reasons. If youre in a hurry, the line is usually the shortest early in the morning before 7 am and late at night after 8 pm or so. The immigration officials are honest. This is about a 1.7 mile walk. This is a distance of about 16 miles. If you plan to stay in Mexico for less than 7 days, the official will stamp your passport and the completed FMM form and send you on to customs. After you cross, youre less than a mile from downtown. You can see full details on the DHS website here. Border Wait Times You will get an FMM form to fill out on arrival at the border. If you have to pay the FMM fee, be sure to keep your receipt. You can also wait until you cross and use your credit or debit card to withdraw pesos from an ATM. Greyhound has a bus stop right next to the San Ysidro trolley station. Its much better to use a paid parking lot than to deal with the headache and expense of getting your car towed. San Ysidro; San Ysidro - Cross Border Express; San Ysidro - PedWest; Santa Teresa - Santa Teresa Port of Entry; Tecate; Otay Mesa - Passenger. The CBX, Cross Border Xpress, is the 3rd crossing point between San Diego and Tijuana, and services only travelers that hold boarding passes through the Tijuana International Airport, along with their identification. Is there a place to do this when exiting Mexico near PedEast? See the blue line in the map below. Then, wait in line either on the highway or queue up behind other pedestrians on the walkway into Mexico. There are four places that pedestrians can walk across the border from San Diego county into Tijuana. These buses leave about every 10 minutes, 24 hours per day. I hope you now have a comprehensive understanding of the San Ysidro border crossing. Anyone coming into Tijuana to visit from California will need to fill out an FMM, or a Visitors Permit, which is free if the trip is less than 7 days long. The most easily accessible border crossing between the hubs of Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego, California, can be crossed by foot or via the connected El Chaparral vehicle crossing point, providing access for long and short-term travelers. From downtown, you can catch a taxi de ruta that is heading to the border. 4. Youll walk down a hill next to a busy street with a parking garage on yor right. Exit the freeway at the Siempre Viva Road exit. However, the cheaper cost comes at the expense of a much longer walk. Cross the street at the intersection. 2023 Welk Digital Innovations. The Tijuana border crossing via the Otay port of entry is fairly straight forward. This includes up to one liter of alcohol, if 21 or older (, Discover Tijuana's Underground Hipster Scene (who knew?! I was pickpocketed in downtown Tijuana. You will also walk through a metal detector. Is Tijuana Safe? However I would definitely recommend either driving or taking the San Diego trolley to the San Ysidro border, and then walking across the border. You can catch a 901 bus either downtown or on Coronado Island. Youll have to transfer to a 906 bus at the Iris Avenue Transit Center. . Along this road, youll find a number of paid border parking lots. Then you have found the right place! If you fall in love with Tijuana like I did, and you want to move there, you can read my guide: Living in Tijuana as an American. Going to Tijuana? Alternatively, you can insist that the driver use the meter. When I lived in San Diego I made little day trips and even weekend Mexico City has so many flavorful non-alcoholic Mexican drinks that are just begging to be tasted! Updated April 10, 2023 Preferred Route to the San Ysidro Regular (All Traffic) Entrance The following video and map depict the preferred way to get to the regular border entrance at San Ysidro, also known as the "All Traffic" lanes. If wanting to enter Mexico through PedWest, you can use your trolley tickets to take the 907 bus to the PedWest station at no extra cost. At night, its too dangerous. A ride to Zona Rio costs around $5-$6. Now youre in Tijuana. Thanks for the write-up. Some lots charge by the hour and some by the day. You could take the Cross Border Xpress but that is more expensive. Before you travel, be sure to notify your card issuer so they dont shut your card off. Thank you! After continuing on the Via Internacional for about 3 miles, you will see a 5 San Diego / Paseo de los Heroes sign instructing you to turn right (there will be a gas station there), take this right.
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