Getting There & Departing
By Car -- From Mexico City, take Highway 15 to Toluca. In Toluca, Highway 15 becomes Paseo Tollocan. Follow Tollocan south until you see signs pointing left to Ixtapan de la Sal. After the turn, continue straight for around 15km (9 1/3 miles). Just before the town of Tenango del Valle, you have a choice of the free road to Ixtapan de la Sal or the toll road. The free road winds through the mountains and takes 1 1/2 hours. The inexpensive two-lane toll road has fewer mountain curves and takes around an hour -- it's worth taking. The toll road stops about 15km (9 1/3 miles) before Ixtapan; the rest of the trip is on a curvy mountainous drive.
By Bus -- From Mexico City's Terminal Poniente, buses leave for Ixtapan de la Sal every few minutes. Request a bus that's taking the toll road, which cuts the travel time by 30 to 60 minutes, to about 2 1/2 hours. To return, take a bus marked MEXICO DIRECTO, which leaves every 10 minutes and usually stops in Toluca. Buses from here also go to Cuernavaca and Taxco every 40 minutes.
