Planning a Trip

Getting There & Departing

By Plane -- AeroMéxico/Aerolitoral (tel. 800/237-6639 in the U.S., or 668/815-2570 for reservations; www.aeromexico.com.mx) has direct service from Phoenix, Chihuahua, Hermosillo, Mazatlán, and La Paz. The airport is 21km (13 miles) north of town; transportation is by combi (collective minivan) or airport taxi ($10/£5).

By Train -- The first-class Chihuahua al Pacífico (Copper Canyon train) runs between Los Mochis and Chihuahua once daily, departing at 6am. First-class fare is $130 (£65).

By Car -- Coastal Highway 15 is well maintained in both directions leading into Los Mochis.

By Ferry -- A ferry plies the waters between La Paz and Topolobampo, the port for Los Mochis carrying passengers, vehicles, and cargo. The company, Baja Ferries (tel. 668/817-3752 or -3864; www.bajaferries.com), uses a larger and more dependable ship than the company that used to operate this ferry route.

By Bus -- Buses serve Los Mochis, however marginally. Most are de paso -- passing through. All bus stations are downtown, within walking distance of the hotels. The first-class station is near Juárez at Degollado 200. From here, Elite buses go to and from Tijuana, Monterrey, Nogales, and Ciudad Juárez. Auto-transportes Transpacíficos, in the same station, serves Nogales, Tijuana, Mazatlán, Guadalajara, Querétaro, and Mexico City. A lot of travelers who arrive in Los Mochis prefer to go directly to El Fuerte, spend the night there, and then catch the train. There are two places to catch the bus to El Fuerte (1 1/2-2 hr.). The first is at the Mercado Independencia; the bus stops at the corner of Independencia and Degollado. The other is at the corner of Cuauhtémoc and Prieto, near the Hotel América. Ask hotel desk clerks or the tourism office for a schedule. These are second-class buses, which stop frequently, prolonging the trip well beyond the normal 1-hour travel time.

City Layout

Los Mochis contains no central plaza, and streets run northwest to southeast and southwest to northeast.

Fast Facts

The local American Express representative is Viajes Araceli, Av. Alvaro Obregón 471-A Poniente (tel. 668/815-5780; fax 668/815-8787). Note: Changing money outside of Los Mochis is difficult, so stock up on pesos before boarding the train. Most places in the canyons do not accept credit cards. The telephone area code for Los Mochis is 668.