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Visitor Information

The Mexico Tourism Board (tel. 800/446-3942) is an excellent source for general information; you can request brochures on the country and get answers to the most common questions from the exceptionally well-trained, knowledgeable staff.

More information (15,000 pages' worth) about Mexico is available on the official site of Mexico's Tourism Board, www.visitmexico.com. The U.S. Department of State (tel. 888/407-4747 or 202/501-4444; fax 202/647-1488; www.travel.state.gov) offers a Consular Information Sheet on Mexico with safety, medical, driving, and general travel information gleaned from reports by its offices in Mexico, and consistently updated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Hot Line (tel. 800/311-3435 or 404/639-3534; www.cdc.gov) is a source of medical information for travelers to Mexico and elsewhere. For travelers to Mexico and Central America, the number with recorded messages is tel. 877/394-8747. Information is also available at www.cdc.gov/travel. The U.S. Department of State's website also offers medical information for Americans traveling abroad and a list of air ambulance services.

The Mexican Government Tourist Board has offices in major North American cities, in addition to the main office in Mexico City (tel. 55/5278-4200). In the United States: Chicago (tel. 312/228-0517, ext. 14), Houston (tel. 713/772-2581, ext. 105, or 713/772-3819), Los Angeles (tel. 310/282-9112), Miami (tel. 786/621-2909), and New York (tel. 212/308-2110).

The Mexican Embassy in the United States is at 1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20005 (tel. 202/728-1750 or -1600). In Canada: 2055 Rue Peel, Suite 1000, Montreal, QUE, H3A 1V4 (tel. 514/288-2502); Commerce Court West, 199 Bay St., Suite 4440, Toronto, ON, M5L 1E9 (tel. 416/925-0704); 710 West Hastings St., Suite 1177, Vancouver, BC V6E 2K3 (tel. 604/684-1859); 1500-45 O'Connor St., Ottawa, ON, K1P 1A4 (tel. 613/233-8988; fax 613/235-9123).

Destination Mexico: Red-Alert Checklist

  • Did you pack your passport or a current, government-issued ID, necessary to clear immigration both into Mexico and to return to your country of origin? If you are planning to be in the outdoors, did you pack bug repellent? Appropriate attire?

  • Did you check to see if any travel advisories have been issued by the U.S. Department of State (www.travel.state.gov) regarding your destination?

  • Do you have the address and phone number of your country's embassy or consulate with you?

  • Do any excursion, restaurant, or travel reservations need to be booked in advance?

  • Did you find out your daily ATM withdrawal limit?

  • Do you have your credit card PINs?

  • If you purchased traveler's checks, have you recorded the check numbers, and stored the documentation separately from the checks?

  • Do you have a safe, accessible place to store money?

  • Did you bring emergency drug prescriptions and extra glasses and/or contact lenses?

  • Did you leave a copy of your itinerary with someone at home?

    Telephones

    Mexico's telephone system is slowly but surely catching up with modern times. All telephone numbers have 10 digits. Every city and town that has telephone access has a two-digit (Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara) or three-digit (everywhere else) area code. In Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, local numbers have eight digits; elsewhere, local numbers have seven digits. To place a local call, you do not need to dial the area code. Many fax numbers are also regular telephone numbers; ask whoever answers for the fax tone ("me da tono de fax, por favor"). Cellular phones are very popular for small businesses in resort areas and smaller communities. To call a cellular number inside the same area code, dial 044 and then the number. To dial the cellular phone from anywhere else in Mexico, first dial 01, and then the three-digit area code and the seven-digit number. To dial it from the U.S., dial 011-52, plus the three-digit area code and the seven-digit number.

    The country code for Mexico is 52.

    To call Mexico: If you're calling Mexico from the United States:

    1. Dial the international access code: 011 from the U.S.; 00 from the U.K., Ireland, or New Zealand; or 0011 from Australia.

    2. Dial the country code: 52.

    3. Dial the two- or three-digit area code, then the eight- or seven-digit number. For example, if you wanted to call the U.S. consulate in Acapulco, the entire number would be 011-52-744-469-0556. If you wanted to dial the U.S. embassy in Mexico City, the entire number would be 011-52-55-5209-9100.

    To make international calls: To make international calls from Mexico, first dial 00, then the country code (U.S. or Canada 1, U.K. 44, Ireland 353, Australia 61, New Zealand 64). Next, dial the area code and number. For example, to call the British Embassy in Washington, you would dial 00-1-202-588-7800.

    For directory assistance: Dial tel. 040 if you're looking for a number inside Mexico. Note: Listings usually appear under the owner's name, not the name of the business, and your chances to find an English-speaking operator are slim to none.

    For operator assistance: If you need operator assistance in making a call, dial tel. 090 to make an international call, and tel. 020 to call a number in Mexico.

    Toll-free numbers: Numbers beginning with 800 within Mexico are toll-free, but calling a U.S. toll-free number from Mexico costs the same as an overseas call. To call an 800 number in the U.S., dial 001-880 and the last seven digits of the toll-free number. To call an 888 number in the U.S., dial 001-881 and the last seven digits of the toll-free number. For a number with an 887 prefix, dial 882; for 866, dial 883.


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    Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


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    Frommer's Mexico 2008 Frommer's Mexico 2008

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    Pub Date: October 08, 2007
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    Home > Destinations > North America > Mexico > Planning a Trip > Visitor Information