Planning a Trip

Getting There & Departing

By Plane -- Continental ExpressJet (tel. 800/231-0856 in the U.S., or 01-800/900-5000 in Mexico; www.continental.com) and American Eagle (tel. 800/433-7300 in the U.S., or 01-800/904-6000 in Mexico) fly to and from Houston and Dallas. Several domestic carriers have flights to Mexico City and other destinations within the country.

The airport is about 11km (7 miles) from downtown. A taxi to the city center is $20 (£10). A colectivo van is more economical, but don't tarry in the terminal, because they leave quickly.

By Car -- From Mexico City, take Highway 57D; from Guadalajara, take Highway 80. If you're coming from the north, it takes 6 to 7 hours to drive the 536km (332 miles) from Monterrey.

By Bus -- The large Central Camionera is 3km (2 miles) east of downtown on Guadalupe Torres at Diagonal Sur. Taxis cost about $5 (£2.50). Most of the bus travel is through Estrella Blanca and its many affiliates, which occupy the counters to the left as you enter. You can buy a ticket for any of the affiliates from any counter. To the right as you enter are three other first-class bus companies: ETN (mostly to Mexico City and Guadalajara), Primera Plus (to Mexico City and Querétaro), and Omnibus de Mexico (to Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Querétaro).

Visitor Information

The State Tourism Office (tel. 444/812-9939, -9943) is at Manuel Jose Othon 130, to one side of the cathedral. The information office has a helpful staff, a good map of the city and historic district, and lots of brochures. It's open Monday through Friday from 8am to 9pm, Saturday from 9am to 2pm.

City Layout

The Plaza de Armas is the center of the historic district. All the streets bordering it are pedestrian only. The principal pedestrian street runs north-south in front of the plaza; the southern part (called Zaragoza) extends 8 blocks to the Jardín Colón, and the northern part (called Hidalgo) runs 5 blocks to the main market. The city also has many plazas and a large downtown park called La Alameda. Avenida Carranza heads east from the Plaza de Armas, passes by the Plaza de Fundadores, and extends to the prosperous residential section of the city. Fronting this street are many banks, clubs, and restaurants.