Planning a Trip

Getting There & Departing

A visit to Tijuana requires little in the way of formalities -- people who stay less than 72 hours in the border zone do not need a tourist card. If you plan to stay longer, a tourist card is required and, beginning in January 2008, a passport will be required as well, no matter how long you're staying. If you're staying 7 days or less, tourist cards are available free of charge from the border-crossing station or from any immigration office and will cost a small fee for any time over 7 days.

By Plane -- There are no nonstop flights from the U.S. to Tijuana; however, Aeroméxico (tel. 800/237-6639 in the U.S., 664/683-2700, or 664/638-8444; www.aeromexico.com) has nonstop flights from Culiacán, Guadalajara, Hermosillo, and Mexico City. Mexicana (tel. 800/531-7921 in the U.S., or 664/634-6566; www.mexicana.com) has nonstop flights from Guadalajara and Mexico City; all Mexicana flights originating in the U.S. connect in Mexico City before going to Tijuana. Alma de Mexico (tel. 888/811-2562 in the U.S., or 333/836-0770; www.alma.com.mx) has nonstop flights from Ciudad Juárez, Ciudad Obregón, La Paz, and Los Mochis. Volaris (tel. 866/988-3527 in the U.S., or 551/102-8000; www.volaris.com.mx) flies nonstop from Culiacán, Guadalajara, León, Los Cabos, Morelia, and Toluca.

By Car -- If you plan to visit only Tijuana and are arriving from Southern California, you should consider leaving your car behind, since traffic can be challenging. One alternative is to walk across the border; you can either park your car in one of the safe, long-term parking lots on the San Diego side for about $12 a day, or take the San Diego Trolley (see below for more information) to the border. If you don't want to walk across the border, hop a bus (tel. 664/621-2982), which is right next to the trolley station. Once you're in Tijuana, it's easier to get around by taxi than to take on the local drivers. Cab fares from the border to downtown Tijuana run about $5. You can also charter a taxi to Rosarito for about $20 (one-way) or to Ensenada for $100 (one-way).

To reach Tijuana from the U.S., take I-5 south to the Mexican border at San Ysidro. The 18-mile (29km) drive from downtown San Diego takes about half an hour.

From the south, take the Carretera Transpeninsular north to Tijuana. It's a long and sometimes difficult drive, but once you reach Guerrero Negro from the south, the roads are more manageable.

By Trolley -- From the San Diego border, you also have the option of taking the bright-red trolley in San Ysidro at the Plaza Las Americas and getting off in Tijuana at Revolución and Calle 2 (it's nicknamed the Tijuana Trolley for good reason). It's simple, quick, and inexpensive; the one-way trolley fare is $2. The last trolley leaving for San Ysidro departs downtown around midnight; the last returning trolley from San Ysidro is at 1am. On Saturday, the trolley runs 24 hours. Departures leave about every 30 minutes.

By Bus -- Five Star Tours, in San Diego at the intersection of Broadway and Kettner (tel. 619/232-5049; fax 619/575-3075; www.fivestartours.com), offers specialized trips across the border. For $35 per person, the company will take you on a tour of Tijuana, teach you how to make traditional tacos, and return to San Diego at a preestablished time.

Also from San Diego, Contact Tours (tel. 619/477-8687) offers a tour to Tijuana for $29, including stops at the must-see tourist sights, including Avenida Revolución, and stops for shopping and lunch. It's not a regularly scheduled tour, so call ahead to check departure dates and times.

Mexicoach (tel. 664/428-9517 or 664/685-1470; www.mexicoach.com) specializes in cross-border transportation at a cost of just $5 each way. It's open daily with departures every 30 minutes from 8am to 9pm, 365 days per year. Board the bus at the Border Station Parking (next to the San Diego Factory Outlet Center, a huge outlet mall right near the border crossing -- you can't miss it) or from the trolley's last stop at the border, and it will take you to the Tijuana Tourist Terminal (tel. 664/685-1470) on Avenida Revolución, between calles 6 and 7. Returns to the border leave from the same terminal. These buses also travel to Rosarito Beach ($14 each way). Note that the special bus lanes through the border are also, on average, much faster than the car lanes.

Visitor Information

Prior to your visit, you can write for information, brochures, and maps from the Tijuana Convention & Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 434523, San Diego, CA 92143-4523. You can also get a preview of events, restaurants, and more online at www.seetijuana.com. Once in Tijuana, pick up visitor information at the Tijuana Tourism Board, Paseo de los Héroes 9365, Zona Río (tel. 888/775-2417 toll-free in the U.S., or 664/687-9600; www.seetijuana.com). You can also try the National Chamber of Commerce (tel. 664/685-8472; Mon-Fri 9am-2pm and 4-7pm). Its offices are at the corner of Avenida Revolución and Calle 1, and its staff are extremely helpful with maps and orientation, local events of interest, and accommodations; in addition, the Tijuana Tourism Board provides legal assistance for visitors who encounter problems while in Tijuana.

For additional information online, visit www.tijuanaonline.org, www.seetijuana.com, and www.baja.gob.mx.

Tijuana has a special tourist assist number (tel. 078; this is a free call) to help visitors with special needs. The following countries have consulate offices in Tijuana: the United States (tel. 664/622-7400), Canada (tel. 664/684-0461), and the United Kingdom (tel. 664/681-7323 or 664/686-5320).

Where to Park in Tijuana

Plaza Río Tijuana has ample free parking and is just across the street from the Cultural Center, where private lots charge $5 to $8 to park. Street parking is available along white curbs -- curbs painted red, yellow, or green indicate no-parking zones, as do signs displaying an "E" with a red circle and slash through the center.