Visitor Information

Prior to your visit, you can write for information, brochures, and maps from the Tijuana Convention & Visitors Bureau, PO 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 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 is 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. And for Tijuana's offbeat side, the blogs Tijuego (www.tijuego.com) and I[heart]TJ (www.tijuanita.com; Spanish only) keep abreast of arts, culture, and nightlife.

Tijuana has a special tourist assist number (tel. 078; this is a free call) to help visitors with special needs, as well as provide assistance in the event of crime. And in a pinch, don't hesitate to stop one of Tijuana's grey-and-black-uniformed tourist police; they're all over Avenida Revolución.


Fast Facts

Area Code -- The local telephone area code is 664.

Banks -- Banks exchange currency during business hours, generally Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 6pm and Saturday from 9am to 2pm. Major banks with ATMs and casas de cambio (money-exchange houses) are easy to find in all the heavily trafficked areas discussed in this chapter. Although dollars are widely accepted, you're advised to use pesos for a better deal.

Climate & Weather -- Tijuana's climate is similar to Southern California's: Don't expect sweltering heat just because you're south of the border, and remember that the Pacific waters won't be much warmer than off San Diego. The first beaches you'll find are about 24km (15 miles) south of Tijuana.

Embassies & Consulates -- 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. 664/686-5320).

Emergencies -- Dial tel. 078 to reach Tourist Assist; tel. 066 to reach the Police or Red Cross. Both are free calls. To reach the Green Angels (a government service that travels the roadways of Mexico looking for cars with problems, equipped to make minor repairs, and only charging for parts used or gas consumed), servicing the Tijuana area, call tel. 078 or 664/624-3479.

Internet -- Changes come fast in Tijuana, so the Internet cafe that was there the last time you visited is probably not there anymore. Most hotels offer free Wi-Fi or, if you're just passing through and need to get connected, scan the streets for the occasional INTERNET or CAFE INTERNET sign. You won't have to go far to get online.

Pharmacy -- Sanborn's is a 24-hour department store with a 24-hour pharmacy. It has two locations in Tijuana: one downtown at the corner of Avenida Revolución and Calle 8 (tel. 664/688-1462) and another in the Zona Río (tel. 664/684-8999) at Paseo de los Heroes and Cuauhtémoc. Numerous discount pharmacies are also found along avenidas Constitución and Revolución.

Taxes & Tipping -- A value-added tax of 10%, called IVA (Impuesto al Valor Agregado), is added to most bills, including those in restaurants. This does not represent the tip; you should add about 15% if the service warrants.

Taxis -- Call Yellow Cabs (Taxis Amarillos) at tel. 664/682-9892.

Getting There

Getting There & Departing

Gone are the days when U.S. citizens could merely flash a smile and a driver's license to drive across the border. As of 2009, all travelers attempting to enter the United States, including U.S. and Canadian citizens, by land or sea must have a valid passport or other WHTI-compliant document (such as the new Passport Card and SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST, and the U.S. Coast Guard Mariner Document).

Mexican immigration requires that visitors have passports that are valid for at least 6 months. American and Canadian tourists do not require a visa or a tourist card for stays of 72 hours or less within the border zone (20-30km/12-19 miles from the U.S. border). For travel to Mexico beyond the border zone, Americans must be in possession of a tourist card, also called a Tourist Migration Form (FMM). This document is provided by immigration authorities at the country's points of entry. If you enter Mexico by land, and will be going beyond the border zone or staying there more than 72 hours, it is your responsibility to stop at the immigration module located at the border.

By Plane -- The Tijuana Airport (tel. 664/607-8201) is about 8km (5 miles) east of the city. All Mexican airlines (Aeroméxico, Volaris, Interjet, and VivaAerobus.com) fly to Tijuana from points within Mexico. To fly from other countries, you'll fly to San Diego's Lindbergh Field in California (tel. 619/400-2404 in the U.S.; www.san.org), about an hour from Tijuana, which has nonstop and connecting flights from all over the United States.

Official taxis from Tijuana's airport cost 200 to 250 pesos to centro or Zona Río; buy tickets from the booth near the exit. From San Diego's airport, take the 992 bus ($2.25) or a cab (about $10) the 5 minutes to Santa Fe train station and take the Trolley to the border to walk across.

By Car -- To drive to Tijuana from the U.S., take highways I-5 or 805 S. to the Mexican border at San Ysidro. The drive from downtown San Diego takes about 30 minutes, or you can leave your car in a San Ysidro parking lot and walk the 20 minutes to Avenida Revolución.

If you choose to leave your car behind, which may be a wise decision since traffic is challenging, you can take the San Diego Trolley to the San Ysidro border. From there you can follow the signs to walk across the border, or hop one of the buses (tel. 664/685-1470), which are located next to the trolley station. Once you're in Tijuana, it's easy to get around by taxis, which are still relatively safe compared to those in other large cities like Mexico City. Cab fares from the border to downtown average 50 pesos. You can also hire a taxi to Rosarito for about 200 pesos one-way.

By Bus -- Greyhound Bus Lines (tel. 800/231-2222 in the U.S.; www.greyhound.com) offers service nearly 24 hours daily for $13 one-way between San Diego and Tijuana via the San Ysidro border crossing, stopping at Tijuana's Rodriguez airport (TIJ) and ending up at Tijuana's Central de Autobuses, where you can connect to Mexican bus lines for destinations farther down Baja. Mexicoach (tel. 619/428-9517 in the U.S., or 664/685-1470 in Mexico) runs a similar service (hourly, 5am-10pm) between San Ysidro and Tijuana for $4 one-way/$6 round-trip. For $13 one-way/$20 round-trip, it will take you as far as Rosarito. Mexican discount airliner Volaris also runs a shuttle between San Diego's Santa Fe train station and Tijuana airport for passengers; cost is $15.

By Trolley -- From downtown San Diego, you have the option of taking the bright-red Tijuana Trolley (tel. 619/595-4949; www.sdmts.com) headed for San Ysidro and getting off at the last, or San Ysidro, stop. It's simple, quick (about 1 hr. from Old Town San Diego to San Ysidro), and inexpensive; the one-way fare is $2.50. The last trolley leaving for San Ysidro departs downtown San Diego around midnight; the last returning trolley from San Ysidro is at 1am. On Saturday, the trolley runs 24 hours. From the trolley station, just walk over the border.

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