General Reports

[TjBrazil]

How much is everyone paying now for taxi service from border to zona norte? The white taxis were now quoting me $10!

Just a year ago it was $5-6. I walked around for a bit and got one guy to do it for $8.

It seems like they are all colluding to quote $10 now. Wtf.

They are all colluding. They quoted me 10 too. I had to ask a few to get 7.00. They all seem to turn down five now. You just get tired and give in.

[Rambo1969]

I don't use taxi anymore, now I use "Zona Shuttle" to Hong Kong and back to the border. Good service and I tip $3 one way. At the border, the Hong Kong limo parks by the office (big Zona Shuttle sign). If you are returning to the border, from Hong Kong, report to the Hong Kong employee outside on the sidewalk and he will call a Hong Kong limo for you. Tip driver around $3.

I do the exact same thing in both directions. Works beautifully.

It's nice to ride in a limo. And usually there are water bottles in the limo.

I once had issues with a taxi driver so I feel the zona shuttle / limo is much safer.

[StRobert]

How much is everyone paying now for taxi service from border to zona norte? The white taxis were now quoting me $10!

Just a year ago it was $5-6. I walked around for a bit and got one guy to do it for $8.

It seems like they are all colluding to quote $10 now. Wtf.

I don't use taxi anymore, now I use "Zona Shuttle" to Hong Kong and back to the border. Good service and I tip $3 one way. At the border, the Hong Kong limo parks by the office (big Zona Shuttle sign). If you are returning to the border, from Hong Kong, report to the Hong Kong employee outside on the sidewalk and he will call a Hong Kong limo for you. Tip driver around $3.

[Intelligencium]

Gentlemen,

Any recent reports about whether the passport book gets stamped if you cross the border on foot?

Unfortunately I don't have time to get either Passport Card (traveling internationally in 1. 5 month and looks like the passport card application needs me to send the passport book). I applied for Global Entry, but their online tracker is showing a 4-5 month processing time.

Ideally I would not like to get my passport book stamped if possible. FWIW, I a California REAL ID drivers license, which I am assuming does not count as Enhanced ID for re-entry.

A related question: if you make a day trip just to visit Zona Norte, where do you keep your passport book? I guess I can keep it in the Front pocket of my jeans, but it feels a bit risky.

Thank you!

[Rambo1969]

I like public transit when possible. I'd prefer to end up closer but it's better to take 3 hrs to get to the border than an 18 HR layover in Denver.

I forgot to ask. Dress code? Watching some videos of the clubs. Recommendations? Business casual? Jeans? I feel over dressing could cost you in higher quotes from the girls?

Not even business casual.

No formal business jacket. But a casual balzer is OK.

Just a casual outdoor jacket if you need it.

A clubbing type of shirt and any pants or jeans in general is fine.

Basically no dress code and people are NOT formally dressed.

Since I stay at the hotel upstairs I just wear a nice shirt and no jacket / sweater.

[Nothing24]

How much is everyone paying now for taxi service from border to zona norte? The white taxis were now quoting me $10!

Just a year ago it was $5-6. I walked around for a bit and got one guy to do it for $8.

It seems like they are all colluding to quote $10 now. Wtf.

I've told you guys to remain firm at $5. Even with gas prices up and inflation, $5 is more than good enough for the 2 mile ride. When they quote anything above 6 I laugh in there face and keep walking. Even if you have to ask several of them, eventually someone will accept the 5, trust me. If the cab driver happens to be a good guy then I'll give them an extra buck.

From the border to the zona I always try to take the bus or taxi vans though. Cost less than a dollar. If the HK limo is already there I'll take that sometimes as well.

[MrLemon]

How much is everyone paying now for taxi service from border to zona norte? The white taxis were now quoting me $10!

Just a year ago it was $5-6. I walked around for a bit and got one guy to do it for $8.

It seems like they are all colluding to quote $10 now. Wtf.

[DaVinci40]

Amazing advice thank you. I will up my daily spend a bit. It's not much of an issue like you said I plan on treating myself!

Agaveboy has pretty much given all the advice. I did the train once from LAX down to San Diego and like Agave mentioned it stops near one of the trolley stops and then you just catch the trolley down to the last stop at San Ysidiro. It was fine. The down aspect of it was that it's a hassle to get to the Amtrak train from LAX and was somewhat expensive as Uber had a surcharge on with traffic conditions. Once you're at the Amtrak train though it's fine, I just remember it was a hassle. It's a nice train ride though.

Some other options, dependent on your budget, time you have available, and how deep you want to get. While there isn't a flight to Tijuana direct, the stopovers typically in Guadalajara and Mexico City have a great independent escort scene worthy of a stopover for 1-2 days (as long as it wasn't Sunday as most girls take off that day in CDMX). It would require a bit of homework but the girls are fun and there is a lively SG scene though the independent escort girls are not that much more expensive and allow CIM, DATY, DFK, etc.

You mentioned you like public transport so this wouldn't probably work and your home airport may not fly to it but I've flown into Burbank airport a couple of times. It's not as busy as LAX, a little closer to Tijuana than the other LA airports and the rental car pickup was so much easier. I got a rental car and took the scenic route or if in a hurry the main highway down to San Diego and parked the rental at the border. This also allowed me to stop at my favorite seafood taco place in SD and grab a beer near one of the nice beaches before heading into the debauchery of the ZN. This was pre covid so the prices for rentals are probably higher now but it's an option.

[FlacasOnly420]

Definitely drop money at hotel for safety. Keep just what I plan to use immediately available. I also keep sacrificial in a separate pocket.

Yeah I am assuming the 300 like bare bottom line. Likely 500 but hey got to have some fun negotiating.

Awesome on the street tacos. Anything unique you recommend? Escamoles?

Lots of street food there. I like the 30 pesos pancake lately. I always do Al Pastor tacos or Birria.

[WombatEd2]

Theres no direct usa flights into Tijuana. Or out of Tijuana to usa cities.

That is incorrect.

[Captain Solo]

There are not too many direct flights anymore. Quickest way is to rent a car in LAX, drive down in 2 hours, park behind the Burger King on San Ysidro Blvd for $10 a day.

With warm weather, a number of hot girls are working the street. Street girls are nice, conservative small town girls compared to bar girls who are slick and jaded, too many tattooed ghetto girls.

Casual clothes are OK. Dress like you are going out to eat. Jeans are acceptable. A wingman dresses shabby but blows a couple thousands a night on girls. Girls cling onto him, showing him lots of love hehe.

[BigFloppieDonk]

Theres no direct usa flights into Tijuana. Or out of Tijuana to usa cities. . you just fly to san diego. If the hassle of trolleys is to be avoided, simply get an Uber at the border to the San diego Airport. Unless its rush hour its not alot of money. Theres no tolls or bridges like in nyc and Florida Jersey, etc. By the time your done giving all your money away in mexixo the idea of spending $30 on an Uber for yourself will be easier to swallow.

I like public transit when possible. I'd prefer to end up closer but it's better to take 3 hrs to get to the border than an 18 HR layover in Denver.

I forgot to ask. Dress code? Watching some videos of the clubs. Recommendations? Business casual? Jeans? I feel over dressing could cost you in higher quotes from the girls?

[Dogers69]

Definitely drop money at hotel for safety. Keep just what I plan to use immediately available. I also keep sacrificial in a separate pocket.

Yeah I am assuming the 300 like bare bottom line. Likely 500 but hey got to have some fun negotiating.

Awesome on the street tacos. Anything unique you recommend? Escamoles?

I wouldn't eat street tacos if I was in Tijuana for the 1st time. Theres sonmany places to go eat and sit down whybwouldnyou want to be standing on those dangerous streets? Or sitting in hk hotel room by yourself eating a taco when you just spent $300 on airfare and $1300 on woman? Better to go eat at el museo, the Nelson, Azul, theres a few new taco places on revolution, then when you learn where you are walking, theres the places the Mexicans use 1 block west of revolution and even 2 blocks west of it up and down. All those streets many places to eat.

[AgaveBoy]

Theres no direct usa flights into Tijuana. Or out of Tijuana to usa cities. . you just fly to san diego. If the hassle of trolleys is to be avoided, simply get an Uber at the border to the San diego Airport. Unless its rush hour its not alot of money. Theres no tolls or bridges like in nyc and Florida Jersey, etc. By the time your done giving all your money away in mexixo the idea of spending $30 on an Uber for yourself will be easier to swallow.

You didn't read what I wrote. There are dozens of one-stop flights from US airports to TIJ. Come to think of it, you didn't read what the OP wrote, either. Have a nice day.

[Dogers69]

The train actually goes to downtown San Diego, at which point you walk a couple of hundred feet to the trolley station and take the blue line trolley the rest of the way. Once it gets to San Ysidro, you are a very short walk to the PedEast border crossing. Keep in mind that it's about a 30-45 min bus ride from LAX to the train station. They are not close to each other.

Your plan of flying to LAX is going to end up adding a significant amount of time. The bus to the train station, plus the train ride, plus the trolley ride will add up to 4+ hours. Given you're coming from the Midwest, have you considered taking a connecting flight into TIJ instead of SAN? There's a website called FlightConnections that will give you an idea of your options there. For example, you can go ORD to GDL and then GDL to TIJ.

I wouldn't make too many plans in advance. You're staying long enough that you can spend a day just taking it in and then making some plans.

Correct. Remember to get the card before checking in because they won't give you the room discount after the fact.

Depends on your tolerance for crowds. In my experience, the absolute worst time to go is when there's a big ticket fight going on.

Everyone will give you a different answer for this and really it depends on you. I budget USD 500-1000 a day (not including hotel) because I want to treat myself when I go. The ATMs that are physically located in banks are fine from a safety perspective, and you will actually get a better exchange on them. When the bank prompts you with their proposed rate, just decline it and you will get the Visa or MasterCard rate (you have to say yes to the service charge but it's usually about 50 pesos). I wouldn't plan on needing too much MXN pesos unless you're going to spend more on street girls than club girls. You don't need to make that decision until you get there.

I can already tell that you're very likely going to blow through that grand in under two days. Don't be surprised if you do.

Good news here: 3 am in the Zona is still last night, not tomorrow morning. The deadest time is roughly 6 am to 10 am for HK and the street, and 6 am to about 4-5 pm for the other clubs.

Theres no direct usa flights into Tijuana. Or out of Tijuana to usa cities. . you just fly to san diego. If the hassle of trolleys is to be avoided, simply get an Uber at the border to the San diego Airport. Unless its rush hour its not alot of money. Theres no tolls or bridges like in nyc and Florida Jersey, etc. By the time your done giving all your money away in mexixo the idea of spending $30 on an Uber for yourself will be easier to swallow.