General Reports

[QUOTE=CaptainSolo;2771831]A wingman sent me this pic taken from the local press.

Ped East line to enter US was unusually long, stretched back to the taxi stand, doubled back on the same path, wrapped around the park back to the street with the taxi stand and went over the bridge, estimated over 3-mile long line of people waiting to cross. These people have visas, not migrant. It probably took 5 to 6 ours to clear that line. Just look at the pics.

In previous years long lines of cars and people crossed into the US near Christmas to shop, but I never ever saw a pedestrian line this long, about 5 to 6 x normal. What's going on?.

Before New Year, the bros without SENTRI or GE should avoid returning during the day time.[/QUOTE]Many factors contribute to the long line. #1 they never reopened ped west. #2 staff is busy with open border policy so everyone running across border or swimming across or taking boats across knowing I beleive only Mexicans can be sent back. All other countries tries usually remain in usa. #3 skyrocketing Tijuana and san diego population compared to 10 years ago. #4 this is the week everyone is going to see family so they need to get to usa get to San Diego or lax airport or take their bus to whatever city their family in usa is in. #5 30% of the people crossing right now are just going shopping. The problem with so many people crossing with mexican visas, is, its very easy to lend your visa to someone the same height and age as they all have the same color hair. So people deported probably try and walk in every 30 minutes I would guess. So staff has to ask another questions to at least try and catch some people. If you look in the office you will usually see some people sitting down Ankle cuffed to the benches.

[QUOTE=CaptainSolo;2771831]A wingman sent me this pic taken from the local press.

Ped East line to enter US was unusually long, stretched back to the taxi stand, doubled back on the same path, wrapped around the park back to the street with the taxi stand and went over the bridge, estimated over 3-mile long line of people waiting to cross. These people have visas, not migrant. It probably took 5 to 6 ours to clear that line. Just look at the pics.

In previous years long lines of cars and people crossed into the US near Christmas to shop, but I never ever saw a pedestrian line this long, about 5 to 6 x normal. What's going on?.

Before New Year, the bros without SENTRI or GE should avoid returning during the day time.[/QUOTE]According to the Customs website Pedi West has been closed. According to an article from a coupe of months ago it's due to staffing shortages and has been closed for a couple of months.

[QUOTE=Gregyyr;2771558]So true. Also if you want a better seat they will sell you one for maybe $10 extra etc.

-G.[/QUOTE]Volaris is notorious for over booking so that $10 is worth it to secure a seat.

Normally crossing back into the US in the afternoons and early evenings is not a issue. If the lines only extend to the pedestrian bridge then the wait is not too long.

[QUOTE=Gregyyr;2771876]Yikes. Will stay away from that time. Friday nights later are still good to cross. 9 pm I crossed with no wait yesterday. Also crossed a few weeks ago on a Saturday night about the same time with 10 min wait..[/QUOTE]

Just returned from Tijuana yesterday afternoon. The HK driver takes us back to the border to a line that I wasn't familiar with. I straight up ask him "is this the line to cross the border"? He says yes. I'm tired and not really paying attention so I just go to the back of the line and wait. I just assumed the pedestrian line was probably longer than usual so was extended out to an area I wasn't familiar with.

After 30 minutes or so of waiting I realize that it's actually not the pedestrian line, it's the line to catch one of those Tijuana to SD buses that cross the border (I'd never taken one of these buses before). I was disappointed because I'd just assumed I was in the pedestrian line but I'd already been waiting 30+ minutes in that line so I wasn't going to get out at that point to go to the pedestrian line. Ended up costing $10 for a bus ticket, which wasn't bad at all. The entire time it took to cross from when I first got into line to getting past the USA customs official was around 90 minutes.

As the bus was driving us to the border checkpoint, I saw a longer pedestrian line than I've ever seen in my life. I'm just guessing it would've been a 3-4 hour wait in that line, if not a lot longer. So I'm actually really glad the HK driver decided to take me to the bus line instead, LOL. Might end up using that option again as it was a pretty smooth process. It was just really odd because all the times HK has driven me back to the border they've never taken me to the bus line, they've always taken me to the pedestrian line. Maybe he just realized the ped line was super long so just wanted to save me some time.

[QUOTE=BrotherMouzone;2772204]Just returned from Tijuana yesterday afternoon. The HK driver takes us back to the border to a line oss from as around 90 minutes.

As the bus was driving us to the border checkpoint, I saw a longer pedestrian line than I've ever seen in my life. I'm just guessing it would've been a 3-4 hour wait in that line, if not a lot longer. So I'm actually really glad the HK driver decided to take me to the bus line instead, LOL. Might end up using that option again as it was a pretty smooth process. It was just really odd because all the times HK has driven me back to the border they've never taken me to the bus line, they've always taken me to the pedestrian line. Maybe he just realized the ped line was super long so just wanted to save me some time.[/QUOTE]I've used the bus several times, usually saves saves some time plus you are sitting instead of standing most of the wait. Sometimes the pedal line is quicker depending on its length and how long you have to wait for the bus to load etc. Pro top. During the summers and afternoons always sit on the right side of bus, that sun can get hot sitting on the left side, especially if the window doesn't have a shade.

[QUOTE=Hargow20;2772105]Normally crossing back into the US in the afternoons and early evenings is not a issue. If the lines only extend to the pedestrian bridge then the wait is not too long.[/QUOTE]I crossed back on Monday at 8:30 and I was interested to see how bad the line was thinking that people would be crossing early to be at the stores when they open but it was only backed up to the pedestrian bridge. Today as I write this Tuesday 2 pm the wait to cross by foot at SY was only 1 hour the Otay crossing says 90 minutes with the car traffic a little longer also. So some might be trying to use Otay to save time but it's actually longer.

I've seen a FB page mentioned a few times in different articles in the local paper but never tried it. It's "cómo está la línea hoy", I imagine it's in Spanish so you might have to do some basic translation but with the numbers posted I would think most anyone could figure it out. The good thing is it has lots of members and it's supposed to be updated from those in line or have just crossed. Maybe this will help for those of you deciding if it's worth it to leave the Zona or those of you that need to catch a flight.

[QUOTE=Jackie888;2771960]Volaris is notorious for over booking so that $10 is worth it to secure a seat.[/QUOTE]I've noticed since more people started traveling in 2021 that Volaris would send me a email offering to pay me if I took a later flight to my destination. I never spend the extra money to choose my seat since it doesn't matter. I have yet to have them tell me the plane is overbooked and make me take a different flight.

[QUOTE=Dogers69;2771917]Many factors contribute to the long line. #1 they never reopened ped west. #2 staff is busy with open border policy so everyone running across border or swimming across or taking boats across knowing I beleive only Mexicans can be sent back. All other countries tries usually remain in usa. #3 skyrocketing Tijuana and san diego population compared to 10 years ago. #4 this is the week everyone is going to see family so they need to get to usa get to San Diego or lax airport or take their bus to whatever city their family in usa is in. #5 30% of the people crossing right now are just going shopping. The problem with so many people crossing with mexican visas, is, its very easy to lend your visa to someone the same height and age as they all have the same color hair. So people deported probably try and walk in every 30 minutes I would guess. So staff has to ask another questions to at least try and catch some people. If you look in the office you will usually see some people sitting down Ankle cuffed to the benches.[/QUOTE]#2. In October they added Venezuelans to this list since so many were coming. They were supposed to deport them back to Mexico if caught, the first report was that they were going to deport 200 per day to 5 different cities, Tijuana being one. It's seems they in forced this for a short time but different reports I've read is that now it's up to CBP officers on Weather! To let them in. Unfortunately I can't verify this.

#5. Now it's been a few years since I crossed but I was under the impression that they have cameras now when you talk to the officers for facial recognition in order to help speed the process. So I would think this has reduced people trying to use the "using a different persons Visa that they look like" game. Even when crossing the Sentri the other day I noticed the cameras where you hold your card out and the camera 1 said driver and camera 2 said passenger. So it seems like they are doing that for cars now as well. I remember when the new port director took over she mentioned one way to speed up crossing times was with this type of updated technology.

[QUOTE=Hoboken16;2771924]According to the Customs website Pedi West has been closed. According to an article from a coupe of months ago it's due to staffing shortages and has been closed for a couple of months.[/QUOTE]Most papers just report on what they are told and don't investigate. They've been telling that staffing BS for some time now. The port director even came up with the claim that it was also due to new hires not getting trained or something because of COVID. They are using Pedwest for the asylum seekers that are in the shelters or other parts of Tijuana waiting for their report date to be processed and let into the US. Also if Title 42 does go away it will only get worse.

Also for those in California the governor went to Mexicali last week to visit shelters and was with the Baja governor. He said he would continue to fight for them and helping them to come to the US. The next day he goes on with the media and cries that the immigration policies are hurting California because of the costs. So he only declares things a problem when he is looking for the federal government to give him money for problems that he caused.

[QUOTE=Azfriole;2772449]I've used the bus several times, usually saves saves some time plus you are sitting instead of standing most of the wait. Sometimes the pedal line is quicker depending on its length and how long you have to wait for the bus to load etc. Pro top. During the summers and afternoons always sit on the right side of bus, that sun can get hot sitting on the left side, especially if the window doesn't have a shade.[/QUOTE]Is there a bathroom on the bus?

[QUOTE=Artisttyp;2772544]Is there a bathroom on the bus?[/QUOTE]No, at least not on the "bus" I took 2 days ago. The "bus" I took was more of an enlarged van that looked exactly like the one in the link below. If you have large enough luggage (which I did) they make you load it in the very back of the bus before you hop on.

At least when I took it a couple days ago, once you get on, it doesn't take very long to get to the border. The bus goes through a special line that's reserved I guess for tour groups and the like.

I'm fairly patient so don't mind pedestrian lines up to 2 hours, but if I think the wait will be longer than that, this will be my go-to option going forward.

[URL]https://www.flickr.com/photos/southerncalifornian/49116117273[/URL]

Everyone from Tecate to Tijuana is crossing the border to get to the San Ysidro Outlet mall to do their Christmas shopping. The lines are going to be a pain in the ass if you do you have Sentri.

I probably should not post this technique / trick. But here is what can easily be done to expedite your walk across the Tijuana border at San Ysidro.

Note: I already said I shouldn't post this. So don't beat me up. And I do not condone anything illegal. This is just my trick I discovered. Here it goes:

The Goddamn US Passport Card AND the protective sleeve will get you past the guards and Mexican customs / police when you get dropped off by taxi up by the overpass and see a huge line. Just confidently make eye contact and say "Sentri" and show them the BACK of your US Passport card. The back of your US Passport card looks very similar to the Sentri. Plus the protective cover IS exactly the same one used. Walk up the Sentri. Then buy a Soda at the final shop. Install your earbuds and magically get in the front of the line and maybe hand that soda to the ladies singing or selling chicklets in the left line next to you. Works every time. Like magic you saved 2 hrs. Note: Don't USE the Sentri line! Don't stand in the right lane (HandiCap) Just skip to the front and blend in to the left while chatting with the locals.

P.S. Yes I know some don't have a passport card. Well then pay the extra $30? And get one.

P. P.S. Yes I know this is cheating and so I advise you to not actually do it.

[QUOTE=GentileBear;2772566]I probably should not post this technique / trick. But here is what can easily be done to expedite your walk across the Tijuana border at San Ysidro.

Note: I already said I shouldn't post this. So don't beat me up. And I do not condone anything illegal. This is just my trick I discovered. Here it goes:

The Goddamn US Passport Card AND the protective sleeve will get you past the guards and Mexican customs / police when you get dropped off by taxi up by the overpass and see a huge line. Just confidently make eye contact and say "Sentri" and show them the BACK of your US Passport card. The back of your US Passport card looks very similar to the Sentri. Plus the protective cover IS exactly the same one used. Walk up the Sentri. Then buy a Soda at the final shop. Install your earbuds and magically get in the front of the line and maybe hand that soda to the ladies singing or selling chicklets in the left line next to you. Works every time. Like magic you saved 2 hrs. Note: Don't USE the Sentri line! Don't stand in the right lane (HandiCap) Just skip to the front and blend in to the left while chatting with the locals.

P.S. Yes I know some don't have a passport card. Well then pay the extra $30? And get one.

P. P.S. Yes I know this is cheating and so I advise you to not actually do it.[/QUOTE]LOL, I personally think it's lame and unscrupulous as hell to line jump like that, but maybe that's just my opinion LOL. Disservice to those who choose to wait as much as a few hours in line, which includes a lot of honest, hard-working Mexicans, some of whom cross the border back and forth nearly every day for grinding work to support their families. If it's that serious and I crossed that frequently I'd probably just pony up for the SENTRI card. But again, maybe that's me.