This is about a 1.7 mile walk. Everyone is walking in the same direction. The Passport Card application costs $65 and can be handled via mail, you can check out the US Department of State website for all of the information. Im kinda paranoid about losing everything Ive worked hard on. 2. You'd also have to take a shuttle to San Diego. The Via Internacional is a road that hugs the US/Mexico border, you will see the international wall on your left. This is called Calle Primera. The San Ysidro Pedestrian Border Crossing is a popular route for those crossing the border between the United States and Mexico. Take this loop, it will connect you to the Via Internacional. But I'm pretty sure you'd run into problems if let's say you enter TJ on foot like I did without getting the FMM, and then try to exit MX by plane. Be sure to keep your FMM form and receipt. you can catch bus 950 from the Iris Avenue blue line trolley station. You'll speak to border protection officials after waiting in line to cross the U.S.-Mexico border, but more often than not conversations are quick. I truly apologize that this is so late, I hope your trip went smoothly! San Diego - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are announcing that all of the vehicle traffic lanes at the San Ysidro port of entry are expected to be available again for processing travelers by Saturday morning.CBP officials overnight re-opened additional lanes northbound at the San Ysidro port of entry for vehicle processing, and as of 3:30 p.m. Friday, currently have 15 lanes for . When exiting Mexico at another border or flying out of the country, you may need to show proof that youve already paid the fee or you could be charged again. Before crossing to the US, check this site, where you can quickly find out how long the border line wait times Tijuana San Ysidro and Otay are, and also every other port of entry from Mexico. yeah, this "fmm hack" seems to only work in this specific scenario, when walking in and out of TJ. The ride from the border to the airport takes around 10 minutes depending on traffic. At night, its too dangerous. When you enter the immigration building, there are two lines. Youll get the best exchange rate this way. If you plan to stay in Mexico for longer than 180 days, youll have to apply for a temporary residency permit. Anyway, sounds like you had a great trip. Its important to note that you can only use the Cross Border Xpress if youre a ticketed passenger flying out of Tijuana airport. If youre there because you got in the wrong lane, you might get a fine or a warning, try to avoid doing so again. "You also dont have to worry about corruption at the border. If you are walking into Tijuana, you will most likely end up parking in either San Ysidro or Otay, depending on which Port of Entry you decide to use. After you arrive at the terminal, you walk across the bridge into the airport. Unfortunately because of this, you can surely expect delays. NOTE: The PedWesy crossing is currently closed with no timeline on re-opening. The second option is PedEast, or the original pedestrian port of entry. The bus drops you off near the pedestrian crossing. Now I wanna share my experience real quick and hope it may be of help to others planning to cross the broder on foot. Copyright 2023 - Where The Road Forks. How to Park for Free at the Tijuana Border Listed from most expensive to least expensive transportation options from the border into Tijuana include: Once you exit the border area, you can flag down a cab on the street. This walking street lets you off right at the base of it. Crossing the border on foot is often faster than driving across as well. This is a legitimate fee. If you hold a passport from one of these countries and do not have a resident card from one of the above-listed countries, you do need a visa to visit Mexico. You can check out my step by step Cross Border Xpress guide here. This is the biggest, most accessible port of entry, and is the one that most visitors will use if they opt to visit Tijuana for a day. An Uber from downtown San Diego to PedEast costs around $25-$30. Updated April 10, 2023 Preferred Route to the San Ysidro Regular (All Traffic) Entrance The following video and map depict the preferred way to get to the regular border entrance at San Ysidro, also known as the "All Traffic" lanes. Given the high volume of visitors San Ysidro gets, expect to pay for somewhat expensive parking all around this area. Though it's faster to cross, it is much more difficult to access from the Tijuana side. The tourist zones in Tijuana are also pretty walkable. There are also exchange booths in downtown Tijuana. Youll know youve reached downtown when you see the big arch (Arco Monumental). This entrance is best if you are coming from Rosarito or Playas de Tijuana, as it connects from the 1D highway. People will tell you that this is unnecessary but I disagree. Theres nothing worse than having a great trip to Baja ruined by the experience of waiting 6 hours in line trying to cross the border over a long weekend. Borders Jump straight to the crossing times or continue to read the crossing information. Then you exited on foot where nobody checks. Mexican official only scanned my German passport, waved me through, then customs X-ray and on to downtown. San Ysidro Border Crossing: Everything You Need to Know for Visiting Tijuana Is Tijuana Safe? The Fastest Way to Cross the Border Crossing the Border by Plane Crossing the Border by Bus The Best Time to Travel to Tijuana What You'll Need to Cross the Border The Best Things to Do in Tijuana Frequently Asked Questions Only 16 miles stand between you and a two-nation vacation when visiting San Diego. 4. A ride to Playas de Tijuana costs around $12-$14. Before I leave the country, I always purchase travel insurance. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 Lavender Vines | All Rights Reserved, San Ysidro Border Crossing: Everything You Need to Know for Visiting Tijuana, Even Tijuanas raunchy, strip club scene of old is practically gone, and instead has undergone a refreshing revival in gastronomy and craft brewery. This way, you have free transportation once you arrive in Tijuana. This border crossing location is easy to navigate, though it can be overwhelming if youve never crossed into a different country by land before. This way, you avoid expensive border parking. The immigration official checking your passport and FMM form will tell you where to pay. When I lived in San Diego I made little day trips and even weekend Mexico City has so many flavorful non-alcoholic Mexican drinks that are just begging to be tasted! As of January 2008, a valid passport is required if you plan on crossing over to Tijuana. Traffic Advisories will be posted here as needed: 2. I wonder if you could answer a question for me. Even asurprising hipster scene has emerged! San Ysidro; San Ysidro - Cross Border Express; San Ysidro - PedWest; Santa Teresa - Santa Teresa Port of Entry; Tecate; El Paso - Ysleta . The arch is the heart of downtown Tijuana. The Tijuana border crossing via the Otay port of entry is fairly straight forward. If wanting to enter Mexico through PedWest, you can use your trolley tickets to take the 907 bus to the PedWest station at no extra cost. This is no longer the case. You will get an FMM form to fill out on arrival at the border. Driving across the San Ysidro borderback into the United States usually takes a minimum of 45 minutes to an hour, howeverI have personally waited at the San Ysidro border crossing for up to 7 hours during a holiday weekend. There are a number of ways to travel from San Diego to the Border. The San Ysidro border may take longer, but its because the port of entry is by far the most popular of the 3 crossings between San Diego and Tijuana. This crossing is also known as El Chaparral. For a while Tijuana was very dangerous and these concerns kept tourists and visitors away. Is there a place to do this when exiting Mexico near PedEast? San Ysidro Port of Entry - Wikipedia Dress down and walk with purpose. The parking lot behind the Jack in the Box is a great spot, as it is located relatively close to the border and charges $8 for 8 hours, with a minimum purchase of an 8 hour block. However be careful if you do choose to walk. Most likely, your U.S. medical insurance wont cover you if something happens to you while youre visiting Tijuana. You can choose any lane to enter Tijuana, once you cross, the traffic light will either show a green or red light. If you follow my tips, youre experience crossing the border back into the United States will be pleasant. If you decide to walk from the border to downtown Tijuana, youll be walking several miles. The city of Tijuana sits directly on the Mexico side of the border. This works the same way as Mexican immigration. You can get back to the border with a taxi, Uber, taxi de ruta (shared minibus), or on foot. Using the Calle Segunda route will still take you to the same vehicle entrance as the Via Internacional. These buses leave about every 10 minutes, 24 hours per day. You will be instructed to park, and wait in the vehicle until a CBP officer arrives. Their website explains everything well and it easy to use. This is a common scam. All you need is your passport. In the terminal, youll pass through immigration and customs. From here, you can walk or catch a bus, taxi, or Uber to your destination. Youll find several border parking lots in the area. Ill detail step-by-step directions below. In the past, documents were not checked when crossing into Mexico on foot. From the parking lot, you are around 1-2 blocks from the border. 24-hour rates can cost $24+. Designed as a pedestrian bridge, most often utilized for southbound pedestrian crossing, the border wait times are lower here as fewer travelers enter Baja California through the airport's 2 connected terminal areas. The San Ysidro border is open 24 hours a day and is the most crossed port of entry in the world! Instead, they're doing everything electronically. The best way to avoid corrupt police is to obey the law and try not to draw attention to yourself. Nobody checks your FMM upon exit. They can drop you off at the PedEast or PedWest crossing. You must apply for this at a Mexican consulate or embassy. The San Diego Tijuana pedestrian border crossing is relatively fast on Saturday nights and Sundays, specially when compared to using a car. From downtown, you can catch a taxi de ruta that is heading to the border. The pedestrian crossing process is nearly identical, expect the same document check process and questions. Alternatively, you can insist that the driver use the meter. In comparison to San Ysidro, the Otay border crossing is much more limited in parking capacity. San Ysidro has plenty of parking options available, though you might have trouble finding available spots if you go during a busy time, such as over a long weekend. It really is nothing to be worried about. I highly encourage crossing without a vehicle if youre just planning being in Tijuana for a short time, like a dentist visit, Doctors appointment, shopping, etc. During the day it is safe to walk between the border and downtown Tijuana. The ride takes about 40-50 minutes from downtown San Diego to the San Ysidro trolley station. I recommend this option because its cheap and convenient. got in the SENTRI lane without having SENTRI). Depending on the time of day, a ride from the border to downtown or Zona Norte costs about $4-5. Once in Mexico, you can either take a taxi or walk to downtown Tijuana. By law you must have a 3rd party Mexican liability auto insurance. Its about $10.00 a day. I will cover every single thing you need to know about crossing the San Diego - Tijuana border, through both the San Ysidro and Otay ports of entry. The crossing process is pretty simple. One night I met a local man waiting for someone to cross with. Skip to main content . Upon crossing the border, simply get on the 905 and take either the 5 or 805 Freeways to continue North. You can find a list of these free parking lots here. Nonetheless, I would highly recommend the US Passport Card, not just because of the option to use the Ready Lanes, but also because it is less bulky than the US Passport Book. WALK across the border from San Ysidro. The area also isnt well policed at night. Yes, it is perfectly safe to walk across the border to Tijuana. After your bag passes, you can grab it and leave the building. Let us know if there is anything you would share! You can take the Blue Line running south until you end at the last stop: San Ysidro, which makes the directions very easy to follow. About 2 miles after Playas, there will be a sign (5 San Diego/ Zona Rio) directing you to take a right turn. Between San Diego and Tijuana, over 50 million people cross the border each year. The pedestrian Tijuana crossings will also have Ready Lanes available to US Citizens, these will also have shorter wait times than the regular lanes. Walk straight until you get to Calle Coahuila (about 2 blocks). Take Interstate 5 or 805 south (they merge into one right before the border) and take the last U.S. exit, which is Camino de la Plaza. However, the trolley line is on the East side of the 5 Freeway, so you will have to cross over the pedestrian bridge, this can easily be a 20 minute walk. Passenger. Date: 6/30/2023 . Entering Tijuana via car through the San Ysidro border is very straight forward, simply take either the 5 or 805 Freeways (they will merge) all the way south. Dont pay more than $5 USD one way and agree to the fare beforehand. There is a bus hub at PedWest on the USA side, so its a great option if you use the bus. In the same way that one might take a day trip to a nearby suburb or work in the next town over, locals of the region use the San Ysidro crossing frequently for various reasons. You can walk directly to Tijuana airport from the U.S. without having to travel through Tijuana. If you are parking at Otay because you will be using the Tijuana Airport, I recommend you use the Cross Border Xpress instead. Overall, theres nothing scary about Secondary Inspection, its just a way to make sure the main line does not slow down unnecessarily when further inspection is necessary. The insurance policy doesnt have to cover the vehicle you are driving, but instead is only required to cover the damages you do to another persons property.
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