destinations: mexico city

Getting there

Mexico City Benito Juarez International Airport (MEX) used to be a ramshackle Third World affair, but recent upgrades have transformed it into a spacious, easy-to-use, modern introduction to the capital. Located 10 miles east of downtown, the airport has information desks located throughout the terminal building, with a tourist information office located in Lounge B.

It has banks, bureaux de change and ATMs. There is an Internet café in Lounge E, while the International Business Club, on the second floor of Concourse D, provides workstations, meeting rooms and Internet access. The Hilton Mexico
City Airport Hotel also operates a business center offering secretarial services, faxing, printers, photocopying and Internet access.

Taxis are stationed outside the terminal building. Prepaid tickets (approximately $25 to downtown) are available from Taxi Autorizado in the Transportacion Terrestre booth in Baggage Claim. Passengers are advised to use only authorized taxis with an airport logo, For those inclined toward adventure, buses depart from Gate D; and the Metro is also close by.

Travelers with time to kill can choose from dozens of bars and restaurants, including Wings, Baron Rojo and Cucara Makara. There are also duty-free stores, shops specializing in local handicrafts, liquor stores, gift shops and
newsstands.

Getting around

If Mexico City locals agree on one thing that drives them to despair, it’s the sheer volume of traffic. “Rush hour” is better defined as a rolling sequence of hours lasting all day. While cars are available for hire, it is not advisable to use them.

A breakfast date can easily segue into lunch if you try to get from A to B in a car — and keep in mind that the police are fond of pulling over foreign drivers for nonexistent traffic infractions, so as to extract la mordida (the “bite,” or a small bribe), which pays for their lunch.

While the city has a great Metro system and numerous small buses (peseros) that go everywhere at breakneck speed, taxis still offer business travelers the best value when time is money.

Local taxis come in all makes and shapes: The bright green Volkswagen variety is everywhere. They can be flagged down in a heartbeat. Nine trips out of ten might be incident-free, and then the 10th could be a driven by a bandit. The basic rule of thumb: Don’t hail a taxi off the street, regardless of convenience. A sitio (stationed) taxi is the best bet — they operate from stands, take radio calls and comply with set rates. Servi-Taxis (+55 5271-2560), Radio-Taxi (+55 5566-077) and Taxi-Mex (+55 55197690) accept American Express and offer 24-hour service.