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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
Mexico City
Ciudad de México
Mexico City is a morning-and-lunch city at altitude: do the Centro and the museums before 14:00, eat a long lunch, and take an app car between neighbourhoods.
Mexico City is huge, at about 2,240 m, and spread over neighbourhoods a taxi ride apart. The trips that work pick one bed, do one cluster per half-day, and put a seated lunch in the middle. Four clusters cover a first visit: the Centro Histórico, Alameda and Bellas Artes, Roma Norte, and Chapultepec. Teotihuacán, Puebla and Xochimilco are day trips from the same bed.
- Country
- Mexico
- Local name
- Ciudad de México
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Oct · Nov · Dec
- Time zone
- America/Mexico_City
- Stay
- 2 days: Centro Histórico morning + Chapultepec museum
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Cards work in hotels, malls, museums with a ticket office and most sit-down restaurants; cash (pesos) for taquerías, markets, street food, tips and small shops. Use ATMs inside banks or malls and choose to be charged in pesos.
- Daily spend
- Budget MXN 700–1,400 excl. bed · Mid MXN 1,400–3,000 excl. bed · High MXN 3,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel, AT&T and Movistar sell SIMs and eSIMs at branded shops and at the airport; bring your passport for registration. Coverage is excellent across the city.
- Emergency
- Police, fire and ambulance 911 · Tourist assistance (check) Ask your hotel
- Plugs
- 127 V, 60 Hz; sockets are type A and B (two flat pins, often with a round earth pin). Many visitors from Europe need an adapter and to check that their devices accept 127 V.
- Tipping
- About 10–15% in sit-down restaurants (check whether a service charge is already on the bill); MXN 20–50 for a porter or guide; round up a taxi fare; small change for a grocery bagger or parking helper.
- Water
- Do not drink tap water. Use bottled or purified water; restaurants generally use purified ice, but ask if unsure.
- Toilets
- Cafés, museums and malls; small fee (MXN 5–10) at some public toilets, so carry coins and tissues.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (café or hotel) | MXN 45–90 |
| Tacos at a stand, each | MXN 20–45 |
| Beer or mezcal, bar | MXN 60–150 |
| Short app car ride | MXN 70–180 |
| Airport app car to the centre | MXN 250–450 |
| Tourist SIM, about a week | MXN 100–350 |
| Museum entry | MXN 90–130 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Mexico City International Airport (MEX)
- MEX to the Centro: one authorised airport taxi or app car, 30–75 minutes depending on traffic — the risk is the street-taxi touts, not the ride.
- Felipe Ángeles International Airport (NLU)
- NLU to the Centro: one pre-booked car or authorised taxi, 60–120 minutes because the airport is about 45 km (28 mi) north — the risk is treating it as a city airport.NLU to the Centro: one pre-booked car or authorised taxi, 60–120 minutes because the airport is about 28 mi (45 km) north — the risk is treating it as a city airport.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| TAPO (Terminal de Autobuses de Pasajeros de Oriente) (TAPO) | Buses to Puebla, Veracruz and the east and south-east | Metro or car 20–40 min |
| Terminal del Norte (Central del Norte) | Buses to Teotihuacán, Querétaro, Guanajuato and northern cities | Metro or car 30–50 min |
| Terminal Poniente and Terminal Sur (Observatorio and Taxqueña) | Buses to Toluca and western towns; Cuernavaca, Taxco and the south | Metro or car 25–45 min |
| Long-distance operators and airport buses | Intercity coaches and some airport links | Varies |
Typical fares
- Airport (MEX) to Centro or Roma, app car
- MXN 250–450, 30–60 min depending on traffic
- Short app car ride, centre
- MXN 70–180
- Metro ride
- MXN 5 flat fare (check)
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a district; use an app car between districts; use the Metro for cheap, fast trips outside rush hour and Metrobús for long avenues. Avoid street taxis, and avoid the Metro with bags at rush hour.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside Centro, Alameda, Roma and Condesa |
| App car (Uber, DiDi, Cabify) | MXN 70–180 across the centre | Between districts and at night |
| Metro | MXN 5 flat (check) | Fast, cheap trips on the main lines |
| Metrobús | MXN 6–15 (check) | Long avenues such as Insurgentes and Reforma |
| Ecobici (bike share) | About MXN 130–500 a pass (check) | Short rides in Roma and Condesa |
| Authorised site taxi (taxi de sitio) | MXN 100–250 for short rides | Airport and hotel pick-ups |
| Street taxi (hailed) | Varies | — |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. App fares show upfront; for the Metro use a rechargeable card and avoid rush hour with bags.
- Late at night
- The Metro closes around midnight (check the line): app cars run all night.
See and do
01Museo Nacional de AntropologíaMuseo Nacional de Antropología
The best single museum for understanding Mexico before the Spanish and today.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: MXN 90–130 · Time: 2.5–3 h · 19.4260, -99.1861
02Templo Mayor and its museumTemplo Mayor y Museo
The heart of the Aztec capital, uncovered beneath the modern city.
Hours: best Morning · Price: MXN 90–130 · Time: 1.5–2 h · 19.4350, -99.1312
03Zócalo and Metropolitan CathedralZócalo y Catedral Metropolitana
The vast main square and the largest cathedral in the Americas by many accounts (check).
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free (towers extra) · Time: 45–60 min · 19.4326, -99.1332
04Palacio de Bellas Artes
A marble palace with murals by Rivera, Orozco and Siqueiros.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: MXN 90–130 · Time: 1–1.5 h · 19.4352, -99.1412
05Chapultepec CastleCastillo de Chapultepec
A hilltop castle, national history museum and views.
Hours: best Morning · Price: MXN 90–130 · Time: 1.5 h · 19.4204, -99.1819
06Long lunch at Contramar
The city's famous seafood lunch: tuna tostadas and fish a la talla.
Hours: best 14:00–16:00 · Price: MXN 600–1,100 · Time: 2 hHours: best 2:00 PM–4:00 PM · Price: MXN 600–1,100 · Time: 2 h · 19.4198, -99.1667
07Café de Tacuba
A historic dining room with classic dishes and hot chocolate.
Hours: best Lunch · Price: MXN 200–400 · Time: 1.5 h · 19.4358, -99.1401
08Plaza Río de Janeiro and Roma Norte
A leafy square and a neighbourhood built for strolling and coffee.
Hours: best Late afternoon · Price: Free to browse · Time: 1–2 h · 19.4193, -99.1616
09Tacos at Los CocuyosTaquería Los Cocuyos
A classic Centro taquería known for suadero and campechano.
Hours: best Late evening · Price: MXN 60–150 · Time: 30 min · 19.4308, -99.1385
10Teotihuacán
The vast pre-Hispanic city of avenues and pyramids, about an hour from the centre.
Hours: best Early, weekday · Price: Bus or tour plus entry · Time: Full day
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Teotihuacán | Bus from Terminal del Norte about 1–1.5 h, or a tour or car | Full day |
| Xochimilco | Metro and light rail about 1–1.5 h, or an app car | Half day |
| Coyoacán and the Frida Kahlo Museum | App car about 30–50 min | Half day |
| Puebla | Bus from TAPO about 2–2.5 h | Full day or overnight |
| Cuernavaca and Taxco | Bus about 1.5–3 h | Full day or overnight |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Cocuyos taquería | Tacos de suadero and campechano · Centro Histórico | MXN 60–150 | Budget |
| Churrería El Moro | Churros and hot chocolate · Alameda area | MXN 90–180 | Budget |
| Comida corrida at a family restaurant | Set lunch with soup, main and drink · Centro and Roma | MXN 100–200 | Budget |
| Café de Tacuba | Enchiladas, chiles en nogada in season, hot chocolate · Centro Histórico | MXN 200–400 | Mid-range |
| El Cardenal | Traditional Mexican breakfast and comida · Centro Histórico | MXN 250–450 | Mid-range |
| Mercado Roma | Food-hall grazing · Roma Norte | MXN 150–400 | Mid-range |
| Contramar | Tuna tostadas and fish a la talla · Roma Norte | MXN 600–1,100 | Splurge |
| Tasting-menu restaurants in Polanco and Roma | Multi-course Mexican menus · Polanco, Roma | MXN 2,000+ | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Addresses change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | MXN 500–1,200 | Centro hostels and small hotels | Hostels and budget hotels |
| mid | MXN 1,500–3,500 | Roma Norte, Condesa and Centro | Boutique and business hotels |
| splurge | MXN 4,500+ | Reforma, Polanco and Roma design hotels | 5-star and design hotels |
Per room per night in MXN, 2026 estimate.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / good morning | Hola / Buenos díasoh-la / bway-nos dee-as |
| Good afternoon | Buenas tardesbway-nas tar-des |
| Thank you | Graciasgra-see-as |
| Please | Por favorpor fa-vor |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorla kwen-ta por fa-vor |
| No spicy, please | Sin picante, por favorsin pee-kan-te por fa-vor |
| Is it spicy? | ¿Pica?pee-ka |
| Please take me to this address | Lléveme a esta dirección, por favoryeh-veh-meh a es-ta dee-rek-syon por fa-vor |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?kwan-to kwes-ta |
| I do not understand | No entiendono en-tyen-do |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greetings: Say buenos días or buenas tardes when entering a shop, taxi or restaurant; a quick greeting is expected.
- Tipping: 10–15% in restaurants unless a service charge is added; small tips for porters, guides and helpers.
- Churches: Dress modestly; no flash; keep quiet and do not photograph people at prayer.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people; follow museum rules, since flash and tripods are often banned.
- Lunch and dinner: Lunch (comida) is the main meal, from about 14:00; dinner is late; a long table conversation (sobremesa) is normal.
- Queueing: Museum and ticket queues are orderly; respect them and avoid pushing on the Metro.
- Bargaining: Only at craft markets, politely; not at shops with prices or for food.
Red lines
- Do not photograph inside museums where signs forbid it.
- Keep phones out of hand on Metro platforms and in crowds.
- Bags are checked at the big museums: leave large packs at the hotel.
Scams and watch-outs
- Street taxis that are not authorised: hailing one on the street has led to overcharging and robbery. Use an app car, a hotel taxi or a site taxi (taxi de sitio) at the airport or from your hotel.
- Fake police or 'inspectors' who ask to see your passport or cash: ask for identification and offer to go to the nearest station; real officers do not inspect money on the street.
- The staged spill: someone spills something on you, a helper offers to clean it and a partner takes your bag. Keep a hand on your things and decline help.
- Card skimming at ATMs and restaurants: use ATMs inside banks, keep your card in view and pay by phone or contactless where possible.
- Overcharging by a street helper who 'guides' you: agree the price first, or decline; official guides at museums have IDs.
One and two days
1 day
A stopover between flights. Skip: Chapultepec and the anthropology museum: they need a half-day.
- 08:308:30 AMZócalo and cathedral
- 09:309:30 AMTemplo Mayor
- 12:0012:00 PMWalk to Bellas Artes
- 14:002:00 PMLong lunch at Café de Tacuba
- 16:304:30 PMRest, then Roma at dusk
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Mexico (official tourism board): www.visitmexico.com/
- INAH — National Institute of Anthropology and History: www.inah.gob.mx/
- UK FCDO travel advice — Mexico: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico
- Wikivoyage — Mexico City: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Mexico_City
- UNESCO — Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco: whc.unesco.org/en/list/412/
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Mexico CityCiudad de México
Lléveme a esta dirección, por favor
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Museo Nacional de AntropologíaNational Museum of Anthropology
- Templo Mayor y MuseoTemplo Mayor
- Zócalo y Catedral MetropolitanaZócalo & Metropolitan Cathedral
- Castillo de ChapultepecChapultepec Castle
- Taquería Los CocuyosLos Cocuyos taquería
- Police, fire and ambulance911
- Tourist assistance (check)Ask your hotel
Most embassies are along Paseo de la Reforma or in Polanco; write your own embassy's 24-hour line below.
Share your app-car trip with a friend and check the plate before you get in.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/mexico-city). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.