Air
Miguel Hidalgo airport (GDL) is 20 km from town. To reach the airport, bus No 176 ‘San José del 15’ (grey) leaves from intersection of Corona and Calzada de la Independencia every 20 mins, US$0.25. Autotransportes Guadalajara-Chapala from the old bus terminal stop at the airport on the way to/ from Chapala, every 15 mins, 0655-2125, US$0.30, 2nd class. A taxi to the airport costs a minimum of US$12. There are daily flights to and from virtually every city in Mexico and many around the world.
Airline offices
Mexicana, reservations T33-3678 7676, arrival and departure information T33-3688 5775, ticket office: Av Mariano Otero 2353 (by Plaza del Sol), T33-3112 0011. AeroMéxico, reservations T33-3669 0202, airport information T33- 3688 5098, ticket offices: Av Corona 196 and Plaza del Sol, Local 30, Zona A. Air France, Vallarta 1540-103, T33-3630 3707. American, Vallarta 2440, T33-3616 4090 for reservations, T33-3688 5518 at airport. Continental, ticket office Astral Plaza, Galerías del Hotel Presidente Intercontinental, Locales 8-9, T33-3647 4251 reservations, T33-3688 5141 airport. Delta, López Cotilla 1701, T33-3630 3530. KLM, Vallarta 1390, T33- 3825 3261. United, Plaza Los Arcos, Av Vallarta 2440, local A13, T33-3616 9489.
Local
The tourist office in Plaza Tapatía has a full list of local and long-distance buses. If in doubt ask the bus driver. Regular buses cost US$0.20, Línea Azul ‘luxury’ bus US$0.40. Some useful lines: Route 275, 16 de Septiembre y Revolución, from Zapopán-Plaza Patria-Glorieta Normal-Av Alcalde-Av 16 de Septiembre-Av Revolución- Tlaquepaque-new bus station-Tonalá (there are different 275s, from A to F; most follow this route, check with the driver). Route 707 also goes to Tonalá (silver-blue bus with ‘Tur’ on the side). Route 60 goes along Calzada de la Independencia from zoo, passing Estadio Jalisco, Plaza de Toros, Mercado Libertad and Parque Agua Azul to the old bus terminal and the railway station (if you are going to Parque Mirador, take bus 62 northbound). There is also a trolley bus that runs along the Calzada de la Independencia to the entrance to the Mirador, better than 60 or 62. For the old bus station, take minibus 174 south along Calzada de la Independencia from Mercado Libertad, or bus 110 south along Av Alcalde. Route 102 runs from the new bus terminal (in Tonalá) along Av Revolución, 16 de Septiembre, and Prisciliano Sánchez to Mercado Libertad. Route 258 or 258A from San Felipe (north of cathedral) or 258D along Madero go to Plaza del Sol. Route 371 runs from downtown Tonalá to Plaza del Sol. A shuttle bus runs between the 2 bus stations.
There is a luxury bus service, Línea Azul, running from Zapopan, along Avila Camacho, past Plaza Patria shopping centre to the Glorieta La Normal, south down Av Alcalde, through Tlaquepaque, to the new bus station and ending in downtown Tonalá. Another luxury bus service to the centre is Línea Cardenal. No buses after 2230.
Long distance
The
old bus station
, Los Angeles y 28 de Enero, in the city centre, serves towns roughly within 100 km of Guadalajara. You have to pay 20 centavos to enter the terminal (open 0545-2215). It has 2 salas (wings): A and B, and is shaped like a U. The flat bottom of the U fronts Dr R Michel, where the main entrances are. There is a side entrance to Sala A from Los Angeles and to both A and B from 15 de Febrero via a tunnel. Taxi stands are on both sides of the terminal. By the entrances to the salas is a Computel outlet with long-distance and fax service. Shuttle buses to the new bus station leave from here, US$0.20.
In Sala A there are 2nd-class buses to Tepatitlán and Zapotlanejo and ‘La Penal’ (the prison), with Oriente. 1st-class buses to the same destinations leave from the new bus terminal, which is located in Tonalá, and not in Guadalajara itself. Buses to Chapala (every 30 min, 0600-2140, US$1.50) and Ajijic (every 30 min, 0700-2100, US$1.65) leave from here with Autotransportes Guadalajara-Chapala. Round-trip package to the balneario at San Juan Cosalá, US$5 including admission to the baths.
In Sala B, Omnibus de Rivera sells tickets to the same balneario for US$1.30 and at La Alteña booth for the balnearios Agua Caliente and Chimulco. A Primera Plus/Servicios Coordinados booth sells tickets to places served by the new bus terminal. Buses to Tequila every 30 mins, US$3. Both rooms have several food stands serving tortas, etc, and there are toilets, luggage store and magazine stands.
The
new bus station
In the centre of Guadalajara town bus information and tickets are available at 2 offices on Calzada de la Independencia underneath Plaza Tapatía (access from Independencia), daily 0900-1400, 1600-1900. Very handy because of the distance from the centre of town although it is worth getting your departure information at the bus station before you go into town. Most services sold are for the higher class travel.
The terminal itself is a nightmare if you try to understand it. Simply put, there are 7 modules at the terminal, each serving different bus companies, rather than towns or regions, within Mexico. Prices do not vary much from company to company.
The terminal is in the shape of a big U, with modules 1 to 7 evenly spaced around the outside. Buses enter the U at Module 1, following through to 7 at the other end of the U. Different companies have a presence in several modules and while they will sell you a ticket to any destination, you have to get to the correct module. So, shop around, preferably without your bag. Most terminals now have baggage storage, along with telephones, toilets, restaurants, shops and tourist information booths (not always staffed).
There are probably direct buses to every conceivable destination in Mexico. The schedules for the most commonly used are below, with modules. To Acapulco, 1730 and 1900, 17 hrs, US$54, Mod 7. To Aguascalientes, hourly 0500-2000, 4 hrs, US$15, Mods 1, 2, 6 and 7. To Barra de Navidad, every 2 hrs 0700-1500, and 2200 and 0100, 5 hrs, US$24, Mods 1 and 2. To Chihuahua, 8 between 0600 and 2000, 16 hrs, US$69, Mod 7. To Colima, hourly, 3 hrs, US$14, Mods 1, 2 and 6. To Guanajuato, hourly, 4 hrs, US$25, Mods 1, 2 and 7. To Hermosillo, every couple of hours, 23 hrs, US$66-77, Mods 3 and 4. To Lagos de Moreno, very regular, 3 hrs, US$12, best service from Mod 5. To León, hourly, 4 hrs, US$21, Mods 1 and 2. To Los Mochis, almost hourly through the day, 15 hrs, US$41-49, Mods 3 and 4. To Manzanillo, hourly, more regular in the afternoon, 6 hrs, US$25, Mods 1, 2 and 3. To Mazatlán, every hour day and night, 8 hrs, US$32, Mods 3 and 4. To Mexicali, every hour day and night, 34 hrs, US$85-100, Mods 3 and 4. To Mexico City (North Terminal), every 15 mins, 8-9 hrs, US$38, most often at Mod 1. To Morelia, every 2 hrs, 4 hrs, US$25, Mods 1 and 2. To Puerto Vallarta, every 2 hrs in the morning, 6 hrs, US$31, Mods 1, 2, 3 and 4. To Querétaro, every 30 mins, 5 hrs, US$22, most often at Mod 1. To San Luis Potosí, every 2 hrs, 5 hrs, US$22, Mod 5. To San Miguel de Allende, 1300 and 1500, 6 hrs, US$33, Mod 1. To Tepic, every ½ hr, day and night, 3½ hrs, US$16, Mods 3, 4, 6 and 7. To Tijuana, hourly, day and night, 33 hrs, US$88-104, Mods 3 and 4. To Uruapan, every 2 hrs, 4½ hrs, US$22, Mods 1 and 2. To Zacatecas, roughly every 3 hrs, 5 hrs, US$21, Mods 6 and 7.
Car hire
Avis, at airport, T33-3688 5656. Budget, Av Niños Héroes, esq 16 de Septiembre, T33-3613 0027. Hertz, office at Hotel Quinta Real (Av México 2727), other at airport, others scattered throughout city, T33-3614 6162. National, Niños Héroes 961, by Hotel Carlton, and other offices at the hotels Fiesta Americana, Holiday Inn Select, and the airport, T33-3614 7175. Quick, Av Niños Héroes esq Manzano, T33-3614 2247.
Metro
The metro, or tren ligero, has Línea 1 running under Federalismo from Periférico Sur to Periférico Norte. Línea 2 runs from Juárez station westbound and passes Mercado Libertad. Fare US$0.35, 1-peso coins needed to buy tokens.
Taxi
No meters are used. A typical ride in town costs US$2-5; evening fares are slightly higher. From the centre to the new bus station outside the city in Tonalá is about US$6.50; if the taxi ticket booths are open at the bus station it costs around US$3.70. A taxi to the airport costs a minimum of US$12.
Train
There is only freight service (no passengers allowed) to and from Guadalajara these days. The one exception is a tourist line to the northwest, the recently refurbished Tequila Express .
more Guadalajara photos
