Getting Around

Uber, metro, Metrobus, Ecobici, driving, and the art of getting from A to B in a city of 22 million people.

CDMX is enormous and the traffic is genuinely bad. The good news: the public transport network is extensive, Uber works well, and for the neighbourhoods most expats live in, you can get most things done on foot, by bike, or via a short Uber. This chapter covers everything.

Uber and DiDi

The default mode of transport for most expats for anything beyond walking distance. Both apps work reliably throughout the city. Prices are low by global standards: Roma Norte to Condesa is 40–60 MXN, Roma Norte to Polanco is 80–140 MXN, Roma Norte to Coyoacan is 120–200 MXN depending on traffic and surge.

DiDi is usually 10–20% cheaper than Uber for the same journey. The trade-off: the app is less polished, driver pool is smaller, and wait times are occasionally longer. During peak hours, both apps surge. Friday evenings are the worst. Sunday evenings at midnight are a close second.

Safety features worth using: share your trip in real-time with a contact (both apps have this). Uber’s feature is under Trip → Share Status. Set it up to auto-send between 9pm and 6am. A simple habit that most people skip until they have a reason to wish they hadn’t.

“You can set up Uber so that it automatically reminds you to send a trip notification to a close acquaintance between 9pm and 6am.” — resident sharing a safety practice

A practical issue: some drivers cancel when they see an address that’s inconvenient or far from their current location. If your driver cancels repeatedly, walk half a block and request again — the algorithm assigns from a new pool. Also: late at night in some outer neighbourhoods, Uber availability drops. Know your area.

“Love how Ubers cancel when they see my home address. I live slightly off the main streets and it happens constantly after midnight.” — resident on a genuine frustration

Street Taxis

Don’t hail taxis from the street. This is not paranoia — it’s a security practice established from years of experience in the city. Taxi crime (express kidnapping via taxi) was a significant problem in CDMX and still occurs, particularly with taxis hailed randomly.

Safe alternatives to app taxis: Sitio taxis (registered taxi stands outside hotels, malls, and major venues), Radio taxis (called by phone, number verified), and the authorised taxi desk at the airport (Chapter 1). If you’re at a restaurant or venue, ask them to call you a Sitio taxi.

Never give your credit card to a taxi driver. ATM trips with a taxi driver you don’t know are also inadvisable.

“Rule number one: never ever give the taxistas your credit card.” — long-term resident

The Metro

Twelve lines, 195 stations, 5 pesos per journey regardless of distance. One of the cheapest metro systems in the world. Coverage across the city is good — the lines run through all the major areas including Roma, Condesa, Juarez, Centro, Polanco, Coyoacan, and beyond.

The honest picture: the metro is commonly overcrowded at rush hour, sweltering in summer (most cars are not air-conditioned), and spottily maintained. Pickpocketing does occur, particularly during rush hour crush. Hold your phone in your front pocket. Keep bags in front of you.

That said: the metro is genuinely fast and often significantly quicker than driving or taking an Uber during peak hours. Residents who dismiss it as unliveable are missing a useful tool.

“CDMX Metro is commonly overcrowded, sweltering, and spottily maintained, but it’s super convenient and inexpensive and often much faster than driving and I use it all the time.” — long-term resident with a balanced take

Key lines for the expat geography: Line 1 (pink) runs east-west through the southern part of Roma. Line 3 (olive/green) connects north-south through the city. Line 7 (orange) serves Polanco and Tacubaya. Line 2 (blue) covers Centro and Cuatro Caminos. Line 9 (brown) connects through the south.

Women-only cars: the first two cars of each train are reserved for women and children during peak hours (roughly 6–10am and 5–9pm). This is enforced by staff and by the culture. Male passengers are expected to use the remaining cars during these hours.

Line 1 (the oldest line, running from Pantitlan to Observatorio) went through reconstruction — check current status as reopening has been phased and not always smooth.

Metrobus

Bus Rapid Transit system running on dedicated central lanes on major avenues. Six lines. Integrated CDMX card for payment (same card works on metro, Metrobus, and some other public transport). Single journey: 6 pesos.

Line 1 on Insurgentes is the most useful for expats — it runs the full length of Insurgentes from north to south, connecting Indios Verdes with Dr. Gaviota and passing through Reforma, the Roma/Condesa area, and further south. Practical for getting between Condesa, Roma, and points south without waiting for Uber surge.

Rush hour on Metrobus is sardine territory. Plan accordingly.

“Avoid the Mexibús in the rush hour. It is a via crucis.” — resident, accurately

Ecobici — The City Bike System

CDMX’s dock-based bike share system. Over 480 stations and 6,800 bikes across a central zone covering Roma, Condesa, Juarez, Centro, Polanco, Coyoacan, and adjacent neighbourhoods. Annual membership: around 520 MXN. Day passes and short-term options also available. Rides under 45 minutes are included in the membership; longer rides incur additional fees.

The system works well for the neighbourhoods most expats live in. A Ecobici from Roma Norte to Condesa is 10 minutes and costs essentially nothing. The same journey by Uber is 15 minutes and costs 50–60 MXN. For short daytime trips in good weather, it’s unbeatable.

Practical notes:

• Stations can be empty (no bikes) or full (no docks to return to). Both situations happen. The app shows real-time availability. Check before you walk to a station.
• Sunday mornings on Paseo de la Reforma: Ciclovía closes Reforma to car traffic from 8am to 2pm. Ecobicis are extremely in demand. Arrive at your source station early.
• Ecobici bikes are heavy and slow. They are city bikes, not road bikes. Set your pace expectations accordingly.
• Bike theft exists. Always lock at an official station dock. Don’t lock to street furniture and walk away.

“Been using Ecobici for years. Sometimes there are broken bikes, sometimes there are no bikes, but for me it works 90% of the time.” — long-term resident

“Ecobicis are very in demand on Sundays.” — resident noting the weekend supply problem

Cycling in CDMX

Beyond Ecobici: bringing or buying your own bike is viable in the Roma/Condesa/Juarez geography. The city has invested in a ciclovia (dedicated bike lane) network, and within the central neighbourhoods, cycling is more practical than it looks from the outside.

The honest truth about cycling in CDMX: traffic can be aggressive, lanes disappear without warning, and drivers don’t always respect the bike infrastructure. It’s manageable in the central neighbourhoods if you’re a confident urban cyclist. It’s genuinely difficult in areas without bike lanes.

“The man’s right, traffic (specifically towards motorcycles and cyclists) in CDMX is pretty challenging. I recommend classes designed for defensive riding before you commit to it.” — resident with cycling experience

If you do cycle: a helmet, lights, and a quality lock are non-negotiable. The Reforma Ciclovia on Sundays is a genuinely pleasant experience — 6 kilometres of car-free boulevard with food stalls and activity markets. Worth doing at least once.

Driving

Many long-term residents don’t have a car and don’t need one. Roma, Condesa, and Juarez are genuinely walkable, Uber is cheap, and the metro covers the rest. Parking is expensive and scarce in these neighbourhoods. Traffic is bad enough that an Uber that gets stuck costs you only time, while your own car stuck in the same traffic also costs you stress.

If you do drive: Hoy No Circula is the main thing to know. It’s a daily vehicle restriction system based on your plate number’s last digit and your car’s environmental verification sticker. Depending on your sticker, certain plate endings cannot drive on certain days. Breaking it risks a fine and possible impounding. Check the current schedule at the CDMX government site — it changes.

Getting a Mexican driver’s license: you need your INE or residency card, CURP, proof of address, and to pass a basic knowledge and vision test at a SEMOVI office. The Coyoacan SEMOVI office has been mentioned as less crowded and faster than central locations. The test is simple. The appointment is the main time cost.

“I finally managed to land an appointment for my driver’s license in Coyoacán. Much to my surprise there were no lines, no crowds, and I was in and out in 15 minutes. Staff were super chill. A good option for those needing a license appointment.” — resident sharing a location tip

Driving outside CDMX: the ADO and ETN bus networks are excellent and significantly less stressful than driving for intercity travel. ETN to San Miguel de Allende from CDMX: a very comfortable 3-hour journey in reclining seats with WiFi. Driving the same route in your own car: potentially the same time but with the stress of Mexican highways and the return-trip traffic.

“We’ve made the trip from CDMX to San Miguel de Allende twice — by plane and by bus. Recommend the bus. ETN and Primera Plus both run direct from Mexico Norte station. ETN is very nice with big reclining chairs and TVs. Would not recommend driving if you don’t have guaranteed parking at your destination.” — resident with direct experience of both

Scooters and Motorcycles

Electric scooter rental (Lime, Beat, and others) operates in parts of CDMX. Coverage is patchy and docks concentrate in certain areas. Useful for the occasional last-kilometre trip but not a reliable primary transport method.

Motorcycles: several residents use them for the city’s genuine advantage over cars — lane-splitting is customary (and not technically illegal in Mexico) and a motorcycle in CDMX is not subject to Hoy No Circula. The counter-point: road conditions and traffic culture make motorcycles genuinely riskier here than in many cities. Medical professionals here have reportedly noted the pattern.

“The doctor literally said everyone here gets — — ed up on the scooters.” — resident summarising medical advice received