I am flying to Mexico City in about 2 weeks in order to climb Orizaba. I heard on the news that kidnapping rates are up 100% since last week. I was wondering if any person can give some insight into this news. Does anybody have any safety tips? Also I was wondering the best way to get a taxi from the airport to the bus station since I've heard the taxi system in Mexico is not very safe. I was thinking of calling the US Embassy for a cab..
If anyone has any insight it would be much appreciated.

just to be safe you should stop showering and shaving now
if i was a kidnapper id be looking out for tourists with cash
i wouldnt pay attention to a stinky old climber.

Catching a taxi from the airport to the bus station can be very safe. Just be sure to go to an authorized taxi ticket window (by exit 10) to buy your taxi ticket then take it down to the person with the clipboard (outside exit 10). The driver will be very courteous, wear a tie, and not mug you.

dswink wrote:Catching a taxi from the airport to the bus station can be very safe. Just be sure to go to an authorized taxi ticket window (by exit 10) to buy your taxi ticket then take it down to the person with the clipboard (outside exit 10). The driver will be very courteous, wear a tie, and not mug you.

Maybe that's just what they want you to think...maybe dswink is working for the kidnappers ...

I suggest you go with the embassy plan. How many weeks do you have in DF?

amcke004 wrote:I am flying to Mexico City in about 2 weeks in order to climb Orizaba. I heard on the news that kidnapping rates are up 100% since last week. I was wondering if any person can give some insight into this news. Does anybody have any safety tips? Also I was wondering the best way to get a taxi from the airport to the bus station since I've heard the taxi system in Mexico is not very safe. I was thinking of calling the US Embassy for a cab..
If anyone has any insight it would be much appreciated.

Well, I live here and have heard nothing about kidnapping rates going up....

Tbh. Most kidnappings here appear to be drugs related or of very wealthy locals. As far as I know tourists are not a prime target for kidnappers.

As for taxis, the authorised taxis from the airport to the bus station are perfectly safe. Their rates vary a little depending upon which of the competeing ticket desks you buy from, but they are well worth it.

Taxis here generally are a lot safer than a few years ago. I've been getting taxis off the street for 4 years now...but if in doubt at bus stations and airports use the authorised, pre paid taxis. Elsewhere sitios (radio cabs) have a better reputation.

If you're going straight to Tlachichuca you can catch the bus to Puebla from the Mexico City airport. In Puebla you may have to take a taxi to CAPU central if the bus goes to the smaller bus station. Have a good climb!

I shouldn't worry about getting yourself kidnapped! Foreign tourists aren't being targeted. If you removed the very (and I do mean very) wealthy and the narco targets from the equation, the statistics wouldn't worry you at all. Just catch an authorised cab from the airport - I've never in all my years here heard of anyone ever having a problem.

maybe then i can avoid assholes who give climbers a bad name too!!

Don't know which bus station you were planning to go to, probably the east one, but yeah I would go for the authorised taxi option also, definitely get your ticket first though. Or there's the metro too which connects to at least 3 of the bus stations, can't remember about the west one. I always used that to get around the city in 2005-2006. 2 pesos a trip! Yay!

There are "first class" buses that take you directly from the Mexico City Airport to Puebla. I think the cost was around $12 each way plus they give you a snack and drink as you enter the bus.

The authorized taxis are safe, no problem. Just watch the bastards at the money exchange counter in the Mexico City airport. They tried to rip both me and my buddy off for US$20 because of "mis-counting". Same line, same teller, same "mistake"....

So figure out the exchange rate before you hand over the money and don't trust them to count properly. Other than that, enjoy! I'll be there again in Feb.