Walking, Uber, and when to use the Metrobús — an honest guide from someone who lives here

Mexico City is enormous. Twenty-two million people in the metropolitan area, twelve metro lines, five Metrobús lines, and a traffic situation that can turn a twenty-minute trip into an hour-long ordeal if you choose the wrong method at the wrong time. I have been navigating this city for more than fifteen years, and what follows is how I actually get around — not what a transit guide would recommend, but what I do and why.

The short version: I walk when I can, take Uber when I can’t, and use the Metrobús on Reforma and Insurgentes when it makes sense. The metro is an option with real caveats. Taxis are for the airport.

Walking — the best way to see the city, if you can

Mexico City’s central neighborhoods are more walkable than most visitors expect. If you are staying anywhere along Reforma or in Condesa, Roma, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc, or Polanco, a significant portion of what you want to do is within walking distance. The city rewards walkers with street art, market stalls, architecture, and the specific energy of a neighborhood that you can only absorb on foot.

I live on Rio Duero, behind the big hotels on Reforma — the St. Regis, the Ritz. From home, my rough walking times:

To Condesa — about 15 minutes to the nearest streets, closer to 25 to reach Calle Amsterdam on the far side of Parque México. To Colonia Juárez and Parque Río de Janeiro — around 30 minutes. To Polanco — also about 30 minutes in the other direction. To the Centro Histórico — an hour to an hour and a half, depending on where you’re going. It’s a beautiful walk: down Reforma, through the Alameda, into the old streets of the Centro. Allow extra time to stop at the Ángel and the Diana along the way.

Apple Maps puts the Zócalo-to-Anthropology-Museum walk at 1.5 hours. I’d call it closer to two — you’re on Reforma for much of it, which means you’ll stop for photos, a coffee, a rest on a bench. Plan accordingly.

Walking caveat: this is for people who enjoy walking and don’t have health issues that make it difficult. A friend visiting from Paris walks everywhere here without a second thought. My mother would have knee pain by lunchtime. Know your limits, and plan your day around them.

The neighborhoods I would put outside comfortable walking range for most visitors: Coyoacán and San Ángel, both significantly further south. These require some form of transportation if you’re staying in one of the more central neighborhoods.

Uber — my default for everything I don’t walk

Uber is ubiquitous, safe in my experience, and inexpensive by the standards of most cities visitors are coming from. The app you use at home works here exactly the same way. No setup required.

A few things worth knowing before you request:

Watch what you’re requesting. Uber offers multiple categories in Mexico City, including motorcycles. Make sure you’re requesting a car, not a moto, unless you’re traveling on your own and feeling adventurous..

Rush hour changes everything. Higher rates, longer wait times, and much longer trips. Morning rush runs roughly 8 to 10am. There is a midday peak around 2 to 3pm that corresponds to school pickup. Evening rush runs from about 6 to 8pm — though Friday afternoons start earlier, closer to 2pm, and Tuesday mornings are also reliably bad. Mondays tend to be the quietest traffic day of the week. Avoid moving around the city during these windows if you can.

Any disruption grinds the city to a halt. A broken traffic light, an accident, a protest on Reforma — any of these and everything stops. If you’re in an Uber and traffic is completely frozen, seriously consider getting out and walking. It will almost always be faster.

End the trip when you get out. I had one experience with a driver who didn’t end the trip after I got out and continued driving for an hour. Uber did not contest the charge. Watch your phone when you arrive and confirm the trip has ended before you walk away.

I use Uber. I know people who use DiDi — it operates on the same model and is generally considered comparable. I’ve never switched, so I can’t personally compare them.

Ecobici — the city bike system

Mexico City has one of the largest bike-share systems in Latin America. Ecobici operates nearly 10,000 bikes across 689+ stations, with heavy coverage along Reforma, Insurgentes, and the central neighborhoods — Condesa, Roma, Juárez, Polanco, and the Centro. If you enjoy cycling and are comfortable with city riding, it is an excellent way to move between neighborhoods and see the city at a pace between walking and Uber.

The bikes are sturdy and practical — baskets, lights, bells, adjustable seats. Each trip is unlimited up to 45 minutes; return the bike, wait five minutes, and you can take another. Plans are available for one day, three days, one week, or a year.

How to sign up

The easiest way is the Ecobici app — available on both the App Store and Google Play, simply search “Ecobici.” Registration takes under five minutes: download, create an account, choose a plan, add your payment method. Any Visa or Mastercard credit or debit card works, including foreign cards.

Alternatively, the newer station kiosks have a credit card reader built in — you can register and pay directly at the station screen without downloading the app first. No ID required, no forms. You set your own PIN, and that PIN plus your registration number unlocks bikes at any station.

Where to find them

There are multiple stations along Reforma — near the Ángel, near the Estela de Luz, and at several points in between. The app shows real-time availability at every station, which is the most useful feature when you need to find a bike or a free dock to return one. On Sundays, Reforma is partially closed to cars and becomes a cyclist and pedestrian boulevard — making it one of the better times to go for a ride.

One honest note: Ecobici is designed for short trips between stations, not for extended rides. The 45-minute window is generous enough for most neighborhood-to-neighborhood trips in the central area. If you want to spend a full day cycling, the timer and dock logistics can become tedious.

A word on safety: cycling in Mexico City requires your full attention. Drivers are not always as aware of cyclists as you would hope, and the combination of heavy traffic, uneven pavement, and the occasional driver who treats a bike lane as a parking space means you need to stay alert at all times. Wear a helmet — Ecobici bikes don’t come with them, so you would need to bring your own, which most visitors won’t. We know. Just be aware of your surroundings and ride defensively.

Ecobici — ecobici.cdmx.gob.mx // app: search “Ecobici” on App Store or Google Play // Stations: 05:00–00:30 daily

Metrobus — halfway between the bus and the metro

The Metrobús is an above-ground bus rapid transit system that runs in dedicated lanes on major avenues. It is easier to navigate than the metro, less crowded, and useful for covering distance along Reforma and Insurgentes without worrying about traffic — the dedicated lanes mean it moves even when cars don’t.

On Reforma: the Metrobús connects a long stretch from near the Auditorio area all the way through the center. If you want to go from Auditorio to the Monumento a la Revolución, or from the Museo Tamayo to the Centro, the Metrobús handles that journey efficiently. Individual stops are easy to identify on Reforma and the route is simple to follow.

On Insurgentes: the line runs the full length of Insurgentes Sur, which means it can take you all the way to UNAM’s Ciudad Universitaria campus in the south – useful if that’s on your itinerary. The Metrobús on Insurgentes Norte also gets you close to the Basílica de la Virgen de Guadalupe — you’ll need to walk the final stretch though.

To get to Coyoacán or San Ángel: I’d still take an Uber. The Metrobús gets you partway there on Insurgentes, but you’re still looking at a walk on the other end and a transfer situation that defeats the convenience. Uber goes door to door.

Paying for the Metrobús

Good news for visitors: the Metrobús now accepts contactless credit and debit cards — tap your foreign card directly at the turnstile, the same way you would in London or New York. No special card required. Apple Pay and similar NFC payment methods also work. The fare is 6 pesos per trip as of this writing.

If you want to use the metro as well, you’ll need to buy a Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada — the integrated mobility card, which works across metro, Metrobús, and other city transit. The card itself costs 15 pesos and can be purchased at metro stations. Some machines accept cards; some are cash only. Having some pesos on hand is useful.

The Metro — an option, with real caveats

Many people I spend time with here say simply: don’t take the metro. That’s not quite my view — it is sometimes useful. But you need to know what you’re getting into.

The Mexico City Metro is one of the largest and busiest in the world. It is also crowded, hot, and during rush hour, a full-contact experience that I would not wish on anyone. I have used it, but I do not use it regularly. Here is my honest assessment:

When the metro makes sense: when your hotel or accommodation is directly on a metro line that takes you to your destination without requiring more than one transfer, and when that transfer doesn’t take you significantly out of your way. If the geography works cleanly, use it. It’s fast and inexpensive when it works.

When the metro does not make sense: during rush hour (the same windows as above — 8 to 10am, the 2pm school pickup, 6 to 8pm). It is not efficient, organized crowding – this is Mexico City, not Tokyo. It is extremely crowded, extremely hot, and the conditions create opportunities for pickpocketing and unwanted physical contact. There are women-only cars for a reason — use them.

If you use the metro: do not take your valuables. Leave your passport, your jewelry, and anything you cannot afford to lose at the hotel. Keep your hands on your bag at all times and be aware of your surroundings. This is not paranoia — it is practical advice for any crowded transit system anywhere in the world, and this one warrants it.

A real example of the connection problem: Getting from the Juárez to Polanco by metro requires navigating to Line 7 and likely at least one transfer. The direct walking distance between the two neighborhoods is about 25 to 30 minutes. The metro trip, factoring in walking to the station, waiting, transferring, and walking to your destination, will often take longer. In this city, the connections are frequently not direct, and what looks fast on a map is not always fast in practice.

Getting to the southern neighborhoods

Coyoacán: you can get close by metro — Miguel Ángel de Quevedo on Line 3 is the most useful station — but once you’re there, the interesting tourist areas require a walk. The center of Coyoacán and the Frida Kahlo museum are not immediately adjacent to any metro station. Uber gets you directly to where you want to be and is the more convenient option.

San Ángel: the nearest metro station is also Miguel Ángel de Quevedo on Line 3, which is approximately a 15-minute walk from the San Ángel market. Barranca del Muerto on Line 7 is another option but further from the center of the neighborhood. An Uber will get you straight to Plaza del Carmen, which is the right starting point for wandering the area, and you’re not starting the walk on already-tired feet.

The Airport — a special case

Arriving: take one of the official airport taxis. They wait outside arrivals, and you pay at a booth inside the airport before you get into a car — set price by zone, no negotiating, card payment accepted at the booth. Confirm the company has cars available before you buy your ticket; if the first booth can’t get you a car quickly, ask around. This is significantly faster than waiting for an Uber to navigate airport traffic most of the time.

Departing: I always use Uber. It’s straightforward from a hotel or apartment, arrives at a known time, and there is no premium for airport trips the way there is in some cities.

Street taxis: do not take them. Unmarked taxis in Mexico City carry real safety risks. Taxis de sitio — radio taxis from established companies — are safe and some hotels use them, but Uber has largely made them unnecessary. Your hotel can also arrange a car service; it will be more expensive but reliable.

Any questions about a specific trip or neighborhood? Leave a comment — local knowledge is one of the things this blog is for.