Additional Information

USEFUL TIPS

Cabs

Arriving in Mexico City, take only authorized cabs. Those cabs charge depending on the passenger's destination. You can buy your tickets prior to taking the cab in booths with Taxi signs that are located close to the luggage claim at the airport main exits.
Just like any other big city in the world, you should avoid taking cabs in the street. We recommend you to use the radio taxi service that is available everywhere in Mexico, as well as the authorized taxi service parked in specific areas called “sítios” (Taxi Ranks). Those ones offer safe trips at affordable prices. For safety reasons, check the Taxi driver ID and the meter as soon as you get in the cab.

Subway

The subway is a cheap and efficient transportation; it is another excellent option to go from the airport to other parts of the city.

Weather

Mexico City has a cool winter, hot and dry weather in April and May. The rainy season begins in May and finishes around October. There are usually sunny mornings followed by cloudy and rainy afternoons. Mornings and nights can get chilly, especially in the winter. The average temperature reaches 15°C.
We recommend wearing comfortable clothes and shoes. However, some places to visit during the day and night require formal attire.

Phone Cards

You need to buy prepaid phone cards to use Mexico City's public phones. You can buy those in self-service stores, cigar shops, and newspaper stands.

Anticipating your departure:

Mexico City is considered one of the world's largest cities, and like any other big city it has heavy traffic. We recommend you to make all your previous arrangements to leave on time for your appointments and/or meetings.

Credit Cards

The following International cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, airlines, etc:
Visa, American Express, MasterCard, Dinners Club
We recommend you to check if your card is accepted before using the service.

Currency

Mexican Peso. You can change your money at the Casas de Bolsas (Foreign Currency Exchange). Most of them open from 09:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays, and on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
The Mexican Peso has different colors and shapes. There are coins of 5, 10, 20 and 50 Cents, as well as coins of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 Pesos. The Mexican Peso bills are: 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Pesos.

Taxes

Mexico has a tax named I.VA – Valor Agregado (Value Added Tax). This tax is paid when you purchase different goods and services. Everybody pays I.VA, including residents and tourists. This tax is usually included in the price of food and drinks at restaurants; shopping items in stores and boutiques, and excursions. The I.V.A corresponds to 15% of the total purchase value. This tax is subject to changes without previous notice.
Currently, every hotel in the Mexican Republic charges 2% tax plus 16% I.VA. This corresponds to the hotel taxes even though it goes directly to the mixed fund of each establishment for the promotion and tourism fund of each State.

Vaccines

Before going to Mexico, you should take the vaccines against: Cholera and Yellow Fever.
Visitors from the following countries that didn't eradicate those two diseases must bring their health card when entering Mexico. African countries: Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Gumia, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Zaire. South American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guyana, and Peru).

Time Difference

Mexico has Daylight Saving Time that starts in the first Sunday of April and finishes on the last Sunday of October.

Water

The drinkable water of the Mexican Valley is treated with chlorine, this may be the reason why some tourists feel sick when drinking local water, but it is worth mentioning that the water is (theoretically) in perfect conditions for human consumption.

Personal Safety

For personal safety reasons, we recommend you not to wear expensive jewelry, flashy jewels or other valuable objects. Such items should be kept inside the hotel's safe box.
We also recommend you to exchange enough money to spend on your first visiting days, in order to avoid carrying large amounts of cash.
You should bring enough prescribed medication during your stay. Keep all your prescriptions and controlled medication in the original packages to avoid misunderstandings with local authorities.
Ask your Insurance Agency about your coverage in case you have an emergency while traveling to a foreign country.

Schedules of Museums and Tourist Destinations

We recommend you to check the museum schedule before your visit because most of them close on Mondays.
The Chapultepec Park's first section (The lake, zoo, children activities, National Museum of History, senior citizen's garden, etc.) also closes on Mondays

Links:

National Institute of Migration
http://www.inami.gob.mx/

 Do you want to come to Mexico?
http://www.inami.gob.mx/pagina_ingles/principal-ingles.asp

Tourist Information of Mexico City
http://www.mexicocity.gob.mx/index_EN.html

Interactive maps of Mexico City
http://www.mexicocity.gob.mx/flash.htm

Dynamic Map of  Mexico City
http://comercial.reforma.com/libre/comercial/mapas/

Dynamic Map of  Mexico City: Guia Roji
http://guiaroji.aol.com.mx/plano_llave/?ciudad=1

CONABIO National Comission for the Knwledge and Use of Biodiversity
(Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y uso de la Biodiversidad)
Av. Liga Periférico-Insurgentes Sur 4903 Delegación Tlalpan 14010 México, Distrito Federal Location of Conabio: http://www.conabio.gob.mx/otros/plano/doctos/plano_localizacion.html

Mexico City Weather

National Meteorological Service (SMM).
http://smn.cna.gob.mx/

The Weather Channel
http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/Mexico_City_MX_c.html

Trayectoria de Huracanes activos en la región

National Hurricane Center USA. (NOAA)
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

NRL Monterey Marine Meteorology Division
http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc_home.html

Servicio Sismológico Nacional

http://www.ssn.unam.mx/

Executive cabs

        Servicio Ejecutivo de Radio Taxis.
            57 40 65 47, 57 40 65 78, 57 40 66 32
           
            Radio Taxis Inter-TAXI
            57 60 61 76