Getting there & around

Getting there

By air. Guadalajara International (GDL) is Mexico’s second-busiest airport, with direct flights from across Mexico and many US cities. It sits southeast of the city, roughly a 30 to 45 minute drive from the center depending on traffic. An app car or authorized airport taxi runs a fair bit; agree the fare or use Uber or DiDi rather than flagging an unmarked car.

By bus. The main long-distance terminal, the Nueva Central Camionera, connects Guadalajara to the whole country on comfortable first-class lines. Buses from Mexico City take around 6 to 7 hours and are genuinely comfortable. From coastal Puerto Vallarta it’s roughly 4 to 5 hours over the mountains, scenic but winding.

By car. Toll highways link the city to Mexico City, the Bajio and the Pacific coast. Driving is straightforward on the highways; inside the city it’s congested and parking is a hassle, so most visitors don’t bother with a car.

Getting around

For a short visit, app cars (Uber, DiDi) are the easy default: cheap by foreign standards, safe and everywhere. That’s what we’d use to hop between the center, Colonia Americana and Tlaquepaque.

The metro and the electric Mi Macro bus lines work well along their corridors and are fine by day, but they won’t cover every trip you want. The center, and Tlaquepaque within itself, both walk easily. Honest note: traffic clogs badly at rush hour, so pad your times and don’t cut airport departures fine.