You safety addicts should look at this excursion with the same joy, dread, and expectation you would if you were instead going to the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain. Yes, one or two guys might get gored and go to the hospital but the rest of you will come out of it without a scratch. Your biggest danger will not be from drug gangster/kidnappers but from out-of-control-man-on-the-street Mexican patriots, be they football supporters or pedestrians , responding to you being out of control yourself. Keep it cool, represent at the right times, safety in numbers, go in, party hard, get to the stadium, sing and dodge the zip-locks bags and fireworks, watch our boys win or draw, then follow the Mexican riot police as they make a nice cordon back to our buses, and in the morning get to the airport in one piece. Maybe it won't be safe in 2013 but it is doable now. Join the ranks!
Amen! Most all the problems are on the border. Mexico City isn't Kabul, or Baghdad, it's a modern and very cosmopolitan city. IMO one of the great cities of the world in terms historical sites, places of worship, and of course soccer. I do a lot of world travel, and I rate Mexicans as some of the friendliest/helpful folks on this planet. Sure things could get a little crazy on game day, but based on the previous qualifiers the police are very professional, and know exactly how to handle everything. Be a man and make the trip
Yeah, I'm not into the Mexican sightseeing bullshit...If I'm able to swing it, it's gonna be a hit and run deal... Fly in Tuesday night, grab the three points and get the hell out of Dodge Thursday morning...
How does it work? Where do you get tickets? How do you make sure you're with US fans and get the protected transport to and from the stadium?
I hearwhat you are saying, but there is a difference between taking dunebuggies through mud holes and the pyramids at Teotihuacan. It would be like going to the Grand Canyon but never getting out of the car.
Azteca, you and a few hundred (maybe more?) fellow USA fans and the experience of 106,000 Mexican fans hating you vs A birthday present I assume by your presence on BigSoccer.com that you have true soccer passion, I trust you will make the right choice. If it helps your parents, I am taking my 14-year-old son.
It is safer than a lot of people think, but make no mistake, this is not a trip to Chicago. We will need to be careful.
I have heard some bad things about public transportation there. What are everyone's plans for getting to and from hotels/Azteca?
Absolutely no clue. I just want to make sure I'm with other American fans as far as hotel arrangements first and then worry about that later. Hopefully, in the next few months we can come up with a consensus and all book. I'd like to know everyone's plans for getting to and from Teotihuacan also. What dates are most people traveling to and from Mexico City?
It's looking more and more like I will be flying in on Tuesday and flying out Thursday morning-midday.
Public Transport in Mexico City is quite good; they have one of the largest metro systems in the world. If the match were on the weekend it would be no problem taking the metro/tram directly to Azteca. Problem is mid-week and during rush-hour the trains will be packed like sardine cans- so it wouldn't be a pleasant trip. Chartering a bus is best.
I think Brandinho does not want to do public transportation unless we are in a big - and I mean big - group because of some horror stories he read.
What kind of horror stories? I've heard of some travelers being pick pocketed on the MC metro, but that can happen anywhere in the world: Paris, London, Barcelona, New York, Chicago...........
Apparently in 2005 most people stayed at the Galleria Plaza in Zona Rosa. Are most people planning on staying there again this time?
Kidnappings really. Some hold ups. A professor of mine gave me some first hand stories of shit that he's seen happen when you have a USD compared to a peso in this economy. I'm sure the system of public transportation is good. I'm just not so sure the safety is there given what I've been told. So yes, I feel a large group would let me sleep easier.
Let me give some other first hand stories about Mexico City: I've visited three times, never been kidnapped, never been held-up, never been pick pocketed. I've taken taxis, used the metro, and walked the streets...mostly on my own, and no problems. If your sticking to the main tourist trail and use take usual precautions, you'll be fine.
Looks like that might be out for anyone that hasn't booked yet. I just put in the dates and its completely booked.
Don't take two door green cabs. That's what I was told. If you're in a cab with 4 doors, you're fine. If they try and jack you, you can always bail through the back door. Not so much with a 2 door VW Bug taxi.
Lifted from wikitravel: There are more than 250 thousand registered cabs in the city and they are one of the most efficient ways to get around. The prices are low, a fixed fee of about 6 pesos to get into the cab, and about 0.7 pesos per quarter kilometer or 45 seconds thereafter, for the normal taxis (taxi libre). The night rates, supposedly between 11PM at night and 6AM in the morning are about 20% higher. Some taxis "adjust" their meters to run more quickly, but in general, cab fare is cheap, and it's usually easy to find a taxi. At night, and in areas where there are few taxis, cab drivers will often not use the meter, but rather quote you a price before you get in. This price will often be high, however, you can haggle. They will tell you that their price is good because they are "safe". If you don't agree on the price, don't worry, another cab will come along. Catching cabs in the street can be dangerous, since free-range cabs are not accountable to anyone. Taxi robberies, so-called "express kidnappings", where the victim is robbed and then taken on a trip to various ATMs to max out their credit cards, do occur, but there are some general precautions that will minimize the risk: * Taxis have special license plates. The registration number starts with "L" or "A" for free-roaming taxis, and with "S" for base taxis (registered taxis based on a certain spot, called "sitios"). Base taxis are safer. * The taxi license should be displayed inside the taxi; usually it is mounted somewhere above the windshield. Check that the photo of the driver on the license is of the actual driver. Make a point of looking at it. * Look for the meter. Without it they will be more likely to rip you off. * If you are nervous, take base taxis only. These may be a bit more expensive, but are well worth the expense. * If you are safety-conscious or require additional comfort, consider radio taxis, which can be called by phone, and are extremely reliable and safe, although a bit pricier than other taxis. Most restaurants, hotels, etc. have the number for radio taxis. Radio taxis will usually give you the price for the trip on the phone when you order them. Radio taxis charge more than regular taxis, but are available all night. Hotel taxis will be significantly more expensive than site or radio taxis. * As with absolutely everything else, risks are greater at night. At night radio taxis are recommended. Mexico City is so large, and many street names so common, that cab drivers are unlikely to know where to go when you give only a name or address of your destination. Always include either the name of the colonia or the district (i.e. "Zona Rosa"), as well as any nearby landmarks or cross streets. You may be asked to give directions near the tail end of the journey; if either your Spanish or your sense of direction is poor, carry a map and be prepared to point.
In addition to the above taxis, there are also special airport taxis, which are the only type allowed to line-up at the stands. Inside the terminal there is a taxi counter, you tell the cashier where you are headed and prepay the fare. You are then given a voucher which you give to your driver. No tip is expected unles he helps out with your luggage. It's a very civilized system, which other cities around the world should adopt. I believe they have something similar now at the three NYC airports. There is a metro station at the airport, but no luggage is allowed on the trains.
Does anyone think it would be a good idea to start a separate thread with where people are staying and the dates of travel for easy access and so we can all stay together?