moisheh
North America
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Now I know why we go through H--l to avoid driving in the DF and the state of Mexico. This was reported in another forum: There are new driving restrictions for the DF that include Saturdays. That would not be a big deal. However you also cannot drive between 0500 and 1200 from Monday to Saturday without a hologram. I believe this is a sticker that you receive when your vehicle has passed a pollution test. I guess we will never enter the DF or most of the state of Mexico.
Moisheh
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qtla9111
Monterrey, Mexico
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Joined: 09/17/2003
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If you really wanted to, you could apply for a permit that would allow you to do so for a certain period.
I have driven there and it is not chaotic, it is confusing only because I wasted 20 years sitting in taxis and not paying attention. I could kick myself for not being more alert.
There are a few good maps that show major arteries. With a good co-pilot I think it is doable.
We need some of our Mexican forum members to give us a good map and directions for easy roundabouts to D.F. and the truck routes, I think that would help quite a bit.
1998 Nissan Pathfinder
2004 Shadow Cruiser 18ft.
Living and Boondocking Mexico
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moisheh
North America
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Chris: Where would you get that permit? Remember we may be driving a large vehicle and parking is not easy. I understand that they will accept stickers from some other states. Yopu are so correct about maps and directions. The only ones I have seen are from Church and Church and I dont trust them. Confusing and probably outdated. I have seen people post updates to the Church website that were incorrect or incomplete. I have also had instructions and CG information from people on this forum that were incorrect. I still think about the lady that told me a CG was something like $15 a night and the same year I paid almost $35 for a dump!!! I will buy a bottle of Tequila for someone who can tell me how to get around Toluca.
Moisheh
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Jonna
Mérida, Yucatan & Akumal, QRoo
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Do you mean around Toluca completely? I can think of a couple possible answers but I'm not sure of the question. There is a bypass of the city of Toluca now, it heads in to DF though. There is also a route from Toluca down (west and south) and across a high mountain area to Cuernavaca. You then avoid DF and can come back east into Puebla. It's a long day and some high passes but we have done it 3 times in our Lazy Daze. Anything longer might be a problem. Another problem is that you are in Edo de Mexico with their infamous police, they tried to tell me I needed one of those smog stickers last year and I argued with them until they gave up. Still, it's a hassle. This last time we just drove across DF but left Toluca at midnight and got to Puebla at 3am. Not much traffic but still confusing, we made it though. The restrictions on large vehicles in DF are lifted from 10pm to 5am or something like that, you will see the trucks waiting south of the city for the magic hour so they can cross.
Jonna
Fulltime in Tortuga (2001 Lazy Daze) towing Sapo (1997 Jeep Wrangler)
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qtla9111
Monterrey, Mexico
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The routes do exist because truckers have to take them. How good are they and how long would it take someone? Good question. My best guess for any travel through or around D.F. is in pairs with a fluent Spanish speaker (come on you guys from Tampico and Queretaro).
Permits would be obtained from the local transit authority and the SCT. If we were to do it by ourselves, I would hire a trucker guide who could lead us (taking the rig that is). I wouldn't recommend this for a non-spanish speaking person with little Mexico experience (very sad, isn't it?).
I think the process would also be possible, require dropping the rigs near Toluca, visiting the responsible transit departments and obtaining the permits. If we are talking about TVs and TOADS, it would be a breeze.
From my personal experience, the more people you have to gang up on these guys, the better your chances.
They got me once in 2006. I tried to talk my way out of it, gave up and switched to English and finally stopped talking. They are really quite passive in terms of physical contact (transito that is) and finally they went away. I waited for about 1/2 hour before taking off. I refused to pay although I was 100% guilty.
Somebody here just has to do it for the first time and we continue to refine the process until we have it down pat.
Bottom line, if you are by-passing D.F. or driving through it, use the truck routes if towing your rig.
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Jonna
Mérida, Yucatan & Akumal, QRoo
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We've taken 2 routes across the city, one coming down from Queretaro that takes you on surface streets and through some good and some iffy parts of the city. The other was the one we did in the middle of the night, paralleling the Viaducto route because one of the Edo MX transitos that tried to jack us up but ended up giving us route advice said we could not go on the Viaducto with our duals. It worked and the only really dicey part was finding this one turn from down in the bowels of all these fly overs and fly unders and just a morass of freeway on and off ramps. It was so late and there was so little traffic that we just went really, really slow and I had a strong flashlight that I used to hit the unlighted signs ahead of us so I could read them. I used some binoculars too. It was tense, I'll give you that. It saved a lot of time and miles though and since the last time we used the Cuernavaca - Toluca route we had gotten hassled by the Edo MX transitos for their stupid hologram I figured it didn't matter which way we went because they are everywhere.
About that hologram, my understanding is that if you have a foreign plate whether it is from another state in Mexico or another country, you are supposed to be immune from needing the hologram. That doesn't mean they won't stop you though and try and tell you that you need it or get you to pay them, just say NO and then say gracias a lot and smile and refuse to understand anything else. I figured that out after I got into that whole 'discussion' about the hologram, I should have just refused to understand them. It's quicker and it is less aggravating.
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moisheh
North America
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Jonna:
We have always taken the road from Toluca to Cuernavaca anad avoided Mexico City. WE would be coming from Guad. I dont have my maps with me today but we now take the freeway from Guad to Toluca. This is the road that does not go into Morelia. The problem hits you as soon as you get close to Toluca. There are no signs just transitos trying to get you for not driving in the lateral! I thought we had it aced 2 years ago but the freeway to Mexico city goes right through the downtown. BUT there are no on or off ramps. Frustrating! You can see the road but cannot get onto it. After driving in circles I finally convinced a transito on a quad to guide us. She did but took us right through the old downtown. Narrow and crazy. A bus hooked my mirror but thankfully no problem. My BP was out of sight. On the return I paid a taxi driver to take us to the toll road. He took us 20km. out of town but this was the free road. I finally figured it out with the help of a trucker. He told me it is very difficult and that was the truth. You would swear that the route he gave us was incorrect as it goes the wrong way and through some narrow streets. I think Toluca is worse than any other Mexican city. We too often "forget" our Spanish when dealing with any officials. They usually get frustrated and walk away.
Moisheh
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Jonna
Mérida, Yucatan & Akumal, QRoo
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Yep, getting to the 'new' toll road has actually made it harder to get across Toluca from the south west. It was never all that easy either. Add in those pinche Edo transitos and the whole thing is a hard day. I think I am happier with the middle of the night through DF route but I am not positive that Mimi will agree to it again. It's just all really frustrating.
Worst city to drive across?? hmmm. I think you have to remove DF from the running as it would always win. Toluca is bad but Poza Rica is pretty bad too and Tampico is in a class by itself.... I don't know I think it is the one that is the most recent in your memory 
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moisheh
North America
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I nominate Chris to be the official cartographer for this forum. Being as he does not want to travel to the USA this summer a trip to Toluca and DF sounds like fun!! Chris has all the proper credentials: bilingue, attention to minor details, patience and lots of time. Go for it!!!
Moisheh
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qtla9111
Monterrey, Mexico
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Lot's of time? Moi? Patience? Now you're pulling my leg. However, one of my near future plans is to camp in La Marqueza which is between D.F. and Toluca. So getting there, dropping the trailer and touring D.F. is on the list and afterwards, taking the truck route through the Big Tamal to Puebla. Does that sound scary, or what? Towing a trailer mind you!
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