Guide to getting to Teotihuacán

Teotihuacán

When you're in Mexico City, you'd have to pay a visit to the Pyramids of Teotihuacán (about 48km from Mexico City). After much research, I've discovered the optimal and cheapest way to get to and back from Teotihuacán. Tested and proven with my step-by-step guide, this is how it all went down: 

STEP 1: Wake up early

The goal is to get to Teotihuacán early in order to avoid the hoards of tourists on the pyramids, preferably before 10am. The metro opens at 5am and the journey there takes around 1.5-2hrs, so plan your time carefully! We got up at around 7am and left at around 8am.

Essentials to pack:
1. Water (it gets hot and no stores sell water inside Teotihuacán until the exit)
2. Sunscreen (trust me you'll need it)
3. Camera (for memories and maybe do something awesome like this blog)

STEP 2: Get to a metro station close to you

The hostel I was staying at was "Massiosare El Hostel", along Revillagigedo, just opposite of the Police Museum (Museo del Policía). After getting ready, we walked out of the hostel, faced left, then made a left and a right (as shown in the map) to our nearest station "Juárez".

Walking path from the hostel to Juárez station

The metro starts operating at 5am and you'll have to buy a ticket from the ticket window, which looks something like this:

A typical ticket window in Mexico City's metro stations

Each ride on the metro costs MEX$5 (2014) to anywhere on the metro network (no matter how near or how far), which is approximately US$0.40. Just hand the money through the window and they'll hand you a little paper ticket that you insert into the gantry before entering the area with the trains (you don't take the ticket back). If you're buying more than one ticket it pays to know how to count in Spanish (or at least show the numbers with fingers on your hands). 

A 5 Peso ticket valid for one ride to anywhere on the Mexico City metro network

STEP 3: Take the metro to "Autobuses del Norte” (line 5) station

There are a couple of bus terminals in Mexico City, but "Terminal Central del Norte" is the one you want, and you take the metro to the "Autobuses del Norte" station. Get off the train and follow the crowd to the bus terminal which is difficult to miss:

Outside of Terminal Central del Norte

STEP 4: Find the "Autobuses Teotihuacán" counter (to the left)

When you get inside the terminal, look to the left, and this is what you'll see:

Inside of Terminal Central del Norte

Head left and walk all the way toward the end. What you're looking for is the 'Autobuses Teotihuacán' counter, which is next to Gate 8. It's easy to spot with its blue Pyramid logo.

Autobuses Teotihuacán counter

STEP 5: Purchase a one-way ticket to "Piramides"

At the counter, say "Piramides" and make sure you say one-way, because you don't want to limit your time there, and you can definitely get back later on. It costs MEX$42 per way. Buses usually depart 5-10 mins late so don't worry if the bus leaves a few minutes after you purchase the ticket, just get that ticket. We got tickets to the 8:45am bus at 8:43am. It eventually left at 8:53am. Also, the tickets have assigned seating, so you won't lose a seat.

STEP 6: Go to Gate 8, through security and onto the bus at Line 7

Head to Gate 8, which is just next to the counter as I mentioned earlier. There's a quick security check (just scan and pat down) before getting to the bus, but it only takes a couple of seconds. Head to Line 7, it's all really close, show your ticket to the driver and get onto the bus.

From there, just sit down and relax as you take bus to Teotihuacán Ruinas. It takes approximately ~55 mins to get there, and the buses run till 6pm. The bus also picks up people at various stops and they end up standing around you. 

Inside the bus to Teotihuacán

STEP 7: Listen for when the bus driver says "Piramedes" then alight

You'll have to listen carefully for when the bus driver says “Piramedes”. However, that might be difficult to hear if you're not a Spanish speaker, like us. The other option would be to look super touristy, as I did, such that everyone around you can safely assume that you're going to Teotihuacán.

I was wearing a DSLR camera around my neck, and I nearly missed the stop because I fell asleep. The seats in the buses are incredibly comfy. Luckily, a standing Mexican man woke me up at Piramides. I was touched by the kind gesture, and thanked him (although he might have done it to get my seat as well).

If you see a roundabout full of these cacti outside the left window of the bus, you're in the right place:

What you should see at the Pyramides stop

There is no obvious sign you can see from inside the bus, but the bus (shown here in white) stops about here, right in front of a food cart:

Right after exiting the bus at the Pyramides stop (Puerto 1)

We got off the bus and bought breakfast at the food cart. They were selling one item (at least from what I could see). I had no idea what they were selling, but the locals seemed to be enjoying it so I just pointed at whatever they were having and got one. It cost MEX$15, and it tasted... unique.

Buying breakfast one of the food carts

Biting into the unknown

Take a good look around, because we won't be coming back here. The return bus will be from Puerto 2.

STEP 8: Buy entrance tickets to Teotihuacán

Not too far down from the food carts, we walked toward the entrance of the parking lot that leads to Teotihuacán.

The parking lot entrance

This is where you buy your entrance tickets

At the guardhouse/ticket window, we bought our tickets. Tickets are MEX$59 each, as of May 2014. They'd probably increase in the future though, seeing as how the price was so obviously changed (scratched) from 57 pesos to 59 pesos on the sign. But, it's nothing to be concerned about - just them trying to keep up with inflation.

Sign was scratched to increase the price from 57 to 59 pesos

Entrance ticket to Teotihuacán - 59 pesos

STEP 9: Walk through carpark to entrance and enjoy Teotihuacán

Continue walking into the carpark and you'll see a pole. That's where the local people dressed in costume do performances (with a person on the ground asking for tips). From there, you can get to the entrance of Teotihuacán. I'll talk about what we did at Teotihuacán in another post.

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After you're done exploring, you'll need to get back to Mexico City.

STEP 10: Find the line and wait for the bus at Puerto 2

The Pyramid of the Sun is the pyramid in the middle of Teotihuacán, and to the side. It's the largest one of all. Face the pyramid, and turn 180 degrees around. Walk towards the road the lies opposite the Pyramid of the Sun. It's the one with all the shops lined up on the sides. 

Puerto 2 as seen from the top of the Pyramid of the Sun

Stores are lined up along the side of the road

Follow the road through the carpark and all the way to the exit gate

Saying one last goodbye to Teotihuacán

Follow the road through the carpark and all the way to the exit gate.

Upon exiting the gate, look to the left and look for this sign:

Look out for this sign

You'll wanna be standing diagonally across from it (there should be a line of people). There is no bus stop, so just use the above sign as an indicator.

Notice the sign you were supposed to notice

The bus stop is exactly at where I took this picture

Stand in line with everyone else

STEP 11: Take the bus to "Central del NTE"

Join in the line, and wait for the bus that has a sign at its window that says “Central del NTE”. Do not take any other buses. Just to make sure, we talked a Mexican lady (who could not speak English but was more than happy to help), and she confirmed it was the right stop after some sign language and bad Spanish on my part.

This time, the seats on the bus are on a first come first serve basis, but we managed to get seats anyway (without any hassle). You pay the driver directly on the bus, it's MEX$42 again, but this time the journey back takes approximately ~70 mins because the bus makes more stops in small towns along the way. 

On the bus back to Mexico City

Halfway through the ride back, police officers carrying machine guns came onboard for some check. But they didn't do any real checking, it seemed more like an hourly routine.

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And there you have it. The total cost of this day-trip, excluding lunch and souvenirs, was:

5 + 42 + 15 + 57 + 42 = 161 Mexican pesos, which is approximately US$12.33

Aside from its affordability, taking this route has the advantage of removing any time-constraints that usually come with tours. Moreover, the journey there doesn't take so long such that you have less time than what you need at Teotihuacán itself (we spent around 6 hours there, and it was more than enough to see all the pyramids, take all the photos/videos, and get all the sunburns and pondering life-atop-pyramid moments you had to get while there)

Just to summarize the above so you can copy and paste this into your itinerary:

How to get to Teotihuacán

STEP 1: Wake up early

STEP 2: Get to a metro station close to you

STEP 3: Take the metro to "Autobuses del Norte” (line 5) station [5 pesos]

STEP 4: Find the "Autobuses Teotihuacán" counter (to the left)

STEP 5: Purchase a one-way ticket to "Piramides" [42 pesos]

STEP 6: Go to Gate 8, through security and onto the bus at Line 7

STEP 7: Listen for when the bus driver says "Piramedes" then alight

STEP 8: Buy entrance tickets to Teotihuacán [57 pesos]

STEP 9: Walk through carpark to entrance and enjoy Teotihuacán

STEP 10: Find the line and wait for the bus at Puerto 2

STEP 11: Take the bus to "Central del NTE" [42 pesos]