[billyp1951]

We are driving to Ajijic on May 1st and was wondering if anyone has drivin that route, lately. We have been watching and hearing about the drug gangs and gun fights and all and we are really anxious about the drive. Now we hear that once you clear Nuevo Laredo, you need to be worried about Monterry, as well. We are still going to come, but, need some current info.

[george]

Use the Columbia crossing, that eliminates the need to go through Laredo and Nuevo Laredo.

Use the quotas (toll roads) and that eliminates the need to go through Monterrey.

There have been posts for a detailed route to lakeside.

[billyp1951]

george, on 11 March 2010 - 11:45 AM, said:

Use the Columbia crossing, that eliminates the need to go through Laredo and Nuevo Laredo.

Use the quotas (toll roads) and that eliminates the need to go through Monterrey.

There have been posts for a detailed route to lakeside.

Thanks, I have just been all over the board checking things out. If I have my way, which I usually don,t, we'll just fly to Guad. That presents a whole other set of problems, though.

[cosalamx]

billyp1951, on 11 March 2010 - 10:32 AM, said:

We are driving to Ajijic on May 1st and was wondering if anyone has drivin that route, lately. We have been watching and hearing about the drug gangs and gun fights and all and we are really anxious about the drive. Now we hear that once you clear Nuevo Laredo, you need to be worried about Monterry, as well. We are still going to come, but, need some current info.

We made the drive last Friday. We left our hotel in North San Antonio at 6:00 a.m. and crossed at Colombia about 8:30. We noticed increased presence of Army and Federales, but nothing untoward, not that that promises anything. My best advice is to travel during daylight hours, stay on the toll roads, and drive fast. We were home by 7:00 p.m.

[G598738]

Drove from the Columbia crossing to Ajijic in November. Return in January. No issues at all.

[Little Feather]

Crossing in Laredo at one of the two downtown bridges is much faster and shorter. If you go out to the Columbia Bridge, you are driving many miles out of your way. After you cross the Columbia Bridge, you have 30 miles of unpopulated area out in the country......

Don't forget to stop for your import sticker for your car or get it on line. http://www.banjercit...esIITV_ing.html
(Thank you Spencer for this information.)

Here is a web site to download the directions: http://www.strommoving.com/id20.html
(Thank you Strom-White Moving for the directions!)

As a previous post said, stay on the quotas!

[santamiller]

Driving to Laredo is shorter, but not always faster. It depends of the time of day. When we cross into Mexico (and have done it at least 12 times), we enter through Laredo at 6am. It's quick and easy at that time of the morning. When we leave Mexico we always go through Colombia, no waiting and much faster than Laredo at 4 in the afternoon. Although it adds about another 20 minutes to the trip (if there is no wait at either place). we much prefer Colombia for it's ease and safety aspect, but since it doesn't open until 8am we have to pass on it entering Mexico. As far as it being unpopulated between Colombia and where you get to the 20 mile checkpoint, I'm not quite sure I understand that. It is mostly open road, but the roads are excellent and well traveled and fast. It is no more open than 95% of the rest of the trip. If you would feel better going through Colombia then I would certainly do so.

[Little Feather]

I agree that the highway between the Columbia Bridge and the 20 mile checkpoint coming south is excellent. The only objection I was voicing was that it is pretty unpopulated (as is most of the road headed south) BUT right near the border, I am concerned about driving through an unpopulated area.

It takes more than 20 minutes, too, and I am a fast driver. BUT, you never know how long you will wait in line at the downtown Laredo bridges. Must of my experiences have been about an hour. So it is whether you want to sit for an hour or drive to the Columbia Bridge.

If you decide to go north and leave Mexico going through Nuevo Laredo, the exit is easy to find. Just watch for the airport exit. Go right at the light and the bridge is a few miles down that road.

[More Liana]

I would strongly suggest that anyone who is planning to enter Mexico by road via Texas read these two threads:

http://www.mexconnec...e=unread#unread

http://www.mexconnec...e=unread#unread

Although I normally would not post links to 'the other' web board, the information available there is not addressed here on Chapala.com and is invaluable.

[DonMac]

More Liana, on 12 March 2010 - 06:23 PM, said:

I would strongly suggest that anyone who is planning to enter Mexico by road via Texas read these two threads:

http://www.mexconnec...e=unread#unread

http://www.mexconnec...e=unread#unread

Although I normally would not post links to 'the other' web board, the information available there is not addressed here on Chapala.com and is invaluable.

Good links Liana.

The original poster is not concerned about the route, but is concerned about the SAFETY of where they might be crossing.

It would be nice if people could respond with current updates about the violence in the border towns that are popular tourist crossings. Not "I crossed two months ago and everything was fine".

This is what the original poster wants.

[Arroyo Grande]

DonMac, on 13 March 2010 - 07:43 AM, said:

Good links Liana.

The original poster is not concerned about the route, but is concerned about the SAFETY of where they might be crossing.

It would be nice if people could respond with current updates about the violence in the border towns that are popular tourist crossings. Not "I crossed two months ago and everything was fine".

This is what the original poster wants.

I live in Nuevo Laredo and there is nothing specific to report because there is no local media coverage of events. The rumors that were causing so much panic a couple of weeks ago have subsided although everyone is still extra cautious. Residents do not seem to be traveling to Monterrey, Piedras and points south nearly as much. There is an increased Army presence which has good and bad points. The worst confirmed incident took place about ten days ago in Anahuac, a town in Nuevo Leon about 40 miles SW of Nuevo Laredo. There was a running gunbattle between a convoy of Zetas and the army and that ended in town on the highway. Eight Zetas and two soldiers were killed.


I know it is anathema to recommend crossing anywhere other than Columbia, but I would definately avoid that area. The rumors place most of the incidents south and west of Nuevo Laredo along Highway 2 west and southeast of the intersection with 85. There has always been a heavy Zeta presence around Columbia bridge and Hwy 2 into Laredo as that is the area where most commercial vehicle hijackings occur. The only shootout between the government and the Zetas at a bridge in the Nuevo Laredo area happened around the Oxxo at the intersection of the road to the Columbia Bridge and Hwy 2 a couple of years ago.

I would take Coloso to Bridge II. It is much shorter and except at absolute peak times quicker. I drive Coloso twice a day between Bridge II and the Paseo Colon exit and it is quiet. It is an Army transit route and the delinquentes tend to avoid it.