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Arriving at GDL at midnight...for Ajijic


Sky

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I second this recommendation.  Unless you can arrange a well-trusted driver who will pick her up in GDL and bring her to Ajijic, then I strongly recommend staying overnight in GDL, preferably at the airport hotel, unless she can get a shuttle to a nearby hotel.  There are lots along the highways before the centre of GDL.

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2 minutes ago, Arroyos said:

I second this recommendation.  Unless you can arrange a well-trusted driver who will pick her up in GDL and bring her to Ajijic, then I strongly recommend staying overnight in GDL, preferably at the airport hotel, unless she can get a shuttle to a nearby hotel.  There are lots along the highways before the centre of GDL.

Please note this in OP: " is it safe / ok to drive to Ajijic at this hour? "

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Frankly I don’t think this is an appropriate question to ask of anyone on a Board. Is it safe? Compared to what?  I think that if there were/are many occurrences of mishaps on this road in the wee hours it would be one thing, but to suggest that any of us can predict what a given night might look like.... well not me. 

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Yes, it is safe to drive at night, watching out for those things mentioned by suegarn. If your eyesight is good, anyway. I can't do it anymore, because much of the highway is very low on reflective lines, and I can't take the glare of headlights.

In terms of other dangers, it is pretty much as safe as any other road up north. If you don't have a car, the taxis are perfectly good.

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Take a taxi...or spend the night near the airport unless you / they are familiar with the GDL.- Chapala Hwy. and exactly where they are going locally..

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You ask if it’s  ‘smarter’ to stay in a hotel..IMO definitely yes.  Why take the chance of major potholes, & wandering livestock. And mechanical trouble can happen to anyone &  a middle of the night breakdown with no one around would certainly not be fun for your guests

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I have to tell ya, there just isn't much "wandering livestock". Certainly not on the main highway from Guadalajara, and not very much here. Just keep eyes open, is all. Y'all make it sound like some backwater boonie.

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The hwy is really dark at night, no lines or reflectors at all in many places, and if it's raining, that makes it worse. At best, the drive would be a lousy introduction to our charming town. At worst, it would be an introduction to a ditch and how to use a cell phone in the middle of nowhere or throw yourself on the mercy of friendly passersby who may not speak English. And all this when your friends are probably dead tired from the flight.

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I sometimes arrive on late flights,  I take a taxi from the airport to Ajijic and never had a problem. The cab drivers know about the potholes and the dark highway    It is a good idea to have detail instructions on where you are going and a phone number so the cab driver can call for directions if he is not sure on how to get there.  I am a woman and travel alone and never had a problem in the last 17 years I have lved in Ajijic.

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1 hour ago, daisy2013 said:

Ther can be wandering livestock especially going up the hill after Ixtlahuacan 

Amen!   After dropping someone off at the airport at 4:00AM for an early flight, I once came up that hill and around a curve and was horrified to see about 8 big black cows standing in the middle of the road.  I hit the brakes hard and missed them by the skin of my teeth.  Terrifying!

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Last year I took a friend to the airport from recollection around 3 in the morning. It was the rainy season. On the way back I could hardly see where I was going because it was so dark. Came over a hill and suddenly my car was in about 2 feet of water. I floored the gas pedal and some how my little Tsuru floated thru.

Yes there is live stock, did you ever see the number of dead horses along the Libriamento. 

And yes the Chapala to Guadalajara Highway is not really safe at night. (just ask the locals).

And yes I would stay at a Hotel near guadalajara. 

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If you are driving yourself definitely get a shuttle to a nearby hotel.  If you're not then get a taxi and come on into Ajijic and wherever you are staying.  We have some excellent drivers that will meet you at any hour and drive you to your destination.  We had a late doctor's appointment last evening and hired a driver to take us.  Thanks to the flooding rains in Guadalajara we didn't get back until after midnight.  There's no problem when you have a driver that knows the roads.

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If you are arriving at Guadalajara at midnight and plan on coming to Chapala or Ajijic, I would definitely just come on to Ajijic by way of taxi, my folks do it frequently at that hour, there are always taxis, and the airport taxis know the road well.  I don't think there is anything to really worry about, now if they are planning on driving, maybe........but the taxi drivers know the stretch well. 

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My suggestion is, if possible, schedule flights that allow you to come at a better hour, you know not so late or early, something I can do when commuting between Seattle or Vancouver and Guadalajara.

When it wasn't possible I chose to stay overnight at a stop-over that landed in the early evening, and then took an earlier flight the next day that landed mid day in Guadalajara.

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10 hours ago, Sky said:

Thank you everyone for your valued opinions.  As a newbie, livestock, major potholes, water hazards, no reflective lines are things we did not know about for this stretch of road.  

Your OP was not clear. Does your friend have a car parked at the airport? If so and with good eyesight and decent driving skills no problem driving to Ajijic. If not or if he/she is concerned about driving, for about $500 there is a line of taxies just outside the exit of the airport. Buy a ticket at a booth there and the drivers are all registered and insured. 

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