Whenever you embark on a new adventure, you hope that it will all be smooth sailing. I can tell you from experience that traveling without a few mishaps here and there does not happen. My current trip in Mérida, Mexico is my longest trip to date and although the experience has been great thus far I have had my fair share of frustrations. Today, I want to talk about the never ending struggle I have had getting around the city. Usually when I travel I am all for using public transportation. Whether that be the subways in NYC or the buses in Costa Rica, public transportation is usually reliable, easy to navigate, efficient and affordable. That however has not been the case for me since I have been in Mérida. The study abroad group I am with has a really pushed for using the bus system and advises us to be weary of taxis. So here is list of pros, cons and my take of the different transportation options here in Mérida.
Buses-
Pros: Public buses are super cheap, only costing 7 pesos per a person. (Equals about 0.50 USD) The locations that they are supposed to go to are painted onto the front window so if they actually follow that route then you may know where you are headed. They all end up in Centro, so you may have a long ride but you will eventually end up in Centro.
Cons: They are several different bus companies all with different routes so it is not always clear which buses go where and how long they will take. There are no designated bus stops. So basically you stand on the side of the road and hope if you wave down a bus it will stop for you. There is no A/C on the buses. This is a very American complaint but when it’s over 100 degrees outside A/C is a wonderful thing. The bus drivers run on there own time and route. They can decide to go on a different route or not stop. For this reason you also never know when the bus will come to pick you up at a certain location. The buses are also very crowded and often times you end up squished together and standing for as long as 45 minutes.
Sav’s Take: If you want the authentic daily experience of someone living in Mérida take the bus. If you want to be on time to something do not take the bus. If you’re unsure of the route the bus is going ask the driver or someone else on the bus most people are willing to help.
Taxi’s–
Pros: Taxis in Mérida are also very affordable, especially if you split the total between a group of people. I have never paid more than six dollars to get from one place to another. They are fast and reliable. If you call a taxi to your house and ask them to be there at a certain time they are always on time or early. They are also readily available if you are on a main road. They take a lot less time than a bus. Every taxi ride I have taken has been less than 15 minutes. You are not expected to tip taxi drivers which keeps cost low. Lastly taxi’s usually have some sort of A/C. This is a huge blessing on days when the heat index is 105 degrees.
Cons: They are a little more expensive than buses if you are on a very tight budget. There are two types of taxis in Mérida- ones with meters (TaxiMetro) and ones without meters (Libre). If they have a meter that guarantees a set rate and if they don’t you must negotiate the price before you get in. Sometimes taxi drivers take advantage of foreigners by driving them around for awhile so that their total cost is higher.
Sav’s Take: Taxis are the best option to get around town quickly, cheaply and stress free. But, be weary of “Libre Taxis” because they are always more expensive than a “Taxi Metro”.
All in all taxis have been the best option for me personally when trying to get around the city. I have had many frustrating bus trips where my group ends up in wrong place or I am late to an event. Although at first I was determined to figure out the bus system I have now given up on that. I now take taxis when I can and fork over the extra few dollars.
Thanks for reading! Hasta luego!
*All images from YuctanLiving.com