The Ins & Outs of Driving in Mexico Part 2 The Roads in Mexico

The road to Puerto Vallarta has excellent scenery and a canopy of trees you won't want to miss!

This is part 2 of my 6 part  post on Driving in Mexico, Click here for Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

The Roads in Mexico

The other half of the safety equation is the roads themselves. The roads in Mexico are generally pretty good… not great, but serviceable.  If it is your first time, you’ll want to stick to the toll roads (autopistas de cuota) as much as you can.  They can get a little expensive, but the roads are usually in very good condition with wider shoulders, passing lanes, better grades, less curves, etc.  But toll roads don’t go everywhere.  When you are on the free road just go easy, there is usually a lot of truck traffic, so be patient and pass when it is safe.  The lines on the road are similar to those in the USA; dashed lines mean you can pass, solid means do not pass.  You’ll see some roads where the lines are either very faded or non existent, just use some common sense and understand that there is less room for error on Mexican roads.  Some roads, like the stretch between Tepic and Puerto Vallarta, are long twisty two lane mountain roads.  These roads can definitely try your patience as there are few opportunities to pass and getting stuck behind a truck trying to go up a grade is never fun.  In those cases just take a deep breath and relax… the one good thing is many of these roads have fantastic scenery, which makes it easier to enjoy the ride.

The road to Puerto Vallarta has excellent scenery and a canopy of trees you won't want to miss!

Gas stations are not as plentiful as in the USA or Canada, so don’t let yourself go below a quarter tank.  If you are not sure where the next gas is, it’s better to top off than to find yourself out f gas in the middle of nowhere.  A lot of people travel with GPS’s these days, and GPS data in Mexico is pretty good.  But if you still prefer to use a map, then you’ll need a good road atlas.  The “Rand McNally” type atlas in Mexico is called Guia Roji.  Guia Roji prints map atlases for the entire country as well as city atlases for major cities like Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.  These guides are usually available in gas stations (those with a convenience store), book stores and news stands all over the country.

In Part 3, I’ll give some pointers on how to drive in Mexico.  Meanwhile, I’d like to hear your feedback.  Please leave a comment if you have any questions or remarks.

Click here for Part 1, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6