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|country = of Mexico

|hitch = {{very good}}<rating country='mx' />|BW = MX

In rural parts of '''Mexico ''' is a country in [[North America|North]] and [[Central America]]. Despite its notoriety, hitchhiking in Mexico is not only possible but it can be a rather enjoyable experience. Due to its sheer size it's common impossible to see whole families hitchhiking together, or for give a pick-up to stop general hitchability rating for several different groups of hitchers until this country: the back of the truck is completely fullexperiences vary from state to state. Because pick-up trucks are the vehicle of choiceAs anywhere, it's quite easy to get rides just outside of any you can go fast on highways and very slow on small town (knock on the back window when you're ready to get out)less used roads.

Useful Spanish words are "ride" Avoid disappointment and "aventon", both meaning a lift. Near unnecessary loss of money by keeping your proof of payment of the Guatemalan border tourist fee when you enter the word "jalon" is usedcountry! They will want to see it again when you leave.

== Where to hike? License plates ==Mexican license plates are very easy to interpret: The best place to get a ride is not on the side name of the road or an issuing federal state is written on-ramp, like in many other countries, but at petrol stations or exits from shopping centers, them (as you will easily notice once in truck stops or at the restaurants where truckers eatcountry). Some petrol stations When traveling longer distances or in the north don't allow people to do that, but you can try to speak central Mexico with the manager, its many small states it works sometime. Otherwise, just stay by the cashier of the petrol station, or at the door of the store or anything else can therefore be useful knowing which state your destination is in (they can't forbid if you thathave one), and ask. Nevertheless if you don't ask people and stick out your thumb you can still make good distance.

== Precautions Cities ==It is not recommendable __TOC__* [[Acapulco]]* [[Arriaga]]* [[Ciudad Valles]]* [[Culiacán]]* [[Guadalajara]]* [[Guanajuato (city)| Guanajuato]]* [[Mexico City]] (capital)* [[Oaxaca (City)|Oaxaca]]* [[Palenque]]* [[Poza Rica]]* [[Puebla (city)|Puebla]]* [[Querétaro (city)| Querétaro]]* [[San Cristóbal de las Casas]]* [[San Luis Potosí (city)| San Luis Potosí]]* [[Tehuantepec]]* [[Toluca]]* [[Tuxtla]]* [[Xalapa (City)|Xalapa]] == Hitchability and General Advice== Hitchability in Mexico varies wildly depending on the region and on the setting. by the touristic coast of Oaxaca, for example, it's extremely easy to take drugs find rides, while you might wait a few hours on low-traffic rural roads or weapons by the overwhelmingly crowded ''casetas de cobro'' near Mexico City. A peculiarity of Mexican hitchhiking are the ubiquitous pick-up trucks where you just jump in the back, hold onto your hat, kiss the wind and forget about communicating with the driver. Many people will offer youfood and drinks, especially as Coca Cola! On routes with poor public transportation, payment is sometimes expected and ordinary pickups magically turn into ''collectivos'' (shared taxis). On the small roads, however, hitchhiking can sometimes be time-consuming – waiting times of 2–3 hours are not unheard of 2010 since . Be prepared with patience, water and sun cream. Although in many places locals hitch to get home from the mexican governmentgrocery store for instance, backed by the US ADA who are actually present hitchhiking as a lifestyle or as a means of long-distance travel is not so common in Mexico (!!) have decides and not everybody might immediately understand what you want. So, on the mountain roads for instance, your brain should be wired more to crack down enjoy the magnificent views and eating the abundance of fruit nature has on narco offer rather than making a lot of progress. As for security, most hitchhikers never encounter any major problems. Mexico is an enormous country and weapon traffickingexperiences vary a lot from state to state. Therefor If you likely will be checked by one want to avoid risks, you can avoid the states close to the border with USA - Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Chihuahua and Durango, i.e. take buses and collectivos when traveling north of the numerous check pointsline between Tampico, especially in San Luis Potosi and Mazatlan (the north as you near the US bordermap). But it's Apparently also good to know that the soldiers hardly ever search all states of Guerrero and Michoacán (mostly by the way through a large back-packcoast), unless you answer their questions really badSinaloa and Veracruz can be risky.  If the vehicle you're riding go hitchhiking in does get stopped just stay calmMexico, being able to speak and understand at least a bit of Spanish is nearly mandatory. Apart from touristic areas, show your passportmost people you encounter do not speak English, say unless they have lived in the magic US which isn't all that infrequent. Still, if you know Spanish you can communicate way better with people and get a closer connection with them. Useful [[Spanish]] words are "''turista''ride" and " (aventón"tourist, both meaning a lift. Near the [[Guatemala|Guatemalan]] border the word ") and jalón"is used. No one understands what hitchhiking or autostop means so say “busco/buscamos un ride” instead when looking for a ride. === Signs === Signs are almost always unnecessary in Mexico. However they really seem to help when you're hitching at a ''caseta de paseo nada mascobro''" ("just passing"), and if they ask to see your stuff open you bag and show them that it's all clothes and stuffespecially when the highway splits soon after.

Also, If you're in the southan area with a lot of local traffic, you rides it might ask be useful to make a sign that says "Siguiente Gasolinera" (next gas station). Then you about your immigration status can get a ride to a better hitchhiking spot. Similarly, signs that say "reten" (checkpoint) or "caseta" (tollbooth) can be really useful, especially when cars are passing quickly and advise you of immigration check pointsthe checkpoint or tollbooth is only 10 or 20 km away.

In some mid-sized cities like Tampico, Oaxaca, and Pachuca there are no transit roads and you have === Where to cross the city. Taking a bus makes things easier.hitchhike? ===

== Notes You can hitchhike pretty much everywhere, even on Baja California and Yucatan ==It may be extremely easy to hitch in mainland Mexico, but in the Baja California peninsulahighway (although pretty much no one stops at such high speeds). In general, itasking at gas stations (''gasolinera's a completely different story! In Baja California, there is only one road, the HWY 1, which isn't hell to hitchhike on but requires a lot of patience: there are often large distances in between cities (which are barely even cities, rather a few ranches and cactus farms) and or even larger distances between petrol stations traffic lights (example: El Rosario is the last one before Guerrero Negro''semáforo''), about 360 km further down in Baja California Sur). Getting stuck in especially on bus stops and the middle of the desert is NOT funlike, and many people can only take get you from town to town as far pretty easily. Sometimes it is local traffic or gringos doing one of better to be among the many races down cars, in the Bajatraffic lights, and directly ask rides from people who have open windows. Also, unless Sometimes you are planning on staying can just jump in Baja and going the back of a pick-up towards the USA-Mexico border, without even telling where you should hitchhike from Mexicali south.. If you plan are going and just tap on heading to mainland Mexico from the Baja, window when you must take a ferry in either La Paz or Cabo towards Mazatlan, which costs about 80$ USDwant to get off.

The Yucatan PenninsulaOther good places include exits from shopping centers, on in truck stops or at the other handrestaurants where truckers eat. Some petrol stations in the north don't allow people to do that, outshines all Mexico for its ease and amiability of hitchhikingbut you can try to speak with the manager. It works sometimes. You might not even fall victim to Moctezuma revenge eating old papaya slushies and bean burritos out Otherwise, just stay by the cashier of the trash in some of those tourist stripspetrol station or at the door (they can't forbid you that) and ask. Hey!

== Map==The Guia Roji road atlas with Mexico also has many border control and military and police checkpoints (''retén'') in the maps middle of the major cities is maybe worth highways throughout the 100 Pesoscountry. These can be great for hitchhiking. It's usually good practice to ask the personnel for permission beforehand, but people tend to know and oftentimes they'll be asking all the roads drivers where they're going, so they can even let you know if you ask lots of questions you can also get around without onesomeone's going to your destination.

One You can also catch long rides at the exits of the great things of hitchhiking in Mexico is that even if cities when you travel alone, you rarely on the highways. Many cities have to hitch-hike alone, because hitchhiking is such a common activity among locals. For single females, joining speed bumps (''tope'') where the highway begins at the colourfully clothed "crowds" edge of locals when they jump on town. Where there are police posts at the back of a pick-up truck not only adds entrance or exits to the funtowns, but also your safetythere are usually topes too. This is especially handy as On smaller highways in certain more rural areas - like in the North, around Chihuahua - men will take you for there are often speed bumps at every little town, making it easy to move quickly with a prostitute (no matter if you have a large bag and totally look like a foreigner)number of shorter rides.

== Personal experience ==:''In 10 months and tens Many of thousands of km covered by thumbthe larger, my only "bad" experience was between Ptofaster highways operate on a toll system. Angel and Oaxaca City It's common for there to be a free road (a notorious drug route, as I later learned''libre''). The driver asked me parallel to drive and once I was behind the wheel informed me that paid one (''cuota''), the van was full of Colombia's finest. I nearly shat myselfformer being slower and easier to catch rides, but the experience turned out to latter much more likely for getting longer rides. The tollbooths (''caseta'') can be quite interestinggood places too, as we were forced to make several detours to avoid police checkpoints, taking me through beautiful and remote parts of the Oaxacan mountains I otherwise never would have discoveredones near the cities can usually be reached by local transport. Be careful not However, sometimes you might be told to stand about 100m past the tollbooth itself, so traffic has often already picked up speed by the time they get set upto you and it can be difficult for cars to pull over. A veryFortunately, verythere are often restrooms, rare occurancegas stations and stores just past the ''caseta'', but one so you can talk to drivers that stop there. Signs can happencome in really handy at tollbooths.''

In some mid-sized cities like [[Tampico]], Oaxaca, and [[Pachuca]] there are no transit roads and you have to cross the city. Taking a bus makes things easier. == Cities Safety ==* It is even less recommendable than in other countries to take drugs or weapons with you, especially since after 2010 the Mexican government, backed by the US DEA who are actually present in Mexico (!!), have decided to crack down on drug and weapon trafficking. This has declined again since the following government of Peña Nieto seems to be more friendly towards the narcos. There still are numerous checkpoints all around the country, but in general it doesn't seem very likely that you will be checked and the soldiers hardly ever search all the way through a large back-pack, unless you answer their questions really bad. If the vehicle you're riding in does get stopped just stay calm, show your passport, say the magic words "''turista''" ("tourist") and "''de paseo nada más''" ("just passing"), and if they ask to see your stuff open you bag and show them that it's all clothes and stuff. Small quantities of marijuana are decriminalized and police officers can probably be convinced to overlook them with a small payment, although of course the Hitchwiki community endorses neither drug possession nor bribery. ;-) Be aware that knives are illegal as they are considered "lethal weapons" according to Mexican law and can theoretically be punished by up to five years of prison. In the south, your drivers might ask you about your immigration status and advise you of immigration check points. === Single Women === [[Image:20180310 123251.jpg|thumb|240px|left|my girl Ave ride beggin' in San Isidro Mazatepec, Jalisco- a pueblo harboring my favorite taco stand with the most toppings you'll ever want [two_string_sally]]] One of the great things of hitchhiking in Mexico is that even if you travel alone, you rarely have to hitch-hike alone, because hitchhiking is such a common activity among locals - joining locals hitching will not only add to the fun, but also your safety. This is especially handy as in certain areas - like in the North, around [[Chihuahua (City)|Chihuahua]] - men might take you for a prostitute (even if you have a large bag and totally look like a foreigner).  [[User:Zenit|Zenit]] seriously disagrees with the statement that "you rarely have to hitch-hike alone" in Mexico. In three months, between Baja California and Cancún, he only saw other hitchhikers two or three times. [[User:two_string_sally|two_string_sally]] thinks the day she hitched from San Isidro Mazatepec, Jalisco to the airport (capital50 km)was a fun ole time! prior to that she'd hitched 2,600 km with her male friend and received the usual creepiness of the world. she will say, however, that mexican men (and turkish, indian etc) seem to perceive us western women as free lovin' (which, relative to their culture, we are), and had the usual, 'do you want to have sex with me?,' leg touching drama you just have to deal with. nothin' dangerous, she might add. FUN TIMES! * [[OaxacaImage:31723347 1762829300429691 117312268571508736 n.jpg|thumb|240px|left|the perils of female hitching. nothing dangerous, but annoying when the guys start touching your hair, trying to sleep on your shoulder, or making a grab for your no no zones ha! strange times but super fun hanging at the aguascalientes with them. pictured is Avery warding off a sleepy kid. [two_string_sally]]] == Food == Vegetarians/vegans: if you ask food carts or taco places if they have anything vegetarian, and they say no, look at the ingredients they've got in their work area and get creative! [[User:Chinahitch|One vegetarian traveller]]'s favourite is tomato and avocado taco. == Personal experiences ==

== Gallery ==<gallerystyle="float:right; width:200px; margin-left:25px;">

''I hitchhiked for two months through the mainland and had a great experience. People are very friendly and willing to help. The biggest thing is getting outside the city. The good thing about the big highways is you are more likely to get a long ride, the bad thing it can be rough to have someone pull over. The small villages are easier to get rides but tend to be short.'' - Jason  ''ANDALE! México remains my favorite place to catch a ride- starting in san diego, cali and winding up in ciudad de guatemala a month later was a breeze. forget about that one 24 hour wait in Tonalà (7eleven outside Guadalajara, you were cruel to me), and hear me out when i say that topés (speed rumps) are your besties and camionetas (pick ups) are the most splendid way -and most common ride- to view méxico, especially with a cold Modelo in your hand and Chalino Sanchez serenading your ears from the front seat. got our shit checkpoint-searched HARD in southern baja, witnessed bribes in guate, were taken to unknown aguascalientes in jalisco, had too much tequlia in Tequila, got robbed in jocotepec, hitched a ride with turkeys, bread, candy and piñatas, drank the waters of canyon aguacero in chiapas. oh what a wonderful world. thumbed it solo as a chick and with a male and later female road dawg. ¡buen viaje! signing off.''- two_string_sally april 2018 == Links == [[File:Tortugas.jpg|right|thumb|300px|New born turtles in the coast of Mexico, walking towards the ocean.]]  For general info about moneyless travels in Mexico, see [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iqhpdy67vceKm6LBTsYQFU_wulqCb7Q-dPRooZxuU0U/mobilebasic?pli=1 this] handy document. == Nomadwiki & Trashwiki == {{hitchbase_country|128nomadwiki}} 

[[trashru:MexicoМексика]]