# Driving: California to Oaxaca



## Mezcalifornia (May 14, 2014)

I have been searching the forum for good routes from California to southern Mexico but have not found too much info....figured I would ask.

I have been living in Mexico (Oaxaca and Merida) on and off for the last 8 years or so... I have driven in Mexico but not extensively, and I have never driven a car from the US (deep) into Mexico. 

I plan on leaving (Northern California) in a few weeks and "taking my time" (10-14 days) in getting to Oaxaca....I might have a Mexican friend fly up to Northern Mexico somewhere to accompany me but not sure on that yet. 

I know the common sense stuff about driving in Mexico, staying on cuota roads and driving in the day etc- I am not paranoid but I know the violence in Mexico is a very real thing- so safety is a concern. I am open to any route really-prefer safe/less time consuming to sight seeing etc but I am also not going to be driving 30 hours straight. I have never seen that much of northern Mexico so I am somewhat open as far as time goes. 

So I guess my main questions are:

Is it too costly / a bad idea to drive down Baja California and ferry over to Mazatlan?

Is taking the Costera a bad call?

It seems like many people avoid the Tijuana Crossing... so where would be best?

I am open to driving to Arizona/New Mexico/Texas if that is really the best option. 

Has anyone made this drive (or a similar one) recently? 



Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

What year and model vehicle will you be driving?


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

When we came down we went through Nogales Guaymas Culiacan Tepic Guadalajara and you continue on to Morelia Atlacomulco take the Arco Norte to Tula Puebla and south of Puebla
Tehuacan Oaxaca It is about 12 hours from Guadaljara to Oaxaca city.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

I recently drove fron El Paso to Guadalajara with no problems. I used both cuota and libre roads. There was no wait crossing the border, no line at all, but it was after midnight when I crossed.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> I recently drove fron El Paso to Guadalajara with no problems. I used both cuota and libre roads. There was no wait crossing the border, no line at all, but it was after midnight when I crossed.


From LA to Guadalajara taking the Ciudad Juarez/El Paso route it is 2700 klms. Tolls are $1,548 pesos.

Taking the LA to Nogales route to Guadalajara it is 2400 klms. Tolls are $1,633 pesos.

300 klms = 190 miles further or 3 hours going though to Texas.

Rutas Punto a Punto


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I ll pay the extra 100 pesos for toll so I do not have to drive through that boring 300km, plus you save on the car and on gas, Nogales makes sense if you come from California.


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## Mezcalifornia (May 14, 2014)

AlanMexicali said:


> What year and model vehicle will you be driving?


I will be driving a 2003 Toyota Matrix.


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## Mezcalifornia (May 14, 2014)

Thank you all for your replies it look like crossing in Arizona to Nogales is the best bet. Thanks again!


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

I drove down to Oaxaca in Feb.`14......crossed at Nogales at the Mariposa truck crossing, at 21 KM did the FMM and TIP and stayed the first night in Navojoa, second Mazatlan, third Guadalajara, fourth Queretaro, fifth Oaxaca via the Arco Norte to eliminate driving into the state or city of Mexico...daylight hours, toll roads all the way no problems just a few agriculture inspection stations near state lines...make sure you have copy of pink slip,passport, registration and original registration of vehicle and a credit card or cash for the TIP, and of course Mexican insurance...


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