# Bus from San Miguel de Allende to Austin



## tochtitlan23 (Jun 26, 2013)

I have an appointment with the VA in January - Omnibus has a service from SMA to Austin, but since I have a scheduled appointment, I am concerned about getting hung-up at the border with immigration etc. and missing my appointment.

Has anyone had experience using a bus service that crosses the border. I was thinking that taking the bus to Laredo, turning-in my FMM, crossing on foot and renting a car would be a better option.

Thanks, Mark S


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## WomanOnTheGo (Dec 12, 2013)

tochtitlan23 said:


> I have an appointment with the VA in January - Omnibus has a service from SMA to Austin, but since I have a scheduled appointment, I am concerned about getting hung-up at the border with immigration etc. and missing my appointment.
> 
> Has anyone had experience using a bus service that crosses the border. I was thinking that taking the bus to Laredo, turning-in my FMM, crossing on foot and renting a car would be a better option.
> 
> Thanks, Mark S


I've crossed the border from Juarez to El Paso by bus in early 2009. It took a long time (maybe 2 or 3 hours) in the lineup. My feeling was that the El Paso border staff (USA-side) were quite unprofessional in their demeanor and speech, but that's neither here nor there, I suppose (they let me through without any problems). 

If it's important to be there on time, I would try for the night before, for sure.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

tochtitlan23 said:


> I have an appointment with the VA in January - Omnibus has a service from SMA to Austin, but since I have a scheduled appointment, I am concerned about getting hung-up at the border with immigration etc. and missing my appointment.
> 
> Has anyone had experience using a bus service that crosses the border. I was thinking that taking the bus to Laredo, turning-in my FMM, crossing on foot and renting a car would be a better option.
> 
> Thanks, Mark S


This doesn't address your question.

I have never taken a bus that crossed the border, but I have taken a bus to Ciudad Juarez, walked across the border, then caught another bus. There has never been any delay walking across the border in Ciudad Juarez (Tijuana is another story. It always takes over an hour to walk across there).


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## tochtitlan23 (Jun 26, 2013)

WomanOnTheGo said:


> I've crossed the border from Juarez to El Paso by bus in early 2009. It took a long time (maybe 2 or 3 hours) in the lineup. My feeling was that the El Paso border staff (USA-side) were quite unprofessional in their demeanor and speech, but that's neither here nor there, I suppose (they let me through without any problems).
> 
> If it's important to be there on time, I would try for the night before, for sure.


Thanks for the reply and information. I think that I will take the bus to Nuevo Laredo and walk or take a taxi, as well, I have to find the immigration office to turn in my FMM. From past experience, as you say, it can take a few hours when crossing on the bus. And I do have an appointment with the VA clinic in Austin. 

Thanks, Mark S


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## dallasteacher (Dec 29, 2013)

The bus does take a very long time. My husband's uncle just recently crossed at Laredo by bus and it took them 4 hours to cross. The immigration office is not hard to find in Nuevo Laredo.


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## Jreboll (Nov 23, 2013)

I have crossed over through McAllen several times. The bus goes through a designated lane thereby bypassing most of the traffic. At the bridge everyone gets off with their luggage and gets in line to be processed. Then you walk to the waiting area for the bus. It all takes about half an hour.


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## tochtitlan23 (Jun 26, 2013)

dallasteacher said:


> The bus does take a very long time. My husband's uncle just recently crossed at Laredo by bus and it took them 4 hours to cross. The immigration office is not hard to find in Nuevo Laredo.


Thanks very much for the information. Plan to take the bus to Nuevo Laredo then walk accross. 

Appreciate it,

Mark S


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## JustinChase (Dec 26, 2013)

tochtitlan23 said:


> Thanks very much for the information. Plan to take the bus to Nuevo Laredo then walk accross.
> 
> Appreciate it,
> 
> Mark S


Maybe you should just leave about 8 hours early, and allow for the worst possible experience/time in crossing the border, but not have to worry about disembarking, waking over the border, then acquiring new transportation.

Austin is a great city (sold my house there in October), and you can find TONS of interesting/fun things to do while you wait, if you get there too early.

Just a suggestion


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## tochtitlan23 (Jun 26, 2013)

JustinChase said:


> Maybe you should just leave about 8 hours early, and allow for the worst possible experience/time in crossing the border, but not have to worry about disembarking, waking over the border, then acquiring new transportation.
> 
> Austin is a great city (sold my house there in October), and you can find TONS of interesting/fun things to do while you wait, if you get there too early.
> 
> Just a suggestion


Thanks, the bus for Laredo only leaves around 7:30pm - the easy leg of the trip. I won't be carrying anthing but an empty backpack and some paperwork, so hopefully they will just wave me on - a taxi might be another option. 

Yep, Austin was my home town for awhile, South First and Congress, but moved back to San Marcos after about a year.

Appreciate the suggestion -


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