© Suzanne Barbezat
I had been to Mexico City several times before I took the Turibus. Previously I had always gotten around the city by metro and found it a convenient and practical way to get from one place to another. Also I must admit that whenever I saw those red double decker buses I felt, as independent travelers often do, a sort of disdain for the passengers - those unadventurous folks who, instead of experiencing the "real" city the way the locals do, view it all from the remote perspective of their tour bus.
My disdain wasn't so great that I wouldn't consider counting myself amongst their ranks, however, and on a trip to Mexico City some years ago with my mother and my young daughter in tow, we decided that instead of marching her up and down stairs, on and off metro cars, and through tunnels to get to all the sights on our list for the day, we would purchase day passes for the Turibus.
That day made me a convert. Particularly in a city as large as Mexico's capital, seeing it all from the vantage point of the Turibus gave me an appreciation for the layout of the city, the architecture of the Centro Historico, the numerous monuments along Paseo de la Reforma, the extent of Chapultepec Park, and how they all fit into the mosaic of modern-day Mexico City. I realized that prior to that experience I had perceived the city from a mole's perspective: ground level and underground tunnels. I have great admiration for the efficiency of Mexico City's metro system which transports some 5 million users every day for the extremely low price of 3 pesos (roughly 25 cents US), and for the simple expediency of getting from one place to another, the metro can't be beat. For a day of sightseeing however, the Turibus is an excellent option.
After my initial Turibus experience I began to recommend the Turibus to travelers who would be passing through Mexico City. I had a friend who was planning to spend two days there with her elderly parents and I thought it would be the perfect option for them. They did take the Turibus but were not so pleased with the experience. Distressed that my recommendation had not worked out for them, I asked for specifics. They were disappointed in the information in the audio guide, felt that it was incomplete, and there was no guide on board to whom they could address questions. Obviously their expectations weren't in line with what the Turibus offers, and I realized that I needed to be clear when recommending the Turibus.
If you want detailed information about the history of Mexico City or the areas you pass through, you should hire a private guide. They can give you lots of information and answer questions that may come up during the tour. For a simple and convenient way to get around Mexico City, with the option of listening to recorded information about the general areas and sights you'll see, take the Turibus.
Read more about the Turibus in Mexico City.
More Mexico City resources:
- Top Mexico City Sights
- Free Things to Do in Mexico City
- A Walking Tour of Mexico City's Historical Center
I could have written this. I avoided the turibus for years, but finally gave in when a friend was visiting with 2 children. It’s really great!
Jim, I’m glad to know I’m not alone!
Estoy de acuerdo! Seemed so goofy to me until I finally did it, and loved it. Now I recommend it to anyone visiting D.F. Aside from the perspective it offers, it’s also a super-affordable way to get around the city.
Thanks for chiming in, Betsy. You’re absolutely right. Besides its other advantages, the Turibus is also very affordable.
Good way to see and get from place to place and affordable but dont believe the stated circuit times in peak hour. It took 2 hrs from Anthropological Museum (stop 2) to Zoccalo (stop 9) in peak hour… Peak hour traffic is a nightmare. Faster to walk (if you can find a good map). If Turibus offered purchase of a map with each ticket, they would be a best seller.