From 2003/05 Brewmeisterbro - Mazatlan by Bus, My First Trip Report

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I have made many trips into Sonora on the bus but have never ventured further South. I like taking the bus for a number of reasons. You have the opportunity to meet new people on the bus. Bus travel in Mexico is more enjoyable than in the U.S. You can relax on the bus and sleep, watch movies or take in the scenery. You don't have to worry about the security of your car. Bus stations are usually centrally located so hotels and other amenities are close by. And most importantly to me, bus travel is inexpensive: about $500 pesos each way to Mazatlan.

To avoid the long waits at the border, I always park my truck on the U.S. side and walk accross. I then either take a taxi or a city bus to the Nogales, Sonora Central de Autobus. I found out the hard way that crossing the border that way saves a whole lot of time, money and hassle.

Before you leave, don't forget to obtain your Mexican visa from Mexican Immigration or some other agency in your home town. I got caught once without one on a weekend trip to Hermosillo and thought I was going to be deported North as an illegal alien! I always keep a certified copy of my birth certificate with me but leave my passport at home for safe keeping. Passports are not required for American citizens to visit Mexico.

There is an overnight express bus that leaves Nogales about 8PM most nights and pulls into Mazatlan 17 hours later. That sounded too exhausting for me so I decided to take 2 days and overnight in Ciudad Obregon.

An ex-girlfriend of mine is from Obregon and I was told that a lot of beautiful women live there.
I was not disappointed.

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The next morning I took the TAP bus to Mazatlan.
I highly recommend the TAP bus line. This was the most luxurious bus I have ever been on. The bus was very clean and looked new. There were 2 bathrooms and the seats converted to lounges that were almost like beds. Of course, there were also movies.

The bus pulled into Mazatlan that afternoon just as the sun was setting on the Pacific. From other websites like maps-of-mexico.com I knew that the hotels on the Malecon were only 3-4 blocks from the bus station so I picked up my bags and walked toward the sunset.
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