I am travelling to Mexico City for a Business trip for 3 days and have approx 10 meetings to attend?

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Mad Mex

Mexico City is one of the most complicated cities to move around in the world. When I go there I do not schedule more than two meetings a day if I have to visit their offices. Once it took me 45 minutes just to leave the parking garage of the airport. A ride that normally takes 15 minutes without traffic (around 3:00 am) it takes usually 45 minutes (anytime between 5:00 am to 11:00 pm) and often when there is an accident or unusual activity it can take 90 minutes. I am not exaggerating here.

Also you have to remember that many places do not start working until 9:00 am. They go to "lunch" very late. around 3:00 pm and often take a more than an hour. And leave work around 6:00 pm. So assuming you can be the first of the agenda, you can secure a 9:30 am slot. Take an 1:30 hour for meeting.you will finish at 11:00. Lets assume one hour to move to next meeting assuming "light" traffic and close location. You might try to secure a meeting by 12:30 pm to be safe. Then I guess you could try to make your next appointment at 4:30 pm. mmm I guess is kind of doable. But it assumes relatively close locations and "light" traffic.

Mexico City is huge and conggested. To cross the city from one side to the other it could easily take you three hours in the middle of day.

My suggestions are:
- try to arrange for them to come to you. For example rent a conference room at your hotel. Of course if you are selling them it is very hard to do.
- Hire a taxi or a car with driver by the day. Someone trusty and set the rate in advance for the day, unlimited miles.
- under no circumstance try to drive yourself.

viajera

Definitely get taxis or a car that comes with a driver. You do NOT want to navigate Mexico City traffic unless you're from someplace comprable, which no where in the US or Canada is. The drivers are crazy, the streets are very confusing, and taxis are cheap. I would never drive there.

Lprod

Wow, you're pushing it a bit too much...... as they already said, driving in MEX City is CRAZY....... unless you're planning to stay only 30 mins. in each meeting and the companies you will be visiting are located within a 5-10 KM radius, this is not very likely to happen (pack 3-4 meetings in 1 single working day successfully). There are traffic jams in the city at all times of the day, so even if your hosts have extended working schedules (i.e. they don't leave their office at 6 PM but stay there till 8-9 PM and they can meet you by that time) it's going to be hard to comply with all of the appointments.

Since you're traveling for business I wouldn't have recommended you to use the metro, as someone else already suggested, but if you definitely MUST cover all those meetings then it might be your best option.... depending on the area of the city you will be going to (because some of them do not have a metro station closeby) you might get there quicker if you use the metro than if you take a taxi. Of course it won't be as comfortable, but if you don't mind...... otherwise I'd say just get your hotel to call you a cab and some of the drivers hired by these hotels may be able to provide their services for the entire day for a fixed fee and take you anywhere you need. But then again, it depends on where you want to go. Just remember that it's not very smart for a tourist to just stop any taxi they find on the street -- always get them from safe fixed places ("sitios") where they can be tracked. Good luck in your "mission impossible"!!!

Vaggaloor

have you ever been at Mexico city?

forget about driving there, the worst idea in the world.
Hire a car, but including driver. Ask to travel agency or your partners at Mexico, there are "taxis ejecutivos" wich are regular cars (not painted) with taxi permission; chepaer and more safe.

Pay attention to Lprod, it's the best advice.

Joey m

That's not a very smart schedule, not in Mexico.

California

HIre adriver or Taxi, Is not easy to drive around Mexico city, abad turn and you end up in the opposite site of the city, or worst; Lost!

rhino72032

Driving in Mexico City is next to impossible. Also there is one day a week you can't drive a car. You'll get a ticket if the last digit of your license plate is the one banned from the streets that day (it doesn't matter if it's a rental car).
If it was me, I'd take a taxi from my hotel to the first meeting of the day, leaving enough time for rush hour traffic. They should be able to help you at the hotel with how much time to allow. Then if the second meeting is on the other side of town, I'd use the Metro (subway).
I'd use the Metro anytime it's not rush hour. There are pickpockets, but they work best when then can lean against you in a crowded car. When it's not rush hour, you can get a seat and put your briefcase between your feet. Wear a money belt under your clothes for money, credit cards and passport. If you have a briefcase, the best kind are the one's with a strap, that you can loop over one shoulder and under the arm on the other side. If you were to put a briefcase down on the platform, there's a chance someone could jog by and try to snatch it.
I've riden the Metro about a dozen times and never had a problem or seen anything bad--I've just heard stories.

Jabberbox

Hello

I would say get a taxi, in the long run I think it will be easier. Just be sure you agree on the cost.

Also be sure you don't eat drink anything washed in the water or ice in drinks. My mom did and had Montezuma revenge.

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