Tickets cost $200 - $290 and the journey takes 1h 10m. While not necessarily known as a railroading mecca, Tijuana is actually home to one of North America’s most colorful and friendly railroads. ... See America’s Finest City by moonlight. With a full day pass of $5 a person, it is so much more affordable. Every major attraction had access to a bus, trolley, or train to get us within walking distance of our destination. Immigration can be stricter when crossing back into the United States and lines often take hours. For those wanting to make your san diego visit into an international trip and cross the border into mexico i would suggest the san diego red line trolley. A round-trip is only a little more and is the same price as a day pass. The new plaza and walkway is located on the southeast side of the recently opened PedEast facility and right off the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System trolley and bus station. On a few occasions I’ve taken this trolley when either doing a daytrip to Tijuana or shopping at... Great way to get around San Diego for visitors. You will take a walkway that goes over the four lanes of traffic coming in and out of Mexico. On a few occasions I’ve taken this trolley when either doing a daytrip to Tijuana or shopping at... Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Wait times vary daily. From the San Ysidro trolley stop, you’re just a 3-minute walk from the border. Standard one-way fares are $2.50, with day passes running at $5, and there are 2-, 3- and 4-day passes available. How long is the trip to the border? TOUR HIGHLIGHTS. After reading about the heavy traffic and difficulties of finding parking in San Diego, my family decided we would try the public transportation system to get us where we needed to go. To get to Tijuana, you will need to get on the blue line at any station going south toward San Ysidro. 2. San Ysidro is at the very end of the line and the trolley ride should take around 45 minutes and cost you a grand total of $2.50 USD (£1.80 GBP) (single tickets can be bought using the self-service machine at any station). Recommended experiences in and around San Diego, Architectural Buildings, Points of Interest & Landmarks. A trolley ticket costs just a few dollars each way, regardless of where you get on and off. For current information on Bus and Trolley Service, visit the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. Jun 24, 2017 - Transportation in Tijuana: San Diego Trolley With the border of Mexico less than 20 miles from downtown San Diego, millions of people travel to Tijuana Share on Twitter. Here are a few tips for getting across the border and back safely: 1). If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. While some drive, arguably the easiest way to cross the Mexican border is by taking the San Diego Trolley. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. When you plan your trip, make sure you allocate enough time to return to San Diego. See Mexico from the Coronado Bridge . San Diego remains one of the most gorgeous places in the United States whether the lights are on or off. I'll be staying near the Amtrak station in SD. Depending on your plans, it might be more economical to get a day pass instead of a round-trip ticket. San Ysidro/Tijuana Transit Center (also called San Ysidro/International Border) is the southern terminus of the original opening day segment of the San Diego Trolley, which began operations on July 19, 1981 and revenue collection on July 26, 1981. All Rights Reserved. Take the MTS Trolley. San Diego Trolley tickets are good for two hours after they're validated. San Diego’s only historic trolley night tour . The blue line travels throughout downtown San Diego and connects to the city’s other green and orange lines. Greyhound USA operates a bus from San Diego, Ca to Tijuana Central Bus Term, Mx hourly. read more. Search for Schedules and Real Time by Bus Route, Trolley Line, Stop Number or Location Real time arrivals are estimates based on GPS data. Explore some of the top highlights of San Diego with your silver, gold, or platinum day pass (depending on option selected) for the city’s Hop-on, Hop-off Trolley Tour. ... Tijuana … 70th Street: Green: 7255 Alvarado Rd. And if you want to spend some time in Tijuana, it's a convenient way to get there. From downtown San Diego, a trip to the Mexican border will take about 45 minutes on the Imperial Way blue line. Grossmont Transit Center: Green Orange 8601 Fletcher Pkwy. It's officially called the San Diego Trolley's Blue Line, but to most people it's simply the Tijuana Trolley. 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The buses and trolleys are clean, and the bus drivers are very friendly and helpful. See the twinkle from Tijuana. For a real insider’s look at ‘America’s Finest City,’ it can only be Old Town Trolley Tours! San Diego Scenic Tours We offer the most points of interest on our fully narrated city tours of San Diego and Tijuana, Mexico.. Top Cat Limo - Tijuana Tours & More Top Cat Limousine in San Diego is now offering Baja Mexico Tours to Rosarito Beach Hotel, Puerto Nuevo Lobster Luncheons, Tijuana Shopping, Airport Transfers and more!. Where to Cross the US-Mexico Border to Tijuana . The blue line will take you direct to San Ysidro from Gaslamp and says Tijuana on the front. © 2020 Smarter Travel Media LLC. The... 3. For those wanting to make your san diego visit into an international trip and cross the border into mexico i would suggest the san diego red line trolley. If you prefer to travel to another city other than Tijuana, there is a bus bay next to the border that will take you to cities like Ensenada. For info on these editor-selected items, click to visit the seller’s site. By bus: The office is well served by San Diego’s buses, with the 3, 120, 280 and 290 all calling nearby at Fifth Avenue and B street. After arriving in San Ysidro, there is a short walk to the Mexican border. The Coaster is lovely to hop on and visit the beaches north of San Diego. Expert guides . Things you buy may earn us a commission. Depending on where you board the blue trolley to San Ysidro/Tijuana border, it will take a maximum of approx 45 min to 50 min. Travel Smarter! Q You cross the street from the Santa Fe Station to America Plaza and catch the San Diego Trolley Blue Line to San Ysidro, takes about 45 minutes in travel time. All riders must have a valid ticket or … We decided to leave San Diego at about 7:30 PM and stayed in Tijuana until about 10:30 PM. If you take the San Diego Trolley to the border, use the San Ysidro crossing. Once you cross the Mexican border, it is a 30-minute walk to downtown Tijuana. Will open in a new window. If you plan to ride the San Diego Trolley several times in the same day, or if you're going to Tijuana from Old Town or further north, you can save money with a Day Pass. http://www.sdmts.com/ and coaster schedule is http://www.gonctd.com/coaster. read more, Great way to get around San Diego for visitors. The San Diego Trolley Blue Line service connects San Ysidro to Chula Vista, National City, and Downtown San Diego to the north. Walk towards the left side of the main San Ysidro transit center building and head south. Round-Trip Business Class Flights to Europe. You can also drive or take a rideshare to the Pedwest Crossing. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Grantville: Green: 4510 Alvarado Canyon Rd. The local Von's Grocery Store at Pacific Beach was sells a Compass Card which you can load for 2, 3, or 4 day passes; also cardsavailable for purchase at the Old Town Transit Center. If you board in downtown, it will be about 35 min to the border. Nobody knows San Diego better. 4:35 PM From Santee to San Ysidro, trolley cars wrapped in pink and emblazoned with the name Tijuana are circulating through San Diego County in a … SDSU Transit Center: Green: 5260 Campanile Dr. Alvarado Medical Center: Green: 6658 Alvarado Rd. The Santa Fe Depot, located in downtown San Diego on Kettner Blvd and Broadway, is the main hub for Amtrak, providing various coastal train services from downtown San Diego to Oceanside and beyond. 2016.) Also, the system is affiliated with googlemaps.com, so you can find out what transportation, bus number, and time, just by putting in the destination. Editor’s note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about how to travel from San Diego to Tijuana by trolley. Stops at or near all major attractions. Its a viable alternative since some rental cars have issues taking the car across the border. Stops at or near all major attractions. Be sure to negotiate the cab price if you choose to take one into downtown Tijuana. With the border of Mexico less than 20 miles from downtown San Diego, millions of people travel to Tijuana from San Diego every year. Trains in Tijuana: The Baja California Railroad by Charles Freericks/ photos by the author Just 30 minutes south of San Diego lies the sprawling city of Tijuana in the Mexican state of Baja California. ULI San Diego-Tijuana Share on LinkedIn. FYI, there is a lot of construction at the Port of San Ysidro, and to enter the USA can take many hours, even when walking back. From downtown San Diego, a trip to the Mexican border will take about 45 minutes on the Imperial Way blue line. Passport Book vs. Passport Card: Which Do I Need. I get the Blue Line from City College in Downtown San Diego south to San Ysidro at the border. Find all the transport options for your trip from Tijuana to San Diego Airport (SAN) right here. There’s plenty to do and see on the way, but if you prefer to take a cab, there are always many cabs lined up when you exit immigration. The blue line section runs from downtown san diego to the san ysidro border crossing and … You need to take the UC San Diego Blue Line, which starts at the American Plaza Transit Centre, near Fifth Avenue in the tourist Gaslamp area. 4. Answer 1 of 8: Hi I took this trip several years ago, and just want to be sure it is still running. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. Rethinking San Diego is a series exploring new approaches to some of San Diego’s biggest policies, plans and dilemmas. ... the extension of the trolley for El Cajon and moving then Highway 125 out of the San Diego River to its current location and preserving the river as a linear park. The system is consisted of four lines Blue Line - America Plaza - Downtown - San Ysidro/Tijuana Orange Line - Santa Fe Depot - Downtown - El Cajon Green Line - 12th/Imperial - Convention Center - Santa Fe Depot - Santee Silver Line - Downtown/Convention Center Loop {Limited Service} San Diego Trolley uses proof of payment fare system. There has long been a gap between how the federal government and locals in the San Diego-Tijuana region view the border. (Most of our plans included areas within and just outside of San Diego. We visited La Jolla Beach, rode the Coaster train to Solana Beach, rode the green trolley to Qualcolmm Stadium and Petco Park, Rode buses to Point Loma, as well as access to other attraction. Please plan to arrive at your stop a few minutes early. Coaster and train schedules are available on the available websites. Will open in a new window. Passing through immigration into Mexico is typically an easy process, but keep in mind that it usually takes much longer to cross back into the United States. The original cars of the Trolley were Siemens' U-2's, which are now 30 years old. With the border of Mexico less than 20 miles from downtown San Diego, millions of people travel to Tijuana from San Diego every year. Mission San Diego: Green: 5837 Rancho Mission Rd. Where to Park Your Car in San Diego and Cross into Tijuana Tijuana, once a mecca for under age college students, is now just a shadow of its former glory. For starters, the time we went was a bit late. )We were not disappointed! The expiration time is printed on the ticket. The last trolley departs San Ysidro at 12:58 a.m., so be sure to head toward the border with plenty of time to pass customs and immigration. As recent as the mid 2000’s, Tijuana was a place where southern California college students could easily road trip across the border and drink (and get over-the-counter drugs) legally. You will take the line all the way to the end and get off at San Ysidro. The blue line travels throughout downtown San Diego and co… Interstate 5, which runs south to Tijuana and north to Los Angeles is the nearest major road to get to our office. There will be signs in both English and Spanish that lead the way to the well-known swivel gates and Mexican custom lines that lead to Tijuana. Coastal Train Rides. Although our adventure from San Diego to Tijuana was a success, there are a few ways we could have made it better. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. While some drive, arguably the easiest way to cross the Mexican border is by taking the San Diego Trolley. more. Then a short walk to cross into Mexico (just follow the signs). If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. (The coaster is a train that you can purchase a regional all day pass on to visit beaches north of San Diego.This is separate from the transit system.) Soledad National Veterans Memorial: Tickets & Tours‎, Torrey Pines Gliderport: Tickets & Tours‎, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park: Tickets & Tours‎, Birch Aquarium at Scripps: Tickets & Tours‎, San Diego Factory Outlet Center: Tickets & Tours‎, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve: Tickets & Tours‎. The trolley arrives approximately every 15 minutes and is generally an easy way to get around the city. Rome2rio makes travelling from Tijuana to San Diego Airport (SAN) easy. San Diego Trolley Trolley gives travelers scenic trip to the U.S.-Mexican border By Dennis A. Cavagnaro, Correspondent Ventura County Star October 10, 2004. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. The improved Customs building is air conditioned and pleasant. One way tickets are not valid for transfers so day passes are required if you need to transfer to another bus or train to complete the journey. The easiest way to get from San Diego to Tijuana is via tram (the San Diego Trolley). Sign up for our free newsletter. I never felt unsafe in Tijuana, but if we weren’t two males, it may have been different. The Blue Line operates over track owned by the San Diego and Imperial Valley Railroad Company, which connects with BNSF in San Diego, the UP to the east in Plaster City (off I-8), and Ferromex in San Ysidro/Tijuana. If you board in downtown, it will be about 35 min to the border. By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC. The pedestrian crossing going south, at ‘Puerto Mexico,’ near MacDonald’s at the end of the San Diego Trolley, is open to about 1/3rd of the old capacity (Oct. What companies run services between San Diego, CA, USA and Tijuana, Mexico? Detailed directions for getting across both crossings to downtown Tijuana are below. Customer service is very friendly and can provide helpful information. Experience san diego’s pristine weather in our open air trolleys as highly knowledgeable guides take you to all the best spots first on the most comprehensive sightseeing experience in San Diego. Be the first to discover secret destinations, travel hacks, and more. The blue line section runs from downtown san diego to the san ysidro border crossing and its about a couple hundred yards to cross into tijuana, mexico. Share on Facebook. San Diego is well connected by road. 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