Driving from Texas to Cancun

Welcome to Mexico, sorry I can not help you with information
because I do not understand you exactly what you want?
in Cancun

Martha
The person posting wants to drive from Grande Prairie to Cancun in September and is asking if anyone has done that trip recently

That sounds like a rather dangerous drive to me...

I drove from Houston to Cancun in November 2011.

I recommend staying in McAllen or Hidalgo on the American side and then crossing the border at 6:00 am. or even earlier. This will allow you to get south of Tampico the first day and avoid what many travelers have fear about - the Border to Ciudad Victoria.  Poza Rica is about 14 hours drive from the border and has many hotels on the main routes including a Holiday Inn as I recall or you could head for Veracruz which is another 1.5 hours more or less. From Poza Rica to Cancun is about 20-21 hours by car, but the roads are generally better than the first leg. You can get a hotel in Villahermosa also and break the trip up more if you wish. I recommend going through Escarcega through Chetumal. This route has very good roads.

Gas stations and restaurants are plentiful. I do not believe the roads have improved any.  An average of 45 mph is doing pretty good from the border to Poza Rica.

Good luck
Have a fun and safe trip down!

From December 2012 to February 2013, we drove from Colorado all the way down to the Pacific coast of Oaxaca and up through Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Yucatan, and then back up the gulf coast. Had ZERO problems. Make sure your papers are in order, have copies of everything, drive slowly (a necessity with the roads in many areas), and don't drive at night. We went into Mexico in Brownsville, TX/Matamoros and drove to Tampico the first day (stayed at the Country Express Hotel just outside Tampico). "The Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping" by Mike and Terri Church was helpful but outdated (about 50% of the places were closed/out of business), but in a car that won't be as much of a problem. We had to find places to park in our large RV, and that proved interesting to say the least. If you have specific questions about the trip, feel free to ask.

HI
WE JUST MOVED FROM MAINE TO CANCUN SO DROVE STARTING JULY 10, 2013.  WE STOPPED AT FRIENDS AND RELATIVES ALONG THE WAY.  WE WERE GOING TO CROSS THE BORDER IN MATAMOROS AND CONTINUE ON BUT MY WIFES BROTHER TOLD US IT WASNT SAFE THERE AND TO CROSS AT LAREDO TEXAS.  WE CROSSED INTO NUEVO LAREDO AND STAYED AT RELATIVES THERE SO I COULD GET MY TRUCK LEGALIZED IN MEXICO.  THIS TOOK ABOUT 4 DAYS TO COMPLETE.  THEN WE DROVE ON TOWARD THE COAST AVOIDING MEXICO CITY AND UP THE NORTH COAST.  WE WENT TO MERIDA AND PROGRESSO AND ON TO CANCUN.  WE WERE ON THE ROAD ABOUT 4 WEEKS FROM MAINE TO CANCUN.  ALSO WE HAD TO GET CAR INSURANCE IN NUEVO LAREDO.  WE DIDNT GET PLATES FOR MY TRUCK THERE AS WE HAD TO GET THEM IN THE STATE WE WERE GOING TO LIVE IN.  SO WE GOT THE PLATES LATER IN CANCUN.  HOPE THIS IS HELPFUL.  WE HAD ALL THE TOLL BOOTHS AND THE PRICES WHEN WE LEFT SO NO SURPRISES.  WE USED AMERCIAN VISA MOST OF THE WAY SO NO PROBLEM WITH THE GAS.  EXCEPT HIGHER PRICES THAN IN USA. 
GOOD LUCK
BUDDY

Rutas Punto a Punto

Use the above url to map out your trip from Texas to Cancun.

@ BUDDY6969 -> Hello Please lower capslock while writing on the forum. Thanks. Karen

Hi!
I just drove from Texas 2 weeks ago and it was very safe and easy. Drive across the border at Eagle Pass/piedras negras. We were the only car at 8am. Customs was a breeze at both check points. We were the only people in aduana at 9:30 am. We took the toll roads all the way to Merida. You have to go the same way to get to Cancun. Be prepared for some costly tolls. Also change money as soon as yoy can or hotels and gas stations will only give you 10 pesos per dollar. Bank machines have the best change rate. Also, get your mexican auto insurance before you cross! Feel free to contact me if you need more info!

Misty

Dear Members,

Please note that some off topics posts have been removed from this discussion

Thank you

Maximilien

Dont know if you have already left on your drive but we have made the trip twice now.  the second time we left from El Paso and drove to Chuihuahua, then to Monterey, and then down thru
Ciudad Victoria to Tuxpam and then on down thru Veracruz.  It is important to not be intimidated by the plethora of cops who will stop you.  If you know you are legal, stand on that. The police aren't paid enough and believe that they have to support themselves thru intimidating people into giving a bribe.  The problem is that once you do pay, they will notify others who will try to get a bribe from you too.  The roads from Tamilipas through Veracruz are in a terrible state right now, due to the heavy traffic and rain.  Often there is only one lane and you will never pass enough trucks to be able to go fast.  Toll roads are no guarantee that the roads are any good,  the better roads go down through the center of Mexico and make the arc around Mexico
City, but then again they degenerate in poor Veracruz, due to the traffic and the rain,  If you want more help email me [email protected].

misty i would like to talk to u by phone..e mail and me not the best..my wife myself and 3 cats leaving next week from phila to isla mujeres..you made it sound  so easy..let me know if this is possible..thank you  bart and diane

I have done the drive personally - 10 years ago. However, a good friend of mine did it last month from Chicago to Cancun. He can carry himself and speak Spanish fluently. He said he will never do it again though. Driving a car with US license plates, I would imagine Canadian too makes you stand out from the rest.

I will leave the current situation and problems of Mexico out of my response because truthfully I don't think it is anymore dangerous now than it was 10 years ago. 95% of all Mexicans are decent, welcoming and hospitable.

Bottom line - if you are intimidated in the least, get over it before you cross the border. Flights are not that expense - after gas, insurance, tolls and possibly paying bribes you probably could fly there 1st class and spend more time in Mexico.


Good luck and be safe.




Matt V. - Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil
Visit my Personal Blog - brazilbs.blogspot.com

I'm not Misty and I can't make it sound easy, because its not.  however, it isn't dangerous if you plan your trip with lots of safety nets as far as stopping before dark goes.  Mexico is a live and let live place, and you are welcome to drive on the roads, but if you break an axle because of a Volkswagen sized pothole, well I'm sure you will eventually get someone to fix it, however inconvenient it may be.  Realize that your average speed will be about 45 miles per hour.  Stop and enjoy the little towns.  Be careful in The little towns.  The people make a wage of about 6 dollars a day.  You are not part of their reality.  There are many desperate young men who do drugs.  I love traveling thru Mexico with my Mexican husband:  I can't imagine doing it without his knowledge and finesse.   the toll roads are very expensive and about double again the price of your fuel.  and sometimes you don't get what you pay for.  I have had police stand right outside my window with a machine gun, while my husband explained for the 6th time that our truck was legal, we had a temporary permit after nationalizing the vehicle and would get the plates in Quintana Roo where we live.  Of course the police didn't really care if our truck was legal, they hoped it wasn't and really hoped we'd pay a bribe.  So, if you are prepared to handle this kind of thing, and if you don't get upset with glitches of all kinds, and if you are up for an adventure and love Mexico, I say do it.

What type of id do u need to travel across the border like u did? DL birth certificate or do u really really need to hassle with a passport?

Hello Pamalama30 and welcome to expat-blog,

Since the last post is from 2013, i would advise you to create a new thread in the Cancun forum so that you can get useful informations from members in Cancun.

All the best,
Bhavna

Pamalama30 wrote:

What type of id do u need to travel across the border like u did? DL birth certificate or do u really really need to hassle with a passport?

You might get into Mexico, but getting back in to the USA will be a problem.

Like info about good hwy route.  And mexico insurance. Where to buy mex auto ins?

Any one wants to take a ride from b'ville,tx to Belize about 2nd 3rd week in Sept let me know have 36 ft motor home diesel pusher would feel safer with travel companion male or female no problem travel with woman iam 71 and don't need anything but company

Wish I was going with you I am going in December well the bus it takes 3 days and by car it's the same three days what adventure you are going to have good luck

Iam going in Sept myself in a 38 ft pusher rv

Wish I could go w with you but can't have you a awesome adventure

I am planning a trip from dallas to Cancun and maybe down to belize (with my husband and kids) - Doug - Are you still planning on going? and have an RV?

You should be able to find a spot for auto insurance in most US boarder towns, I might be wrong but that;s from a motorcycle trip we took to Monterrey in 83. One word of advice, if you see a bus pull out to pass 20 cars be  prepared to pull over. Might of been Stevie Wonder driving the bus. Enjoy the beauty of Mexico.