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Getting
to Cancun, Mexico from Belize - By Coach
Getting to Cancun from Belize by coach is relatively
easy, although long winded.
A Belizean Coach from the Bus Terminal in Belize City
starts this journey at a cost of around $12.00 USD from
Belize City to Chetumal. Try to get on an Express Coach
because these don't stop every 100 metres, and usually
have some form of Air Conditioning, even if it doesn't
work well.
The timings for the Express Coach are 06:30hrs, 09:00hrs
- 11:30hrs & 15:30hrs
Once you arrive at the Belizean Border you will be
asked to enter Border Management. Here you must show
your passport & pay $37.50 Belize Dollars departure
tax, then head to Immigration to have your passport
stamped.
The Coach will then take you to the Mexican border.
When you cross the bridge onto the Mexican side of the
river, you will be asked to take all of your belongings
from the Coach and enter Immigration to complete the
Tourist Visa Card. Occassionally there will be a person
from the Mexican Department of Agriculture there to
check bags, making sure that you don't carry fruits,
vegetables, meats, diary produce & seeds into Mexico.
Once you have been through Immigration you must then
walk about 300 metres up the road to find the Coach
again. You will see Mexican Customs agents & several
Mexican soldiers at the border, mainly checking vehicles,
but either of these groups may stop you and search you
bags.
There is an ATM right alongside the Customs point that
issues pesos, should you need to obtain money.
The Coach will then take you to Chetumal Coach Terminal.
Compared to the Belizean Terminal this is clean &
tidy, has shops & a cafe, toilets, ATM and left
luggage facility. To the rear of the terminal are several
stalls that sell Tacos & the Taxi Rank.
It's approx $3.00 pesos to use the toilets and the
left luggage cost around $5.00 pesos per hour, this
is situated in the small shop at the bottom of the stairs
from the toilet.
The best Coaches to get on from Chetumal to Cancun
are the ADO line. These leave at 00:45, 06:30, 08:30,
10:30, 12:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:30, 16:30, 18:30 &
23:30 hrs. Theses Coaches are clean & comfortable
and cost around $240.00 pesos each way ($24.00 USD).
http://www.adogl.com.mx
or http://www.ticketbus.com.mx
The ADO GL is the First Class Coach with big reclining
seats. This leaves at Midnight and arrives into Cancun
at approx 05:30 hrs. If you are using this service,
make sure that you bring a jacket as the air conditioning
is Excellent !! This costs $260.00 Pesos each way ($26.00
USD).
The Return
Journey
ADO GL have two coaches a day from Cancun to Chetumal.
17:45hrs & Midnight.
The normal ADO coach is approximately the same times
as the departures from Chetumal..... will check this
when they update the board and post the timings on here.
If you take the midnight ADO GL it will arrive in Chetumal
at around 05:15 hrs.
It is possible that there will be a Belize Coach ready
to go almost immediately. Make sure that you use the
toilet before getting on that Coach as it gets really
crowded so getting off it again is a nightmare, and
there is no onboard toilet. Pay on the coach and cost
is around $8.00 USD.
If you fail to catch this coach, head to the rear of
the terminal and you will see a small Minibus (about
20 seater) usually white in colour. This heads first
to Belize City and then to Guatemala. You can use this
for around $10.00 USD and ask him to drop you at the
top of the road to Price Barracks.
When you are going through Mexican Immigration on the
way out...... If you were in Mexico for less than 4
nights you are not required to pay the departure tax,
providing that you crossed over a land border. If you
were longer in Mexico, then you will be required to
pay $20.00 USD (200 pesos)
If you tell them that you are returning later on, you
will only have to pay $10.00 USD and they will stamp
your tourist card with "Doble Entrada" or
Double Entry... this saves you from having to complete
the tourist card again the next time you visit Mexico.
If you arrived by plane into Cancun and are traveling
to Belize, again, tell them that you will be returning
to take your flight. You will notice the passport stamp
has a small aircraft on it, to show you arrived by air....
if you cross a land border the stamp will have a small
car on it.
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