Getting There from Here

Today is filled with last-minute tidying, packing, figuring out some odds and ends, and catching up on what the government shutdown means in terms of work.

One of the odds and ends I am working to figure out is planning commuting options. I am assigned to housing in Polanco, which is about 3 miles from the embassy itself. Among the options I am considering are walking, biking, busing, and driving (which isn't an option for at least the first few weeks since my car will be in transit). For the first month after arrival, taking a shuttle is also an option. Commuting by subway might be an option, but the closest station to home is a 5-10-minute walk, followed by a train in the wrong direction, a transfer, a few stations more, and another 5-10-minute walk.

Walking - Google Maps tells me that it should take about 50 minutes to walk. This seems viable during peak weather conditions only.

Biking - I'm not sure what to expect in terms of time. It'll be faster than walking but slower than driving (except for those really bad days when traffic doesn't move). I know there are some, but few, bike lanes in Mexico City, but I will have to check on what is valid in terms of riding on sidewalks versus riding on roads. Even so, sidewalks in Mexico City are very uneven, so I'm not sure that riding on the sidewalks, if permitted, would even be a reasonable option. Safety is also a concern.

Busing - Cars are expensive, so relatively few people own them. Accordingly, many people commute by bus or subway. The buses typically have their origins, destinations, and popular waypoints painted onto their windshields. It's always been a hard system to navigate and others have reported that the routes aren't posted anywhere. In doing my own research, I came across ViaDF, a website that lets you put in an origin (street and cross street) and destination (street and cross street). Only time will tell whether the information pans out.

Below is a sample of a return commute by bus. It provides four options, each of which is about 30 minutes in duration. The cost for the one shown is 4 pesos ($.30). This would be about an hour commute per day (30 minutes each way) at a cost of $.60, depending on conversation rates.

Driving - This is easy the costliest of the choices but, in general, like the fastest. Because of congestion and environmental issues, Mexico City limits what days of the week you can drive. The good news is that you can be exempted from the restrictions if your car passes emissions testing; however, this is, of course, an added cost. Another detracting factor is that driving in the confines of comfort, away from everyone else, robs you a bit of the culture and robs you a bit of exploring your surroundings. Still, if I got home quicker, that would be more time to walk and get to know my neighborhood.

All in all, I'll be mixing modes of transportation depending on the weather, what's on my plate for the day, and mood.

And on the note of commuting, tomorrow is the biggest commute of them all. Tomorrow, we arrive!