Mexico City travel essentials: your first hours sorted

This is the one arrival where the how matters for safety. From Mexico City airport (MEX), use either the official authorised-taxi desks inside the terminal (you pay a fixed fare at the counter, by zone, before you go) or an app — Uber and Didi both operate, picking up from designated points. Do not take a taxi from anyone touting in the hall or a car flagged outside.

For a first arrival, especially after dark, the authorised counter taxi or a pre-booked transfer is the calm, predictable choice — fixed price, legitimate driver. The neighbourhoods most visitors stay in (Roma, Condesa, Polanco) are a 20–40 minute drive depending on traffic.

A Mexico eSIM set up before you fly gets you online immediately — important here for ordering Uber/Didi straight from the airport and navigating a very large city. Coverage in the city is good. Set it up at home so you’re connected before you reach the taxi rank.

Carry pesos — markets, street food, small taquerías and many local spots are cash-only, while Roma, Condesa, Polanco restaurants and shops take cards. Withdraw from ATMs inside bank branches or malls rather than standalone street machines, and choose to be charged in pesos, not your home currency. Tipping (propina) of around 10–15% in restaurants is expected.

The Metro and Metrobús are extremely cheap and reach everywhere, and both have women-and-children-only sections during busy hours — look for the “Mujeres y Niños” signs and the front carriages (separated by staff at rush hour). For door-to-door, Uber and Didi are inexpensive, show the price up front, and are widely considered safer for solo travellers than street taxis, especially at night.

Mexico City sits at about 2,240m (7,350ft), high enough that many visitors feel breathless, headachy or tired for the first day or two, and alcohol hits harder. Go easy on arrival: hydrate, skip the big hike or heavy drinking on day one, and let your body adjust. It’s worth knowing in advance if you’re travelling at a gentler pace.

Mexico City is one of Latin America’s most LGBTQ-friendly cities — same-sex marriage is legal, and the Zona Rosa has a large, open scene. Same-sex couples travel comfortably in the central neighbourhoods.

The pyramids of Teotihuacán are the classic CDMX day trip, about an hour out. Going with a reputable guided tour (or the sunrise balloon flights) saves the logistics and adds the context that makes the site come alive — book ahead, especially for the balloons, which sell out.