There are lots of things to do in Guadalajara, Mexico, and lots of ways to get around the city. In one of my latest Mexico travel videos, I show how to use the Guadalajara metro rail system — and more specifically, Linea 3, or Line 3, the newest line in the MiTren rail network.
If you’re into budget travel in Mexico and also like modern, efficient mass transit, then this is a great option for visiting the city. In the video, I show where to buy the card, how much it costs to take the Guadalajara metro and where the Guadalajara metro goes.
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So is mass transit good in Guadalajara? Well, what if I were to tell you that you could travel 13 miles through Guadalajara with no traffic, in less than 40 minutes, and for less than 50 cents?
Well, that’s what you can do with the newest line of Guadalajara’s MiTren rail system — Linea 3 — which opened in 2020.
Linea 3 is even more attractive for some travelers because it stops in popular tourist areas including Tlaquepaque, Zapopan and historic downtown Guadalajara — as well as the city’s newer long-distance bus terminal, in the southern part of the city.
For me, there’s nothing like brand-new mass transit — it’s sleek, modern, clean, efficient and economical. In the Guadalajara system, I love the dramatic lighting and modern style of the underground stations. In the video, I take a ride on this beautiful new line and you’ll be able to see why I was so impressed.
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Riding the train is pretty easy. I’ve broken it down into a few easy steps:
- You can enter any station and use the vending machines, which accept bills and coins (I show exactly how to use the vending machines and screens in the video).
2. Consult a map before you board, so you know the direction you want to travel in. Note that the final destination is what’s displayed on the monitors.
3. To reach the platform, just touch your card at the turnstile and you’re ready to go.
4. On the platform, you’ll see additional monitors showing estimated arrival times for the next trains.
The system uses sleek, European-made Barcelona Metro 9000 cars — very similar to the metro trains in Barcelona, Santo Domingo, Lima and Panama City, Panama. Once on board, you’ll hear announcements for every stop, and there’s a map onboard, too.
When the train runs above ground, you’ll get to see more of the city, making it a fun way to sightsee.
You can also take Linea 3 to connect with other lines in the city’s transportation system which use different kinds of cars.
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Overall, I found this a cheap and fun way to get around town. The trains don’t go to too many places of interest to foreign tourists yet (you’ll need to walk about 15 minutes from the Tlaquepaque station to the tourist-popular areas), but it’s still worth checking out if you’re on a budget or you enjoy seeing cities like a local.