Airlines The main ones are Aerocalifornia, Reforma 332 at
El Ángel (tel 5207-1392); Aerocaribe, Zola 535, 28th floor, Colonia
del Valle (tel 5448-3000); Aerolitoral (see Aeroméxico); Aeromar,
at the airport (tel 5627-0207); Air Canada (see Continental);
Aeroméxico, Reforma 445 (tel 5133-4000 or toll-free tel
1-800/021-4000); America West, Rio Tiber 103, 6th floor, Zona Rosa
(tel 5514-0194); American, Reforma 314 at Amberes (tel 5209-1400;
reservations tel 1-800/904-6000); Aviacsa, at the airport (tel
5716-9004); British Airways, Polanco Plaza, Calle Jaime Balmes 8
(tel 5387-0300 or toll-free 1-800/006-5700); Canadian, Reforma 385,
15th floor (tel 5208-1883); Continental, Andrés Bello 45, 18th
floor, Polanco (tel 5283-5500); Cubana, Temístocles 246, Polanco
(tel 5250-5500); Delta, Reforma 381 near El Ángel, Zona Rosa (tel
5279-0909); Iberia, Reforma 24 (tel 5130-3030); LACSA, Reforma 509
(tel 5211-6604); Mexicana, handiest office at Juárez 82 and
Balderas and Reforma 312 at Amberes (tel 5448-0990 or toll-free
1-800/501-9900); Northwest, Paseo de las Palmas 735, 7th floor,
Lomas de Chapultepec (tel 5202-4444); Qantas, Balmes 8, Col Los
Morales (tel 5387-0300); United, Hamburgo 213 (tel 5627-0222). To
get to the airport, it's easiest to take a regular taxi, but you
can also phone SETTA the day before (tel 5571-9344) to arrange to
be picked up from your hotel.
Airport enquiries Dial 5571-3600. For international
arrivals and departures ask for ext 2208; for domestic flights, ext
2259.
American Express Central office and clients' mail service
at Reforma 234 at Havre in the Zona Rosa (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat
9am-1pm; tel 5207-7282). Several other offices throughout the
city.
Banks and exchange ATMs are everywhere and with the
appropriate credit or cash cards you can get money throughout your
stay without ever visiting a bank. Besides, many banks will only
change money in the morning, and many are unhelpful for currencies
other than US dollars: Banamex is your best bet. Most large hotels
and shops will change travellers' cheques and cash dollars, but the
quickest and easiest places to change money are casas de cambio,
scattered all over town, particularly where tourists congregate. In
the Centro Histórico try Impulsora Cambiaria, Madero 27 at Bolivar
(Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-2.30pm) or Cambios Exchange, on Madero
near Filomena Mata (daily 10am-7pm). You'll find several in the
Zona Rosa, especially on Amberes and Londres, and a couple on
Reforma by the Hotel Crowne Plaza , just south of the
Monumento a la Revolución.
Buses It's rare not to be able to get on any bus at very
short notice, but it can be worth booking in advance for
long-distance journeys or for express services to popular
destinations at busy times - that way you'll have a choice of seat
and be sure of getting the fastest service. If you're uncertain
which bus station you should be leaving from, simply get into a
taxi and tell the driver what your ultimate destination is - he'll
know where to take you. You'll find places to eat, and stalls
selling food and drink for the journey in all the terminals along
with ATMs and news stands.
Car rental There are thousands of agencies throughout the
city, and the small local operations are often cheaper than the big
chains. Either way, renting a car isn't going to be cheap, and a
car can be more of a liability than a help while you're in the
city. Expect to pay US$60-80 per day for a compact car with the
appropriate insurance (definitely recommended). Four people with
luggage will want something larger and can expect to fork out over
US$100 a day. The major operators all have offices at the airport
and in the Zona Rosa, and some of the smaller companies do too, a
major boon as it saves you trawling around the city for the best
deals. The best airport deals are with Kim Kar (tel 2599-0267) who
are marginally cheaper than either Gold Car Rental (tel 2599-0091,
intgold@avantel.net ) or Royal Rent A Car (tel 5786 8092;
www.royalrent.com ). The majors include: Alamo (tel
5250-0055 or 1-800-849-8001, www.goalamo.com ); Budget (tel
5566-6800 or 1-800/700-1700, www.budget.com.mx ); Dollar
(tel 5726-0591; www.dollar.com.mx ); Europecar (tel
5575-2279 or 1-800/003-9500, www.europecar.com.mx ); Hertz
(tel 5546-7689 or 1-800/709-5000, www.hertz.com.mx ); and
Thrifty (tel 1-800/021-2277, www.thrifty.com.mx ). Note that
rental cars are exempt from the one day a week driving
restriction.
Courier services DHL (tel 5345-7000) at Madero 70, Centro
Histórico (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm) and Niza 5, Zona Rosa (Mon-Fri
9am-6.30pm); FedEx (tel 5228-9904 or 1-800/900-1100) at Reforma
308, Zona Rosa (Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-2pm) and other
locations.
Cultural institutes Several countries maintain cultural
institutes and libraries for their nationals within Mexico City,
often allowing short term-visitors to use some of their facilities.
They can also be useful places for contacts, and if you're looking
for work, long-term accommodation or travelling companions their
notice boards are good places to start. The US has the Biblioteca
Benjamín Franklin, Londres 16 at Berlin (Mon & Fri 3-7.30pm,
Tues-Thurs 10am-3pm tel 5211-0042; Metro Cuauhtémoc); the UK has
the Consejo Británico, Antonio Caso 127 (British Council; Mon-Fri
8.30am-7.30pm, Sat 10am-1pm; tel 5566-6144; Metro San Cosme);
Canadians can use the Canadian Embassy Library (see below; Mon-Fri
9am-12.30pm).
Embassies and consulates Australia, Ruben Dario 55,
Polanco (Mon-Thurs 8.30am-2pm & 3-5pm, Fri 8.30am-2.15pm; tel
5531-5252, dfat@ozemb.org.mx ); Belize, Bernardo de Galves
215, Lomas de Chapultepec (tel 5520-1274); Canada, Schiller 529,
Polanco (Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 2-5pm; tel 5724-7900, toll-free for
Canadians on 1-800/706-2900; Metro Polanco); Costa Rica, Río Po 113
at Río Lerma, Zona Rosa (tel 5255-7764; Mon-Fri 10am-2pm &
4-6pm); Cuba, Presidente Masaryk 554, Polanco (Mon-Fri 10am-2pm;
tel 5280-8039; Metro Polanco); Guatemala, Explanada 1025, Lomas de
Chapultepec (tel 5540-7520); Honduras, A Reyes 220 at Ometusco
(Mon-Fri 9am-1.30pm; tel 5515-6689); New Zealand, J.L. LeGrange
103, Col Polanco (tel 5281-5486); Panama, 8th floor, Schiller 326,
Polanco (tel 5250-4229); UK, Río Lerma 71 at Río Sena, Zona Rosa
(Mon-Fri 8.30am-3.30pm, consular section Mon-Fri 9am-2pm; tel
5207-2089; Metro Insurgentes); USA, Reforma 305 at Danubio, Zona
Rosa (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; tel 5209-9100; Metro Insurgentes).
Emergencies All emergency services dial 080; Bomberos
(fire) dial 5527-1571; Cruz Roja dial 5557-5757; Locatel, which
gives information on missing persons and vehicles, medical
emergencies, emotional crises and public services (tel 5658-1111);
Médica Móvil (mobile paramedic unit) dial 5598-6222; and Police
dial 5588-5100.
Hospital The American British Cowdray Hospital (ABC) is
at C Sur 136 (tel 5230-8000). Embassies should be able to provide a
list of multilingual doctors if necessary and American Express
cardholders can make use of their Global Assist medical referral
service.
Internet access Numerous cybercafés all over the city
generally charge around US$2 per hour, but shop around as there are
often special offers (two hours for the price of one, etc). In the
centre try: Hostel Catedral (see "Accommodation"; Metro
Catedral); Lafoel Internet Service , 1st floor, Doncelos 80
at Rep. de Brasil (Mon-Fri 10am-8pm; tel 5512-3584; Metro Allende);
or Dist@nte , 1st floor, Tacuba 40 (daily 8.30am-8.30pm; tel
5518-8153; Metro Allende). In the Zona Rosa try Java Chat ,
Génova 44 (Mon-Fri 9am-11pm, Sat & Sun 10am-11pm; Metro
Insurgentes).
Language schools Many places run Spanish courses in the
city, though most people prefer to study away from the capital in
such places as Cuernavaca, San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato.
The Casa de los Amigos , Av Ignacio Mariscal 132 (see
"Accommodation") keeps lists and details of language schools in
Mexico and Central America, and it is also worth checking out
www.planeta.com which has good links to Mexican language
schools.
Laundry Self-service launderettes are surprisingly rare
in Mexico City, but most hotels should be able to point one out for
you. Options include Lavandería Automática Lavajet, Danubio 123b at
Lerma (Mon-Fri 8.15am-6pm, Sat 8.15am-5pm), close to the Zona Rosa;
and Lavandería Automática Edison, Edison 91 at Arriaga near the
Plaza de la República (Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-6pm; Metro
Revolución).
Left luggage Most hotels will hold your bags for the rest
of the day after you've checked out, and some will allow you to
leave excess luggage for several days, sometimes for a small
charge. At the airport there is left luggage at two locations (Sala
A and Sala E3) for US$5.50 a day. Terminal del Norte has left
luggage for US$1-2 a day depending on the size of your bag.
Opening hours Hours for most businesses in Mexico City
are from 10am until 7pm. Very few now close for the traditional 2pm
to 4pm siesta.
Pharmacies Sanborn's offers a wide range of products at
most branches (for addresses see "Eating"), as well as dispensing
some prescription drugs. Other options include El Fenix branches at
Isabel la Católica and 5 de Mayo, and at Madero 41 at Motolinia.
There's a homeopathic pharmacy at Mesones 111-B.
Phones Local, domestic long-distance and international
phone calls can be made from any public phone with a phonecard.
Otherwise, a number of shops have public phones (for international
services look for the blue "Larga Distancia" signs). You can dial
direct from most big hotels, but it will cost much more. Useful
casetas de larga distancia include those at: Madero 53 in
the city centre (Mon-Fri 8am-8pm, Sat 8am-7pm); Izazaga 10, near
the Salto de Agua Metro (Mon-Fri 10am-8pm); Terminal del Norte (the
one at the southern end of the terminal is open 24hr); TAPO at
Local #20 in the tunnel to the Metro (daily 7am-11pm); Terminal del
Poniente (one open 24hr); and two at the airport (daily
7am-11pm).
Photographic supplies Film is available almost everywhere
- pharmacies, tourist locales and so on - at reasonable prices, but
for specialist needs head to one of several large shops on Avenida
Juárez, along the south side of the Alameda, such as Foto Imagen at
#56 (tel 5510-0240).
Post office The main post office is at the corner of
Lázaro Cárdenas and Tacuba, behind Bellas Artes (Mon-Sat 8am-9pm,
Sun 8am-7pm).
Tourist cards Should you lose yours, or want an
extension, officially you apply to the Instituto de Migración,
Ejercito National 862 (Mon-Fri 9am-1.30pm; tel 5626-7200).
Extensions are only issued when your original length of stay is
almost finished, and will require proof that you have sufficient
funds to support yourself.
Trains Mexico City now only has train services to
Querétaro (Mon, Wed and Fri at 9am), and Tlaxcala and Apizaco
(Tues, Thurs & Sat at 8.45am); buy your ticket on the
train.
Travel agencies The widest selection is in the Zona Rosa,
where you'll find American Express; Amparo, Río Sena 82, Col
Cuauhtémoc (tel 5207-2188), who usually have the best prices for
international flights; and Mundo Joven, Havre 15 (tel 5525-0407),
particularly good for youth and student fares.
Women's groups La Casa de los Amigos (see
under "Language schools" above) have details of women's groups and
support general social development projects.
Work Very hard to come by - there's some chance of
finding a job teaching English, or maybe au pair-type work. Look in
the The News classifieds, or advertise your services to give
private lessons in one of the Spanish papers.