The Mexico City Metro is the largest urban transport system in Latin America.

Yet we used it much less than we expected.

The reason was simple - between Roma Norte, Condesa, Polanco and the historic center, it was often more convenient to Uber or walk. The metro to many tourist attractions doesn't run at all or transfers are necessary.

Still, the metro is a great option for longer journeys and, at 5 mxn, is one of the cheapest in the world.

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Quick Answer

Question	Answer
Is the metro worth it for tourists?	Yes, but only sometimes
Price of the ride	5 mxn
How to pay?	Contactless card or MI card
Metro from the airport	Yes, but Uber or bus is faster
Safety	No problems during off-peak hours
Biggest drawback	Serves mostly locals (tourist areas are often missed)
Does Google Maps work?	Yes

💡 If you travel mainly between Roma Norte, Condesa, Polanco and downtown, you're more likely to use Uber than the metro.

How do I pay for the metro?

As of 2026, you don't have to deal with any tickets.

You can conveniently pay for the metro with your own contactless card.

• You attach it to the white reader at the turnstile
• walk to the platform
• You don't have to do anything else.

It also works with NFC technology, so you can also use mobile payment, watches, etc.

You don't have to use your mobile/card when leaving the station - you can walk freely through the turnstile.

If you don't want to pay with your own card, there are other options:

• Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada (MI) - available from machines at all metro stations.
  • the card costs 15 mxn
  • charge it with any cash you want and use it gradually
  • When is it worth it? when you also want to use the local purple or green buses, where paying with your own contactless card doesn't work yet
• Cash - there is a ticket office in every metro station where you can buy a ticket with coins or notes

How much does a metro ticket cost?

The flat price, regardless of distance, is 5 mxn for 1 ride.

If you change between lines, you don't pay again during the transfer (you don't go through the turnstiles).

The price is the same for cash, your own contactless card and MI transport card.

There are no day tickets on the metro.

Which lines are the most important for tourists?

Mexico City's metro has 11 lines + 1 rapid transit line (Tren Ligero) + suburban trains.

For most tourists, the following lines are of particular interest:

Line 1

One of the most important lines in the city. It connects the eastern and western parts of Mexico City.

Ideal for the route:

• Chapultepec - Reforma/Roma Norte - South of the historic centre (about 20 minutes on foot) - Pantitlán (change to metro towards MEX airport)

Line 2

In combination with line 1 (transfer station is "Pino Suárez") the most important tourist line.

With the Zócalo station, it takes you directly to the historic centre to the Metropolitan Cathedral and the main square, and also goes to the Palacio de Bellas Artes.

Line 3

Connects the city centre with the north of the metropolis and is one of the busiest.

For tourists it works well in the session:

• Basil Guadalupe (about 15 minutes walk to Deportivo 18 de Marzo station) - Hidalgo (change to line 2 towards the centre) - Balderas (change to line 1 towards Roma Norte/Reforma)

Line 5

The only metro that goes to MEX airport, but does not go directly to the centre.

Line 5 also serves the main Terminal del Norte long-distance bus station.

• Airport -> downtown
  • go to Pantitlán station and change to line 1
  • But more convenient from the airport to the centre is Uber or bus, see my experience with MEX
• Terminal Norte -> downtown
  • go to La Raza station and change to line 3

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Line 7

Interesting mainly for its connection to the Polanco area.

Line Tren Ligero

A small metro, or rather a fast-track tram, for travelling to the tourist area of Xochimilco in the southern suburbs.

It is connected to metro line 2.

Mexico City Metro Map

On the clear official map you can see not only the metro lines, but also the Metrobús suburban trains and buses.

But we've always planned all our metro trips using Google Maps.

Is the metro safe?

Yes, it is.

We did not encounter any major problems during our rides.

As in other big cities, the biggest risk is pickpocketing, especially during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

As long as you keep an eye on your phone, wallet and backpack, there is no reason to worry about the metro.

The metro may not be downright dangerous, but there are plenty of homeless people and people on the poverty line using it.

The stations outside the centre look a bit dated and not very clean.

I write more about getting around the city in my article Safety in Mexico City.

What to watch out for?

• Crowded trains at rush hour
• pickpockets in the busiest stations
• higher temperatures in some stations and trainsets
• limited availability of lifts and escalators (often only stairs are required to exit stations)

separate carriages for women

All metro trains have a front section reserved for women and children all day.

Men are not allowed to travel in these carriages.

However, women may travel on the entire train.

The space for women and children is always marked on the platform.

How are the metro stations equipped?

Each station has a couple of refreshment stands in the lobbies, and you'll usually find other street stalls around the stations on the surface.

Further afield, you'll find machines everywhere for buying transport cards (you can do without them, as the metro can also be paid for with a contactless card) and a ticket office.

We didn't see a public toilet once on the Mexico City metro.

Why do metro stations have their own symbols?

One of the most interesting features of the CDMX metro is the pictograms of each station.

Each station has its own symbol in addition to its name.

The system was created at the time of the opening of the metro in 1969, when some of the population could not read or had limited literacy.

The symbols made it much easier to navigate the network.

To this day, the pictograms are one of the most interesting features of the local metro.

Another interesting feature of the CDMX metro is that, like some metro lines in Paris, the trains run on rubber tyres to reduce vibration.