I usually cross the border at Brownsville/Matamoros as the is the shortest route.

I try to arrive in Brownsville in the afternoon, I cross the border into Mexico, get my car visa and tourist visas, return to Brownsville for the night and try to be at the Mexican border by the time the sun comes up the next day.

Visas:

Cross the bridge, park your car in the parking lot to the left. Bring your passports inside and ask for 6 month tourist visas. If you tell them you’re going to Guatemala they will give you 30 day transit visas, and you are not allowed to bring any electronics, i.e. laptops cameras computer etc.

The visas cost $20 a person but are good for 6 months so if you are going to be making a return trip to the U.S. within that time make sure you ask for them back when you get to the Mexican border with Guatemala.

After you have your Mexican tourist visas, go to the copy booth in the office, they should be able to tell you all the copies you need.

Take your copies, passport, license, car registration and title to the window for your vehicle visa. They will look over your papers and check the vin and plates on your car. The vehicle visa is issued according to the passport holders visa, who must travel in the vehicle. Once the visa is completed you will get a sticker to place on your windshield.

I would recommend buying a map of Mexico at the border so that you follow my directions a little better.

Although I’ve done it, you should avoid driving at night for any reason, the best way to do this is to wake up before the sun comes up so you can be on the road at first light.

Always carry some Spanish Gospel tracts and if the police stop you give them one and them you are a missionary, on a mission trip, traveling to Guatemala etc. This will get you off the hook most of the time.

The next morning when you cross the border into Mexico, ask for the highway to Cuidad Victoria hwy 101 I believe there are signs at it will be the second or third street to the left once to cross the border.

About 20 miles after you leave Matamoros there is a checkpoint, they will want to check your passports and visas to make sure everything is in order, if you roll down your window and be friendly to the guy they will usually let you pass.

Follow Hwy 101 till you get to hwy 154, you should see signs for Altamira, Cuidad Madero, Tampico

You will pass a town called Gonzales then Estasion Manuel follow the signs for Tampico/Cuidad Madero

When you get close to Tampico try to stay in the middle lane and move with the flow of traffic, if you see traffic cops by the side of the road trying to wave you down just ignore them, they target foreigners.

There are 2 ways to go through Tampico.

1) drive through Tampico and ask for directions for the road to Veracruz

I don’t have any directions for driving through Tampico and it’s a pain to go through all the traffic but you should find plenty of people who know the way or can give you directions. You can ask for directions to the “big bridge” (it’s huge and crossed the river) and people should be able to point you in the right direction.

2) Go around Tampico and catch the road to Veracruz on the other side, I strongly recommend this way.

To go around Tampcio, after you pass Cuidad Madero there is a road that goes off to the right and circles around Tampico. There should be signs, I think it’s called the “Libre”.  Once you pass Cuidad Madero ask at a gas station for the road that goes around Tampico to Veracruz hwy 180. There is usually a lot of traffic going around the city so once you get on that road you pretty much just follow the traffic. During the course of going around you will pay a small toll about p18 so when you get there you know you’re on track. The last stretch goes up a steep hill and leads you to the main highway which has a big divider and 2 lanes on each side, take a right there.

Continue on to Naranjos.

About 50k after Naranjos the road splits and one goes to Tuxpan and the other to Alamo. Both roads meet up but the road through Alamo is shorter.They meet up in Tihuatlan.

Follow the signs to Poza Rica.

When you get close to Poza Rica you keep an eye out for signs for Papantla, and Hwy 180 to Veracruz, you want to avoid driving into Poza Rica as there is a lot of traffic and you will lose about and hour of time.

Continue on and you should reach the coast of the Gulf of Mexico soon after. The Hwy here should be the 180

The beaches on the gulf of Mexico here are called Playas de Esmeralda, or Puerto Esmeralda. This is a good place to spend the night, hotels range from p300 to p3000.

Next day continue on to Jose Cardel, the freeway to Veracruz starts here.

When you get close to Veracruz you will see a sign for Paso del torro take this exit and go around Veracruz. You will come to the freeway on the other side of Veracruz, the Hwy is the 150 (it’s a quota, toll road) and there should be signs for Mexico City.

 

Take the Hwy until it runs into the 145, one way goes to Mexico City and the other Acayucan/Minatitlan

Take the road to Acayucan/Minatitlan. It’s a nice toll road and you can make good time here.

Exit in Acayucan (don’t continue on to Minatitlan). After exiting the freeway in Acayucan follow the signs to Sayula, the Hwy is the 185 and you will pass through a town called Matias Romero.

Continue on to La Ventosa.When you get to La Ventosa to turn left onto the Hwy 190 and go to Arriaga/Tapachula.

Before you get to Arriaga you will come to a town called San Pedro Tapanatepec, here there is a turn off to the right for Arriaga the Hwy is 200. The last time I drove there I remember the sign being a little difficult to see, so keep an eye out for it when you get to San Pedro.

Arriaga is a good place to spend the night, I always stay at one of the hotels outside the town as you can easily get lost in the small town.

After Arriaga take the freeway to Tapachula.

When you get close to Tapachula you will come to the Aduana where you can turn in your Mexican car visa, If you have a 6 month tourist visa on your passport then you can hang onto the car visa if you are planning on returning to the U.S.in the next few months, remember that if you do not turn in the visa before it expires you will be banned from entering Mexico with a car in the future.

Right after the aduana, there is a road that circles around Tapachula, the turn is to the right and it takes you around the city, the border is called Talisman.

After you cross the border just follow the signs for Guatemala City.

When you go into Mexico you will need to get tourist visas on your passport and after that you need to get a visa for the car.

Notes:

If you have visas from your trip up just that you didn’t pay for then just through them away.

When you get your tourist visa tell them you are going to Veracruz and you want a visa for 6 months.

If you tell them you are going to Guatemala then they will just give you a 30 transit visa and you can’t take any electronics.

For the car visa you need to pay about $32 on a CC, if you don’t pay on a CC then you have to give a $400 deposit which you pickup when you leave.

When you leave Mexico and come into Guatemala, tell the Mexican Immigrations that you want to keep your Mexican visa as you are coming back in a few days.

You have to pay your Mexican Visa in a bank in Mexico before you leave to come to Guatemala.

It’s usually best if you pay near the U.S. border as it goes faster.

When you get to the Guatemalan border.

After you go to immigrations and get your tourist visa. You need to make copies of your (Christians) drivers license, passport (page with photo and page with the stamp they just gave you at immigrations), and the vehicle title or registration.

After you get this follow the line of cars.

You will be stopped and have to pay for fumigation.

After that park you car as best you can to the right of the line of cars driving through.

Christian will need to walk up to the SAT office. It’s immediately to the left after you pass a man sitting at a desk.

Tell someone inside the window that you need a visa for a vehicle with American plates.

They will give you a paper that you take to the bank and pay Q40 after that take it bank to the person at the window, then you’ll need to bring your car up, they will check everything and give you your papers.