Transportation - Category

Copper Canyon

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

copper-canyon-railway1A popular location for tourists and traveler who wish to go sightseeing is Copper Canyon. Copper Canyon is a group of canyons whose area is actually deeper in some places than the Grand Canyon in the US. It is also at least seven times larger than the Grand Canyon. The entire Copper Canyon area actually makes up nearly a third of the state of Chihuahua. These canyons were made up by several rivers all of which are tributaries for Rio Fuerte. Those traveling the area can view many magnificent vistas that appear in many books and magazines. Travelers may also get a glimpse of a mountain lion or a wolf, but this is fairly uncommon as these animals tend to avoid areas more popular for tourists.

There are many ways that tourists can get around in the Copper Canyon area including hiking, biking, horseback riding, and by train. The train that goes through this area is the most popular way of transportation as it offers some magnificent views of the canyons and rivers. Because of this, this railway is the most popular railway in Mexico among tourists.

This area is the home to an indigenous people known as the Tarahumara. The Tarahumara people are generally reserved and prefer to have little interaction with tourists. Some of the people, however, will sell food and crafts to tourists allowing travelers to own a piece of Tarahumara culture. In recent years a large number of these people have been forced by drug cultivators to work in the drug cartel. The area, however, is generally safe for tourists.

There are a few cities and towns in the Copper Canyon area, such as Creel, which is the main town in this area. Creel is located at the top of the canyon, which is also the highest point in the railway. Another important settlement in the area is Batopilas, which is located at the bottom of the canyon on the Batopilas River. This particular town was first settled by the Spanish in the early 1600s to mine silver.

Travel in Mexico by Train

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

train-mexico-copper-canyonOne of the best ways to get around Mexico and too see it all is by train. Train travel in Mexico is highly popular by tourists as it is a great way to see many sights. The most popular tourist routes in Mexico to travel is the Copper Canyon Railway. Copper Canyon is a huge and beautiful area which makes up nearly a third of the State of Chihuahua. The Ferrocarril Chihuahua al Pacífico will take passengers through some of the most beautiful area of Copper Canyon. This trip is considered to be one of the most beautiful train trips through North America.

For those looking to just get around Mexico by using railways, there are several railroads that will take passengers to and from just about anywhere in Mexico. Train travel in Mexico isn’t as popular as it had been in the past mainly because of newer methods of transportation, but it is still a great and inexpensive way to travel. Just about any type of train travel is available in Mexico from short train lines that take visitors from the center of a city to its environs to trains with sleeper cars that take passengers across the country. Because of the decline in the usage of trains, trains are becoming more and more difficult to find. There are many trains still is use today, but each year trains are being liquidated and they are becoming further and fewer between. It is important for those who wish to travel by train in Mexico to make sure that there will be a train available for them to board before making the trip to the train station as what used to be a short wait for a train is now hours and in some cases days.

Bus Travel in Mexico

Sunday, June 14th, 2009

bus-travel-mexicoOne of the best ways of traveling around Mexico is by bus. There are many different sights there are to see throughout Mexico that can’t really be seen by train and those who drive themselves often miss things themselves. Traveling by bus also allows those traveling Mexico to meet other travelers.

There are different types of buses in Mexico and each one offers something different. Each one has their own price range as well, so it’s important for traveler’s to know what type of bus they’d like to travel on before embarking on a long trip in one. The nicest buses have comfortable reclining seats and often have snacks or drinks for their customers to enjoy on long trips. Some also have televisions and provide headphones so that passengers can enjoy a movie while they travel. There are also “Segunda Clase” buses that are something like an American school buses with slightly more comfort. However, these buses don’t reserve seats and when they get full there is often standing room only. Standing room only is great for those who are traveling a short distance, but those who are taking a longer ride will likely not enjoy the bus trip.

cancun-view-from-above-beachTravelers can literally get to anywhere in Mexico by bus as almost every town has at least one bus stop. Larger cities obviously have numerous bus stops. It’s easy for anyone to find a bus from downtown Mexico City to Cancun or even to La Paz (which is one really long, but scenic bus trip.) Also, buses of course can take tourists over short distances such as from one side of Mexico City to the other and this can be done for a very low cost. This is great for those who don’t wish to rent a car in Mexico or those who enjoy travel on a budget.

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