Nicolas Romero
Introduction
Ciudad Nicolás Romero is the seat of the municipality of the same name in the State of Mexico, lying in the north-central part of the state just northwest of the Federal District and roughly 58 km from Toluca, the state capital. Both the city and the municipality are commonly called simply Nicolás Romero.
The place carries several layers of history. The Otomi settled the area, and after the Aztecs conquered it they named it Azcapotzaltongo; under colonial rule it was known as San Pedro Azcapotzaltongo, and from 1821 to 1898 it was called Monte Bajo. The current name honours Nicolás Romero, who fought for Benito Juárez during the Reform War and the French intervention in Mexico and was executed there by the French; the town adopted the name in 1898.
Getting around
Ciudad Nicolás Romero is a separate municipality north-west of Mexico City rather than a neighbourhood of the capital, and that shapes every journey: no metro or tram line serves the town itself, and no public-transport route runs all the way in. The rail and electric bus networks you use are Mexico City's, functioning as the first stage of the trip rather than a way of getting around town. There is also no direct bus between Mexico City's airport and Nicolás Romero, so any car-free journey involves at least one transfer followed by a taxi or rideshare for the final leg. Fares on the metro and electric buses are paid per trip, at station entrances or on board, and are inexpensive, but no single through-ticket covers the whole airport-to-town journey, so budget for separate fares plus the taxi.
- Metro Line 5 plus taxi: from Terminal Aérea to Politécnico, then a taxi onward. Trains are frequent and the metro leg is quick, making this the fastest public-transport combination.
- Line 4 bus plus taxi: from Terminal Aérea to Depósito El Rosario, then a taxi. The bus runs roughly every ten minutes and is very cheap; this is widely treated as the best-value car-free option.
- Concessioned bus via Chapultepec: a Corredores Concesionados CDMX route links CETRAM Chapultepec with Blvd. de los Continentes about every fifteen minutes, but reaching the starting point from the airport area involves a transfer, so the total journey is longer than the metro-plus-taxi option.
- Taxi or rideshare direct: the quickest door-to-door choice and the simplest if you would rather not juggle transfers, though the most expensive of the standard options. On-demand services such as Mozio and BlaBlaCar operate in the area with travel times comparable to a taxi.
- Driving yourself: the cheapest option if you have a car, taking roughly the same time as a taxi.
Once you are in Nicolás Romero, walking is a reasonable way to cover short local trips, but it is not a realistic way to arrive from Mexico City or the airport: the distances are too great and the practical routes into town are built around roads rather than pedestrian paths. Treat walking as your mode for the last few blocks, not for the journey itself. If you would rather base yourself in the town than commute from the capital, there is plenty of accommodation there.
Three days in Nicolas Romero
Day one: Base yourself in Ciudad Nicolás Romero, in the State of Mexico, and use the day to get your bearings in the town itself. The area's older identity is bound up with San Pedro Azcapotzaltongo, also written Azcapotzaltongo, and with the Otomi and later the Aztecs who shaped this part of the valley. Monte Bajo and Benito Juárez are among the localities worth knowing as you move around. Keep the pace slow and let the town introduce itself.
Day two: Head into Mexico City, which sits within the Federal District and is the practical hub for the whole region. Chapultepec is the natural anchor, and CETRAM Chapultepec is the transport point to aim for. Metro Line reaches Terminal Aérea and Politécnico, and trains on the Line serve Depósito El Rosario. Concessioned services under Corredores Concesionados CDMX, along with the Metro, cover much of the ground; Blvd Continentes is one of the corridors you may pass along. Fares are low, and a taxi is the simpler option if you would rather not change lines.
Day three: Choose between a longer regional run and a quieter local day. Toluca is the other major city of the State and makes a full-day outing. If you stay closer, treat the day as a chance to revisit what you liked in Nicolás Romero. Driving is straightforward, and on-demand options such as Mozio and BlaBlaCar can fill gaps in the network. Once you have your route settled, the Reform War and French episodes in Mexico's history are part of the story of this ground, and Both the town and its surroundings reward a little context before you go.