Getting Around Tlaquepaque
Tlaquepaque is a city and municipality in the Mexican state of Jalisco, and it now forms a fully integrated part of the Guadalajara conurbation, lying only a few kilometers from the state capital's center. For a visitor, that integration is good news: the transport networks that serve Guadalajara also serve Tlaquepaque, so you can move between the two without much trouble.
How Visitors Get Around
Within the historic core of Tlaquepaque, most sightseeing is done on foot. The municipality is a designated "Pueblo Mágico," known for its pottery, textiles and blown glass, and its streets are lined with last-century casonas and colonial buildings. The artisan suburbs of Tlaquepaque and neighboring Tonalá have pedestrian-only streets that are well suited to leisurely walks and browsing the shops.
For anything beyond the walkable center, visitors rely on the same mix of options as in Guadalajara: the light-rail system, buses, taxis and ride-hailing apps. A hop-on, hop-off double-decker tourist bus called the Tapatío Tour also reaches Tlaquepaque on one of its routes, covering major attractions in Guadalajara, Tlaquepaque and Zapopan, and letting riders get on and off at will all day for a flat rate.
Rail, Metro and Tram Network
Guadalajara's light-rail subway system is known as Mi Tren (also called the Tren Ligero). It is operated under the SITEUR agency, which is responsible for the city's electric transit systems, including Mi Tren, Mi Macro and the Trole. On transit maps, the lines are marked as "Mi Tren" with designations such as L1 or L2.
The network is useful for travelers. One line runs north-to-south beneath Avenida Federalismo toward the edges of the city in both directions; a second runs west-to-east through the Centro Histórico to the eastern suburbs; and a third runs diagonally across the city from Zapopan in the northwest to Tlaquepaque in the southeast. That diagonal line makes the train a practical way to reach the colonial center of Tlaquepaque, where the artesanías shops fill the streets, as well as the main bus station.
To ride, you can pay with the public transport card or in cash at the machine — just press the blue button on the screen. A single-trip ticket is available, though the machine does not give change. The subway closes at 23:00. A public transport card can be purchased from a ticket machine at the entrance of a subway station and can be used for the Metro, the BRT, local buses and the bike-share system.
There is also a bus service called Pre-Tren ("Pre-Train") that extends from the main subway station (Juárez) through the Zona Rosa to the west Anillo Periférico, at a discounted fare for subway card users.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Guadalajara's metropolitan transit is organized under an integrated system often referred to as Mi Movilidad, which combines Mi Tren (light rail), Mi Macro Bus (bus rapid transit) and Mi Macro Periférico (an orbital BRT route). The Metropolitan Area Mass Transit System is the local transit authority, and its website carries maps, schedules and fare information.
Regular city buses are green or red and carry a "Mi Transporte" logo on the side. They cover almost every city street. You can pay with the public transport card or in cash; note that drivers do not give change, so if you pay with a bill you can fold it and push it through the coin slot inside the bus. Most bus stops are marked with a blue signpost showing a picture of a bus, plus triangular markings on the road with the word parada. Route numbers and final destinations appear on a lighted display on the front of the bus and next to the door — check the destination screen, the windshield and the left of the front door to be sure it is your line, and it never hurts to ask the driver if he goes to your destination.
Mi Macro is the city's modern bus rapid-transit system, using articulated double-length buses that run in dedicated lanes with their own stations, which makes them faster than ordinary buses. One BRT line runs along Calzada, crossing the Centro Histórico and stopping at the Central de Autobuses; it is also useful for visiting Tlaquepaque Centro. The Periférico line forms a long arc around the city.
There is also a trolley bus, "Mi Trole," which is a handy way to move between the Centro Histórico and the Zona Rosa/Minerva area. Westbound trolleys travel along Avenida Vallarta and eastbound trolleys along Avenida Hidalgo — look overhead for the pair of electrical power cables. In the Centro Histórico you can catch the Trolebús on Avenida Hidalgo up to the east side of the Plaza de la Liberación.
For planning connections, Moovit and Google Maps both cover the city, including the subway, and the transit authority's own site and route-search tools are worth checking for maps and fares.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are a straightforward option if you would rather not work out the bus system. You can either agree on a price with the driver beforehand or ask him to turn the meter on — though if the meter is running, there is a risk the driver won't take the shortest route if he thinks you don't know it. As a rule, be sure to ask the fare before you get in. Cabs cost more at night or when they have to cross the outer ring (Anillo Periférico) of the city, and at night prices are doubled. If the driver uses a meter, there is also a starting price.
Licensed taxis are typically white or yellow with "TAXI" signs and a taxi number, and can be hailed on the street, picked up at "sitios," or called by phone. Fares are often negotiated before the ride, metering is inconsistent, and payment is usually in cash in Mexican pesos.
Ride-hailing is widely available: Uber, Cabify and Didi all cover the city, and Uber, DiDi and InDriver are widely available across Guadalajara. These are often cheaper than taxis for short trips, give you a cost estimate before you book, allow cashless payment, and provide driver and vehicle tracking plus rating systems.
Walkability
Walking is the best way to see the center of Tlaquepaque. The pedestrian-only streets in the artisan suburbs are made for strolling and browsing, and the historic core's attractions are close together. Do bear in mind that historic areas have cobblestones and uneven pavements, which can limit accessibility — it is worth verifying accessibility directly with specific attractions if that matters to you. Newer infrastructure, such as Mi Tren Line 3, has better accessibility features.
Safety-wise, it is best to avoid walking alone after dark on deserted or poorly lit streets, and some major multi-lane avenues are not pedestrian-friendly.
If you want to cycle, Guadalajara integrates bike rentals into its urban transportation plan. Racks of sturdy rental bikes, most painted green and marked with "Mi Bici" logos, are located in high-traffic areas including many city parks, Metro stations and bus stops; the Mi Bici website provides a map of the kiosk locations. Bikes can be rented via an annual subscription or on a temporary basis. The public bike system is generally considered complex for tourists, and private shops in tourist areas rent bikes by the hour or day. Traffic can be chaotic on city streets, though the local government has been making progress in setting aside dedicated lanes for bikes; a helmet is recommended.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Guadalajara International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional de Guadalajara Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, code GDL) lies south of the city along the Guadalajara–Chapala Highway. It is a modern, traveler-friendly airport, a hub for Volaris with frequent flights to Mexican destinations and a good selection of flights from Canada and the United States, and it serves both domestic and North American routes.
Fares to and from the airport are set. If you are arriving at the airport, a taxi monopoly provides the service: pay for your taxi ride at the booths outside the arrival halls, and buy authorized airport taxi tickets from booths inside the terminal rather than dealing with unofficial solicitors. You can also take a normal taxi to the airport on the way back.
Public transit to the airport is limited for now: an extension of the Calzada BRT line to the airport is under construction. Until it opens, plan on a taxi or ride-hailing car for the airport run.
Arriving by Long-Distance Bus
If you come into the region by long-distance bus, you will likely arrive at the Central de Autobuses Guadalajara, the main bus station, which sits in the suburb of Tlaquepaque and serves all long-distance routes, generally those leaving the state of Jalisco. It is a large regional hub with numerous bus companies and space to load and unload many buses at once, and it is clean and modern with waiting rooms and restaurants; restrooms are clean but require a small coin payment.
From this bus station, reaching the Centro Histórico is particularly convenient by subway (Mi Tren). If you arrive by bus and want to use the train, look across the parking lot as you exit the terminal: note the location of the red Kentucky Fried Chicken sign, walk toward KFC to the left of the parking lot, then turn left in front of KFC and cross the street — you will be at the train station. A trip anywhere the train goes is inexpensive, and slightly cheaper per ride if you buy a card.
There is also a second station, Central Vieja, just south of downtown and a few blocks from the San Juan de Dios marketplace. It is served by regional second-class bus lines to nearby pueblos such as Tequila, Mazamitla, Sayula and Chapala, with many lines serving almost every corner of the state of Jalisco. The buses are often clean and very comfortable, sometimes indistinguishable from the first-class buses used on long-distance routes, and fares are very reasonable. It is advisable to use an Uber or taxi to and from Central Vieja, as the surrounding area has quite a bit of crime and is regarded as dangerous for outsiders.