Getting Around Toluca: An Overview
Toluca is a fairly compact city, which makes it relatively easy to navigate on foot in the center and by taxi or public transport for longer hops. It is also the highest capital city in Mexico and North America, sitting at 2,600 m (8,500 ft) above sea level, so give yourself a little time to adjust before covering long distances on foot. Note that the city has a reputation for poor air quality, driven by its industrial corridor and its motorized public transportation, so you may want to limit strenuous outdoor activity.
Rail: El Insurgente
The most significant recent addition to Toluca's transport network is El Insurgente, an interurban commuter rail service linking Toluca with Mexico City. It is described as fast and comfortable, and it connects Toluca with Observatorio station in Mexico City. The service is designed to eventually reach a maximum speed of 160 km/h along a 58 km route.
- Toluca Centro railway station (Estación Toluca Centro, in Santa María de las Rosas) is the city's busy modern train station serving El Insurgente trains toward Mexico City's Observatorio station.
- Toluca International Airport also has its own railway station with El Insurgente service, which means you can potentially connect between the airport and the city by rail.
- Tickets: CDMX Mobility Cards can be used to ride El Insurgente.
Beyond El Insurgente, Toluca does not have a metro or tram network. The old intercity rail network was shut down in 1997, so rail travel here means the commuter service to Mexico City rather than a local urban rail system.
Buses and Long-Distance Connections
Toluca has one of the largest bus terminals in the country, making it a major hub for regional travel.
- Terminal de Toluca (Felipe Berriozábal #101) is a large, very busy station open 24 hours, with plenty of eateries and shops. It is an easy place to make connections, with frequent hourly arrivals and departures.
- From the main Toluca terminal you can reach points west (such as Michoacán), south (such as Ixtapan de la Sal), and north (such as Querétaro).
- From Mexico City, several bus lines run to Toluca from the western terminal called Observatorio, at the end of the east–west subway line. Buses for Toluca depart every few minutes.
- Flecha Roja offers regular service to Mexico City's northern terminal, Autobuses del Norte.
- Some lines, such as Caminante, offer onboard movies and frequent service between Toluca and Mexico City's Benito Juárez Airport.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are the most convenient way to get around Toluca. The city is served by a very large fleet of taxis relative to its population, so you can simply walk to any major street and wave at a passing taxi. Because the city is fairly compact, fares are cheap—around M$30 will take you to most places. This makes taxis a practical default for short trips across town.
Walkability
Toluca's compact layout means the central area is manageable on foot, and its traditional portals, the Cosmovitral botanical garden, and multiple parks, museums, and cultural centers are among the attractions that reward walking. Urban cycling is also promoted in the city, following citizen pressure over the last decade and an agreement signed with the United Nations on the use and respect of the bicycle as a sustainable means of mass transportation. Two caveats for anyone planning to walk or cycle extensively: the high altitude takes some adjustment, and the city's air quality is poor, so outdoor exercise carries some health risks.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Toluca International Airport (TLC, Licenciado Adolfo López Mateos International Airport) is the city's own airport. Passenger service is available from several Mexican cities on Viva and Volaris, though private planes make up most of the airport's traffic and it is also used for cargo flights by FedEx. It is a good alternative to the busy Benito Juárez International Airport, particularly for travelers heading to western parts of Mexico City.
- By rail: The airport has a railway station with service on El Insurgente trains, giving you a direct rail option into the city and onward toward Mexico City.
- By bus: Some bus lines, including Caminante, run frequent service between Toluca and Benito Juárez Airport in Mexico City.
- Via Mexico City: Benito Juárez International Airport is a reasonable alternative, especially for international visitors. A bus station inside Terminal 1 offers departures every 30 minutes for Toluca.
Arriving by Car
If you are driving in, the highway between Mexico City and Toluca is one of the most modern in the country—and it is an expensive toll road. Toluca sits about 63 km southwest of Mexico City, and its growth has largely stemmed from that proximity to the capital.