Crossing the Border to Ensenada

Did anyone rent a car in the US and drive to Ensenada? Did you need special papers? I have been reviewing the law and you don't need a tourist visa (or whatever it is called) if you are just going to Ensenda. I was wondering if papers saying I am having surgery would help. Also, is it a problem to take a rental car across the border? Anne

Hi Anne, To go across to mexico all you will need is a drivers lic and a birth certificate. About the car rental thing from what I understand it will cost you an arm and a leg in insurance from the car rental people cus your going out of the USA. I wish you all the luck in the world . I was should of had my surgery Sep/22/04 well lets just say this past wendsday! But i had some big time family issues and i had to cancel and I lost all my money for my plain tickets!! I was going to pay for bambi to pick me up. Dr. A and Rosella have a great system set up. Have you contacted Rosella she will give you more info on everything you need to know. They have the option to stay in the apartment that was going to my choice since it was close to the Hospital and all plus there will be support cus everyone there is going threw what your going threw. OK OK OK I will shut up now. i seem to talk to much when im stressed. Anne you take care and I wish you all the best God Speed c

Thanks for the info. Maybe we will just take the bus. Maybe we can borrow my aunts car? We will see. Anne

Hi Anne, I was going to rent a car but decided it was more cost effective to get Bambi. He is $300.00 but the car places (most will not allow their cars into Mexi****harge about an extra $50.00 a day for Mexican insurance. There is no problem taking the car in as long as you have papers saying that you have bought the insurance and the rental comapny has signed allowing the car into Mexico. Remember, if you take the bus you have to get off to cross the border. this means you get off and climb lots of stairs (I am not exaggerating there are lots of stairs) up and then down to the actual border side and then wait your turn, which can take hours, to pass the border. Now, this can also be quick but it all depends on how many people are trying to walk across. After crossing you catch another bus that stops at every little town and takes quite some time to get to Ensenada. You cannot take any car into Mexico unless it is registered in your name so you aunt would need to be with you or change the registration on her car. I haven't painted a very rosy picture and everything depends on what is hapening at the border on that particular day. It took us almost two hours with Bambi to cross because something????? had happened.

Thank you for the information. That helps a great deal! I will have to figure something out. Anne

You can rent a car and purchase insurance from the rental company for the time you are going to be in Mexico. I actually rented my car thru priceline after reading up on the individual rental places and when we picked up the car we purchased the coverage for while we were in Mexico. The only sad/bad thing was they were going to upgrade us to an SUV no charge, but since we were going into Mexico, no SUV. Apparently they don't usually make it back into the U.S.A., or they are missing 'parts' when they return. You can read my 'first' profile and the details are in the middle about my renting the car and the hotel etc. etc. I can't remember all the $$$ information but it wasn't $50.00 a day for insurance, that I remember, cuz I wouldn't have PAID that much, wouldn't have been worth it. I also will add that I was glad to have the rental car instead of using Bambi. Only because I am the type of person that wants to go and do and see and not be stuck. We went to the La Bufadora (spelling??) and drove around the town and stopped along the way from the border to Ensenada where there are some beautiful views!!! Just wanted to let ya know that it is possible and not outrageous to rent a car, you just have to do your homework. Good luck!!! Kiki ;)~

Kiki, Many of the rental companies have changed since you went and they do not allow their cars into Mexico. I spent hours researching and Priceline was one that said no. The rest do charge around $50.00 a day for Mexican insurance. You are right about having a car though. I suppose since I am from Mexico I wasn't interested in sightseeing. You can rent cars in Ensenada and then you don't have to pay the insurance. I just don't want anyone to be dissappointed when they can't find a company that allows their cars into Mexico! Just giving some updated information.

Mea Culpa!! If things have changed since I went then I would definitely use Bambi. I wouldn't recommend the bus to anyone!!! I used priceline and got my deal thru Hertz. I had already researched the rental agencies policies regarding purchasing the insurance and how that all worked. I went back and looked on my profile and we paid $20.00 a day for the insurance. I had bid $23.00/day and it was accepted thru priceline by Hertz. So for the time we were going to be in Mexico we purchased the insurance. But having Bambi is an awesome arrangement and well worth the money. I have yet to see anyone post about a bad experience with him. Hopefully she can make arrangements that works best for her. Thanks for the update!!! Kiki ;)~

Anne, I my opinion 300 dlls to get to Ensenada and back is a lot of money. If you can afford it certainly is easier. But if you can't: You can get your aunt's car accross, papers don't have to be in your name just as long as you have a US ID like your drivers license, this is because mexican people can't be driving a car with US license plates, I've been there and done that. Good luck with your surgery! Sandy lap band-dr aceves

You were lucky if you drove a car not registered in your name. I have crossed the border by car for the last 40 years and the car must be in your name. If it isn't the police have the right to confiscate it no questions asked. It is Mexican law. Like I said, if you are lucky and they don't catch it or are busy that day, whatever, you can cross but it is not something I would try with someone else's car! The Federales do look for Hispanic looking people driving cars with US plates so they can check it out but it is not illegal for us Mexicans to drive cars with US plates. Anyone can drive a car with any plate as long as it is registered to them. That is not the issue. The issue is there was a huge influx of stolen cars crossing the border and they wanted to stop it. The Mexican government also requires that after 6 months a car that enters Mexico must pay and change to Mexican plates or return to the country of origin. The registration is their way of tracking cars that eneter but do not exit the country. Funny how people who do not know interpret the law!