Mexico City’s subway is cheap, clean, and efficient. There are 12 lines all designated by color and number (one through 12) and 195 stations within the city. A few things you should be aware of before riding the subway: the first two cars of each train are for women and children; you should only carry small bags on your person - large bags mark you as a tourist and suitcases are not permitted at all; peak times are morning (7 am to 9:30 am) and evening (5:30 pm to 7:30 pm), and this is when it’s more prone to pickpockets. The metro operates from Monday through Friday from 5 am to midnight, Saturday from 6 am to midnight, and Sunday from 7 am to midnight.

Driving in the city is not recommended. The streets are congested, the routes are confusing, parking is scarce and expensive, and the rules of the road are hard to understand. In some areas, there’s also a danger of auto theft. If you do decide to drive, there are several car rental companies that operate out of the Mexico City airport.

The taxi de sitio denoted by their white-and-pink colors, is the official taxi in the city. You can phone ahead to ensure that you get official and safe transportation around the city. Most hotels and restaurants are happy to call one of the official cars for you, or you could wait at the “Sitio” signs and stands located around town. If you hail a cab, the Mexico government advises to check these three things: its license plate numbers are preceded by the letters A or B, and this number should match what’s painted on the outside of the vehicle; a visibly displayed ID inside the cab; and the driver matches the displayed photo.

Additionally, ride-hailing apps like Uber, Cabify, or DiDi are available in Mexico City, and are an affordable and safe way to get around

Mexico City has a highly developed bus network. Thousands of buses and peseros operate from around 5 am till 10 pm daily, depending on the route.

Electric trolleybuses (trolebús) generally run until 11:30 pm. Only a few routes run all night, notably those along Paseo de la Reforma. Here are the different types of busses:

Pesero: (also called microbúses or combis) are gray-and-green minibusses operated by private firms. They follow fixed routes, often starting or ending at metro stations, and will stop at virtually any street corner. Route information is randomly displayed on cards attached to the windshield.

Metrobús: The metrobús is a wheelchair-accessible long bus that stops at metro-style stations in the middle of the street, spaced at three- to four-block intervals. Access is by prepaid smart card, issued by machines at the entrance to the platforms.

The rechargeable cards, which can also be used for the metro, are placed on a sensor device for entry. During crowded peak hours, be on high alert for pickpocketers. The front of the bus is for women and children only, marked out with pink seating. Most metrobús lines run from 5 am to midnight.

Top tip for the metrobús: Línea 7 is a red double-decker that rides along Paseo de la Reforma from Plaza Garibaldi, passing key sights like Monumento a la Revolución, Zona Rosa and Reforma, El Ángel, Bosque de Chapultepec, Castillo de Chapultepec, Museo Tamayo and Museo de Antropología, terminating a stop after Auditorio Nacional.

Closed on Sundays 6:30 am to 2 pm between Chapultepec and Auditorio (including Antropología), as the avenue becomes a bicycle-only zone for the Paseo Dominical.

Trolebús: Municipally operated trolebúses (trolleybuses) and full-sized cream-and-orange buses (labeled ‘RTP’) only pick up at bus stops. Fares are a flat fee regardless of distance traveled and they only accept preloaded travel cards (as used on the metro and metrobús), no cash.

Trolleybuses follow a number of the key ejes (priority roads) throughout the rest of the city. They generally run until 11:30 pm. Route maps are on the trolleybus website.