Capital: Mexico City
Time zone: Spans 3 time zones from GMT – 6 to – 8
Telephone services: Country Code: 52
Outgoing Code: 98
Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 08.
Tourist information: Mexican Ministry of Tourism, 3rd Floor, 60 – 61 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DS Tel: (020) 7734 1058 Fax: (020) 7930 9202.
Passport information: Valid passport required by all and must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry required by all except nationals of USA, Canada and Japan who can present a birth certificate or other valid national ID card with photograph. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.
Visa information: Visas usually required. Check the requirements with the appropriate consular authority.
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Exists in the Vivax variety in rural areas of certain states.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 6 months of age arriving from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Rabies, Cholera – is a serious risk precaution is strongly recommended. Travellers arriving within 2 weeks of having visited an infected area are required to have a vaccination certificate.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: Nuevo Peso (MXN) = 100 cents All credit cards are accepted. US dollar travellers cheques are preferred.
ATM availability: Over 9 000 locations.
Cost of living: Relatively inexpensive. Caters for all travellers and budgets.
Languages: Spanish is the official language. English is widely spoken.
Weather: Climate varies according to altitude. Lowland are hot and humid whilst higher areas have a more temperate climate.
Electricity: 110 Volts AC, 60 Hz, US 2 pin, flat plugs are standard.
Post: 5- 7 days to Europe, surface mail is slow.
Transport: FLIGHTS: There is an excellent network of daily scheduled flights between commercial centres. RAIL: Mexico has a good rail network, which connects the major towns. ROAD: Slightly less than half is paved. BUS: Mexico is linked by an excellent and very economical bus service. CAR HIRE: Available at airports, city centres and resorts. DOCUMENTATION: IDP or nationals driving licence is acceptable.
Special information: Travel is usually trouble free but sensible precautions should be taken because violent robbery is increasing, especially in Mexico City. Exercise caution on public transport, airports, the Mexico City metro and tourist sites. Use taxis from ranks. It is advisable to ‘dress down’. Take particular care at cash machines.