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[QUOTE=Safrony42;7033124]Is this true?
[URL]https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/number-of-active-sex-workers-plummets-in-tijuanas-infamous-tolerance-zone/[/URL][/QUOTE]Wish this were not true:
"On Jan. 1, however, the city stopped financing health centers where sex workers could seek free medical care and testing. ".
"The workers have found a way to get tested. So far this year, we've had 150 positive cases for STDs, including 15 for syphilis," she said.
[QUOTE=Nycsubbob;7031787]I am going to be in SD for work in two weeks and just found out about Tijuana last month thanks to all of your posts. I think I have to check it out.
From what I read it sounds like you can walk into Mexico very quickly and take the HK shutle but is it really 30-60 minutes to get back into the US if I return around 2 am?
If anyone is interested in joining let me know.[/QUOTE]It always depends on the night and no one can promise anything but more than likely yeah. If you have Sentri / GE then definitely. And HK shuttle runs 24/7 supposedly but I haven't used it that late.
[QUOTE=Nycsubbob;7031787]I am going to be in SD for work in two weeks and just found out about Tijuana last month thanks to all of your posts. I think I have to check it out.
From what I read it sounds like you can walk into Mexico very quickly and take the HK shutle but is it really 30-60 minutes to get back into the US if I return around 2 am?
If anyone is interested in joining let me know.[/QUOTE]I live in ATL and I fly to SD (late flight) a few times a year to go to TJ. I usually get in around 930 pm, get my car rental, check in to my hotel and then go to TJ which ends up being around 11 pm. Midnight. I always walk across and no issues going in besides the last time when the Mexican police actually asked to see my passport, usually all you have to do is flash your passport and they wave you through. After crossing I always take the shuttle to and from HK. If it's your first time taking the shuttle, wait for some else that is taking the shuttle too before walking to the waiting area because that walk can be kind of sketchy. Once you are ready to go back to the border, go to the table outside of HK and let them know you want to go back to the border (or la linea). I usually cross between 330-430 am and there is no line getting back on Friday or Saturday night. Sunday into Monday is a different story. After 3 am there is a line 3 miles long, no joke. I have global entry so I can skip the lines. I would highly recommend getting GE before going, but if you don't then get back before 3 am on a weekday. Last thing is the USA Customs agents coming back in. They will harass you about what you did in Mexico, just tell them you were out on vacation and wanted to visit Mexico. Whatever you do, keep all your answers short! All these agents are assholes and are looking for a reason to take you to the back and strip search you LOL.
[QUOTE=SuperFly79;7041099]I live in ATL and I fly to SD (late flight) a few times a year to go to TJ. I usually get in around 930 pm, get my car rental, check in to my hotel and then go to TJ which ends up being around 11 pm. Midnight. I always walk across and no issues going in besides the last time when the Mexican police actually asked to see my passport, usually all you have to do is flash your passport and they wave you through. After crossing I always take the shuttle to and from HK. If it's your first time taking the shuttle, wait for some else that is taking the shuttle too before walking to the waiting area because that walk can be kind of sketchy. Once you are ready to go back to the border, go to the table outside of HK and let them know you want to go back to the border (or la linea). I usually cross between 330-430 am and there is no line getting back on Friday or Saturday night. Sunday into Monday is a different story. After 3 am there is a line 3 miles long, no joke. I have global entry so I can skip the lines. I would highly recommend getting GE before going, but if you don't then get back before 3 am on a weekday. Last thing is the USA Customs agents coming back in. They will harass you about what you did in Mexico, just tell them you were out on vacation and wanted to visit Mexico. Whatever you do, keep all your answers short! All these agents are assholes and are looking for a reason to take you to the back and strip search you LOL.[/QUOTE]FYI: just recently Mexican customs is deliberately holding up the line for Mexican nationals trying to cross at the San Ysidro border, they are now checking them for documents now. Mexican nationals cannot walk across freely anymore.
If you see that long winding line, know that is NOT for you. Walk to the gate and present your passport card or book. If you plan to stay longer than 7 days, you will need to pay them $30. For most of us, that will not apply. Tell them you're only here for the night.
[QUOTE=RoamingBag;7041907]FYI: just recently Mexican customs is deliberately holding up the line for Mexican nationals trying to cross at the San Ysidro border, they are now checking them for documents now. Mexican nationals cannot walk across freely anymore.
If you see that long winding line, know that is NOT for you. Walk to the gate and present your passport card or book. If you plan to stay longer than 7 days, you will need to pay them $30. For most of us, that will not apply. Tell them you're only here for the night.[/QUOTE]I was there on Friday. Mexicans in the line are very hostile. They take exception to anyone they believe are cutting in front of them, regardless if you show them your passport. They kept yelling no sentry. I had one lady try to block me and some guy became openly hostile and vulgar. Take caution if you run into this line and be prepared for the barking. Not fun. I ended up turning around and leaving.
Note: there is no security at any points in the line while you try to cross.
[QUOTE=Magnum44;7043001]I was there on Friday. Mexicans in the line are very hostile. They take exception to anyone they believe are cutting in front of them, regardless if you show them your passport. They kept yelling no sentry. I had one lady try to block me and some guy became openly hostile and vulgar. Take caution if you run into this line and be prepared for the barking. Not fun. I ended up turning around and leaving.
Note: there is no security at any points in the line while you try to cross.[/QUOTE]Yeah, same. I was there Friday. What time did you go on Friday? So like, I hope they don't merge the line cause that would be dumb. I would assume they would want the tourist monies fast.
[QUOTE=RoamingBag;7043482]Yeah, same. I was there Friday. What time did you go on Friday? So like, I hope they don't merge the line cause that would be dumb. I would assume they would want the tourist monies fast.[/QUOTE]I was there at 8 pm. At the very least, the Mexican border officials should have security personnel monitoring the line to answer questions and keep things orderly, but what a mess.
[QUOTE=Magnum44;7043001]I was there on Friday. Mexicans in the line are very hostile. They take exception to anyone they believe are cutting in front of them, regardless if you show them your passport. They kept yelling no sentry. I had one lady try to block me and some guy became openly hostile and vulgar. Take caution if you run into this line and be prepared for the barking. Not fun. I ended up turning around and leaving.
Note: there is no security at any points in the line while you try to cross.[/QUOTE]LOL. Uhh. They were hostile because you were in fact cutting. I have no idea where you got your information where this was a Mexican citizen only thing.
So what actually happened is they are checking _all_ documentation for everyone, not just Mexicans. So gringos had to do 2 stops, first wait in line to show your passport to an agent, what's new is they would scan your passport and it would prefill out the fmm, but they only had like 1 guy with a printer and this backed up the line. Then once you had your prefilled fmm you then had to go to see a second agent which meant waiting in line again. This agent would ask how long your stay was, make you sign, and then finally tear off the bottom and you were on your way. It required waiting twice to see an agent and then the bottleneck with a single agent with printer that could fill the fmm. This continued until about Saturday afternoon, at that point they stopped. Checking documents all together.
However I think it was a bit of a rough start to the new system, because Saturday night they again were checking _all_ for documents however this time they had about 5 agents all with printers and it was a single stop, you go to the first available agent, hand your passport, they scan it and prefill the fmm and then give you your copy right there and its done, no more signature on the fmm even. So it went by pretty smooth.
It also means you need to have your passport, for you guys that refuse that get even the $65 card and just kept paying the $20 bribe (which has stopped although I heard reports sometimes they'd like you for $30) then you may want to consider driving in.
[QUOTE=Tebdill;7044171]LOL. Uhh. They were hostile because you were in fact cutting. I have no idea where you got your information where this was a Mexican citizen only thing.
[/QUOTE]I actually turned around to leave, but a gentleman in the line saw that I didn't have any personal items and said to head straight to the turnstile and go through to the US checkpoint. A couple of other people seemed to corroborate the information, but unfortunately there were no border security to ask. No way will I stay in that line. It's even worse than trying to get back to the USA without a sentri card.
How are they separating people into the residents vs visitor lanes? Do residents have to show Id? Has anyone crossed at PedWest? What's it like over there?
[QUOTE=Xbbdc;7050813]How are they separating people into the residents vs visitor lanes? Do residents have to show Id? Has anyone crossed at PedWest? What's it like over there?[/QUOTE]I think they stopped checking documentation on Mexican nationals on that same weekend but with PedWest, its hours are limited and they close early, so I don't know how that is. You can check Facebook, there's an actual group that reports on crossing the border. Also you can check Reddit sub, TJRedlightDistrict.
Wait does this mean that if you have your US passport card but don't have sentry or GE, you can walk straight to the gate without having to wait in the long line?
[QUOTE=Tebdill;7044171]LOL. Uhh. They were hostile because you were in fact cutting. I have no idea where you got your information where this was a Mexican citizen only thing.
So what actually happened is they are checking _all_ documentation for everyone, not just Mexicans. So gringos had to do 2 stops, first wait in line to show your passport to an agent, what's new is they would scan your passport and it would prefill out the fmm, but they only had like 1 guy with a printer and this backed up the line. Then once you had your prefilled fmm you then had to go to see a second agent which meant waiting in line again. This agent would ask how long your stay was, make you sign, and then finally tear off the bottom and you were on your way. It required waiting twice to see an agent and then the bottleneck with a single agent with printer that could fill the fmm. This continued until about Saturday afternoon, at that point they stopped. Checking documents all together..[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Monger234;7051744]Wait does this mean that if you have your US passport card but don't have sentry or GE, you can walk straight to the gate without having to wait in the long line?[/QUOTE]Just came back this past week. Took taxi to the line. I have a passport card and I still had to make the line with others (both Mexicans and US).
The only way to pass quickly is having Sentry.
Mondo.
P.S. Took me 40 minutes to get thru.
[QUOTE=Mondo72;7052347]Just came back this past week. Took taxi to the line. I have a passport card and I still had to make the line with others (both Mexicans and US).
The only way to pass quickly is having Sentry.
Mondo.
P.S. Took me 40 minutes to get thru.[/QUOTE]I think people are confusing the USA vs the Mexican side. The issue I experienced was on the USA side trying to get into Mexico, not vice-versa. I went to HK last weekend and thankfully there was no line to get into Mexico. Ironically, while I was crossing over into Mexico, there were PLENTY of border security personnel while entering into Mexico. Where was security the night they decided to check identification for everyone? I am sure if they'd been there, it would have helped keep tempers down and made things more orderly.
What's with all the construction around HK? I've seen some recent YouTube videos and it looks like the sidewalk and the street are tore up? Anyone know how long it will last?