Need advice about traveling from Nogales to Hermosillo....

[BeachyKeen]

sorry it's not about Rocky Point but I know there are quite a few Sonoran traveling pros. We usually only go to Rocky Point when we get a chance to get away , were married there even but thought we'd be adventurous & drive from our place in Sahuarita AZ to Hermosillo which is usually only a 4 hour drive (saving $1400 on airplane tickets from Tucson to Hermosillo flights) then fly from Hermosillo to Cancun . We just heard from our friend that went to Hermosillo last month the freeway from Nogales to Hermosillo is being renovated and if anyone wants to drive to Hermosillo they must take a different route that makes the trip over 6 and a half hours! Does anyone know anything about this and if so, hoping for any other option or short cut to get to Hermosillo..... I knew we should've just planned on going to Rocky Point. Lol

 

[Stuart]

Haven't been that route in awhile so don't know current road conditions, but have made the trip many times. Do have a question, though? Why would you fly to Hermisillo to go to Cancun? I can't believe the flights would be that much cheaper to justify the extra drive/hassle?

American shows roundtrip flights from Tucson to Cancun for as little as $458. One stop in Dallas/Fort Worth. Other US airlines similar? Just don't see where the $1400 savings is.

 

[JimMcG]

That highway is constantly being renovated but is usually always driveable since on the sections under repair, the traffic is diverted to the opposite side which at that point is temporarily a two way, one lane in each direction. With the constant switching back and forth it is really important to remember whether you are on a one way, double lane or a two way two lane section.
Another important item is to have pesos to pay the toll booth outside of Hermosillo, since they once refushed to accept US dollars or US credit cards and actually turned us back until we managed to exchange pesos with a Federale. Good Luck.

 

[Encanto]

sorry it's not about Rocky Point but I know there are quite a few Sonoran traveling pros. We usually only go to Rocky Point when we get a chance to get away , were married there even but thought we'd be adventurous & drive from our place in Sahuarita AZ to Hermosillo which is usually only a 4 hour drive (saving $1400 on airplane tickets from Tucson to Hermosillo flights) then fly from Hermosillo to Cancun . We just heard from our friend that went to Hermosillo last month the freeway from Nogales to Hermosillo is being renovated and if anyone wants to drive to Hermosillo they must take a different route that makes the trip over 6 and a half hours! Does anyone know anything about this and if so, hoping for any other option or short cut to get to Hermosillo..... I knew we should've just planned on going to Rocky Point. Lol

Drove to San Carlos about six weeks ago through the Mariposa port.

Jim G.'s advice is spot on.

Take your time and you should have no problems. Traffic slows when the lanes are diverted back and forth; maybe took us 5 hours from Nogales to Hermosillo.

The Highway construction project is truly a massive infrastructure investment. The scale is impressive.

Have fun !!!

 

[Stuart]

That highway is constantly being renovated but is usually always driveable since on the sections under repair, the traffic is diverted to the opposite side which at that point is temporarily a two way, one lane in each direction. With the constant switching back and forth it is really important to remember whether you are on a one way, double lane or a two way two lane section.
Another important item is to have pesos to pay the toll booth outside of Hermosillo, since they once refushed to accept US dollars or US credit cards and actually turned us back until we managed to exchange pesos with a Federale. Good Luck.

Every single time I've been on it. The pesos thing at the toll booth is also true. I'd always grab $100 USD of pesos in Nogales before crossing.

One year, I was feeling particularly adventurous. We drove all the way to Mazatlan and back. That's seeing the REAL mexico up close and personal.

 

[JimMcG]

In our case the attendant would not let us through to make a U turn which caused the squad of Federales to force the semi trucks and cars behind us to back up which was something to behold.

 

[BeachyKeen]

Haven't been that route in awhile so don't know current road conditions, but have made the trip many times. Do have a question, though? Why would you fly to Hermisillo to go to Cancun? I can't believe the flights would be that much cheaper to justify the extra drive/hassle?

American shows roundtrip flights from Tucson to Cancun for as little as $458. One stop in Dallas/Fort Worth. Other US airlines similar? Just don't see where the $1400 savings is.

If it were only my husband & I the savings wouldn't be worth it but there are 3 of our kids going with us, with Volaris you can join a "club" in which it brought each of our round trip tickets including an extra bag each down to around $240 , after you add the extra bag fee & taxes to a U.S. Flight it would be almost $300 more per ticket for each of us times the 5 of us. I do understand we are now paying gas, parking fee, a cheap hotel in Hermosillo the day before & after our flight so after all that is figured in it's still a good $1,000 savings . The flight time is now cut down a smidgen too, so it'll be a yucky car travel day but hopefully we will get refreshed after spending the night in Hermosillo and then having the flight not be 11- 12 hours like it would be from Tucson , I believe it was around an 8 hour flight from Hermosillo plus not all the craziness of American airports, we have heard from several people (one couple that lives in Rocky Point) how much better & easier their airports are. I know it'll be rough for the kids either way. It worked out better in my head when I didn't know about the construction & was picturing a nice 4 hour drive . I hadn't been that way in years & my husband had never been so I was picturing a mini Hermosillo day trip . Sigh , gotta love construction. I'm really missing my Puerto Penasco , I know we will have a great time & cant wait to see the lushness & forest feel of deep Mexico but P.P. Is so easy and chilax no worries , cheap getting there.

 

[BeachyKeen]

That highway is constantly being renovated but is usually always driveable since on the sections under repair, the traffic is diverted to the opposite side which at that point is temporarily a two way, one lane in each direction. With the constant switching back and forth it is really important to remember whether you are on a one way, double lane or a two way two lane section.
Another important item is to have pesos to pay the toll booth outside of Hermosillo, since they once refushed to accept US dollars or US credit cards and actually turned us back until we managed to exchange pesos with a Federale. Good Luck.

Thank you so much, Good to know about the pesos! I'm glad we won't have to take a different route, sounds like the time difference is due to the lanes being messed with and minimized, having to be more careful. I know the freeways have always been a smidgen bit more "scary" and narrow to begin with. Maybe I'll take zanex and let my husband drive Lol!

 

[BeachyKeen]

Drove to San Carlos about six weeks ago through the Mariposa port.

Jim G.'s advice is spot on.

Take your time and you should have no problems. Traffic slows when the lanes are diverted back and forth; maybe took us 5 hours from Nogales to Hermosillo.

The Highway construction project is truly a massive infrastructure investment. The scale is impressive.

Have fun !!!

Thanks so much! Good to hear from someone that has driven recently, I knew my Rocky Point peeps wouldn't let me down! Stuart mentioned exchanging about $100 usd for pesos for the tolls, holy yikes, do you happen to remember what kind of fees and how many tolls there were. I'm also assuming they will check for us passports , which the card kind could work since we are on the same continent. You guys are great

 

[JimMcG]

No passport check until the US return crossing by US agents.
Mariposa toll is around $3 US and Hermosillo toll is around $5US
We drove that route through Hermosillo to San Carlos in July.

 

[Encanto]

Thanks so much! Good to hear from someone that has driven recently, I knew my Rocky Point peeps wouldn't let me down! Stuart mentioned exchanging about $100 usd for pesos for the tolls, holy yikes, do you happen to remember what kind of fees and how many tolls there were. I'm also assuming they will check for us passports , which the card kind could work since we are on the same continent. You guys are great

Ditto on tolls. I had some pesos in my console, so we lucked-out.

Thought Americans heading South were supposed to stop at the immigration station about 15 miles south of the border to get a Visa; we did stop and showed our Passports.

Maybe Jim McG. thinks a stop is unnecessary now ? I've always stopped over the past 20 years, or so.

Jim - Have the travel requirements changed ? It would be nice not to stop; about a 20-30 minute process.

Here is a link I found on-line:

http://www.ontheroadin.com/mariposa-nogales-border/

 

[JimMcG]

Technically from both Peñasco and Nogales all the way to Empalme is a hassle free zone(no visa paperwork req'd) if you can do the return trip within 72 hours. Anything beyond 72 hours requires the 7 day or 6 month visa for which a US passport is required and must be turned in before leaving Mexico.
I was referring earlier to not having to show a passport or visa at the toll booths.

 

[Buffalo Marty]

I cross into Nogales daily, and also travel all the way down to Navojoa a couple times a year since my wife is from there- the last data I have for tolls is 51 pesos in Nogales (this can be avoided by going right at the fork when crossing the Mariposa border and driving all the way through the city, but I would recommend going left at the fork up onto the highway, since you save 10-15 minutes depending). Then the Magdalena toll is 25 pesos, and Hermosillo toll is 71 pesos. So worst case it would be 148 pesos each way as far as tolls.

As stated in some of the other posts, the entire main highway in Sonora has been under construction for years, most of it is now actually in pretty good shape, but there is still work being done. There should be no major detours, they just route all traffic onto one side of the highway of the other, so it becomes one lane each way- this makes passing impossible and/or dangerous, so for money money just stay alert and be patient.

Regarding visas, yes, you do technically need one for longer trips, as Jim mentioned. From my experience they really don't care about them much, unless it is a work permit. They tend to go out of their way not to impede tourism- but it is a potential risk. You can stop at the 21km mark to get them, or you can also stop right at the border as soon as you cross. I just took a work buddy there last week and it was 33 bucks for 6 months. This was for a work permit though so not sure if it would be the same for a tourist- someone else may know what if anything they charge for a tourist permit.

 

[Encanto]

I cross into Nogales daily, and also travel all the way down to Navojoa a couple times a year since my wife is from there- the last data I have for tolls is 51 pesos in Nogales (this can be avoided by going right at the fork when crossing the Mariposa border and driving all the way through the city, but I would recommend going left at the fork up onto the highway, since you save 10-15 minutes depending). Then the Magdalena toll is 25 pesos, and Hermosillo toll is 71 pesos. So worst case it would be 148 pesos each way as far as tolls.

As stated in some of the other posts, the entire main highway in Sonora has been under construction for years, most of it is now actually in pretty good shape, but there is still work being done. There should be no major detours, they just route all traffic onto one side of the highway of the other, so it becomes one lane each way- this makes passing impossible and/or dangerous, so for money money just stay alert and be patient.

Regarding visas, yes, you do technically need one for longer trips, as Jim mentioned. From my experience they really don't care about them much, unless it is a work permit. They tend to go out of there where not to impede tourism- but it is a potential risk. You can stop at the 21km mark to get them, or you can also stop right at the border as soon as you cross. I just took a work buddy there last week and it was 33 bucks for 6 months. This was for a work permit though so not sure if it would be the same for a tourist- someone else may know what if anything they charge for a tourist permit.

Thanks for the info Marty and Jim !

 

[JimMcG]

Thanks for the info Marty and Jim !

De Nada, hombre.

 

[BeachyKeen]

I cross into Nogales daily, and also travel all the way down to Navojoa a couple times a year since my wife is from there- the last data I have for tolls is 51 pesos in Nogales (this can be avoided by going right at the fork when crossing the Mariposa border and driving all the way through the city, but I would recommend going left at the fork up onto the highway, since you save 10-15 minutes depending). Then the Magdalena toll is 25 pesos, and Hermosillo toll is 71 pesos. So worst case it would be 148 pesos each way as far as tolls.

As stated in some of the other posts, the entire main highway in Sonora has been under construction for years, most of it is now actually in pretty good shape, but there is still work being done. There should be no major detours, they just route all traffic onto one side of the highway of the other, so it becomes one lane each way- this makes passing impossible and/or dangerous, so for money money just stay alert and be patient.

Regarding visas, yes, you do technically need one for longer trips, as Jim mentioned. From my experience they really don't care about them much, unless it is a work permit. They tend to go out of their way not to impede tourism- but it is a potential risk. You can stop at the 21km mark to get them, or you can also stop right at the border as soon as you cross. I just took a work buddy there last week and it was 33 bucks for 6 months. This was for a work permit though so not sure if it would be the same for a tourist- someone else may know what if anything they charge for a tourist permit.

Thank you! Y'all are a wealth of information here . Much appreciated

 

[asprinkles]

do they have ultra low sulphur diesel on the main highway. Leigh