There are a lot of people who have decided to go to Sam Dental, a quality Mexican border dentist, in the very heart of down town Tijuana. They will need to get there from the San Diego airport. This step by step guide is designed to help these patients. This information will help to take advantage of the low cost public transportation system.
So you are on your way to the dentist in Tijuana? Follow the steps given below, and you'll get there in one hour!
1. Find your way to the bus stop. When you get off your plane, just follow everyone down to the baggage claim area. In the San Diego airport, there are 3 terminals at each terminal. Just outside the baggage claim area is a sidewalk. You will see the taxis, shuttles, and buses are picking up people. Look for where the city bus stop is. There will be a sign that says MTS, (short for Metro Transit System). If you have trouble seeing it, just ask at the information desk in the lobby. There is only one MTS bus that comes by. It is the 992 bus. You will recognize it by the color. It is white trimmed in red. The number 992 is in the windshield. Just wait at the stop. A bus comes by every 15 minutes.
2. Get on the 992 Bus. Get a $5 bill ready, and when the bus comes by, put the money in the machine by the drive. He'll give you an all day pass, good for the whole MTS system. With that ticket you are all paid up clear to the border. Tell the driver that you want to get off at the "American Plaza" so you can ride the Trolley. The American Plaza is the train station for the light rail system called the San Diego Trolley. The bus will get there in just 15 minutes, and will drop you off across the street in front of the train platform.
3. American Plaza train station. When you get off the bus, just cross the street to the American Plaza. You will see two platforms, one on each side of the tracks. Make sure you keep to the side that is on your right as you are walking toward it. The train you will be taking, will be headed the same way that you are walking as you cross the street.
4. Take the "Blue Line". There are two train lines. The "Blue Line" and the "Orange Line". Do not be confused, as the trains are all the same red color! The names "Orange Line" or "Blue Line" refer to the different routes they take. The two lines go to very different places. The Blue Line runs between Old Town and San Ysidro/Tijuana. So, get on the train that says "Blue Line", "San Ysidro/Tijuana" on the sign on the wind shield. You will take this train all the way to the end of the line, which the Mexican Border. The ride will take about 45 minutes.
5. Crossing the bridge to get to the Border.
Take the trolley to the end of the line. The trolley station is located right in front of the exit from US Customs. Stepping off the train, and looking toward Mexico, US Customs is the big building in front of you to the right. Mexican Customs is on the other side of the freeway. To get to Mexican Customs and walk into Mexico, you will have to cross over the freeway. From where you get off the trolley, you will be able to see a pedestrian bridge that crosses the freway to the other side. With your back to the trolley, the bridge is ahead of you, and to the right.You will see alot of people walking toward the bridge, just follow them. Walk down the side walk to the bridge, and cross over. Where you come down the bridge on the other side, there is a side walk that will lead you straight toward Mexican Customs. You will come up to a turnstile gate that is the entry into Mexican Customs.
6. You will push through a turnstile and enter Mexico. There is a long corridor with canvass awnings on one side and a long building. Ahead you will see the uniformed Customs officials. Go on past the Mexican Customs officials. They won’t stop you or ask you for anything. Their job is to make Mexican national declare purchases made in the USA so they can collect the tax. After you pass the officials, turn to the right when you see the Tourist info building that is loacted inside the Customs enclosure. Most of our patients have us pick them up to take them to the clinic and also to their hotel. Please click this link for infrmation on our Border Shuttle.
Taking a Taxi: Some folks want to take a taxi, so the first thing you need is to write down this address:Calle 9 entre Negrete y Madero.Just continue through the next turnstile,and you will see dozens of taxis, eager to take you to your destination. Most speak some Engish. Just hand them the paper that has the address on it. The charge to take you downtown is only $5 or $6 US dollarsI
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How to get from the San Diego
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*One note of caution about taking a taxi from the border:
Occasionally, when we have had patients tell a taxi driver that they are going to a dental vlinic, the driver has told them that he knows of an even better place, and the dentist is his friend and will give you a special price. Just tell him you are not interested and that you want to go to the address you gave him. Know that the taxi driver is NOT trying to do you a favor. Some taxi drivers have made deals with unscrupulous dental clinics to steal patients. The taxi drivers get paid a bonus of $20 for ever patient that they can produce. Usually these dentist do not have a very good reputation, and since they don't depend on good reviews on their websites, Since most of these types of clinics do not have a website to bring in patients, they don't have to worry about a bad review. Going to them is risky, and you may likely discover that the advice from a taxi driver, whom you had never met before, is not going to result as promised.
Taking the Trolley on the weekend: The City of San Diego has started a construction project to improve service on the Trolley. In order to do the work segments of the track are being closed down on Saturdays as well as Sundays. You can still get to the border on those days, but the city is using busses to pick up the passengers from where the trolley line stops, and the buss will take you the rest of the way. This is only on the weekends. The main thing to know is that instead of a short 45 minute ride, the trip from downtown will take longer on the weekends.
