Considering its size, it's not surprising that you can easily get lost in Mexico City. And with traffic congestion and the constant street name changes, driving is impossible. Luckily, there are thousands of safe taxis to get you to the major sites.

Airport, hotel, and radio taxis have set rates. Although these may be somewhat higher than rates of street taxis, they're safer and more efficient. After claiming your bags at the airport, look for a large “Taxi” sign, where you can purchase your fare into town for about $10. When you get in a taxi, make sure the driver's identification and photograph are visible and legible, and if it has a meter, that it's working. Metered street taxis, usually painted green and white, charge in pesos according to the distance. Rates may be higher on Sundays and evenings after 10 P.M. Drivers don't expect tips.

Street names change as they cross the city's 240 designated colonias (neighborhoods), located in sixteen delegaciones (districts). Downtown is a veritable United Nations, with streets named after European cities, and rivers or countries in Latin America. Only Avenida Insurgentes retains its name as it runs north to south through the city. There are also many diagonal and curving streets running around many small squares, parks, and glorietas (traffic circles), creating odd-shaped blocks that often make it impossible to find street addresses.

Inexpensive buses and colectivos run throughout the city. These can be confusing even though they show their fixed routes on their windshields. And while the subway or metro offers another option for getting around, it has had a high crime rate in the past. Generally, avoid traveling during rush hours from 8 to 10 A.M. and 6 to 8 P.M. A good alternative is the trolley buses, operating from 6:30 A.M. until midnight on nineteen routes throughout downtown.