Centro Banamex, Mexico City how far is it from Cuatro Caminos metro Station. Is it walking distance?

Question

I am going to the International HIV/AIDS Conference in August, my hotel is close to Ermita Station on line 2, and I believe that Cuatro Caminos is the metro station for Centro Banamex. However, what is the best way to get to the Centro, from the Metro - walk or bus?

Answer 1

Which hotel are you staying at? There are instructions on how to get there from different hotels on the website, they also have shuttle buses to take you there every day. Check

www.aids2008.org

Answer 2

Gata de Barrio Gave a long  and detail answer, so my best will be forget about staying that far away, you will be staying at a hotel south of Mexico City and Centro Banamex, is in the center west of the big city, and I mean big City, you better try to get a hotel in th State of Mexico, in Naucalpan, like Fiesta inn, that way you can get to your conference faster,

The other option is to stay at Polanco Hotels taht are very expensive.

But if you want to go by subway yes line 2 is the best and chapest way to get to down town (ZOCALO)...BUT TRY TO AVOID RUSH HOURS like from 7am to 9 am or from 6 pm to 8 pm....Too crowded.

Answer 3

Ermita station??! Ouch, that's a LONG distance from the Cuatro Caminos subway station. The trip by subway from your hotel to CC will easily take you an hour, probably 90 minutes. Is it possible for you to switch to a hotel that's closer to the centro histórico or something? You could cut subway travelling distances in half.

Anyhow, I know Cuatro Caminos d**n well and still get lost there, you will be lost too I assure you, it's a huge bus station invaded by swarms of people. And no, I wouldn't suggest you to try walking from Cuatro Caminos to the centro banamex because it's confusing (unless you have a map and know that part of the city well like I do) with traffic invaded streets everywhere, buses everywhere and lots of industrial buildings, I assure you that waking to the Banamex building on foot is a very bad idea.

Even if you knew the way to the Banamex building from CC very well, it would take you 1 hour with Mexico City's impredictable weather. The last thing you want is to have rain pouring on you and you're walking in flooded streets to the event.

What I'd do is this because I've done it myself a gazillion times to go to my university: When you get to Cuatro Caminos subway station, look for the "L" exit. DO NOT LEAVE THE CUATRO CAMINOS STATION ON ANY OTHER STAIRCASE EXIT. YOU WILL GET LOST!!! It's better to be lost inside of the relative safety of the metro tunnels because it's not very confusing than to be really d**n lost over the ground looking for that elusive "L" street.

The bus station has an alphabet of letters of buses that go everywhere, but L is the one for you. Go up the stairs and you'll see tons of buses everywhere. This part is confusing because it's your first time (I warned you CC is a bad place to be lost, at least you've been warned).

Okay, there's two directions: right and left from the staircase. When I mean staircase, I'm hoping you're still underground. All of the alphabet letters have two staricase exits and none of the exists has a sign telling you which is the bus route of a specific staircase exit which makes Cuatro Caminos a pretty d**n confusing place for even us locals. You'll just have to go up the stairs in any of the two "L" exits and ask around for the bus you need. In my personal experience, the bus you want is the last on of the L street where the street turns into a corner turning towards the left. It's invaded by little street shops that sells tacos and hair pins.

However, ask the local people where are the "Camiones que van a Interlomas?". You want to get on a bus that takes you to Interlomas because they all pass through the Banamex station. They will show you where the buses are. Look at the sign pasted on the window if the bus you're getting on is taking you to Interlomas. CC has buses that can take you absolutely anywhere so you want to be 100% sure you're on the right bus.

When you're on an Interlomas bus, tell the driver to take you to the Centro Banamex and he will take you in for about 5 pesos. There's a lot of traffic in that area (even more because the Banamex Centre causes a ton of traffic during conventions) so you'll lose 45 minutes unless you get on the bus before 10 am.

Going back to the metro by the Banamex station will be a LOT faster, but if there's a lot of rain and it's rush hour, I'd use a taxi to take you as close to your hotel as possible, there's safe taxis in front of the Banamex building.

There's a reason why us Chilangos get used to Mexico City's wonderful traffic. ¬¬

Hope I didn't confuse you, but it's for your own good. I got lost in Cuatro Caminos during the night and it was pretty d**n scary.

One suggestion I'd make if that you visit the website below:

http://www.guiaroji.com.mx/

After specifying you want the Mexico City map, type the street "Avenida Conscripto" and look for where conscripto collides with the Periferico highway. The Conscripto you want is in Naucalpan, State of Mexico. Banamex Center is right there. Cuatro Caminos is very nearby. It isn't much if you're going to search your fortune looking for the right bus in CC, but at least you'll have a bit of an idea where the Banamex center is.

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I'd sincerely take a taxi from your hotel if it's fully possible, the fare will be pretty d**n expensive (like 25 dollars), but you'll arrive to the Banamex center a lot sooner without getting lost. There's also the option of getting off in a subway station that's halfway through the route like metro "Revolucion" and find a taxi in that neighborhood that could take you. You might be able to save a bit of cash.

I swear, if it were any other subway exit I'd say go for it and walk around, but you have no idea what Cuatro Caminos looks like on the surface but I do. I've been there hundreds of times and still get lost. >_<