Bustickets more expensive in Puerto Vallarta

[Ine]

As of October 26 the price for a busticket will go up to 10 Pesos per person in Puerto Vallarta. Not certain yet is if tickets will be automatic or pre buying at a machine.

[Ine]

More about this: https://www.vallartadaily.com/increase-of-bus-fare-in-puerto-vallarta-to-10-pesos/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+VallartaDaily+%28Vallarta+Daily%29

[MSN-Travelers]

Ine,

 

Have you used one of the new buses yet? We often use the city bus when there (arrive Nov 10th) and would like to know how payment is made on the new buses?

 

We use pesos while in Vallarta but cruise passengers often use USDs. Will they still have that option?

[Ine]

Ine,

 

Have you used one of the new buses yet? We often use the city bus when there (arrive Nov 10th) and would like to know how payment is made on the new buses?

 

We use pesos while in Vallarta but cruise passengers often use USDs. Will they still have that option?

 

Not since last winter so I donot know if they still or will accept cash once all buses are new. Last winter the new programm of pre buying tickets on machines didnot work except the one at Plaza Caracol. Chances are they willnot or cannot accept us$ once this is working. Sorry I cannot tell you more about it yet.

[Hlitner]

Hi Ine :). Hope all is well with you and the family. Regarding the buses the best info I have (which comes from a friend who is now in PV) is that all the bus-related stuff is a work in progress. At the moment one should be prepared to pay the fare in Pesos and have exact change (or you will likely not get any change and will have to overpay). Nobody seems to know whether the buses will soon accept US Dollars so cruisers will have to wait and see. There is supposed to be a smart fare card (that can be loaded with more money at various places) but apparently that system is not fully functional and is another "work in progress." Not sure these fare cards would benefit cruisers although it would be nice for those who routinely use the buses. So for now, cruisers planning to use the bus should have Pesos. The upcoming fare increase actually makes the use of Pesos pretty easy since everything will be in 10s :). For those here who are not familiar with Mexican currency we have 10 Peso coins (which would cover a single bus fare) as well as 20 Peso notes (perfect for 2 fares).

 

Hank

[Ine]

Hi Ine :). Hope all is well with you and the family. Regarding the buses the best info I have (which comes from a friend who is now in PV) is that all the bus-related stuff is a work in progress. At the moment one should be prepared to pay the fare in Pesos and have exact change (or you will likely not get any change and will have to overpay). Nobody seems to know whether the buses will soon accept US Dollars so cruisers will have to wait and see. There is supposed to be a smart fare card (that can be loaded with more money at various places) but apparently that system is not fully functional and is another "work in progress." Not sure these fare cards would benefit cruisers although it would be nice for those who routinely use the buses. So for now, cruisers planning to use the bus should have Pesos. The upcoming fare increase actually makes the use of Pesos pretty easy since everything will be in 10s :). For those here who are not familiar with Mexican currency we have 10 Peso coins (which would cover a single bus fare) as well as 20 Peso notes (perfect for 2 fares).

 

Hank

 

Hi Hank, this is exactly what I heard about paying the fare inb the new buses.. It seems only the machine at Plaza Caracol is (or maybe was) working. Also the discussion that only a few of the new buses have airco while windows cannot be opened make a lot of people unhappy. The other promiss is that all buses will get airco, but that might be in the mexican way.

Looking forward to be back mid January and hope to see you again of course.

[Ine]

MSN traveller. Another update about the busfares. Although it was announced price would go up, till now it didnot. Even busdrivers donot know more about it. Also the machines in the bus donot work and often covered by plastic.  Passengers still pay cash 7.50 pp per ride as I just heard from locals there.

[MSN-Travelers]

Thanks Ine, looks like we will be first in. We arrive Nov 10th with a four week stay. I will report what we encounter.

 

Will be in your backyard next May.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

[Ine]

I just heard as of today indeed the price is Pesos 10 per ride. No change given, so exact cash only. Not sure if machines are working or not.

Backyard in May? Be in touch and give more details by then!

[riffatsea]

Would we pay a different fare if we are coming back from the botanical garden since it's farther away than the malecon.

[MSN-Travelers]

This thread has been about a change in the price of a bus ticket on the in-town city buses.

There is a separate intercity  bus that provides service to the towns south of the city. That bus station is at the corner of V. Carranza and Aguacate. A bus ticket El Tuito (Gardens) should be roughly 30-35 pesos. 

 

Enjoy!

 

[riffatsea]

 Gracias! MSN Travelers!

[Ine]

17 hours ago, MSN-Travelers said:

This thread has been about a change in the price of a bus ticket on the in-town city buses.

There is a separate intercity  bus that provides service to the towns south of the city. That bus station is at the corner of V. Carranza and Aguacate. A bus ticket El Tuito (Gardens) should be roughly 30-35 pesos. 

 

Enjoy!

Indeed. But you also need another bus from old town to the cruiseport. That one will cost 10 Pesos pp

17 hours ago, MSN-Travelers said:

 

 

[mexico8]

On ‎10‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 1:35 PM, Ine said:

I just heard as of today indeed the price is Pesos 10 per ride. No change given, so exact cash only. Not sure if machines are working or not.

Backyard in May? Be in touch and give more details by then!

The PV news I got today states that the bus fare will go up to 10 pesos next Friday, November 2nd.   All 120 new units (buses) in circulation need to have A/C before the price can increase to 10 pesos.

[Ine]

2 hours ago, mexico8 said:

The PV news I got today states that the bus fare will go up to 10 pesos next Friday, November 2nd.   All 120 new units (buses) in circulation need to have A/C before the price can increase to 10 pesos.

I have my doubts about airco in all buses, but it would be nice of course. Some buses  had indeed airco installed (not always on of course....)butI have also seen new buses without airco installed. 

[mexico8]

2 hours ago, Ine said:

I have my doubts about airco in all buses, but it would be nice of course. Some buses  had indeed airco installed (not always on of course....)butI have also seen new buses without airco installed. 

The article said that there were 120 new units on the road and the fare would only increase to 10 pesos once they installed air conditioning in those 120 buses.

[Hlitner]

3 hours ago, mexico8 said:

The article said that there were 120 new units on the road and the fare would only increase to 10 pesos once they installed air conditioning in those 120 buses.

Color me skeptical.   They ordered half of that big bus order without A/C  (figure that one out).  So they were going to operate all those buses in a tropical climate with no A/C and windows that would not open.  Now, they have agreed to retro-fit new buses with A/C (which should have been installed at the factory).  But there is no government requirement that they ever use that A/C (if it even works) and many drivers would probably prefer not to have A/C.  Guess we will have to wait and see :).  Perhaps some of the passengers will have to bribe the driver to turn on the A/C :).    Personally, I see more Uber rides in our future.

 

For the record, many years ago Mexico8, took us on our first bus ride in PV many years .

 

Hank

[Ine]

10 hours ago, mexico8 said:

The article said that there were 120 new units on the road and the fare would only increase to 10 pesos once they installed air conditioning in those 120 buses.

As Hank mentions some of the new buses didnot have airco installed. Promises in Mexico???, well we all know about mañana...

[MSN-Travelers]

We arrived on the 10th. The bus fare is 10 pesos per person. There is still a mix of old and new buses. The old buses still operate with a cash change tray. 

 

The new buses are a 50-50 mix of a/c and non-a/c units. The new buses use an electronic fare box that counts the coinage as you put it in the box. There is a clear plexi-glass box attached for people that pay with a 20 peso note.  This is an exact fare system with no change given as the driver has no cash. We did see a driver let a single rider, with a 20 peso note, sit behind him until another rider got on with 10 pesos in coinage. The note went in the box and the coins went to the rider as change.

 

I can't tell if they take USD's on the new buses or what it would cost.  The 18/19/20 to 1 fluctuations in the exchange rate make it hard to say if they would want $1 USD per person or be willing to let two people get on for 1 USD.

 

ENJOY!

 

88 degrees, with lite breeze, and the non-a/c buses are comfortable with the roof hatches open and small slider windows open. The new buses have 1/4 less seats.  There seems to be less buses on the streets than before.

[Hlitner]

Oh My!  We have had to revise our entire winter budget to deal with the 2.5 Peso increase in fares :(.  But seriously, we do have concerns for the locals, many of whom use the buses on a regular basis.   A 33% fare increase will be a big burden on those folks, which we find a little sad.  I look at the changes through two lenses, that of a frequent cruiser and also that of being a part-time PV resident.  For crusiers, the increase is meaningless other then a possible issue with using US Dollars or change.  My suggestion for cruisers who want to go "local" is to get some Pesos (best done from a bank ATM) at their first port.  DW and I actually regularly use the PV buses during our winter stays and we have mixed emotions about the new buses.  Those old PV buses were simply a part of the culture and I still remember my first PV bus ride (around 2005) when I could look through a hole in the floor and see the street rushing by.  Gonna miss those old buses....not to mention the skill of the drivers who somehow could manage the things with their bad brakes, hand-made drivers seats, etc. I guess the new buses are progress, but not sure that all of us who have chosen to call Mexico home for part or all of the year are happy with the improvement.

 

Hank

[Ine]

There is some uproar going on due to the fact that the 10 Pesos also in for the old buses. Many of them are still used. Indeed for locals who need the bus (and often a 2nd one to get to work etc.) it is expensive.

Some of the bad drivers are now on the new buses and yes some accidents with damage on the buses have happened already. 

Indeed tourists better have Pesos for the bus as it depends on the driver if he was and is willing to accept US$. Now more then before since he has no cash for change,

[riffatsea]

@Hlitner, and Ine,

Hi/Hola,

Thanks for the bus updates. We always have pesos!

We'll be in town on Dec. 10 from one of those pesky cruise ships.

We are not usually there on a cruise in winter but this one goes all the way through the Panama Canal!

Wondering if you'd like to meet on the beach(Playa de los Muertos) or nearby for a drink/chat?

Ine too if you are around?

We love to walk there but will understand if you are busy with your own activisities.

Laura

[Ine]

1 hour ago, riffatsea said:

@Hlitner, and Ine,

Hi/Hola,

Thanks for the bus updates. We always have pesos!

We'll be in town on Dec. 10 from one of those pesky cruise ships.

We are not usually there on a cruise in winter but this one goes all the way through the Panama Canal!

Wondering if you'd like to meet on the beach(Playa de los Muertos) or nearby for a drink/chat?

Ine too if you are around?

We love to walk there but will understand if you are busy with your own activisities.

Laura

Thanks for the invitation, I would have loved to meet (as we did with other cruisers in the past). However due to illness in the family we will leave after the holidays and arrive mid January this time. 

So maybe another time or other place. Have a great cruise and enjoy Vallarta.

[riffatsea]

39 minutes ago, Ine said:

Thanks for the invitation, I would have loved to meet (as we did with other cruisers in the past). However due to illness in the family we will leave after the holidays and arrive mid January this time. 

So maybe another time or other place. Have a great cruise and enjoy Vallarta.

Thanks for answering! Sorry we'll miss you. You've been very helpful over the years we've been visiting and posting here!!

 

[Hlitner]

7 hours ago, riffatsea said:

@Hlitner, and Ine,

Hi/Hola,

Thanks for the bus updates. We always have pesos!

We'll be in town on Dec. 10 from one of those pesky cruise ships.

We are not usually there on a cruise in winter but this one goes all the way through the Panama Canal!

Wondering if you'd like to meet on the beach(Playa de los Muertos) or nearby for a drink/chat?

Ine too if you are around?

We love to walk there but will understand if you are busy with your own activisities.

Laura

Thank you for the very kind invite.  But we will not be in PV until just after New Years.  Perhaps you might want to book a 2nd cruise for Jan,  Feb, or early March and then we will even buy the drinks 🙂

 

Hank

P.S.  Ine, We do hope that the family issue is not serious.  Looking forward to seeing you this winter.