Mexico City Grand Prix™ Travel Guide
Your guide on how to get to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, where to explore & other important information to know before you go.
Practical Information
- Visas: Citizens from more than 60 countries (including the USA, European Union, Australia, Canada & NZ) don’t need a visa to enter Mexico. More information here.
- Currency: Mexican Peso ($MXN). You can pay with a card in most places across Mexico City, but it’s always a good idea to carry a little cash. ATMs are widely available.
- Language: Spanish. Knowing a few words and phrases in Spanish is beneficial for travel in Mexico City, but English is also widely spoken by young people and in upmarket areas of the city. Use the Google Translate app to translate restaurant menus and signs using your smartphone camera.
- Time Zone: UTC -6 hours
- In an Emergency: Dial 911 for police, fire & ambulance.
- Power Sockets: Type A and B, the same as the USA.
- Weather: For the Mexico City Grand Prix™, temperatures should range from around 23°C (73°F) during the day to 11°C (52°F) at night. Rain and storms are not uncommon, so pack some waterproof clothing.
- Good to Know: The tap water is not safe for consumption in Mexico City; drink bottled water instead. Mexico City is situated at an altitude of 2250 m (7380 ft). Arrive at least one or two days before the race weekend begins if possible, and take it easy while your body adjusts to the higher altitude; drink lots of water, stay out of the sun and limit your alcohol intake.
Arrival & Getting Around
Flights to Mexico
Flights to Mexico City land at Mexico City International Airport (MEX), also known as Benito Juarez International Airport. The largest airport in Latin America has two terminals and serves over 47 million passengers annually. The most popular domestic routes include Cancún, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Tijuana, Mérida, Tuxtla Gutiérrez and Puerto Vallarta. Several US cities – Los Angeles, Houston and New York – are also amongst the top ten busiest routes served from the airport, which has daily direct connections to major European, Asian and South American hubs. The airport serves as the main hub for Aeroméxico, the flag carrying airline of Mexico, and is also a hub for Mexican carriers Interjet, Volaris and Aeromar. Other full-service and discount airlines with daily direct flights to Mexico City include Air Canada, Air France/KLM, American Airlines, Avianca, British Airways, Copa, Delta, Iberia, JetBlue, Latam, Lufthansa, United Airlines and Southwest.
Where to stay
We recommend staying in one of the downtown areas in Mexico City, though anywhere with access to the Metro means you can get to the circuit fairly easily. The best central areas to stay in Mexico City include Centro Historico for history and culture, the hipster enclaves of Roma and Condesa for the best nightlife and restaurants, and Polanco and Zona Rosa for a more upmarket vibe.
F1® Experiences offers a selection of the best hotels in Mexico City. If you are still looking for accommodation, contact your Sales Representative for more information about available hotel options.
How to get to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Public Transportation
The most convenient way to get to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is via Mexico City’s efficient Metro system (click here to download a map). If you are staying centrally, it’s only a short ride to the circuit. Take Line 9 (brown colour code) in the direction of Pantitlán to one of the following stops:
- Velódromo: for the stadium grandstands, Grada 14 Foro Sol Sur (Grey Zone) & Grada 15 Foro Sol Norte (Brown Zone)
- Cuidad Deportiva: for the Main Grandstand (Green Zone)
- Puebla: for Grandstands 3-6 (Blue Zone) and Grandstands 9-11 (Yellow Zone)
The Zaragoza stop on Line 1 (pink colour code) is also nearby, but you’ll have a slightly longer walk. When leaving the circuit at peak times, consider taking the metro one stop in the opposite direction and then doubling back to beat the crowds and get a seat. If you are planning to use public transport all weekend, buy the Tarjeta Distrito Federal card and load it with credit to use on Metro, light rail and Metro Bus services.
Taxi and Ride Sharing
Taxis and Uber are also available, but the traffic jams near the circuit on race weekend can cause sizable delays. Leave your car at home; there’s very limited parking close to the circuit.
Hire a Car
Hiring a car and driving yourself is not the best idea in Mexico City. The roads are chaotic, traffic jams are common and parking is very hard to find. Uber and local registered taxis are a good choice, except at peak times when it may be a lot quicker to take public transport due to traffic jams.
F1® Experiences
Booked accommodation along with your Official Ticket Package from F1® Experiences? Daily transfers to and from the circuit can be added to your Official Ticket Package for an additional cost.
What to see & do in Mexico City
Try some street food
It’s hard to ignore the street food in Mexico City, especially when you can smell it on almost every street corner in the city! One of the best ways to experience this food mecca is to eat lots of small meals throughout the day as you explore the city. Real Mexican tacos should be first on your list; available with a seemingly endless choice of fillings (meat, seafood, cheese, salad) and mild to very hot sauces, they are extremely cheap and very tasty. Other popular street foods include quesadilla (a grilled tortilla filled with cheese), pambazo (potato and chorizo filled bread, dipped in red pepper sauce) and tamale (seasoned meat and maize flour, steamed or baked in maize husks). Horchata is a sweet rice milk that’s great for cooling your mouth off when you have overdone the chili.
Visit Centro Histórico
Filled with historic buildings and landmarks, the almost 700-year old centre of Mexico City is not to be missed. Head to the main plaza, known as the Zócalo or Plaza de la Constitución, for the baroque Cathedral, one of the largest churches in the world, the Palacio Nacional, the seat of national government, and the ruins of Templo Mayor from the Aztec period. You can also join the crowds on the pedestrianised Madero Street to marvel at the contrast between Mexico City’s historic and modern architecture, including the Palacio de Bellas Artes cultural centre and the 44-story Torre Latinoamericana skyscraper.
Go shopping (and dining) in Polanco
One of Mexico City’s wealthiest neighborhoods, Polanco is ground zero for the biggest names in fashion. The main shopping thoroughfare is Avenida Presidente Masaryk, which is lined with designer boutiques, art galleries and other retail outlets catering to the city’s elite. You’ll also find some of Mexico City’s finest restaurants on the pretty tree-lined streets of Polanco, including Pujol, which is consistently ranked among the best restaurants in the world and offers a six-course degustation menu of Mexican haute cuisine by Chef Enrique Olvera.
Explore Roma & Condesa
Looking for your hipster fix of quirky restaurants, bars, cafés and shops? Head to the adjacent inner-city neighborhoods of Roma and Condesa, which have been rapidly gentrifying in recent years. Perfect for a lazy stroll at any time of the day, the tree-lined streets hide gems at almost every street corner, from the El Pendulo bookstore café to Mercado Roma, a covered market featuring food stalls from various city restaurants.
Get lost in Bosque de Chapultepec
Spread over 647 hectares, Chapultepec Park (Bosque de Chapultepec) is a massive city park in the heart of Mexico City. Some of the city’s most interesting landmarks can be found here, including Chapultepec Castle, a former imperial palace and presidential residence that now houses the National Museum of History. Other highlights include Chapultepec Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, Museum of Modern Art and the National Museum of Anthropology. You’ll also find miles of walking paths, forested areas, lakes and an amusement park.
