cancel
Showing results forย 
Search instead forย 
Did you mean:ย 

Crossing Back Into the USA at Otay/Tijuana Area

Ed_White
Explorer
Explorer
I've done a search of the forum but haven't managed to find what I'm looking - recent information about the crossings at Tijuana/Otay as it applies to large RVs. I'm sure it has been discussed, so can someone give me a link?

We have a 40 ft fifth wheel and for 6 years we have crossed back in to the USA at Tecate, but this year we would like to end up in San Diego area so I'm exploring crossing further west than Tecate. We have never crossed in that area.

I'm looking for info on the best crossing and border approach road strategy for a large fifth wheel trailer.

Thanks in advance.
5 REPLIES 5

MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Explorer
Repavamientos =

1" skin patch

Money for 2nd inch in contractor's pocket. Look at the tramo municipio going past Sta Rosalia. Roads in the Congo and Nicaragua are in better shape.

Bace (pothole) at Rancho Gavilanes vizcaino/tortugas has existed for three years. a year and a half ago a USA tourist vehicle hit it, flipped, was totalled and victims air evacced to USA.

Three weeks ago a Mexican driver hit it, flipped and was killed. Four days later they laid CONCRETE into an asphalt paved road pothole. Spot patches. Even an idiot knows asphalt surrounding a concrete patch will decompose, causing Devils monument.

Did SCT post signs? Ooooooo not in the last three years? No. Of course not... Locals did. But at night they cannot be seen. Between Chapala and Cataviรฑa is a bad stretch. Both vados at cataviรฑa are rough. Lots of makeovers going on between Vicente Guerrero and Sto Tomas. Rough desviaciones, detours. Dust. Rocks. Ruffles Road Surfaces.

Despite the gossip oompah I still enter and exit at garita 2 the main Sn Ysidro Tijuana crossing. But to cancel a car permit, is to commit to Otay and it is a hassle to find the office and find suitable parking.

I just do not like Mex 3. Too many slow trucks, in-season winery sunday drivers, and one false move in Tecate results in a big fat transito waving his libro de infracciones. Then descend down 194, wait at the CBP checkpoint, continue to Otay Lakes Road which then becomes L Street in Chula Vista.

for longrigs the conventional route through Tijuana ain't cool. The right turn off the border fence road isn't bad but a short block later the left turn can be a real zinger. Intense traffic and they all want to do 60 mph in a 30 kmH zone to save nine seconds to get home and sit on their butt. amber light? Red Light? Shirley you jest. Two years ago I had a psycho JUMP THE CURB, pass me while he traveled on the sidewalk brushing aside pedestrians to make left turn at the no-left -turn-on-red-signal. light. Funny huh? A block further, he parked his car. Cop? Again you jest. It's Mexico.

Ed_White
Explorer
Explorer
Thank you for the replies regarding Tijuana/Otay.

We ended up crossing at Tecate as usual, but I thought I would take this opportunity to report on the Baja road, which we have been traveling every winter season for 6 years.

At least 50% of the road down the Baja has been rebuilt to wider standards, so there are still some narrow sections but far fewer "challenging" areas than there were a few years ago. Unfortunately, the road is poorly maintained and there are sometimes enormous potholes that can not be avoided - they pound the Hell out of the trailer suspension.

We have just returned to California from Los Barriles and I can say that despite all of the improvements to the road since 2010, it is in the WORST condition we have ever seen it. There are sections almost 100 kms long that are so potholed that the road will have to be torn up and rebuilt after having only been newly rebuilt a few years ago. The experience was so bad that we have decided to pay a fortune to go down via Mazatlan to the ferry next year and cross over to La Paz.

So, a year ago I would have said to you that the road is pretty good, but in one year it has deteriorated badly due to lack of maintenance. If you go, carry spare springs.

Cheers
Ted

navegator
Explorer
Explorer
Sorry I was making sure that my "T's" and "i's" where crossed and doted, missed the dead line by 6 minutes, did not open computer until today, hope it is of use.

navegator

navegator
Explorer
Explorer
At the Western port of entry San Ysidro there are 4 distinct and separate areas, left side is the general lanes for just the tourist visas, that take any where from two and a half hours to four hours depending on the agents in the booths, if you get the rookies it takes for ever.

Then come the ready lanes that take the enhanced border crossing cards, those lanes start along the right hand or West direction next to the Rio Tia Juana and are narrow with very sharp and a tight left hand turn just before the border, a 40 foot RV will scrape the concrete barriers, the wait times vary from a half hour to four hours depending on the hour and traffic.

Then come the sentry lanes and they are only for the vehicles that have been pre screened, there again the access is from the river, not recommended the CBP agents get really annoyed at you plus the lanes are really narrow.

Last but not least is the passenger bus lane, access is by the sentry lane right hand lane, this lane can take up to four hours until you reach the CBP booth, then you might end in secondary for another hour plus.

If you have paperwork that needs to be turned in there are no offices at all on the lanes going North to san Diego or anywhere to park or stop, the Banjersito and Immigration offices are on the Mexican entry side and no vehicle access from the lanes entering the USA or for that matter pedestrian access.

Otay Mesa is a commercial entry and they handle all entries as such, Sentry lanes are on the right hand side and all others to the left, the Banjersito office is on Avenida Segunda, you need to navigate the streets if returning paper work, a lot of big rig traffic and hard to get to it the Banjersito and Immigration office is on a dead end street with lots of parked vehicles, turning a big 5th will be a challenge plus there is no where to park on the lanes leading to the border crossing and there is a wire fence at the end of the Segunda AV, wait times for this port of entry are normally a fast two hours and a half hours to four and a half plus, I avoid this entrance at all.

From your post I see that you are familiar with the Tecate entrance, use that crossing and when you get to the 94 "T" instead of going right go left on 94, there are some campgrounds on 94, if you want to go to San Diego keep going there is a Border Patrol inspection station, after the station a couple of miles there is a road just before a bridge on the left, this road is Otay Lakes Road make the left turn, this road takes you in to Chula Vista stay on it DO NOT get on the toll road, continue and you will see the first freeway, the 805 keep going until you get to the I-5 and go North, there is a nice RV park at the marina, if you want to go there get off on "J" street turn left under the freeway keep going the street makes a gentle right turn, at the end of the marina parking lot make a left turn, at the end of the street go right and mid way on the block on the left is the entrance to the RV park.



navegator

Ed_White
Explorer
Explorer
Can't believe the enthusiastic rush to help with my question. Really ??? Nobody knows where to find an answer??