Mexicable and Mexibús

Mexicable. The State of Mexico’s (Edoméx’s) effort to provide better transportation to the colonias.

"Can you get around Mexico City (CDMX) on public transportation?" I am regularly asked some form of this question by friends planning to visit CDMX. The answer is a resounding, ¡Sí!

In this post I hope to illustrate the scope of some unsung pieces of the region’s public transport system.

Recently, on a trip from Mexico City to Hidalgo, I passed a cable car line I had never seen before. I knew and had written about Cablebús, a key feature of CDMX’s movilidad integrada (integrated mobility system), but this was different. A quick Google search revealed that Mexicable, the line I had seen, is part of the State of México’s (Edoméx’s) cable car system. Who knew? And great! Another ski lift transit system to learn about and experience.

Mexicable which opened in 2014 is actually México’s first red de transporte teleférico (cable car transport network). With 14 stations, the well-maintained and safe, all-electric system serves the harder-to-reach colonias that dot the mountains and valleys that make up Edoméx. As with Cablebús, Mexicable incorporates murals and other public amenities into its station design in the colonias in the mountainous region that it serves.

As in CDMX, murals and other public amenities are integrated into Mexicable’s economic development strategy for Edoméx’s sometimes isolated colonias.

This post is a photo essay of sorts about the multimodal steps involved in getting from my apartment near Metro Chapultepec to one of the colonias in Edoméx. With Metro Chapultepec and several other stations on Metro Línea 1 shut down for another month or so for remodeling, I thought to shed light on the challenges some Chilangos face in getting to and from their jobs which may be an hour or more away from where they live.

The view of Colonia Jorge Jimenez Cantu, Edoméx from Mexicable.

Like other public amenities here in México, Mexicable serves a dual purpose as an economic and social development engine as well as a means of public transportation for residents of the colonias.

San Andres de la Cañada, Ecatepec de Morelos, State of Mexico. The church which is adjacent to the cable car station, is the final stop on the Mexicable system.

A Multimodal Trek to San Andres de la Cañada

Channeling Tina Fey trolling former Alaska governor Sarah Palin on SNL ("I can see Russia from my house!"), I can see Metro Chapultepec from my apartment. CETRAM Chapultepec, the large bus station at Metro Chapultepec is pretty easy to navigate once you get your bearings. What is missing from the station, as with too many sidewalks and public spaces in CDMX, is trash cans. While there has to be a better solution to dirty streets and sidewalks than not giving the public a place to throw their litter, CDMX doesn’t seem to have embraced it as of yet.

To get to my destination, the end of the Mexicable line at San Andres de la Cañada, Ecatepec in Edoméx, takes serveral modes of transportation.

Riding an RTP bus eastbound from Metro Chapultepec to Metro Balderas.

With Metro Chapultepec shut down for another month or so, my commute started with an RTP bus along Avenida Chapultepec to Metro Balderas.

A good deal of signage on the buses and trains about sexual assault attests to the scope of the problem on public transport.

The short walk from the bus to Metro Balderas.

Metro Balderas.

Dirreción Indios Verdes at Metro Balderas.

Metro Balderas.

En route to Metro Indios Verdes.

End of the Metro line, Indios Verdes.

Indios Verdes is an important transportation hub in the north of CDMX. The station includes Metro, Metrobús, Cablebús, Mexicable, Mexibús (Edoméx’s BRT - bus rapid transit) and countless smaller combis and camiónes serving the local barrios in CDMX and colonias in Edoméx.

Women-only buses to the colonias at Indios Verdes.

Mexicable Estación 1 at Indios Verdes.

At nine pesos a ride, Mexicable, operated by the State of Mexico, is a good alternative to the more expensive (and crowded) combis that serve the colonias. According to a young couple I spoke with on my first Mexicable ride, the combis cost between 12 to 15 pesos per ride depending on the length of the trip. Everyone I spoke with while riding Mexicable said the price of a ride on Mexicable is fair. Most importantly though, the cable cars fly over the traffic that plagues CDMX and Edoméx.

To ride Mexicable, and Mexibús and other forms of transportation, passengers have to buy a Movimex fare card that is (unfortunately) not linked to CDMX’s movilidad integrada card.

Each cable car on Mexicable seats 10 passengers.

Mexicable Indios Verdes station, CDMX.

Even once Mexicable gets you to your colonia it can be a hike home if you live at the top of the stairs.

A screenshot of Google Maps en route to San Andres de la Cańada.

In a city with a terrific Metro, Metrobús, Ecobici and related integrated mobility transportation system, I find that I can't get enough of the ski lifts CDMX and Ecoméx have built to move people around.

The view from Estación San Andres de la Cañada.

As I have asked before, the quality of the cable car systems beg the question, why aren't North American cities building these lower-cost-to-build high-capacity mass transportation alternatives? It must be fifteen years or more since Los Angeles started to plan a line from downtown LA to Dodger Stadium. Though I am not holding my breath, I can also imagine successful lines from Manhattan to Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. My transit envy is palpable.

Helados at Mexicable Estación Santa Clara.

Mexicable Estación Santa Clara.

Waiting for the bus at the simple but functional Mexibús station at Mexicable Santa Clara.

A screenshot of the Mexibús trip from Mexicable Estación Santa Clara to Metro Indios Verrdes.

After my peregrinations by RTP bus, Metro, Mexicable, Mexibús and Metro back to Metro Baldaras in CDMX, it felt good to ride Ecobici home to Metro Chapultepec.

At the convenient Ecobici dock at Metro Balderas.

Yours in transit,

Joel

#cdmx #edoméx #mexicable #metro #metrobús #mexibús #cablebús #brt #movilidadintegrada #movimex