Traveling to Ensenada |
Students have numerous transportation options for getting to Ensenada.
The majority of students fly into San Diego International Airport and then take a taxi, trolley or Greyhound bus to the border. The second most popular mode of transportation is personal vehicle. Students may drive their vehicles to Ensenada or park them at the border and take public transportation to Ensenada.
Below we outline numerous other travel options. Select the options that interest you for details.
The last stop for Amtrak in Southern California is the historic Santa Fe Depot in downtown San Diego.
Students who travel by Greyhound to San Diego arrive at the main bus terminal. It is located at 1 st and Broadway in downtown San Diego.
You are already in San Diego CA or will be getting there some other way.
This way of getting to Ensenada is the slowest and most expensive. We recommend this option to students who are traveling with more luggage than they can transport. It is also the chosen option for students who have never been to a foreign country and for those not in any hurry.
The drive from downtown San Diego to the College in Ensenada takes roughly 1 hour and 40 minutes.
From San Diego take Interstate 5 South or Interstate 805 South until you reach the border crossing between San Ysidro, California and Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
For those who decide not to take their cars into Mexico, there is daily parking on the US side of the border at the Camino de la Plaza exit. It is about $7.00 per day.
As you cross into Mexico you'll drive over a sensor and a light will illuminate on your left indicating either a green ' PASE ' (pass on) or a red ' REVISION ' which triggers a bell. (You will then be directed into an inspection area) Only a small percentage of vehicles are stopped and their passengers queried.
Immediately after crossing in the border you travel up a rise. At the top, traffic will be merging from the right. You will want to take the very first exit ramp on the right. Take your time and don’t panic. For your convenience, the sign is in English: ROSARITO-ENSENADA SCENIC ROAD . Continue following signs to PLAYAS –ROSARITO- ENSENADA . You head toward the Pacific along the Mexican side of the border for about 6 miles. The road will take you to the Ensenada Cuota .
The Ensenada Cuota is a toll highway beginning at Playas de Tijuana and ending at the village of San Miguel, just north of Ensenada.
The Cuota is a great drive. The road is in excellent condition. The speed limit is posted as 110 kilometers through much of the drive. That is 68.3 MPH . Mind your speed as the federal police use handheld radar devices on this highway. They will pull-over gross speed violators.
There are three toll booths. You may pay in either US or Mexican currency but not a combination of the two. The tolls fluctuate with the exchange rate but generally are about $2.40 per toll booth.
After passing the third and final toll booth you continue through the village of El Sauzal. On the south side of El Sauzal, a fork in the road
indicates
Ensenada Oriente-Transporte de Carga
to the left and Zona Turistica-San Quintin to the right.
Turn right at the fork in the direction of Zona Turistica
.
It is the law in Mexico that you have at least liability insurance.
Visit the FAQ section and the Links and Affiliations section on for more travel and insurance information.
“I am a 56 yrs old female and have a Family Practice clinic in Florida. In 2010 I wanted to learn medical Spanish to assist the patients who visit my clinic from the USA and from abroad as I am located in a prime tourist. My previous background in Spanish was just one year of high school Spanish and I could only say a few phrases. After my first week at the Baja California Language College, and living with a host family, I was able to start talking in phrases to my patients with minimal use of a telephone translation service. After my second week of immersion 6 months later, I now rarely use a medical translation service with my Spanish patients and have even picked up some Portuguese phrases.
I am not always perfect in my conjugations and still have to ask “Como se dice… (how do you say….) sometimes, but my patients really appreciate my efforts and I am complimented on my Spanish language abilities! I have found that just attempting to talk in someone else’s language is a huge gesture of good will, and the way that I have gotten even better is to not be afraid to try! If someone is bilingual, it is better to approach them in their native language, and they also will give me invaluable feedback on my pronunciation and vocabulary when I ask them to please let me talk to them in Spanish for my own practice.
The travel to and from Ensenada, Baja California Mexico was very safe – I flew into San Diego and took all public transportation BY MYSELF each time. I walked through USA customs/bridge in and out of Tijuana and walked to the ABC bus station. In nice weather, I would walk the 3 miles from my host family’s home, or get a ride from them for a nominal cost. I also walked a lot around the town when not in school just to see the fabulous scenery. I would use an internet café a few blocks away from the house that I was staying in into the evening. The host families are all very nice with excellent meals and accommodations.
I would highly recommend this program to anyone of any age.”
Dr. Pat Wahrenberger Family Practice Physician Minneola Florida
Baja California Spanish Language School - Offering Spanish Immersion Programs
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