MEXICO TOLL ROADS

Much of Mexico is covered by modern "Cuota" Toll Roads, most of these are privately owned. They are generally preferable to the free "Libre" roads, if the latter run parallel. If you are planning on making a long drive on toll roads, make sure you have plenty of Mexican pesos with you. U.S. dollars and credit cards are NOT accepted. Using toll roads in Mexico is quite expensive: the tolls range from about 25 to 150 Mexican pesos (approx. 2.50-15 USD) for passenger cars, depending on the section of highway. The price only goes up if you're in an RV or towing something. Also, there can be several tollbooths between cities. Even with the prices of using Mexican toll roads, some are not in conditions one would expect for the price you pay to use them. Some are in need of resurfacing, and will abuse your car if you travel the speed limit (which is normally 110 kph). It is a good idea to travel these sections of road under the speed limit to make sure your car makes it back up north without any suspension or other issues. If the conditions of the toll road cause damage to your vehicle (including blow-outs), insurance is included in the price of the toll (make sure to keep your toll payment receipt). This does not include an accident with another vehicle. (Your Mexican car insurance covers that.) Damage caused to your car has to be reported immediately at the next tollbooth you come to. It would be a good idea to take note of the "kilometer" marker where the incident happened, and have all of your papers ready (including toll receipt). If your only loss is a tire, and you're in a hurry, you may not want to bother making a claim since it can take some time. Some very fluent Spanish is also a strong recommendation, since most employees working the toll roads may not speak enough English to process a claim.

A plus for toll roads is that there are clean bathrooms and snack shops at most toll booths. It's a good opportunity to stretch your legs a bit, have a bite to eat, or visit the restroom before continuing on your way.