By Pesero in Mexico City

By Pesero

Originally six-passenger sedans, now minibuses, peseros operate on a number of fixed routes and charge a flat rate (which, once upon a time, was a peso -- hence the name). They're a good alternative to buses and taxis, but be prepared for a jolting ride because many drivers like to turn their buses into bucking broncos. A likely route for tourists is along the city's major west-east axis (Bosque de Chapultepec-Paseo de la Reforma-Avenida Juárez-Zócalo). Peseros pick up passengers at bus stops and outside almost all metro stations. Just stand on the curb, check the route sign on the oncoming pesero's windshield, and hold out your hand. Tell the driver where to stop, or press the button by the back door. If it's really crowded and you can't reach the back door in time, just bang on the ceiling and yell, "bajan (pronounced ba-han)," which means "getting down." Base fares are 2.50 pesos (about 20) with the price going up to 4 pesos (about 35) according to how far you travel. Exact change is appreciated by drivers and will save you a lot of fuss. Avoid showing your wallet in a pesero; pickpockets have sharp eyes and there's also the possibility of a holdup. Peseros are also known as "combis," "micros," and "rutas."