We would like to do a trip to Mexico City and some colonial cities next February. We just returned from Oaxaca/Huatulco and thought we would do Mexico City for a few days and San Miguel Allende. We have seven days and thought we could add a few more cities on but can't decide which ones. An additional problem is that we don't speak Spanish and feel using the buses would be difficult and possibly time consuming on a seven day trip. We would prefer not to travel on an organized tour but are wondering if we should. A few tours I have looked at seem to do a lot in 7 or 8 days and we don't want to be rushed.
Questions- Can we do Mexico City San Miguel Allende and one other city in seven days?
Does anyone know a tour company that might run tours from Mexico City but leave you alone a lot?
Are we overstating the problems of arranging our own bus transportation between Mexico City and the other cities? We just did Oaxaca and Huatulco on our own but we made all transfer arrangements in advance over the internet. Thanks for any help.

No way am I an expert - but the main bus station for points north of Mexico City (Autobuses del Norte) is extremely well organised and very modern.

You could pitch up there and go pretty much anywhere you want. The downside, it seems to me, is that companies servicing north of DF do not feature on that wonderful site ticketbus.mx.

I doubt if you'll be able to "add a few more cities on" in addition to SMa - one maybe.

You've already travelled to Oaxaca so you must know that the first class buses in Mexico are great - and the lux ones even more so.

Happy travels.

I really think you could do this on your own. I agree that the bus stations are not full of English speakers, but they are very well organized. Maybe you could ask your Mexico City hotel to help with arranging tickets if you were worried about it. Yes, you could do Mexico City and San Miguel (about 4 hours by bus) and another city in 7 or 8 days. My suggestion would be Guanajuato, about an hour from San Miguel, and you could get there either by bus or hiring a driver. In fact, you could hire drivers for any of the legs of your trip without being on a tour, just ask at your hotel.

www.primeraplus.com.mx has regional first class bus service. You'll find routes; schedules and fares and can make res and buy tickets with a US CC at the web site.
www.etn.com.mx is about 20% more expensive.
Easy to travel by bus from MEX or Mex Norte to Queretaro; San Miguel de Allende and Guanajuato.
Many day trips (hot springs/spas; Atotonilco/Dolores Hidalgo, etc.) can be had via any of the local tour companies.
Buen viaje
M (SMdA, Gto.)

Thanks for all your suggestions. When we did Oaxaca we flew to Oaxaca and then flew to Huatulco so we have no experience with the busses.
How does this sound- After a few days in Mexico City go to San Miguel either by bus or driver and stay there the rest of the week and do Guanajato as a day trip or stay in Guanajauto and do San Miguel as a day trip and fly home to Boston from Leon? Will we regret not staying overnight in either of those cities? Thanks again.

If the airfare departing BJX (Leon/Guanajuato) is not too expensive (viz. MEX), I would try to spend two nights in SMdA and 2 nights in Gto. at the end. A taxi to BJX from colonial Gto. should be just over $30. US.
M