gottagetout_s17

My partner and I will be travelling to Mexico over Semana Santa this year. We speak Spanish and have done a fair amount of backpacking in Central and South America, but this will be our first time travelling in Mexico. Our tentative itinerary is something like: fly into Guanajuato, spend a few nights there, bus to SdMA, have lunch, bus to Bernal (via Queretaro), spend 3 nights, then bus to CMDX and spend a few nights there before flying out.

We tend to be budget travelers, we enjoy places where folks won't speak to us in English (don't get to use our Spanish enough in the States!), and we appreciate seeing the highlights and enjoying good (but cheap) food in cities. We aren't totally city people, though, so we definitely want to have some time in the countryside, and Bernal seems like a great small town in which to relax, do some hiking, sit on rocks in the sunshine reading a book, etc.

I'm wondering, though--does busing from Guanajuato to Bernal via SdMA and Queretaro in a day seem unreasonable? I know it would be more direct to bus from Guanajuato to Queretaro, but I have seen the recent news about increasing violence in southern GTO state, and the U.S. State Dept. travel advisory says that gov't personnel are prohibited from travelling on Federal Highway 45D--that seems like exactly the route the bus from Guanajuato to Queretaro would take.

Also, should we expect travelling by bus to be difficult during holy week? I understand it is a popular time for Mexicans to vacation within the country. Can tickets be reserved online in advance for 1st class busses? Are there any holidays during holy week when the busses are not running?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

baldone

I actually live just outside San Miguel off the highway to Queretaro. You can certainly get to Bernal as described, it'll just take longer. That said, 45D (D designates toll road) is safe. I recently drove that route from Celaya to Irapuato. The libre (45, no D) was where some problems were, but it's been tranquilo lately. The highway between San Miguel and Comonfort has had issues.
As far as English being spoken, you'll have a lot of that in San Miguel. Just respond in Spanish and you'll be fine. We were in a restaurant last night, and the owner, a Mexican who speaks excellent English, chatted us up in Spanish for about a half hour. Good cheap eats places in centro San Miguel are El Tucan on Hernandez Macias & La Alborada on Sollano near the jardin. Alex at El Tucan does speak English, but again, just use your spanish. San Miguel's bus station is about a 15 minute walk to the jardin, right up the hill. Both places I mentioned are close to the jardin.
The buses will be running every day. But yes, it's a good idea to reserve in advance online. Both ETN and Primera Plus allow that. ETN is a tad more expensive, but their double deckers buses are more roomy. The bus from Queretaro to Bernal is second class, so you can't reserve online. And there is no bus station in Bernal, just a stop. You buy tickets from the driver. So remember where you get off.

gottagetout_s17

Thanks, baldone! This is all very helpful info, and I appreciate the safety perspective from someone on the ground. It can be so hard to get a good sense of the situation from up here.

baldone

I should also add that the drive/ride from Guanajuato to San Miguel is quite scenic, while the route from Guanajuato to Queretaro takes you past the outskirts of the industrial cities of Silao, Irapuato, Salamanca & Celaya. Not very attractive with the refineries and other industrial properties. If that makes a difference to you.