Two fairly well-traveled Americans planning a visit to Mexico City and probably staying in Zocalo-area hotel. Is the subway safe for tourists and what's the easiest way to get to Teotihuacan?

Yes subways are relatively safe bit keep alert. Bus is the best way to the Pyramids or hire private car/driver. Tours are a huge waste!

For Teotihuacan- take the metro to the north bus station. Buy your tickets for buses to Teotihuacan at the counter(s) on the left side of the station. The buses leave from that area too. Very easy.

Teotihuacan is not to be missed. Enjoy!

Why is a tour a huge waste?

I took one with Mundo Joven Adventures that was a great deal. As I posted on another thread, they took us to the Plaza de tres culturas, the shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe (a hugely important site in terms of culture and history), an artisanal workshop (this could be seen as a sales shop, but it was fun and informative), and then the pyramids where we had about three hours.

If you tried to do this with public transport in one day, it would be very tough.

I have used the subways in Mexico City. Be aware that they are incredibly crowded and uncomfortable during rush hour. Avoid them then. You can get trapped into huge crowds that will wedge you in place and you cannot go backward or forward, but must move with the huge crowd of people inching toward the train track. Once you are in the crowd, you are stuck! Very unpleasant. At that time of the day, I either walked or took the bus. (I suppose taxi would be another option, if you can get one!)

We bought a tour in the lobby of our hotel-the Catedral which is near the Zocolo. The tour included the Basillica of the Virgin of Guadalupe and the ruins and the tour guide was fabulous- it was seven people in a large minivan.

I rode the metro and pesero buses all over and never had a problem (female traveling alone)... As a New Yorker, I know its best to avoid mass transit at rush hour for more reasons than 1 so probably never took the metro in DF at trad rush hours.

The only mistake I made (and this was 2 years ago) was taking the bus to Teotihuacan without asking about return buses! I stupidly assumed if the buses go there frequently, they come back frequently. Maybe it was time of day, but it was a long wait for a return bus - but not nearly as long as the woman in the tourist info booth told me it would be. I did ask the driver when I got off where the return bus stop was, but ended up having to keep an eye on 2 different spots where the bus could stop for the return. For this reason alone, it may be worth arranging some sort of RTP transport.

I'm not a big tour proponent... Except for 1 tour guide at Angkor Wat who spoke excellent English, I've never understood much of what tour guides are saying anywhere where English isnt the first language. I'm better off with a guidebook.

I didn't have that problem at all (with language comprehension) from the Mundo Joven guides, nor have I had it with Italian or French guides in Europe. So I wouldn't let that possibility deter anyone.

I have not done this for sveral years to get to Teotihuacan so you may want to check to make sure this is still a good way to do it. Take metro to Indios Verdes. When you come out there are buses out there. Ask around for one going direct to Teotihucan. This was a quick way to do it plus it was easy to visit La Villa de Guadalupe on the way back.

It's been years since we visited Teotihuacan, but I remember it as a very easy, ueventful trip using public transportation. We, too visited Guadalupe on the way back. A tour is not necessary as Dude has pointed out.