I am heading to Torreon, Mexico to visit some friends in a few days and I was wondering if anyone had crossed at Laredo lately. It's been about 5 years for me and I wanted to see if the visa (actually need an FM-T) office was still located a few miles inland (as opposed to right at the border). Does anyone know where it is now? Have a street name perhaps?

I already have my vehicle permit, I just need to get my tourist card. Any info you could send my way I would GREATLY appreciate.

Thank you!!

Cross the main bridge by La Posada,customs is on the right. With proper i.d. you can get your touist card in a couple of minutes. You may be able to get one at the checkpoint by the toll road, but to me, it is easiest at the border.

Thanks for the reply "Dude". I am not very familiar with Laredo, is the main bridge Puenta 1 or Puenta 2. Seems like I usually cross at 1. Yes, I agree, at the border is ideal, I guess I just remember not being able to get my tourist card right at the border the last couple times I went. I guess I am mistaken. If you get a chance, please clarify which bridge. Thank you very much for your help!

The downtown bridge by La Posada is Bridge 1. Bridge 2 is actually the terminus for I-35

Actually, the place you go is on the road that runs UNDER the two bridges (there will be signs telling you where to go --- just look for the signs for "Car Permits" --- follow 'em)

From Bridge 2 (where I-35 ends), stay in the right lane as you cross the bridge. From Bridge 1, hang a right as you exit the customs booths, then down a couple blocks and another right onto the road that goes down under the bridges.

BTW: I heard the Colombia toll road closed within the past few weeks due to insufficient use, even though the bridge itself is still open. Any Laredo locals here that know the straight scoop ???

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

As LarryRGV says its Bridge 1. The more I think about it however, I believe you can do the same thing at Bridge 2 the terminus of I-35, plus there is more parking there to run into the little building to get your tourist card. Although I have only crossed from the Mexican side at the 3rd bridge you can probably get your tourist card there too. The 3rd bridge allows you to bypass most of Nuevo Laredo which might be nice. I think Tio Gringo is talking about the route to where you get the vehicle permit. I have always arrived there with a tourist card I got at the Bridge. Maybe they issue them there too however, since you already have your vehilce permit I don't see the point in going there. Maybe someone can comment on which of the options would be the easiest for you as bridge 1 is the only one I have used the last few months.

I lived in Laredo for 6 years and crossed in my car to go to Monterrey at least once a week. You can get a tourist card at the immigration office at the end of bridge one--but, as far as I know, not at bridge 2. (in the past if you asked there, they would always send you over to bridge 1)
I assume that you will be using the toll road to Monterrey and, if this is the case, I would strongly suggest you cross via the Columbia bridge--in this way, you will skirt most of the Laredo bridge traffic and avoid driving through Nuevo Laredo. The Columbia Bridge (bridge 3) is about 18 miles from Laredo via a good, fast highway (70 mph) which can be used even if the newer Columbia toll road is closed. You will see signs to the Columbia Solidarity Bridge on I35 in Laredo.
Hope this helps!

Thanks everyone for your posts... I guess based on the feedback so far that Bridge 2 (since I'm coming down I-35 anyway) will be my best option (provided you can get your FM-Ts at the car permit place). Any further clarification anyone could provide would be very appreciated!

Thanks!
Joy

Robertsdf, I posted a reply about the same time you posted your comments. Thanks for the input... if I did take the Columbia Bridge, is there a way to get the tourist cards there?

Thanks!

Yes, you can get the tourist cards at the Columbia Bridge. Very quick to do it there. As I mentioned before, I know of no place to get the tourist card at bridge 2--only 1 and Columbia. After leaving Columbia it is a very fast and easy trip on a mostly new highway which connects to the Monterrey highway just before the interior Mexican immigration checkpoint.
Have a good trip!

I'd go RobertSDF's advice. I have not been that route, but avoiding driving Neuvo Laredo and the stretch of old highway to get to the toll road sounds like a great idea to me. Let us know how it works. I was wondering about the road to the Colombia bridge last summer but instead went into town and crossed like I usually do. Have fun!

Thank you so much for all the input!! I'm heading out tomorrow, so I'll let you know how it goes.

I found out the Banjercito hours at the various bridges and since I'm crossing over very early morning, I'm going to have to take one of the older bridges which are open 24 hours. It looks like Columbia isn't open 24 hours (based on various websites I've been checking out). I may try Columbia on the return though since it will be during regular hours.

Again, thanks for all your advice. It's been a GREAT HELP!!

Joy

That's right.

I think the Colombia bridge closes at midnight.

Also, something to keep in mind --- there's no place at the Colombia bridge to buy Mexican car insurance (if you need it). That's a big difference from the car permit office in Laredo, where there's probably 20 offices in the permit building.

BTW: If you're ever short on cash, Johnson's Exxon in Laredo will sell you insurance and let you put the fee on your credit card. Almost all the small places in the Nuevo Laredo permit office want ca$h only.

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

BTW: The comments about Bridge 1 being the place to get tourist cards is right -- I don't think you can actually get them AT Bridge 2, but you CAN get them in the car permit office that's located on the road under the bridges, in between Bridge 1 & 2.

Hello everyone... thanks again for all your help, I had a GREAT TRIP!

Just to post a follow-up about the tourist cards, they are easily attained at the Car Permit office under the bridges... just follow the Car Permit signs.

Also, the Columbia Bridge was closed when I crossed the border. I do not know if that was a temporary closing or a permanent one.

Good to hear that you had a good trip. Surprised to hear the Columbia bridge was closed--am trying to find more about that. I had always used that route to Monterrey while living in Laredo.
Was the wait long for the car permit? At times the wait used to be horrendous.

I'm a bit surprised at the bridge closing, but not entirely. I'd heard the toll road was closing, and without that, it doesn't make a lot of sense to have the bridge open, IMHO.

A real shame. The Colombia bridge could save Boo-Coo time over the Laredo crossings...

Have fun!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

Am also surprised that the Columbia bridge would close--even with the toll road closed. Very little traffic ever used the toll road--most of the traffic was truck traffic that came from the truck terminals in Laredo and didn't use the toll road. Of course, most of this traffic may now be using the new trucks only bridge in Laredo.

But the truck traffic never needed Colombia bridge anyway --- they had that other bridge in between, the International Commerce Gateway bridge (or whatever the official name of Laredo bridge 3 is) --- the trucks didn't go all the way up to Colombia...

Cheers!
Mark
www.tiogringo.com

Sorry to disagree but was in the trucking business for years in Laredo and our company and many other US and Mexican truckers often used the Columbia Bridge to avoid the long, long waits at the other bridges. It might not have been needed but it was a huge timesaver when we needed to expedite border crossings.