Anyone know if it is safe to travel to mexico by a bus

no, it's unsafe and 90 percent chance of robbery and 10 percent of death

Sounds like you should stay home

If noone can tell you on this forum, why not find out how to contact the people in the State Dept who issue travel advisories, and ask them?

You can take a US company to the border and switch to a Mexican bus there. I 100% advise against doing this. It takes forever, is terribly unsafe and the chances of something happening are substantial. Please reconsider and go by plane.

There is a bus company..don't know the name, though. The poster above is correct..changing at the border (Laredo or El Paso). Try calling Laredo's convention and visitors bureau (usually toll free) and ask them. Safe? Doesn't sound like it from reading other posts!

why would anyone want to take a bus through mexico? First of all the bus system there is gigantic. Bus stations are like airports with a variety of bus lines to choose from. Then there are buses leaving to whereever you are going frequently. You meet the natives. You see what is perhaps the most varied country in the world in such a small area. Is it safe? I remember traveling in a bus loaded with indians. Behind the driver was a red light that as the sign under it said..if it was lit up..then the driver was going too fast. Well..it stayed lit the whole time we swerved our way through mountainous roads. The indians laughed as luggage flew around. I was petrified..then elated. Life is good. Wasnt it Anne Frank who said..the cure to unhappiness is to go outside. She couldnt..we can..get out there..dont be afraid.

This is a trip I've never done before, but it sounds like the trip of a lifetime and potentially eye-opening. You piqued my curiosity, so I checked out two websites;
www.magic-bus.com has links and general suggestions for travelling by bus in Mexico. For scheduling information, I think you may find the www.ticketbus.com.mx website useful, as it gives total travel times from say, Brownsville, Texas to Mexico City (14 hours, 35 minutes) and accompanying schedules, fares. The ticketbus site has listings for the many bus companies that run in Mexico (there's many companies there, so there's nothing like Greyhound that dominates the markets in the USA): I selected the company ADO, which apparently has the famous "luxury buses".

Anyhow, thought this might help you get started. Now maybe somebody with actual experience taking the bus from US-Mexico City can jump in .

Recomendation: Pick up a copy of The People's Guide to Mexico by Carl Franz, Lorena Havens. Fantastic read. Very informative. Covers bus travel in great detail, as well as ALL aspects of visiting south of the border. Money well spent!!!

Mike--

Type in the word bus while selecting Mexico in the Latin America forum and do a search; I find this gave a number of personal anecdotes and suggestions. Also, you might get more input if you post this request on that forum.

Just got back from Mexico. They have an extremely well developed bus system; many people prefer it to flying within the country.
The second class buses may be are what most of you are thinking of in terms of Mexican travel: usually overcrowded, hot and poorly maintained.
On the other hand, the premier buses leave from special terminals, travel on the toll roads, have comfortable seats, movies, snacks and sometimes "flight attendants" on board. They are luxurious, inexpensive, fast, and safe.

You can't get there from here.

I live in mexico city. in 2010 i traveled from indianapolis to mex city. it was long but worth the money i saved. noone in the states helps you but once you get to mex tere is always somebody to help you and the drivers are very nice and helpful in mex. there were several transfers but noone bothered me at all. the mexican busses had movies the whole way, not in the usa. i even had extra luggage, and i traveled alone. mexico city is as safe as any other large city, i have live here over 4 years now and enjoy every minute. thankyou Foder's

You realize that you replied to a 10 year old thread?

Welcome April, I see this is your first posting on fodors. Please check out the Mexico forum. That forum could use help from someone lke you who lives in Mexico City. I love Mexico also, and am currently in MX for a couple of months in Q. Roo and the Yucatan and Chiapas. Please go the Mexico forum here on fodors!

I live in Mexico year round,and have for four years.I travel by bus all the time take trips to the states now and then.Not only are they safe,comfortable,and interesting,but a fun and cheap way to travel.The luxury bus service is the best I have ever seen.If you want to learn about an area,ask someone who lives there.

I want to advise my 11-year-ago self to not advise people about trips I'd never taken. That said, I went to Mexico City from New Orleans by bus a few years later in 2005: Greyhound to San Antonio, Autobuses Americanos to Monterrey and Omnibus de Mexico to el DF, overnighting in both San Antonio and Monterrey. The Greyhound part was the most harrowing of the three (nearly didn't make it to San Antonio), the bus stations in both Monterrey and Mexico D.F. were hubbubs of excitement but the whole journey was an experience I treasure to this day! Probably not most people's idea of fun though. PS There sure was some gorgeous scenery in northern Mexico.