Heading back to Mexico after a short visit to Guatemala, we decided to try another border crossing than the one we entered through (Mesilla). We were heading for Oaxaca and looking at the map this seemed like it could be a better option of how to get from Guatemala to Mexico than the Mesilla border crossing we used to get from Mexico to Guatemala. We figured it would be less of a detour and therefore quicker to go through San Marcos and Malacatán.
At the terminal they told us we should go via Coatepeque however, as this would only involve one change so it would be quicker and easier. So that’s the route we followed and in this guide I will tell you our experience and my tips for the El Carmen/Talismán border crossing.
Please note that prices in this article are approximate, as since the pandemic, chicken busses don’t have fixed prices.
Step 1: How to get from Xela (Quetzaltenango) to Coatepeque
Take a Chickenbus from the Minerva terminal in Xela for Q. 30, which takes about 2.5 h. The terminal is basically just a giant, chaotic parking lot with lots of chicken busses and people shouting. Just tell someone where you want to go and they’ll point you in the right direction. Make to sure to ask the price beforehand and ask the people that will be charging you as everyone seems to have their own price. In order to get from the center to the terminal take a colectivo from the market for Q 2.5 or a taxi. If you have a lot of luggage, the colectivo might charge you for another seat to out your luggage there.
Step 2: How to get from Coatepeque to El Carmen
When you get off the colectivo in Coatepeque, you’ll already be greeted by people offering vans to the border. They’ll likely want to grab your bags to make sure you’re not going anywhere but to their van. The parking lot is a couple of blocks away and when turning around the corner, there will be a lot more drivers waiting and almost literally fighting over you. We were charged Q. 15 to the Talismán border, but it turned out they weren’t actually going there. We’ve asked several times to confirm and everyone at the parking lot was shooting out they would take you there directly, but I doubt any of them would have actually gone directly. It was probably all the same. So instead, they dropped us off at the El Virgin intersection after about an hour of driving.
Here there will be another van waiting for you already to take you ‘close to the border’ for Q. 10. They take you to the next intersection, north of Malacatán in about 30 minutes. They’ll drop you off next to the taxi stand.
From here either take a taxi or cross the road for a 3rd van. This van is Q. 5 and shouldn’t take more than half an hour, depending on how many people need to get in and out along the way.
Step 3: How to get stamped out of Guatamala
The Guatemalan side of the border is about as messy as the terminals. A young boy came to us the point us in the right direction. He let us through the chaos, to the migration office where they stamped us out without problems. I’ve heard about people being asked for money to get a stamp, but we weren’t. There is no fee to enter or leave Guatemala.
Step 4: How to change money at the El Carmen/Talismán border
If you have any cash left, change it here or on the Mexican side. On the Guatemalan side, you’ll find plenty of people with a calculator behind their little table. Change with any of them or try your luck in Mexico.
I found I got a fairer exchange rate changing Mexican pesos to Quetzals than the other way around when crossing at La Mesilla. We shopped around, but everyone was offering the same rate regardless of how much we wanted to change. No negotiating here.
Step 5: How to get stamped into Mexico
Our ‘guide’ let us to the revolving door leading to Mexico. We gave him our last Guatemalan coins and walked into peace and quietness.
The difference between the Mexican and Guatemalan side is incredible. We continued along the corridor and entered the building. The girl behind the desk asked us how long we wanted to stay for (we had spend 4 months in Mexico already before crossing over to Guatemala). We asked for another 6 months to give us plenty of time to head up to Baja California and got it without problems. She gave us the Multiple Immigration Form (FMM) and sent us to the window across the room to pay the fee of 594 pesos. They gave us a receipt and with that we got our stamp and we’re good to go. Our luggage was checked briefly upon exiting and we were pointed into the right direction to the colectivos.
Important: Make sure to keep your receipt! This is the proof you already paid the fee for your 6 months in Mexico. If you loose it, you might need to pay again when leaving.
Step 6: How to get to Tapachula from Talismán
There are colectivos that take you to the terminal in Tapachula for 23 pesos 4 blocks away. So it’s a short walk or take a tuk-tuk. There are several terminals in Tapachula and you’ll most likely want to get to the OCC terminal. This is the first-class one, and most busses to touristic places are leaving from here. Rapidos del Sur is the second class and is the terminal used by cheaper companies.
We arrived at the OCC terminal, but it turned out the bus we wanted to take was leaving from the second class terminal. They told us it was 15 minutes away, about 40 walking so we took a taxi without question as we were a little tight on time. Turns out it was a lot closer and it would have been a 15-minute walk.
Reminder: Don’t forget about the time difference when taking another bus from Tapachula. Mexico is one hour ahead of Guatemala, so take this into consideration when calculating your time between transport.
Step 7: How to get to Oaxaca from Tapachula
There are direct busses going to Oaxaca city, Puerto Escondido and Salina Cruz. We were heading for Mazunte, so we wanted to get to Salina Cruz. The only direct bus is at 22:45 (check ADO for up-to-date information). As I needed to be online at 5 am for work, this wasn’t possible for us and we decided to stay in Arriaga for the night. Booking sites don’t offer a lot of options in Arriaga, but on Google we found the Hotel IO (cheapest room at the time of writing 400 pesos for 1-2 people) close enough to the terminal to catch the last bus to Juchitán de Zaragoza the next morning.
We grabbed some cheap tacos (9 pesos) at the stand at the corner, (leaving the hotel, head left) took a shower and passed out.
I would recommend traveling overnight if you can, as it is a long distance. Tapachula – Arriaga takes 4.5-5.5 hours depending on the time of day and it’s another 5 hours to Mazunte. Do be aware that there is a lot of control along we the way. We had 8(!) passport checks along the way and had to get off to put our luggage through a scanner once. So if you’re traveling overnight, be prepared to be woken up a couple of times.