Bus Schedules

McAllen Bus Station (Last updated May 27, 2007)

To Morelia 3:40 p.m. Everyday $66.50
To Morelia 4:20 p.m. Everyday $79.00 Executive
To Morelia 5:30 p.m. Everyday $66.50


To Linares: (Last updated May 28, 2007)
6:15 a.m., 8:20 a.m., 10 a.m., 12:25 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:40 p.m., 5:20 p.m., 7 p.m.


To Monterrey: (Last updated May 28, 2007)
6:15 a.m., 7 a.m., 8:40 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 12:20 p.m., 1:10 p.m., 2:10 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 4:20 p.m., 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:20 p.m., 7:10 p.m., 7:20 p.m., 8 p.m., 9:45 p.m.


To Mexico City (Last updated May 28, 2007)
6 p.m., 7 p.m.


Morelia Bus Station (Last updated May 2007)
Quoted prices are not exact. Because the exchange rate as of this posting is just above $10 pesos to the dollar, I'm rounding it off to that amount. For example, the bus fare from Morelia to Reynosa on Transportes del Norte bus lines is actually 802 pesos. I have rounded this off to $80.

From Morelia to Reynosa (Last updated May 2007)
Transportes del Norte $80
4:45 p.m. Everyday
7 p.m Everyday
9 p.m. Everyday

Omnibus de Mexico $70 (Last updated May 2007)
5:50 p.m. Everyday


From Morelia to Patzcuaro (Last updated May 2007)
ETN bus line $4.20
1 p.m.
7 p.m.

Primera Plus bus line $3.50
5:45 a.m.
7:30 a.m.
3 p.m.

From Morelia to Uruapan (Last updated May 2007)
ETN bus line $12
4:45 a.m.
5 a.m.
8:30 a.m.
12:15 p.m.
5 p.m.
6:15 p.m.
7:55 p.m.

Primera Plus bus line $9.90 (Last updated May 2007)
1 a.m.
2:30 a.m.
5:45 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
2:45 p.m.
3:45 p.m.
4:25 p.m.
9:30 p.m.

From Morelia to Zamora: (Last updated May 2007)
Autovias bus line $10
6 a.m.
8 a.m.
10 a.m.
Noon
3 p.m.
4 p.m.
5 p.m.
7:15 p.m.

Primera Plus $10
1:30 a.m.
5 a.m.
7 a.m.
11 a.m.
2 p.m.
6 p.m.
10 p.m.


(Last updated May 2007)
To visit the smaller communities of Cocucho, Ocumicho and Patamban, travel first from Morelia to Zamora. From Zamora, take a bus to Tangancicuaro for about $1. In Tangancicuaro, stop at the corner of Avenida Madero and Avenida General Carlos Salazar. Go south and take the fork to the left on Calle Simon Bolivar. Go two blocks to a small plaza where you can take a Combi van to Patamban for $1.20. This is also the place where you can take a Combi van to Ocumicho for about $1.20.
To get to Cocucho, you have to stop first in Ocumicho. From there, you just have to kind of hitch a ride. I got a free ride with someone who was on his way there, but I had to pay a man about $8 to get back from Cocucho to Ocumicho.


(Last updated May 2007)
To get from the Morelia Bus Station to the historical center, you can either pay a taxi three dollars or pay a Combi van 50 cents.
To catch the Combi van, stand on the expressway that runs past the bus station. You will see a number of the Combi vans that are color-coded grey, brown and red. The Combi van you are looking for is Rojo #1.


From Morelia to Lazaro Cardenas: (Last updated May 2007)
Take the Purhepecha Bus Line at 7:20 a.m., 11:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. The ticket is about $23. From Lazaro Cardenas, you can take smaller vans up the coast to Playa Azul and other locations.

MORELIA - Plaza Valladolid

CITY OF MORELIA

Deep golden light glides up tall buildings of cantera stone that line the streets of Morelia, the capital city of the state of Michoacan, 135 miles west of Mexico City. Groups of troubadours dressed in puffed sleeves and black capes perform for diners in the wide arched breezeways surrounding the busy historical center. Children in gray school uniforms walk briskly past Indian women with textured faces strolling through a plaza next to the Cathedral of Morelia beneath tall trees with lavender blossoms, while on the other side of the centuries-old structure a crowd gathers around two clowns.

The city of Morelia was founded in 1541 as Valladolid, and its name was changed much later in honor of Jose Maria Morelos y Pavon, a hero of the War of Independence who was born here in 1765. Independence leader Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla served as rector of the Colegio de San Nicolas seminary here in the late 18th century at the same time Morelos attended there. Morelos, a priest, took up the cause of independence after Hidalgo was executed in 1811. In a little while, we will visit the home where Morelos was born.

This is a city of culture, of friendship, of perpetually good weather -- a place of wide-ranging experiences to tantalize the imagination. However, the allure doesn't stop in the city; the entire state of Michoacan beckons adventurous spirits to explore.

Morelia has retained much of its Spanish colonial charm, thanks to the industrious nature of city and state leaders who have also endeavoured to bring more cultural events.

Their efforts have paid off. Every time I visit this fine city I find impromptu musical performances, theatrical presentations, dancing exhibitions of all kinds. Corral de la Comedia always has some new program to generate laughs from its audience, Teatro Ocampo has some great symphony performances, and local nightclubs offer live music late into the night. Local transit buses have the words Paradas Continuas - Continuous stops. They have a lot to stop for.

Numerous tourism booths make this a visitor-friendly city; you can choose from one of the numerous guided tours available, or you can explore the city on your own. Signs throughout the historical center explain in English and Spanish the story of the old buildings such as the Cathedral of Morelia, the Colegio de San Nicolas, the Casa Natal de Morelos and other structures.

Museo Regional Michoacana, or Michoacan Regional Museum, explains well the diversity of this state. Models of ring-tailed cats, armadillos and shore birds stand beneath a huge mural of Michoacan's numerous ecological zones.

The state's broad environmental range has given birth to a varied culture where people have developed long traditions of craftsmanship, making fine copper ware, leather goods and ceramics unique to the area.

Examples of Michoacan's fine craftsmanship can be seen at Casa de las Artesanias, where visitors can browse through room after room of fascinating works of art and purchase them at reasonable prices.

This area's cultural flavor finds great balance in its rich culinary tradition; visitors can explore the region's candy-making legacy at Museo De Las Dulces de Morelia; the museum doubles as a sweet shop, and I enjoy roaming through the rooms learning about the nuns who started the city's practice of making ate, a process in which sweets are made of fruit pectin cooked with sugar.

However, this isn't the only place to sample the delicacies of the region. Morelia's fine restaurants offer an endless variety of regional foods found nowhere else in Mexico, or the world even, housed in old picturesque stone buildings in the shadow of history.

Upscale restaurants as well as out-of-the-way places offer a rich collage of foods passed down by the Purepecha Indians, as well as both contemporary and traditional foods from the rest of the state.

While the city sports an eclectic cultural and culinary life, the centerpiece of any visit here is the Cathedral of Morelia, which maintains an authoritative presence in the city's historical center.

MORELIA - Things To Do - Info Box

Museo Regional Michoacana
Hours of Operation:Tues - Sat.9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sundays 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: Calle Allende, west of Plaza Benito Juarez
Entrance fee: $30 pesos. Entrance is free to students, teachers, children 13 and under, a senior citizens over age 60.

Casa Natal de Morelos
Hours of operation:Mon. - Fri.9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sat. - Sun.9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Location: Calle La Corregidora
Admission: Free.

Casa de la Artesanias
Hours of Operation: Mon. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sun. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Location: Plaza Valladolid in the Church of St. Francis at the convergence of Calle Juan de San Manuel and Bartolome de las Casas. You can reach the Plaza Valladolid and Casa de las Artesanias by turning south off Avenida Madero onto either Calles de San Manuel or Calle Vasco de Quiroga.

Dulces Morelianos De La Calle Real
Hours of Operation: Sun.-Thurs. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Location: Avenida Madero 440, between Calle De Juan Jose de Le Jarza and Calle Fr. Manuel de Navarrete. It's two doors west of the Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Corral de la ComediaLocation: 239 Calle Melchor Ocampo, east of Teatro Ocampo, between Calles Guillermo Prieto and Ignacio Zaragoza. They have some really enjoyable live comedies.

Teatro Ocampo
Location: On the northeast corner of Calles Melchor Ocampo and Guillermo Prieto. I have attended some wonderful symphonies here. This is also a good place to find out about other attractions in the area.


El Rincon de los Sentidos
Hours of Operation: Sun.-Wed. 8:30 a.m. - midnight
Thurs.-Sat. 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.
Location: 485 Avenida Madero. The tall stone walls with colored floodlights create a wonderful atmosphere as live music entertains guests sitting in reed-backed chairs at glass tables with flickering candles. .People of all ages congregate here, from young couples enjoying the romantic ambience to parents cuddling babies and teenagers tagging along with their mothers. El Rincon serves breakfast, dinner, drinks and coffee.

MORELIA - Shopping - Info Box

A cluster of stores at the southwest corner of Calles Allende and Hidalgo offers some interesting shopping.
They are all open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Sun. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Amara Luna: 199 Allende
A small shop with fashionable clothing.
Luna Oro Soy: 209 Allende
This shop has some really nice women's wear, plus scented candles, incense, aromatic oils, and some arts and crafts from around the state. You can also sit on benches around a flowing fountain surrounded by peaceful synthesized music.
Luna Mandala: 213 Allende
Has great books on a variety of subjects, including Feng Shui, Yoga and Tarot Cards.


La Casa de Portal
Hours of Operation: Sun.-Sat. 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Location: Calle Guillermo Prieto 30, right around the corner fromBurger King on Avenida Madero. Visit La Casa de Portal and shop for fruit liquor, jewelry, T-shirts in a nostalgic atmosphere filled with old nostalgic furniture: an old barber's chair, an upright piano, wooden rocking chairs with woven seats, an iron peacock, old coca cola signs, a wood stove, old dishes and plates. There's a cafe with elegant, turn-of-the-century dining tables and waitresses in long black dresses and white aprons.

VIPS
This store is next to Woolworths on the south side of Avenida Madero between Calle Virrey de Mendoza and Avenida Morelos, east of the cathedral.
Hours of operation: Sun.-Thurs. 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 7 a.m.- 11 p.m.
There's an American-style restaurant, but it also has a small shop with books, magazines, perfume, notebooks, glazed figurines, women´s billfolds, eyeglasses and candy. There's also an ATM machine.

Sanborns
This is an American-style restaurant and store on Avenida Madero between Calles Ignacio Zaragoza and Benito Juarez. The store also sells perfume, candy, stuffed animals, school supplies, books, cards and magazines.
Hours of Operation: 7:30 a.m. - midnight everyday. &

Oxxo
This store, Mexico's equivalent of 7-11, is located next door to Sanborns.
Hours of operation: Sun. - Sat. 7 a.m. - midnight.
Location: Avenida Madero between Calle Ignacio Zaragoza and Benito Juarez.

MORELIA - Restaurants - Info Box

Super Tortas Homero
Hours of operation: Sun.-Sat. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: Northwest corner of Calles Abasalo and Allende.

Cafe Europa
Hours of Operation: 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Location: Avenida Madera, across from the cathedral. They have good coffee and desserts. They also serve breakfast.

Torta La Cruz
Hours of Operation:8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon. - Sat.
Location: Corner of Calle Vasco de Quiroga and Avenida Madero.
This quaint little cafe has a list of tortas with interesting names like the Morelia torta with salchicha (sausage), jamon (ham) ande queso blanco (white cheese), and the Acapulco torta with pineapple; mushroom and meat. You can also get some great molletes, which is toasted bread with refried beans. I get mine with mushrooms and it's always delicious.

VIPS
Hours of operation: Sun.-Thurs. 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Fri. &Sat.7 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Location: Avenida Madero between Calles Virrey de Mendoza and Morelos, just east of the cathedral. VIPS is an American-style restaurant with booths and tables and a menu that includes the familiar hotcakes and waffles, and then the more Mexican Desayuno Mexico (juice or fruit, carne asada con chilaquiles, refried beans and coffee or tea) at reasonable prices.They also have omelets, banana splits and hot fudge sundaes. Swiss enchiladas and chicken tacos both sell for just over $6.VIPS also has low calorie selections; I often order cold yogurt with fruit and honey, plus a cup of decaf coffee. The service is great. The waitresses were very helpful to me one morning when they learned I planned to visit Patzcuaro for the arts and crafts fair. They made suggestions about hotels and even brought me a phone book.

Trico Alejandria
Hours of Operation: Sun. - Sat. 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Location: Southeast corner of Allende and Morelos. They have good baked goods, liquor, chips and cereal, hot dogs, rotisserie chicken, cheese and yogurt. There's a restaurant upstairs.

MORELIA - Services - Info Box

LAUNDRY
American Klean Lavanderia
Location: Calle Nicolas Bravo, just south of the intersection with Calle La Corregidora. When you are walking west on Calle La Corregidora, you will see a sign at the intersection with Nicolas Bravo directing you to American Klean. This laundromat has four double loader washers, three triple loaders washers and two washers for even bigger loads.
Hours of operation: Mon. - Fri.9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sat. 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sun. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

INTERNET CAFES
Internet y Mas
Location: Calle Allende, just west of the Michoacan Regional Museum.
Admission: 8 pesos per hour, about 80 cents, pennies compared to Kinko's.
Hours of Operation: Sun.-Sat. 9 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.

Chat Room Cybercafe
Location: El Nigromante 132 A.
Hours of Operation: Sun.-Sat. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
This chat room on Calle Nigromante has individual booths for about $1.80 an hour. You can also buy soft drinks and gaspachos and have them while
you are on the computer. Not a bad deal.

Centro Interactivo de Comunicacion
Location: 215 Melchor Ocampo, on the same block as Teatro Ocampo and Corral de la Comedia listed below.
Hours of Operation: Sun.-Sat. 8:30 a.m. -10 p.m.

BANKS
Banorte
Location: This bank is on Avenida Madero across from the cathedral.
Hours of Operation: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sat. 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Sundays closed.
While I usually insist on cashing traveler's checks first thing in the morning (many banks stop cashing them in the early afternoon), I've been able to cash them at this bank as late as 2:30 p.m. with much greater ease than most banks I have worked with.

PHONE CALLS
Caseta Telefonica next to the Banorte on Avenida Madero charges six pesos per minute to call the U.S. That's about 60 cents a minute.
Hours of operation: Sun.-Sat. 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

TOURISM OFFICE
Location: Corner of El Nigromante and Avenida Madero in the same building as the Biblioteca Publica Universidad.This is the main tourism office.
Hours of Operation: Sun.-Sat. 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

CASA DE CAMBIO
Location: Next to the Secretary of Tourism on Calle Guillermo Prieto.
Hours of Operation: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sat. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sun. Closed.