You can walk across the San Diego / Tijuana border at all ports of entry.

More than 2.5 million pedestrians cross through the Otay Mesa border every year.

At San Ysidro Pedestrians can cross at either the Cross Border Xpress (CBX) or the PedWest crossing. There is often no wait at the Cross Border Express which has around 15 pedestrian lanes.

At Tecate there is parking very close to the border on the US side. Many people pay a small fee to park there then walk across the border.

The CBX passenger bridge at Tijuana Airport is $16 each way. There are various discounts and pricing options dependant on the time of year and the number in your group. There is no toll at the other Tijuana border gateways as long as you are staying within the free area and for fewer than 7 days. Otherwise, you will need to pay a fee at a Mexican bank before you return over the border. When you do this remember to have your visa stamped or you may find it difficult to cross the border.

During the current COVID-19 situation opening hours may fluctuate but prior to this the following is our guidance.

The Otay Mesa border crossing is open 24 hours a day every day of the week. The waiting time for crossing is generally quite short in the pedestrian line. Most of the time it is less than 10 minutes to get through the line. At morning rush hour, it is around 25 minutes. The commercial crossing at Otay Mesa is open 6 am until 8 pm. The wait time can be quite long and is often well over an hour.

At San Ysidro the Cross Border Xpress (CBX) is open 24 hours a day. There can be a long wait to cross the border in a vehicle at the CBX. The wait in line times ordinarily is generally around an hour. At PedEast, the delays can be longer now that PedWest is shut.

The Tecate border crossing is open from 6 am to 10 pm. The average wait time is around 40 minutes. It is nearer an hour at peak times in the morning but drops to approximately 20 minutes at the end of the day.

Tijuana border crossing times can be lengthy especially during weekends and US holidays. The pedestrian crossings are the fastest and quickest way to cross the Tijuana border.

During the current COVID-19 situation opening hours may fluctuate but prior to this the following is our guidance:

At Tijuana there are multiple duty-free options at the various border crossings.

The duty-free location for Otay Mesa, is very close to the crossing at 2450 Roll Drive. The store is open 9 am to 7 pm Monday to Saturday and 9 am to 4 pm on Sundays.

At San Ysidro there are two stores on the Camino De La Plaza.

There is a Baja duty-free store in Tecate. It is located very close to the border crossing and is very easy to find. Opening hours seem to change regularly. Google Maps is a good place to check what is open.

When crossing the border between Tijuana, Mexico and San Diego in the US you need to show appropriate ID. Options include; • Passport • PASS card • Enhanced Driver’s License • Trusted Traveller cards.

Any minors must have proof of citizenship. This could be in the form of an original birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Citizenship Certificate.