If you drive to the border:
You need to go south on either Interstate 5 or 805, (they merge together just before the border). You will exit at mile marker 1-A. There is a green highway sign prior to the exit with flashing yellow light. It will read, "Camino de la Plaza"; "Last USA Exit". (Make sure you don't drive past this exit or you will end up driving into Mexico). Come down the exit ramp, and you will come up to the traffic light at Camino de la Plaza Blvd. Go straight across Camino de la Plaza, and on your right you will see the UETA parking. Turn into the parking lot and leave your car. (It is a secure lot, your car will be safe there). Continue down the sidewalk toward Mexico. You will come to a turnstile gate, and when you push through it, you will be in Mexican Customs. There are two exit gates, you can go through either one of them, and then walk toward the McDonalds. (See diagram below). Facing the McDonalds, Dental Art is located to your left, across the little plaza, in the large glass three story building called MEDAC.
How to get from the San Diego Airport to the Tijuana border crossing:
One of the first questions that comes to mind when one is considering going to have dental work done by a Tijuana dentist, is “how do I get to Tijuana?” Since this question is usually asked by dental patients who are coming from a long distance I would first suggest that you fly into San Diego airport. Airfare is much more expensive flying into Tijuana than into San Diego. The San Diego airport is just 15 miles to the Tijuana border crossing. Once you are at San Diego airport, there are three options for getting to the border.
1. The least expensive option is to use the public transportation system and take the trolley to the border. The cost for the city airport shuttle and the trolley, (a light rail train), is just five dollars..
2. An airport taxi will charge you from $70 tom $100 to get to the Tijuana border crossing.
3. We have an arrangement with a private shuttle service who will take you not only to the border, but will deliver you right to our dental clinic, or to your hotel. He charges $60, but we will cover half the cost.
If you decide on the trolley, it is very simple, and takes a little over an hour to get to the border. Here are the step by step instructions:At each of the airport terminals, outside the baggage claim, there is a bus stop for the 992 MTS city bus. (If you don’t see the bus stop, just ask at the information desk in the baggage claim area). When you get on the bus, have a $5 bill ready to give the driver and he will give you a day pass that is also good for the trolley. Just tell the driver that you want to drop you off where you can get on the trolley. He will drop you off across the street from the American Plaza train platform.
Cross Broadway street, and stay on the right side of the platform. You will take the red train that is marked “Blue Line” to San Ysidro/Tijuana. This will take you right up to the border, and will actually drop you off right in front of the exit from US Customs. In order to cross the border into Mexico, you will have to cross over to the other side of the freeway that goes into Mexico. US Customs is on the same side as the trolley, but the entrance into Mexican Customs is on the opposite side. When you get off the trolley, you will see a long pedestrian bridge that arches over the freeway. Once you walk over, there is a sidewalk that takes you from the bridge toward Mexico. You will come up to a turnstile gate, and once you push through, you are in Mexican Customs. Please look at the attached diagram of Mexican Customs. You will walk down a long corridor through the Customs area, and will come up to where the Customs agents are. They will not ask you for any documents, but are there to make sure that people pay taxes on items they are importing into Mexico. (Don’t worry, you probably won’t have anything to declare. You are allowed to bring all your personal items, laptop, camera, ipod, or prescriptions.) Once you pass the Customs agents, there are two exit gates. You can either go straight ahead, out the gate and turn right and go towards the McDonalds. Or, you can turn right while inside Customs, go out the second gate, and turning left, you will see the McDonalds. Cross the street to where you are standing in front of the McDonalds. Facing McDonalds, and looking to your left, you will see a 3 story glass building called MEDAC. There is a small plaza between the McDonalds and the Medac building. Walking around to the front of the Medac building, you will see the sign for Dental Art International to the right side of the main entrance to the building. We are located at sidewalk level with our entrance off the sidewalk. (See the layout of Mexican Customs and map to the clinic below. Also look at the photos.)
Dental Art International, your Tijuana dentist in Mexico!
