This summer I traveled on an Omnibus Mexicanos bus from Morelia to Austin, Texas. The whole trip is on the same bus with no changes. It departs from Morelia at 3:00 PM and from Morelia to Austin the trip takes approximately 23 hours. Traveling northward, the bus made several stops in the Bajío of Guanajuato; it also stopped in San Miguel and San Luís Potosí. We stopped for 30 minutes for comida around 9:00 or 10:00 PM on Hwy 57.
To enter the U.S. one got off the bus and claimed one’s baggage from the hold. First passenger documents were checked, then bags were scanned. The total process for all the passengers took approximately 30 minutes. All buses crossing the border into the U.S.—and there was a line of them—were scanned by a large vehicle that pulled up beside each one and slowly scanned the whole bus through the top. As I recall, this process took another 30 minutes. Passengers stood waiting on the U.S side. We were never more than a few bus lengths away from our bus. Most purchased coffee and tacos at a small restaurant right at the bridge. We then re-checked our bags, boarded and the bus was on its way.
The bus ended up only half full, it was roomy and it had a bathroom. Caveat: take a jacket, a small pillow, water and ear-plugs for the movies.
Cost: Pesos $1270 one way Morelia-Austin. Only 5% discount is given for an INAPAM card on this international route. You can make reservations in Patzcuaro. A small deposit is requested and you are given a voucher. One must then purchase the actual ticket before boarding in Morelia, where credit is given for the deposit.
