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Voykit pocket guide · Mexico
Aguascalientes
Give Aguascalientes 2 nights: colonial centre on foot, Posada and Death museums, then a hot-spring soak. Add a third night only for the San Marcos Fair.
Aguascalientes is a colonial highland city of about 950,000 people, 537 km northwest of Mexico City, and one of Mexico's safer big cities. The centre is compact and walkable, the museums are the reason to come, and the San Marcos Fair (mid-April to early May) is the busiest and most expensive time of year. Two nights covers the city; three if you add Calvillo or the hot springs.
- Country
- Mexico
- Best months
- Oct–Nov, Mar–early Apr
- Avoid
- Mid-Apr–early May (San Marcos Fair crowds and prices), Jun–Sep (rain)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MXN
- Money
- Currency is the Mexican peso (MXN, $). Cards work in hotels, chains and many restaurants; markets, street food, small shops and colectivos are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget M$600–1,000 excl. bed · Mid M$1,000–1,800 excl. bed · High M$1,800+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telcel has the widest coverage; AT&T and Movistar are cheaper in cities. SIMs sell at OXXO shops and phone stores; registration with an ID may be requested — check.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 911 · Tourist assistance 078 · Green Angels (roadside help) 078
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 127 V · 60 Hz · US plugs fit; many older sockets have no earth pin.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: 10–15%; check the bill for an included 'servicio'.; Bars: MXN 10–20 per drink or 10%.; Petrol station attendants: MXN 10–20; more for windscreen and tyres.; Guides and drivers: 10% or MXN 200–400 a day.; Supermarket baggers (often older volunteers): MXN 5–10.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap; garrafón (20-litre jugs) and filtered water in hotels.
- Toilets
- Put paper in the bin, not the toilet, in most places; public toilets charge MXN 5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | M$35–60 |
| Taco or gordita from a stand | M$15–35 |
| Set lunch (comida corrida) | M$90–160 |
| Beer: draught / corner shop | M$50–80 / M$20–35 |
| City taxi ride | M$40–80 |
| CMOV city bus | M$6–12 |
| Museum entry | M$30–90 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | M$200–400 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AGU · Lic. Jesús Terán Peredo International Airport
- About 16 km from the centre; direct US flights via Houston and Dallas, plus Mexican domestic routes.About 9.9 mi from the centre; direct US flights via Houston and Dallas, plus Mexican domestic routes.
- BJX · León–Guanajuato Airport
- Nearest alternative in the Bajío; check schedules before booking.
Typical fares
- Airport → centre, taxi
- about M$200–300, 25–30 min (check)
- Taxi across the centre
- M$40–80 metered
- Tranvía from the main square
- M$36 adult, hourly (2022 price, check)
Get around
The centre is walkable day and night. Uber, Didi and Bolt all operate; metered taxis are cheap (most city trips M$40 or less — check the meter is on). CMOV city buses run 48 routes; local buses from outside the bus station into the centre cost about M$6. The government Tranvía streetcar leaves from the main square hourly with English and Spanish commentary — M$36 adults, M$18 children and seniors (2022 price, check).
See and do
Known for
- Museo Nacional de la Muerte (National Museum of Death)
- José Guadalupe Posada and his calaveras
- Feria Nacional de San Marcos
- Hot springs (the name means 'hot water')
- Railway heritage at Tres Centurias
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Calvillo | Car or bus southwest through the guava country, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Pabellón de Arteaga | Car or bus north on MEX 45, about 40 min | About 1 h |
| Pabellón de Hidalgo | Car north, about 45 min | About 1 h |
| San José de Gracia | Car northwest, about 1 h 15 min | About 1.5 h |
| Asientos | Car north on MEX 45, about 1 h | About 1.25 h |
Sleep
- Centro Histórico
- Best for a first trip: cathedral, Plaza Patria, museums and restaurants within a 15-minute walk.
- Zona San Marcos
- Garden, Templo de San Marcos and the fairground; busiest and priciest during the fair.
- Tres Centurias / Ferrocarril
- Quieter, near Museo Espacio and the old railway workshops; a short ride from the centre.
- North side (Universidad / MEX 95)
- Business hotels and bus stops; useful if you arrive by long-distance bus.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpedees-KOOL-peh |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-syahs |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favorlah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR |
| Can I pay by card? | ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah |
| Where is the toilet? | ¿Dónde está el baño?DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyoh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; a kiss on the right cheek among friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días' when entering a shop
- Punctuality: Be on time for tours and buses; avoid: Expecting social events to start on time
- Talking: Warm small talk, family, food, football; avoid: Jokes about cartels, the wall or migration
- Churches: Covered shoulders, quiet; avoid: Photos during mass
- Dining: Say 'provecho' to other diners when leaving; avoid: Rushing the waiter
Scams and watch-outs
- Do not confuse Aguascalientes with Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu in Peru.
- The San Marcos Fair (mid-April to early May) fills every hotel: book months ahead or avoid those weeks.
- Summer rain is brief but heavy, usually late afternoon; carry a light shell Jun–Sep.
- The pre-colonial tunnels under the city are not open to the public.
- Altitude is moderate (about 1,880 m) but the sun is strong: hat and water.
Ranked among Mexico's safer large cities; the centre is fine on foot by day and night. Use ride-hail or metered taxis after dark, keep to lit streets, and treat the fair as a pickpocket zone.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Aguascalientes yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Museo Nacional de la Muerte (National Museum of Death)
- José Guadalupe Posada and his calaveras
- Feria Nacional de San Marcos
- Hot springs (the name means 'hot water')
- Railway heritage at Tres Centurias
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Museo Nacional de la Muerte: museonacionaldelamuerte.uaa.mx
- Museo Espacio: www.museoespacio.com.mx/
- Descubre Museo Interactivo: www.aguascalientes.gob.mx/descubre/
- Wikivoyage: Aguascalientes, revision 5237351 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237351
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Aguascalientes
A esta dirección, por favor
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No US consulate in Aguascalientes; the nearest is in San Miguel de Allende, with the embassy in Mexico City. Most other countries: embassies in Mexico City (check).
Tipping: 10–15% in restaurants; MXN 20–50 for porters and guides' helpers.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/aguascalientes). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.