Bus Schedule for Lake Chapala Area

[jdarbonne]

Is there a way I can obtain a bus schedule that covers the north shore of Lake Chapala, to and from all the villages? Is there any sort of information on where to get on and off the buses in the different villages?

Are there buses that have routes to the southern shore of the lake and, if so, is it possible to get schedules?


As always, thanks for your help,

Jan D

[RVGRINGO]

There really is no need to worry about schedules, and I'm not sure they even exist. The Chapala bus line covers everything from San Juan Cosala and east, While the Jocotopec bus line handles points west alont the lake shore. Other bus lines will get you to anywhere in Mexico that you want to go. One simply goes to a bus stop heading in the right direction, or flags a 'local' bus at the roadside. Buses run so frequently that there is no need for a schedule locally. For long distance buses, you call the appropriate bus line and make a reservation, as you would for an airline flight.
Going around the lake by bus will require knowing your waypoints and flagging buses from west of Jocotopec. There may be more detailed information available in the Jocotopec bus station for such a counterclockwise trip. Going clockwise, you can use the Chapala line eastward through Mezcala to Poncitlan, Ocotlan and onward around the lake by other lines.
Folks make these trips 'mini-adventures' to visit the many towns along the way, staying in the hotels that each offers, and taking time to 'smell the roses'.

[sparks]

The Chapala bus goes into Jocotepec and runs about every 40 mins/hour. There are smaller buses that run constantly. The Jocotepec bus line station is about 10 blocks from the Chapala line station - up just past the plaza and church. I was in the Joco station the other day and the only posted info was for their Guad bus .... so you would have to ask about the south side.

[jdarbonne]

Thank you so much. That's really a good idea about staying in some of the villages - hadn't thought about that.

[RVGRINGO]

Sparks is correct. There is an 'overlap' of the Chapala and Jocotopec bus lines from San Juan Cosala to Jocotepec.

With a car, one can drive around the lake in a day, but that doesn't offer much more than sightseeing through the windshield. To get the experience of visiting these fascinating places will require stopping and staying in some of the larger towns along the way. Ocatlan, for example, has a hotel and one can always use Google to find hotels in any Mexican town; just enter, "Hoteles en xxxxx," and you should get results, including phone numbers. Some may even have a website, but calling is always more productive.

[elchante]

jdarbonne, in answer to the second half of your question: yes, there are buses that run frequently on the south side of the lake. i think most of them are coming from Guadalajara, so they do not stop in Jocotepec "proper." they run along highway 15. there are buses going as far as Mazamitla or Zamora. there is a Joco bus that would take you to the crossroad where those buses run, or a taxi from the chapala bus line terminal in Joco to the crossroad would be inexpensive, i believe.

i've not taken the bus since i have a vehicle, but when i am driving from San Cristobal Zapotitlan on the southshore to Joco, i see them at all hours of the day. and there is a blue Joco bus that actually comes into San Cristobal and San Pedro Tesistan and may go as far as San Luis Soyatlan.

some friends and i are planning to take the bus from Joco to Zamora in a couple of weeks, so i will know more then.

[jdarbonne]

Originally Posted by elchante

jdarbonne, in answer to the second half of your question: yes, there are buses that run frequently on the south side of the lake. i think most of them are coming from Guadalajara, so they do not stop in Jocotepec "proper." they run along highway 15. there are buses going as far as Mazamitla or Zamora. there is a Joco bus that would take you to the crossroad where those buses run, or a taxi from the chapala bus line terminal in Joco to the crossroad would be inexpensive, i believe.

i've not taken the bus since i have a vehicle, but when i am driving from San Cristobal Zapotitlan on the southshore to Joco, i see them at all hours of the day. and there is a blue Joco bus that actually comes into San Cristobal and San Pedro Tesistan and may go as far as San Luis Soyatlan.

some friends and i are planning to take the bus from Joco to Zamora in a couple of weeks, so i will know more then.

Thank you very much.

[elchante]

jdarbonne: i'm afraid we did NOT take the bus to zamora. we wound up driving instead. however one of my friends spoke with one of the zamora bus drivers and he said the buses run from the joco crossroads to zamora "very frequently."

what i CAN tell you is that zamora is a great place to visit! the Our Lady of Guadalupe Unfinished Cathedral (Catedral Inconclusa) is AMAZING! if/when you go, go to the catedral in the afternoon (i.e. 4pm or so) to see the sun coming in the stained glass windows and, even more impressive, the colors that the windows cast on the walls of the church. it's like a kaleidoscope! and then return a little after sunset to see the exterior lights as they come on. truly breathtaking!

[jdarbonne]

Originally Posted by elchante

jdarbonne: i'm afraid we did NOT take the bus to zamora. we wound up driving instead. however one of my friends spoke with one of the zamora bus drivers and he said the buses run from the joco crossroads to zamora "very frequently."

what i CAN tell you is that zamora is a great place to visit! the Our Lady of Guadalupe Unfinished Cathedral (Catedral Inconclusa) is AMAZING! if/when you go, go to the catedral in the afternoon (i.e. 4pm or so) to see the sun coming in the stained glass windows and, even more impressive, the colors that the windows cast on the walls of the church. it's like a kaleidoscope! and then return a little after sunset to see the exterior lights as they come on. truly breathtaking!

Sounds great...I'll do just that.