Trolebús line # 3 is a handy public transportation option for travelers, especially between historical downtown to Zona Minerva area. Pronounced TRO-LEY-BOOS, this bus is modern, clean, and convenient. We used it several times between these two areas day and night, and felt super safe. As the bus travels from historical center to Zona Minerva, you see the progression of architectural styles from colonial to modern. You also get to mingle with work-a-day Tapatios as they go about their day.
The fare was 7 peso per ride when we were there; check with your hotel or host to see if fare has changed. Bring exact fare in coins as bus driver doesn’t carry change and the fare machine doesn’t take paper bills. When you board the bus, simply pay the fare machine next to the driver, and take a little ticket as proof of fare. We didn’t see any fare inspector, but do keep this ticket on you until you get off the bus.
Bus stops are clearly marked. As with many Mexican cities, public transit stops are also represented with graphic symbols.
Due to one-way traffic pattern, most of east-bound stops are different than west-bound stops. The city’s public transportation website actually has a very good Google Maps overlay for all bus stops with their names and graphic symbols (click here). Even if you don’t speak a word of Spanish, you can most likely use this website to get to the major sites on this bus route.
At times the bus can get crowded (especially during commute hours) and prevents you from seeing the bus stop sign of your destination, so we suggest you bring your smart phone and track your location with Google Maps (or some sort of Map app) especially on your first ride.
Here are some useful stops:
- Cabañas – for Instituto Cultural Cabañas
- Rotonda / La Merced – for Cathedral and Government Palace
- Paraninfo / Juan N Cumplido – for Templo Expiatorio del Santísimo Sacramento and Museo de las Artes Universidad de Guadalajara
- Chapultepec – for Avenida Chapultepec (shopping and dinning street)
- Los Arcos / Morelos – for Arcos Vallarta Guadalajara and Zona Minerva
Happy travels, and we hope to see you on the road!