Ecatepec
Ecatepec is a suburb of Mexico City, lying just across the state line in Mexico State. Although densely populated and well positioned as an important transportation hub for northern Mexico City, it is not a particularly attractive area and has little in the way of culture or recreation to draw out-of-town visitors.
Understand
The city is officially named San Cristóbal Ecatepec while the municipality (county) is officially Ecatepec de Morelos. From a traveler perspective the official names matter not a bit, especially since the municipality really doesn't extend much beyond the city. The place is always referred to as simply Ecatepec.
Ecatepec experienced booming development in the latter half of the 20th century making it the largest suburban municipality in Mexico with a population of about 1.6 million (2020).
History
Ecatepec was a city-state within the Aztec empire when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in 1521. The Aztecs didn't build the city though. It was an Otomi settlement that the Aztec conquered in the 15th century.
Get in
By plane
Ecatepec is on the north side of Mexico City and is close to the Santa Lucia Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Felipe Angeles, AIFA) (NLU IATA). NLU is served by all major Mexican carriers with service to all major airports in Mexico. The airport is 20 minutes by taxi from Ecatepec. The airport is served by Mexibus line 1.
By metro
Ecatepec, Ciudad Azteca, and Plaza Aragon are the three subway stations serving Ecatepec (all on Mexico City Metro Line B).
- 1 Ecatepec Metro (subway station), Manzana 040.
- 2 Ciudad Azteca Metro (subway station), Manzana 049. Use this station to transfer to Mexibus to AIFA (Mexico City - Santa Lucia Airport).
- 3 Plaza Aragon Metro (subway station), Manzana 050.
By cable car
Ecatepec has several cable car stations on Mexico City's Cablebus system. You can take Metro to Indios Verdes, then transfer to Cablebus to Ecatepec.
- 4 Cablebus Ecatepec (cable car station), Vía Morelos, Mezquite & Santa Clara Coatitla.
By bus
Ecatepec is served by two lines of the Mexibus bus-rapid-transit (BRT) system, both of which connect to other bus networks and the Metro. The one-way fare is M$9 (Feb 2024). Clean, modern buses travel on dedicated lanes with service to many neighborhoods of Ecatepec, including Ojo de Agua and Ciudad Azteca.
By car
Ecatepec is on the north side of Mexico City. Two major federal highways pass through Ecatepec: MEX-57 and MEX-85. Car is always the worst option for getting around in Mexico City, unless you're in the back seat of a taxi or Uber.
Get around
Ecatepec is part of the Mexico City metropolitan area, though it lies within Mexico State rather than inside CDMX. See main article for details of navigating the greater metro area.
See
- 1 Casa de Morelos, Antigua, Carr. Federal Pachuca - Mexico S/N, San Juan Alcahuacan, ☏ +52 55 5839 5864. Tu-Su 09:00 - 17:00, closed M. Small regional history museum with 3 main galleries. One focuses on the story of Jose Maria Morelos, the second focuses on exhibits about Ecatepec, and the third features a fossilized skeleton of a mammoth that was found in the area in the 1990s. (The mammoth is the museum's most popular attraction!). Free.
Do
Buy
Eat
- 1 Hacienda Xanthe, Av Valle del Don 51, Valle de Aragon 3ra Secc (Metro line B to Múzquiz station), ☏ +52 55 5711 2178. W-M 08:00 - 20:00, closed Tu. Bright cheery traditional Mexican restaurant with several regional dishes on the menu. Large portions. Good breakfast choice. M$200.
- 2 La Cabaña, Valle Perdido 145, Valle de Aragon 3ra Secc, ☏ +52 55 3744 1084. Tu-Th 09:00 - 18:00, F-Sa 09:00 - 22:30, Su 09:00 - 17:00, closed M. Cozy traditional Mexican restaurant that's known for their delicious barbacoa at very reasonable prices. Popular on weekends when there may be a wait for tables. M$200.
- 3 El Mejor Bife, Valle Perdido # 87, Valle de Aragon 3ra Secc (Metro line B to Muzquiz station), ☏ +52 55 6363 6713. Tu-Su 12:00 - 20:30, closed M. Steak house style restaurant serving grilled meats, barbacoa, and pasta dishes. M$300.
- 4 La Casa de Toño, Av. Carlos Hank González 120, Rinconada de Aragon (Metro line B to Plaza Aragon), ☏ +52 55 5386 1125. Daily 08:00 - 23:00. Popular chain restaurant known for its family atmosphere and diverse menu. Traditional Mexican cuisine. M$200.
- 5 La Mansion, Vía Morelos No. 419, Santa Clara Coatitla, ☏ +52 55 5788 1719. Daily 08:00 - 21:00. Upscale chain restaurant with Mexican and international cuisine. Suitable for a business lunch.
- 6 Daniel Boone Steakhouse, Av. Revolución 42, San Cristóbal Centro, ☏ +52 55 5787 7774. Tu-Su 13:00 - 21:00, closed M. Hope you're hungry for steaks, because that's what's for dinner here! Vegetarians can get a baked potato. M$300.
Drink
- 1 La Bandida, Naranjo 22, El Charco, ☏ +52 826 174 8418. Th-Su 21:00 - 04:30, closed M-W. Large, loud, crowded nightclub. A bit seedy but expensive and popular.
Sleep
There are a lot of hotel in the Ecatepec area, but most are "love hotels"--places where married men will take their sugar babies for a few hours. Some are seedy, some aspire to appeal to the paramours with fatter wallets with in-room jacuzzis and other perks. Many of the hotela post only prices for 4 or 6 hours and will charge you at least double if you intend to stay the whole night.
Connect
Broadband internet is available throughout Ecatepec and WiFi is available in most hotels, restaurants, and other businesses. Cell towers cover 100% of the city with 5G service everywhere. Telcel is the major carrier.