Official pre-paid taxis at MEX for people who want simple and safe over cheap
In both T1 and T2 arrivals, Nueva Imagen Taxis runs as an official pre‑paid “sitio” service with fixed zone prices to Mexico City neighborhoods and rides that usually take 30–60 minutes into the center, traffic depending.
You buy a paper ticket at a Nueva Imagen booth inside the arrivals hall, then hand it to the driver outside; pricing is zoned by colonia, so Roma, Condesa, or Centro will each show a specific peso amount on the board for a 30–60 minute ride.
Booths operate during flight hours, roughly 24/7 in T1 and T2, and cars queue outside the terminal doors so you’re not waiting for a dispatch window like you sometimes do with Uber or Didi during peak evening arrivals around 18:00–21:00.
A TripAdvisor review sums it up as “easy, safe, but more expensive than a rideshare,” which tracks with regulars who say Nueva Imagen and Sitio 300 usually land higher than Uber or Didi by 50–150 MXN for central areas such as Zona Rosa or Juárez.
Prices are set by zone, but staff at the booths sometimes nudge you toward Nueva Imagen over other sitios, even though the posted fare to, say, Polanco or Coyoacán may only differ by 10–20 MXN between brands.
After paying, you may need to look closely for the correct taxi line; signs for Nueva Imagen, Sitio 300, and other sitios can bunch together outside Door 7 in T1 or the main arrivals curb in T2, which is where some visitors report confusion and brief backtracking.
Frequent flyers who still use sitios usually pick whichever authorized booth in T1 or T2 has the shortest queue, treating Nueva Imagen, Sitio 300, and the others as interchangeable as long as the zone price to their barrio looks normal.
Some regulars recommend asking the fare to your neighborhood at two different booths first; if lines are short, a 30‑second check can save 20–50 MXN on a run to places like Colonia del Valle or Narvarte.
Step-by-step: using Nueva Imagen Taxis at MEX
- 1. On landing in T1 or T2, clear immigration and customs; this can take 20–60 minutes depending on arrival banks.
- 2. In the public arrivals hall, look for the official taxi booths and find the Nueva Imagen counter with posted zone prices.
- 3. Tell the clerk your exact destination (for example “Roma Norte, near Fuente de Cibeles”) and confirm the zone fare in MXN.
- 4. Pay in cash or card, collect the printed ticket, and keep the customer copy with the fare listed.
- 5. Follow the signs to the taxi ranks outside (for instance, Door 7 in T1) and locate the Nueva Imagen line among the other sitios.
- 6. Hand the main ticket to the dispatcher or driver, confirm your address again, and check that the car has Nueva Imagen markings.
- 7. In central traffic, expect 30–60 minutes to Condesa, Roma, or Centro; tip around 10–15% in cash if service is solid.
One last tip: screenshot your hotel or Airbnb address with cross streets before you leave airport Wi‑Fi so you can show it quickly to the driver at the curb.