Puebla is located 107 km. S.E. of Mexico City. Round Trip Tickets from the U.S. to Mexico City run from 350 -500 dollars or so. Flights from European destinations can run from 700 to 1500 dollars. Flights to Puebla can be higher.

Continental Airlines flies directly to Puebla from Houston, Texas or alternatively there is a direct bus service to either the 4 Poniente or CAPU bus stations in Puebla (1 hour 45 minutes) from the Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City. This bus costs 170 pesos (approximately 17 U.S. dollars) each way.

Taxis from Puebla's bus stations to the UDLA campus cost around 65-71 pesos. Add another 20 or so if you want to get to the Cholula zocalo. Taxis from the Puebla airport are around 100 pesos.

Some info on Mexico City airports:

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/rferguson/mexicoairport.html

Bus schedules:

From Mexico City to Puebla

Puebla is a city of 2 million people located 120 km east of Mexico City. It has a national airport but with reduced traffic. Practically all foreign visitors arrive through Mexico City airport.

Transportation from the Mexico City airport to Puebla: there is comfortable bus service by "Estrella Roja" which runs from Mexico City airport to the city of Puebla every 30 minutes (from 6:00am to 0:30am). These leave from the airport zone E-1, one floor above the International Arrivals. Search the sign "zona de autobuses" and go through the tunnel. The fare is 170.00 pesos The ride takes about two hours (really 1:45 depending on traffic). Those wanting to see the volcanoes (once outside the optically thick Mexico City's atmosphere) should sit on the right hand side of the bus.

Buses departing on the hour (13:00, 14:00, 15:00, etc...) arrive at the Puebla bus station, known locally as CAPU, while those departing on the half-hour (13:10, 14:30, 15:10, etc...) arrive to the Puebla bus station of "4 Poniente" located nearer to Puebla's downtown. A sign with "CAPU", or "4 Pte" is placed in the bus front window at Mexico City airport, so you will easily identify the correct bus (but you should also ask when buying the ticket). The last bus from the airport to Puebla/CAPU is at 23:00 hrs, and the last to Puebla/"4 Poniente" is at 00.20 hrs.

Please click here for a complete timetable.

We recommend the bus to 4 Pte which runs on the :10 and :40 of every hour.

Little map of the Puebla area:

http://www.inaoep.mx/~ws2006/imagenes/mapa_llegar.gif

Money:

As of September 5, 2007

1 U.S. dollar = 11.0266 MXN
1 Euro = 15.0099 MXN
As is always true with money, rates could change, but these conversions are relatively stable.

Check http://www.xe.com/ucc/ for more up-to-date rates.

As far as we can tell, there are many events and activities taking place at the same time as the forum, so it is best to try and reserve early. Very early. Not kidding.

The campus has housing available for 180 pesos per person per night in unoccupied dorm rooms. We can try to arrange this for you and recommend it for groups of younger people who would like to stay within the campus proper.

Below is a selection of hotels. There are others as well. Please do your best to make reservations on your own and then let us know what you have done. It is good to have an ear on the ground to be sure that things work as you anticipate. We were saved from some very serious mishaps last year by doing a double check of all reservations before the event. Please help us help you by letting us know where you will be staying.

www.estrelladebelem.com.mx
Incredibly beautiful bed, breakfast, and spa. Recently remodeled, right in the heart of San Pedro Cholula. This is the luxe locale. Expensive. 1500-2000 pesos a night, including gourmet breakfast. If you can afford it, highly recommended. They have six rooms.

www.hotelasiglesias.com
Very nice place. About four or five blocks farther away than most of the other hotels in downtown San Pedro Cholula. 34 or so rooms set around a courtyard with a pool. Right around the corner from the elementary school. 686-885 pesos for singles to triples. Very nice, clean, wonderful staff, good service, and pleasantly located in the heart of town with less touristic surroundings. If you want to feel what the town of Cholula feels like to a local, at least when walking to and from your hotel, this is a good bet.

Hotel Las Americas de San Andreas
The outside of this place looks quite sketchy. We went to other places before we checked this one out. The lesson here was don't judge a book by its cover. Not only is this the closest hotel to the UDLA campus, it is also the least expensive of the lot. While it won't win awards for design or style, it is a perfectly comfortable place to rest and sleep. It has about 56 rooms arranged around a garden courtyard with a small pool in the middle. While the rooms close to the street are noisy and we wouldn't recommend them (unless you like street sounds), the rest of the place is quite tranquil and acceptable. Rooms run from 180 pesos for one person or 210 for 2 people sharing one bed to 400 pesos for up to 4 people sharing two beds. (pricing is complicated but trust us, it's inexpensive and good.) They do not have internet but they do have a telephone. (+52.222.247.0991) Many folks stayed here last year and loved it.

www.laquintaluna.com
A quite expensive but very nice hotel located in San Pedro Cholula about 10 blocks from campus. Nearby some nice restaurants, a jazz club, the pyramid, and good souvenir shopping etc. Also you can reserve over the net with a credit card if this appeals to you.

www.casacalli.com
Located in the center of San Pedro Cholula on the zocalo, prices about 45 dollars a night (475 pesos). Good restaurants, the center of town, yet not noisy. Staff can apparently be a little bit unconcerned but has had good reviews nonetheless. In reality after the Hotel Las Americas , this may be the best deal for the money. A very acceptable place, with an absolutely central location. Highly Recommended. Reserve and pay on the internet as well.

http://www.bestday.com/Puebla/Hotels/Club_Med_Villas_Cholula
Villas Arqueológica, run by the Club Med Villas, in the flower fields south of the pyramid. Charges about 875-1,000 pesos per night. Indoor-outdoor dining; swimming pool, expansive gardens, tennis courts. Phone 011-52-222 247-1966; fax 011-52-222 247-1508. Very nice place and uniquely located. Highly recommended.

Probably 350 pesos per day, but you can get by for much less.

Food is available on the UDLA Campus and also in town. Fruit juices, tacos, Licuados (smoothies) helados (ice creams) etc, abound. There is an incredible Mercado in the center of San Pedro Cholula that needs to be experienced. Fruits, vegetables, meats, flowers, staples, etc.

Plenty of Central Mexican cuisine to be had. Basic U.S. staples including fast food can be found nearby. Chinese, Italian, Hindu/Vegetarian, Lebanese, French, and Italian also are represented in Cholula as well as some very special restaurants that defy a simple description, but should be experienced as the food is very good.

Buses cost 4 pesos.

They can take you from UDLA to San Pedro Cholula, where most of the hotels are (7 minutes) or to Puebla (25 minutes) for the same fee.

A taxi to the centro historico of Puebla costs about 65 pesos. It also costs about that to get to and from the bus station.

A taxi to the center of Cholula from UDLA should be about 25 pesos and about 50 round trip.

A note about taxis:

Most taxis are very safe, but they don't work with meters. You negotiate the price before you get in the car. While sometimes the taxi people can take advantage of the foreigner, and charge a higher rate, they are mostly honest. This is not true however in Mexico City and you should be very careful when taking taxis in Mexico City. Not only are they apt to overcharge you, they could rob you and hurt you. Get a SITIO (secure taxi called by phone) or ride the subway (metro). It costs two pesos a ride and is very convenient and safe. A very good way to see Mexico City. Efficient and effective.