Yes. On show nights the area around Arena México is busy and generally safe, with thousands of fans arriving and leaving at the same time. Like any big event in any big city, a few simple habits make the night easy: carry little, keep your phone out of your pockets, stay close to the arena and leave the right way.
This guide covers what I do every week with my groups. For general travel advice about Mexico, check your government’s official travel page.
Around Arena México
Arena México is in Colonia Doctores. On show nights the blocks around the arena are full of people, food stands and merchandise. Enjoy them, but do not wander beyond the area around the arena: it is not a neighborhood to explore on foot at night.
What to bring, and what to leave at the hotel
- Leave jewelry and valuables at the hotel. Nothing of value in sight.
- Wear comfortable clothes.
- Use a fanny pack or a small bag for your wallet and phone, instead of your pants pockets, where a pickpocket can reach them without you noticing.
- Bring some cash, not a lot. The market outside the arena sells T-shirts for about MXN 200 to 400 and masks from about MXN 100 to 800 or 900.
- Phone only, no cameras. The arena allows photos and short videos with your phone; cameras of any kind, including GoPro or Insta360, are not allowed.
Riding the Metrobús
On Arena México nights we ride Metrobús Line 3 from Hidalgo to Cuauhtémoc, three stops: Juárez, Balderas and Cuauhtémoc. Before we board, I explain how many stops we ride, how the system works and the difference between the mixed cars and the women-only section, which you will find on both the Metro and the Metrobús. I am always the last one on and the last one off, so nobody is left behind.
Leaving after the show
This is the part most visitors get wrong.
- Do not take the taxis waiting outside. They charge well above the normal fare.
- Do not order an Uber at the arena doors. The streets jam within minutes and you will wait a long time.
- Walk to Avenida Cuauhtémoc or Doctor Río de la Loza and order your ride there, so you leave toward Roma Norte quickly.
- At Arena Coliseo, in the Historic Center, the streets are one-way. Walk to República de Chile and order your ride heading north, toward Eje Central or Paseo de la Reforma.
Going with a host
On our nights you never have to figure this out alone. We walk together from Taquería El Caifán to the arena and back out to a safe pickup point. From MXN 1,350 per person. Check availability.
Related: Is Mexico City safe for solo female travelers? and How to get to Arena México.
