Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana
Tijuana specialists, coming from Tucson
A long drive, so most patients make it a two-night trip and consolidate as much treatment as possible into each visit.
Distance
About 410 miles to San Diego
Travel time
6 to 7 hours by road
Coming back
Ask your surgeon to sequence treatment for the fewest trips.
Distances and times are approximate and change with traffic and with the wait at the crossing. Check the CBP border wait times page on the morning you travel.
Planning the trip
The thing people underestimate isn't the price, it's the recovery stay. A surgical trip isn't a day trip: budget for the nights your surgeon requires in the area afterwards, plus the interval before you can fly. Ask for both in writing, and read how the crossing works before your first one.
Questions patients actually ask
How long does it take to get to a Tijuana specialist from Tucson?
About 410 miles to San Diego. 6 to 7 hours by road. A long drive, so most patients make it a two-night trip and consolidate as much treatment as possible into each visit.
Do I need a passport?
To come back into the United States, yes. A US passport, passport card, or an enhanced driver's licence from a state that issues them. Walking into Mexico is easy; the document you need is for the return leg.
How long is the wait coming back?
Ask your surgeon to sequence treatment for the fewest trips. Pedestrian and vehicle lanes move at completely different speeds, which is why most patients park on the US side and walk.
Can I drive home the same day after treatment?
After a consultation, yes. After surgery, no: you will need someone else to drive, and most of the procedures people cross for require staying in the area for a recovery period before it's safe to travel at all. Get that interval from the surgeon before you book anything.