Crossing the U.S.-Mexico Border in 30 Minutes

Today felt like going with the flow — I ended up in the United States almost by chance! After arriving in Juárez from Chihuahua by bus, several people at the station asked if I was heading to El Paso. When I was searching for hosts on Couchsurfing in Juárez, many also recommended hosts in El Paso — which makes sense, since the two cities are only about 10 km apart! 🌉 The Border Crossing Experience My bus arrived at 5:30 AM, and waiting in the chilly station wasn’t appealing, so I hopped on a bus straight to the U.S. Strangely, no one collected the fare on the way there! For the return trip from El Paso to Juárez, the bus ticket cost $10. You can check your luggage right at the departure station — they inspect it, tag it, and you don’t have to pick it up until you arrive. Super convenient! 🧳✅ 🛂 Immigration & Visa Check At U.S. border control, the system couldn’t pull up my visa details (since it’s electronic with no physical stamp). I was taken to a secondary inspection room, where they explained: My current visa expires in September, and I’ll need to renew it then. Each time I cross, I should follow the standard renewal process. I can stay up to 180 days per year in the U.S. My EVUS was enrolled in January, and I last entered in March — so this entry is valid until September. Living near the border makes “border runs” incredibly easy! Next U.S. trip will likely be after September. 📅✈️ 🍎 Customs Tip: No Fresh Fruit! You can’t bring fresh fruit across the border. I ate my apple while waiting in line, but my orange was confiscated at U.S. agricultural inspection. 🍊🚫 (Lots of people live in Juárez but work or study in El Paso — similar to the Tijuana–San Diego dynamic.) ⏳ The Waiting Game The bus security check took longer than the immigration line — we waited at the bus stop for about an hour before our bus finally arrived. At one point, I even wondered if the bus had left without me! 😅🎅🏻 Crossing the border by bus is an adventure in itself — fast, affordable, and full of little surprises. If you’re near Juárez–El Paso, don’t miss the chance to experience two countries in just half an hour! #US #Texas #El Paso