Blockades, Checkpoints & Tolls in Mexico: What Motorcycle Travellers Need to Know
- Antonia Issa
- Sep 10
- 4 min read
“Every Mexican highway tells a story. Sometimes it’s tacos and open skies. Sometimes it’s a blockade made of logs or kids with a string. This is how to handle both.”
Traveling in Mexico on two wheels means you’ll encounter more than tacos and topes. Every so often, you’ll roll up on something that looks a little different from the open road you imagined: blockades of various shapes and sizes, checkpoints, and the occasional “informal toll.” They can happen both on libre (free) and cuota (toll) highways and roads. These can feel intimidating, but most of the time they’re more curious than dangerous. As always, trust your senses and be careful of snap judgements.
Here’s what you might see, how to handle them as a rider, and the bigger story behind why these things happen.
What You’ll See on the Road:
Blockades – Sometimes entire highways are blocked by logs, rocks, or even a line of parked semis accompanied by masked people with pitchforks or rifles. Other times, people will gather in groups, cleverly blocking main arteries in the centro historico (downtown historical district), creating a massive city-wide standstill. Inconvenience aside, it’s actually a genius approach.
Informal Tolls – At official toll booths (casetas), you may find protestors running the show. Instead of the usual ticket, someone waves a bucket and asks for a “contribution.” Another thing you might see are groups of people who gather on the road with folding chairs, firearms and buckets. They will stretch a rope across and not allow drivers past without making a payment. There is also a “light” version of this near topes (speedbumps) where kids might run across the street holding a string until you hand them some coins.
Checkpoints – On highways between states or at city entrances, you’ll see military or National Guard outposts. Expect sandbags, fancy firearms, and uniforms, it can look intimidating, but for tourists it’s generally routine. Immigration checkpoints also exist inland, where officers may ask to see your tourist card (FMM), insurance, or TIP (temporary vehicle import permit).
Access to Tourist Sites – Heading to a waterfall, cenote, or ruins? Don’t be surprised if you pay two or three times along the way: one fee for the municipality, one for the ejido (community landholders), and maybe another for parking. In some remote areas—especially in Chiapas—you may not even be allowed in without a local guide or escort.
How to Handle These Situations on a Motorcycle
Blockades: Slow down and read the room. If it’s a protest, people are usually making a point, not looking for trouble. Sometimes they’ll wave tourists through, other times you’ll wait. Stay calm, don’t argue, and if asked for a contribution, hand over a few coins with a smile. Thanks to a guy selling bread on a motorcycle at the exit of town in San Cristobal de las Casas, I learned that to get through a blockade on a motorcycle, you simply need to ride to the front of the line, turn off your bike, dismount - and walk your bike through. The first time I tried this, I bowed when I got to the other side, and everyone cheered.
That time in Chiapas that I learned to walk my motorcycle through the bloqueos. Two cookie semis, logs, and a bunch of angry locals who waved me through. Informal Tolls: Keep a stash of 5, 10, and 20 peso coins handy. At a caseta tomada (taken-over toll booth), the “fee” is usually 20-50 pesos—much cheaper than the official toll anyway. At topes (speed bumps), kids will light up when you offer them 5 pesos. Think of it as part of the adventure and tax we pay for the privilege of being able to explore other countries by road.
Checkpoints: Be respectful and straightforward. Remove your helmet if requested, have your documents ready, and answer questions simply. Most of the time, once they see you’re a foreign rider, you’ll get a polite wave to move on. I tend to put on my hazards and flip up my visor and say “buenos dias!” emphatically.
Tourist Sites: Budget time and cash for layered fees. Don’t let it sour the experience—those payments often go back into the local community. If a guide is required, agree on a price before heading in. And always check rider groups or Facebook communities before venturing into remote or disputed areas.
The Bigger Picture
So why all this?
Community Voice: Blockades are often about visibility—farmers, workers, or communities trying to pressure the government to listen. It’s grassroots politics, Mexican-style.
Economic Reality: Taking over a toll booth is less about crime and more about protest or making ends meet. For locals, tourism traffic is one of the most reliable income streams.
Security Dynamics: In some regions (especially Chiapas), cartel influence has turned certain checkpoints into genuine risks, making some archaeological sites off-limits for now.
Tourism & Land: Those multiple payments before a cenote or waterfall? They reflect Mexico’s layered land ownership—federal, municipal, and communal (ejido). Frustrating and confusing for travelers, but for many villages, it’s the only way tourism benefits actually reach local people.
Final Thoughts
Blockades, checkpoints, and informal tolls are part of Mexico’s living, breathing road culture. As a rider, they can be surprising, sometimes inconvenient, but rarely unsafe if you approach with patience and respect. Bring small bills, stay flexible, and remember: every peso you hand over is a tiny glimpse into the complex relationship between communities, the state, and the open road.
Because at the end of the day, navigating these moments isn’t just about getting through—it’s about understanding that the road in Mexico belongs to everyone who lives along it.
