The Va y Ven App

The Va y Ven app has its pros and cons. It is new and sometimes unreliable, but it is being expanded and improved constantly. One big advantage that it has over Google Maps is its ability to track the buses live. Several of the app’s more common uses are described below.

The basics

  1. Download and install the Va y Ven app from Google Play (Android devices) or Apple App Store (Apple devices).

  2. Open the app and X out of the initial ad (if one appears), or click on Comenzar.

  3. Register for an account. Why? You can register your Va y Ven cards, check their balances, and recharge them through various digital payment methods, including credit or debit cards, PayPal, Mercado Pago, and CoDi. The app also provides you with a virtual card that you can charge up and pay for rides if you don’t have your physical card. (If you have trouble registering, it may be because the app requires a Mexican phone number.)

  4. Just looking, or unable to register? Click on Accede como invitado (Access as a guest).

Finding a route

  1. Open the menu (three horizontal lines, upper left) and choose Rutas de la Ciudad.

  2. There is a dizzying list of bus route numbers and names, loosely grouped by route direction, and including nighttime routes, routes in Valladolid and Tizimin, IE-Tram routes, etc.
    Hint: For a visual view of the routes, click on Tiny Routes. Pinch out on selected maps to get a good idea of your route’s number, or range of numbers. Then come back with that info.

  3. Click on a route, pinch out, and see if it will work for you.

  4. Then go back to the home page and check the live locations of the buses. (See below.)

Finding a route near you

  1. If you’re not at the location where you want to start your ride, click on a place on the map near where you want to begin your trip.

  2. Click on Rutas cercanas. You’ll see a long list. Most of the closest ones are near the top. Again, it’s good to have a general idea of routes that you’re looking for.

  3. Click on the toggles to the right of each route number/name to see the route visually.

  4. Scroll and pinch out to see if the route is right for you.

  5. Click on the bus icon to see where the buses are live. Click on an individual stop to check on the arrival time of the next bus (más o menos).

Checking the live location of your bus

  1. Click on the Search icon (magnifying glass in the upper left) on the app’s homepage, type in your route no, and select the route from the drop-down list.

  2. View the route. If you don’t see buses, click on the bus icon in the lower right. Click on an individual stop to check on the arrival time of the next bus (más o menos)..

  3. To refresh the screen quickly, click the bus icon off and on again.

  4. Pinch in to see the route as a solid line; pinch out to see all of the stops.