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Border fence between Mexicali and Calexico at dusk, with city lights — illustrative image
Transportation · Border

Mexicali-Calexico Border Crossings

Live border wait times, hours, what documents you need and tips for crossing through Calexico West or Calexico East.

How long is the line right now?

Official CBP wait times in real time, by crossing and lane type.

Calexico East (Highway 7)

6 am – 10 pm

Calexico West (Downtown)

24 hours

Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), updated roughly every hour.

The two Mexicali crossings

Mexicali has two ports of entry into Calexico, California — and picking the right one can save you an hour in line.

Cars lined up at sunset at the Calexico West port of entry (Mexicali downtown crossing) — illustrative image

Calexico West (Downtown)

Calexico West Port of Entry

Open 24 hours, every day

It's the only crossing that never closes: between 10 pm and 6 am it's your only option.

Mexicali side: On the Mexicali side it sits right against the city's downtown (zona Centro), steps from Avenida Cristóbal Colón.

U.S. side: 200 East First Street, Calexico, CA 92231

Standard lanesReady LaneSENTRI

Pedestrian crossing straight into downtown Calexico: when the vehicle line blows up, parking and walking across is often the fastest way.

When is it the right pick? If you cross late at night, on foot, or if you're headed to downtown Calexico.

  • On the U.S. side you exit right into downtown Calexico: banks, currency exchange and stores within walking distance.
  • The vehicle line runs through downtown Mexicali — food, money exchange and shops while you wait.
  • The port was reconfigured by the GSA in recent years; lane arrangements can change through the day.
Full guide to this crossing
Aerial view of the Calexico East port of entry in the desert — illustrative image

Calexico East (Highway 7)

Calexico East Port of Entry

Open 6:00 am to 10:00 pm, every day

Watch the hours: it closes at 10 pm. Arrive later and your only option is Calexico West (24 hours).

Mexicali side: On the Mexicali side it sits on the east side of the city, reached via Calzada Abelardo L. Rodríguez / the highway to San Luis Río Colorado.

U.S. side: 1699 East Carr Rd, Calexico, CA 92231 (Highway 7)

Standard lanesReady LaneSENTRICommercial cargo

It has a pedestrian crossing, but there's nothing within walking distance on the U.S. side — on foot, Calexico West is almost always the better call.

When is it the right pick? If you cross by car during regular hours: it usually has more open lanes and faster-moving lines than West.

  • All commercial cargo crosses here (standard and FAST lanes for trucks).
  • On the U.S. side it connects straight to Highway 7 toward Interstate 8 (El Centro, Yuma, San Diego).
  • Friday afternoons and long weekends are the heaviest times.
Full guide to this crossing

Illustrative, digitally generated images.

Before you cross

The essentials so inspection is a formality, not a problem.

Documents

  • • Mexican citizens: passport plus U.S. visa, or valid Border Crossing Card.
  • • U.S. citizens/residents: passport, passport card or green card.
  • • Minors: same documents; if traveling without both parents, an authorization letter is recommended.
  • • RFID documents (new BCC, passport card, SENTRI) give you access to the Ready Lane.

What you can bring

  • • NO fruits, vegetables, meats or plants (fines in the hundreds of dollars).
  • • Medications: personal quantities, in their original packaging.
  • • Alcohol: about 1 liter per adult duty-free.
  • • Cash over $10,000 USD must be declared.
  • • Golden rule: when in doubt, declare. Declaring costs nothing; omitting does.

Coming back to Mexicali

  • • Crossing into Mexico normally takes minutes.
  • • Foreign visitors: no FMM required for stays within the border zone.
  • • U.S.-plated cars: no temporary import permit needed in Baja California.
  • • Mexican customs: duty-free allowance applies (random inspection light).

To spend less time in line

  • Avoid rush hours: early weekday mornings (5-9 am) and Friday/Sunday afternoons are the heaviest.
  • Ready Lane: if your visa or passport card is recent (RFID chip), that lane almost always moves faster — for free.
  • SENTRI: if you cross often, it's the best border investment: one application and fee, then minutes-long crossings for years.
  • Walk across at West: when the vehicle line is hopeless, parking downtown and walking across usually wins.
  • Check this page before leaving: the times above are CBP's official numbers in real time.

What about Los Algodones (Andrade)?

About 30 miles east of Mexicali sits the Andrade–Los Algodones crossing (6 am to 10 pm), world-famous for dental and medical tourism on the Mexican side: thousands of Americans and Canadians walk across every day in season.

For day-to-day Mexicali-Calexico traffic it doesn't compete with the two city crossings, but if you're headed to or from Yuma, Arizona, it may be your natural port.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to cross from Mexicali to Calexico?
Mexican citizens need a passport with a U.S. visa or a valid Border Crossing Card (visa láser). U.S. citizens and residents need a passport, passport card or green card. RFID documents (new BCC, passport card, SENTRI) let you use the Ready Lane, which usually moves faster.
What is the difference between Calexico West and Calexico East?
Calexico West sits against downtown on both sides, opens 24 hours and has the most practical pedestrian crossing. Calexico East is on the east side, opens 6 am-10 pm, usually moves faster by car, and handles all commercial cargo.
What time do the Mexicali border crossings close?
Calexico West never closes — it operates 24 hours every day. Calexico East opens 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. After 10 pm, West is your only option.
How long is the border wait?
It varies a lot by day and hour: 15-20 minutes at off-peak times to over 2 hours at rush hour (early weekday mornings and Friday/Sunday afternoons). This page shows the official CBP wait time in real time for both crossings, by lane type.
What are Ready Lane and SENTRI?
Ready Lane is a lane for travelers with RFID-chip documents (new Border Crossing Card, passport card); it usually saves time with no extra paperwork. SENTRI is the CBP trusted-traveler program: it requires an application, a fee and an interview, but its lane is by far the fastest — often under 15 minutes.
What can I bring into the United States?
In general: no fruits, vegetables, meats or plants (fines run into hundreds of dollars); medications only in personal quantities in their original packaging; limited alcohol (about 1 liter per adult duty-free); and cash over $10,000 USD must be declared. When in doubt, declare — declaring costs nothing, omitting does.
And coming back into Mexicali?
Crossing into Mexico is much faster (normally minutes). Foreign visitors do not need an FMM for stays within the border zone, and U.S.-plated cars do not need a temporary import permit to drive in Baja California.
What about the Andrade-Los Algodones crossing?
Andrade-Los Algodones is about 30 miles east of Mexicali, opens 6 am to 10 pm, and is famous for dental and medical tourism on the Mexican side. If you are headed to or from Yuma it can be your natural crossing, but for day-to-day Mexicali-Calexico traffic the two city crossings are the way to go.

Flying instead?

If your trip goes beyond California, check the flights, airlines and services of Mexicali International Airport.

See MXL Airport