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Garita Nuevo Mexicali · Mexicali II

Calexico East Port of Entry

Today's line at Mexicali's east-side crossing, hours for every lane, the best time to cross based on three months of CBP data, and how to get there.

Open 6 am – 10 pmSENTRI & Ready LaneOnly cargo crossing

Illustrative, digitally generated image.

Calexico East wait time right now

Official CBP wait by lane, for this port only. Refreshes every 5 minutes.

Calexico East (Highway 7)

6 am – 10 pm

Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), updated roughly every hour. · Auto-refreshes every 5 min.

Commercial cargo right now

Calexico West right now (standard lane): …

Compare both crossings live

Closes at 10 pm. After that, the only way across is Calexico West (24 hours).

Calexico East hours by lane

Cars — standard lane

Every day, 6:00 am – 10:00 pm

Up to 8 vehicle lanes (Ready Lane and SENTRI included); CBP opens more or fewer depending on the hour.

Cars — Ready Lane

6:00 am – 10:00 pm

For RFID documents (recent Border Crossing Card, passport card, newer green card).

Cars — SENTRI

6:00 am – 10:00 pm

Valid SENTRI card only. The shortest wait at this port.

Pedestrian

6:00 am – 10:00 pm

Up to 4 pedestrian lanes. CBP reports no pedestrian Ready Lane at this port.

Commercial cargo (standard and FAST)

Mon–Fri 6:00 am – 10:00 pm · Sat 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Mexicali's only cargo crossing. CBP lists no Sunday cargo hours; confirm with the cargo facility: (760) 768-2350.

SENTRI office (at the port)

Mon–Fri 6:00 am – 2:00 pm

CBP enrollment office; book the interview at ttp.dhs.gov. Phone (760) 768-2406.

Sources: official CBP feed (port hours and lanes) and CBP's Calexico East port page (cargo and SENTRI office, updated Sep 23, 2025). Pacific time.

Best time to cross at Calexico East

Median standard-lane wait, hour by hour, from 98 days of official CBP data (sampled every 30 min). This is the typical pattern, not the live wait.

HourMon–ThuFriSatSun
6 am30′5′few samples5′few samples20′few samples
7 am30′22′5′25′
8 am45′55′30′30′
9 am60′60′40′60′
10 am60′50′52′72′
11 am60′58′60′82′
12 pm60′45′60′65′
1 pm60′40′55′75′
2 pm60′60′60′68′
3 pm52′48′60′68′
4 pm30′45′60′60′
5 pm22′52′60′60′
6 pm15′52′48′80′
7 pm20′42′40′70′
8 pm25′30′40′78′
9 pm30′30′40′90′
≤ 20 min21–45 min> 45 min

Median by lane (all port hours)

Mon–ThuFriSatSun
Standard35 min45 min45 min60 min
Ready Lane30 min50 min50 min60 min
SENTRI5 min10 min10 min10 min
Pedestrian5 min5 min5 min5 min

Source: official CBP feed (bwt.cbp.gov), logged by Mexicali.org from 2026-07-15 to 2026-10-20: 3,001 samples for this port. "Few samples" = fewer than 15 samples in that cell (at 6 am only the 6:30 sample counts, because at 6:00 CBP still reports the port closed).

How to get to Calexico East

Mexicali side: On the city's east side, along Calzada Abelardo L. Rodríguez (ZIP 21229). From east Mexicali (the Calzada Cetys area) it is closer than Calexico West.

U.S. side: Calexico East Port of Entry: 1699 East Carr Road, Calexico, CA 92231. You exit onto Highway 7, which runs straight up to Interstate 8 (El Centro, San Diego, Yuma).

Open in Google MapsOfficial CBP port page

Documents you need

  • Mexican citizens: passport with a valid U.S. visa, or a Border Crossing Card.
  • U.S. citizens: passport, passport card, SENTRI card or enhanced driver license. Permanent residents: green card.
  • Ready Lane: only if everyone in the car carries an RFID document (recent Border Crossing Card, passport card, green card, SENTRI).
  • With a Border Crossing Card and no I-94 you can stay up to 30 days and within 25 miles of the border: Calexico and El Centro are fine; San Diego or Los Angeles need an I-94.

Source: CBP (land-border entry requirements and border zone, 8 CFR 235.1).

Calexico East vs. Calexico West

In our log, with both ports open, East had the shorter standard-lane wait in 68% of samples and they were even in 18%. West wins at night (it's the only one open) and on foot.

East (Nuevo Mexicali)West (Downtown)
Hours6 am – 10 pm24 hours
Vehicle lanes (max.)816
Pedestrian lanes (max.)48
Commercial cargoYes (standard and FAST)No
U.S. sideHighway 7, toward I-8Downtown Calexico
On footNothing walkable on the U.S. sideWalk straight into downtown Calexico
See Calexico West on the border crossings page

Near Calexico East

To kill time before getting in line or on the way back: Mexicali.org listings within 3 km of the port (straight-line distance), along Calzada Cetys.

Calexico East FAQ

What are the Calexico East port of entry hours?
It is open every day from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm (official CBP hours). That covers cars, Ready Lane, SENTRI and pedestrians. After 10 pm the only option is Calexico West, which is open 24 hours.
What is the best time to cross at Calexico East?
From our log of the official CBP feed (sampled every 30 minutes since July 15, 2026): Monday to Thursday the lightest times are right at opening (6-8 am, ~30 min in the standard lane) and 5-9 pm (15-25 min). Between 9 am and 3 pm the median climbs to ~60 min. Early Saturday (before 8 am) is usually almost empty, and Sunday is the heaviest day.
Is Calexico East faster than Calexico West?
In our log, while both ports were open, East had the shorter standard-lane wait in 68% of samples, they were even (within 5 minutes) in 18%, and West was faster in 14%. Check both live before you leave.
Does Calexico East have SENTRI and Ready Lane?
Yes. It has SENTRI and Ready Lane for vehicles during all port hours (6 am to 10 pm). Pedestrians only have a standard lane: CBP reports no pedestrian Ready Lane here. A CBP SENTRI office also operates at the port (Monday to Friday, 6 am to 2 pm).
Can I walk across at Calexico East?
Yes, from 6 am to 10 pm (up to 4 pedestrian lanes). But on the U.S. side you come out on Highway 7, far from any shops: on foot, Calexico West is almost always the better choice because it drops you in downtown Calexico.
What are the commercial cargo hours at Calexico East?
According to CBP's official Calexico East port page: Monday to Friday 6:00 am to 10:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (Pacific). CBP lists no Sunday cargo hours. It is Mexicali's only cargo crossing, with standard and FAST lanes. Cargo facility phone: (760) 768-2350.
Where is the Calexico East port of entry?
On the U.S. side: 1699 East Carr Road, Calexico, CA 92231, connecting to Highway 7 toward Interstate 8. On the Mexican side it is the Garita Nuevo Mexicali (Mexicali II), on the east side of the city along Calzada Abelardo L. Rodríguez.
With a Border Crossing Card, how far can I go without an I-94?
With a Border Crossing Card you do not need an I-94 if you stay within 25 miles of the border in California for no more than 30 days: Calexico and El Centro are inside that zone. Going farther (San Diego, Palm Springs, Los Angeles) requires an I-94, which you can apply for on the CBP website or at the port.

Choosing between the two crossings?

The main border crossings page compares Calexico West and East live, plus documents, what you can bring and the trip back into Mexicali.

Go to Mexicali-Calexico border crossings