When I go to Fort Lee to meet up with Ale, I almost always take the little bus from the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal. Ale calls it The Mexican Bus—and apparently, so does everyone else. She’s from Mexico herself, but even she doesn’t know why it’s called that. That’s just what people call it.
The bus leaves from the very back of the terminal—far left if you’re coming up the escalator. It doesn’t look like a regular bus, and there’s no visible schedule or official signage. You just get in line and pay cash directly to the driver. Bring exact change if you can, unless you want to get the eye-roll treatment. Officially, the ride costs $3 (as of 2025), but I’ve paid $2 a couple of times, so who knows. It’s a mystery.
The terminal is at 179th Street and Fort Washington Avenue in Washington Heights. I usually take the subway from Columbus Circle to 175th Street—easy ride, and just a short walk from there to the terminal. Once you hop on the bus, it heads straight over the George Washington Bridge. The first stop on the New Jersey side is in Fort Lee, which is where I usually get off. Ale picks me up there, but if you’re not getting picked up and want to go further in, just stay on. The bus continues through Fort Lee with several stops, all the way to downtown near Main Street, where you’ll find cafés, restaurants, and shops.
The ride itself is quick. The drive across the bridge only takes a few minutes, and if you’re coming from Midtown Manhattan, this is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to get to Fort Lee. NJ Transit also has buses that run to Fort Lee, but they’re more expensive and don’t necessarily run more often. The Mexican Bus runs all day, and during the daytime, there’s usually one every 10–15 minutes. You just wait in line and hop on the next one.
In theory, you get a great view from the bridge—but in practice, I’ve always ended up on the wrong side of the bus or blocked in by trucks and SUVs. Best case, you might catch a glimpse of Manhattan between the steel fencing and the traffic.
