Mercado Ferroplaza

The Mercado Ferroplaza is a traditional market just steps away from the Railroad Museum. The market occupies a giant old building that was built for the old railroad.

In 2008, the buildings were converted for use by many of the street merchants displaced by construction on Fray Juan de Zumárraga. The street was sunken to permit better pedestrian access to the Basilica at the northern end of the Calzada de Guadalupe.

The market has never quite lived up to its potential. That’s mostly for the lack of pedestrian customers. But as one of the more casual Mexico City markets, it seems to have found a niche with a more alternative clientele.

Today, there’s a bike shop, tattoo studio and popular neighborhood barbershop. The market also serves as a throughway for pedestrians passing through to the Villa Casa de Cultura and its surrounding park. They’re just beyond the eastern entrance to the Ferroplaza.

Just two blocks south of the Basilica, the Mercado Ferroplaza can also offer some great relief from really crowded days. That can be especially true in early December when the feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe (Dec. 19th) draws pilgrims from all over the country.

But for railroad, any time of year, leaving the museum can mean just a simple walk to the next corner. There a famous little candy shop welcomes visitors and doesn’t require a purchase.

Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.