Abilene to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico Road Trip: Route & Stops

By admin, 30 September, 2026

The Wayro route from Abilene to Ciudad Acuña is 250 miles (403 km), about 4 h 52 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 248 on this route, near the Del Rio port of entry.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Coahuila — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Coahuila is the Mexican state that contains Ciudad Acuña. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Abilene State ParkCathedral of the Sacred HeartSan Angelo Museum of Fine ArtsU.S.–Mexico borderAbileneCiudad Acuña
Route from Abilene to Ciudad Acuña with the 3 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate U.S.–Mexico border crossing (red square).
Distance250 mi (403 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 52 min
Main roads, in orderUS-277 → US-87 → US-90
Border crossingabout mile 248 of this route, Texas → Coahuila (near the Del Rio, TX port of entry)
Mexican states on the routeCoahuila (Level 3)
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 10.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below3

Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Ciudad Acuña

PassportPassport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land
FMM entry permitNot needed if you stay within 12 miles (20 km) of the border for 6 days or less; required for longer stays or if you travel farther in
Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP)Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther into Mexico
Mexican auto insuranceRequired for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you cross

Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.

Crossing at Del Rio

The Del Rio International Bridge crosses the Rio Grande between Del Rio and Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila. It is a full-service crossing that handles pedestrians, passenger vehicles and buses as well as commercial trucks.

Sources: [1] [2]

What the drive from Abilene to Ciudad Acuña is like

US-277 (231 mi) and US-87 (5 mi) carry about 94% of the 250 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Texas for about 248 miles; after the border at Del Rio you have about 2 miles left in Mexico. Of the 3 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Abilene to Ciudad Acuña, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–44Texas
US-2774–8985Texas
US-8789–945Texas
US-27794–240146Texas
US-90240–2455Texas
local roads245–2505Texas, Coahuila
  • Mile 248 of this route: Texas → Coahuila (international border)

Stops between Abilene and Ciudad Acuña

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (mile 89), San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (mile 90)
  • Nature and outdoors: Abilene State Park (mile 17)
  • Museums and history: Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (mile 89), San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (mile 90)

Abilene State Park

Mile 17 · State park · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

About 16 miles southwest of Abilene along tree-shaded Elm Creek, this park has a no-wake lake for fishing and paddling, a historic swimming pool built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, horse trails, and campsites.

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

Mile 89 · Catholic cathedral · 0.6 mi from the route

Seat of the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo since 1961, this cathedral stands on a site donated in 1874 that held the town's first church building, completed in 1884.

San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts

Mile 90 · Art museum · 0.6 mi from the route

Beside the Concho River in downtown San Angelo, this art museum occupies a building opened in 1999 and is especially strong in contemporary ceramics, alongside Texas art and Spanish Colonial and Mexican religious works.

When you get to Ciudad Acuña

Ciudad Acuña faces Del Rio, Texas, across the Rio Grande, at the spot where Las Vacas Creek flows into the river. Coahuila's tourism office calls it the state's friendly border, and its biggest draw is the Amistad reservoir, the largest body of water in Coahuila, used for boating, fishing, skiing, sailing and kayaking.

  • Presa La Amistad: The reservoir is the city's signature attraction, with fishing, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, diving and kayaking. source
  • Plaza Benjamín Canales: The main square anchors the historic center, near the Hemiciclo a Juárez, the monumental flagpole and the Fiftieth Anniversary Forum. source
  • Parroquia de Santa María de Guadalupe: The downtown parish church dates from 1914 and is one of the historic landmarks of the city center. source

Whitehead Memorial Museum

Museum · in Ciudad Acuña

Set on about 2.5 acres in Del Rio, this pioneer-village history museum covers frontier life, border radio, and "goat-gland doctor" John Brinkley, and holds the grave of Old West justice of the peace Roy Bean.

More drives to Ciudad Acuña

From Abilene to other places in Mexico

All routes to Ciudad Acuña, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico from the U.S.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Abilene to Ciudad Acuña?

About 4 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 250 miles.

How far is Ciudad Acuña from Abilene by car?

About 250 miles (403 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.

Where does the Abilene to Ciudad Acuña drive cross into Mexico?

At about mile 248 of this route, from Texas into Coahuila, near the Del Rio port of entry.

Do I need a permit to drive my car from Abilene to Ciudad Acuña?

Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther into Mexico. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card.

Is it safe to drive from Abilene to Ciudad Acuña?

The U.S. State Department rates Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Abilene to Ciudad Acuña use?

In order: US-277, US-87 and US-90. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Abilene and Ciudad Acuña?

Closest to the road: Abilene State Park (state park, mile 17, 4 mi from the route); Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (catholic cathedral, mile 89, 0.6 mi from the route); San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (art museum, mile 90, 0.6 mi from the route). All stops are described above.

How we put this guide together

Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway mile markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.

Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.