The Wayro route from Amarillo to Ciudad Acuña is 480 miles (773 km), about 8 h 28 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 478 on this route, near the Del Rio port of entry.
| Distance | 480 mi (773 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | US-60 → I-27 → US-87 → US-277 → US-90 |
| Border crossing | about mile 478 of this route, Texas → Coahuila (near the Del Rio, TX port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Coahuila (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Ciudad Acuña
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Not 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 insurance | Required 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.
What the drive from Amarillo to Ciudad Acuña is like
US-87 (194 mi) and US-277 (146 mi) carry about 71% of the 480 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Texas for about 478 miles; after the border at Del Rio you have about 2 miles left in Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Amarillo to Ciudad Acuña, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| US-60 | 0–16 | 16 | Texas |
| I-27 | 16–130 | 114 | Texas |
| US-87 | 130–324 | 194 | Texas |
| US-277 | 324–470 | 146 | Texas |
| US-90 | 470–475 | 5 | Texas |
| local roads | 475–480 | 5 | Texas, Coahuila |
- Mile 478 of this route: Texas → Coahuila (international border)
Stops between Amarillo and Ciudad Acuña
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Buddy Holly Center (mile 123), Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District (mile 186), San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (mile 319)
- Nature and outdoors: Big Spring State Park (mile 236), Big Spring Vietnam Memorial (mile 236), San Angelo State Park (mile 316)
- Museums and history: Panhandle–Plains Historical Museum (mile 18), Museum of Texas Tech University (mile 121), Buddy Holly Center (mile 123), Science Spectrum (mile 126), Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District (mile 186), San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (mile 319)
- With kids: Science Spectrum (mile 126)
Panhandle–Plains Historical Museum
On the West Texas A&M campus in Canyon, this museum holds more than two million artifacts, with Pioneer Town, a petroleum exhibit, paleontology displays and galleries of Western art by Frank Reaugh and H.D. Bugbee.
Museum of Texas Tech University
Part of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, this public museum draws on anthropology, paleontology and history collections, and its building also houses the Moody Planetarium.
Buddy Holly Center
Housed in Lubbock's restored Fort Worth and Denver depot, the city-run center preserves Buddy Holly's legacy with his eyeglasses, a Fender Stratocaster and personal records, alongside a fine arts gallery and exhibits on West Texas music.
Science Spectrum
Lubbock's Science Spectrum is a nonprofit museum with more than 250 hands-on science exhibits, the Lubbock Children's Museum, the OMNI Theater and the city's only public aquarium.
Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District
The Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District in Los Ybanez, Texas, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Big Spring State Park
A paved three-mile loop road built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s climbs Scenic Mountain, a 200-foot bluff with wide views, historic rock carvings, picnic areas, and hiking and biking trails.
Big Spring Vietnam Memorial
In Big Spring, Texas, the Big Spring Vietnam Memorial honors American servicemen who died, were taken prisoner or went missing in action in the Vietnam War.
San Angelo State Park
On the shores of O.C. Fisher Reservoir, this West Texas park has 50 miles of multiuse trails, paddocks with bison and longhorns, and a trail past fossilized Permian-age trackways, plus camping, fishing and paddling.
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts
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
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
- Corpus Christi, TX to Ciudad Acuña
- Nacogdoches, TX to Ciudad Acuña
- Clinton, OK to Ciudad Acuña
- Lawton, OK to Ciudad Acuña
- Gruene, TX to Ciudad Acuña
- Comfort, TX to Ciudad Acuña
From Amarillo 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.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Amarillo to Ciudad Acuña?
About 8 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 480 miles.
How far is Ciudad Acuña from Amarillo by car?
About 480 miles (773 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 Amarillo to Ciudad Acuña drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 478 of this route, from Texas into Coahuila, near the Del Rio port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Amarillo 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 Amarillo 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 Amarillo to Ciudad Acuña use?
In order: US-60, I-27, US-87, US-277 and US-90. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Amarillo and Ciudad Acuña?
Closest to the road: Buddy Holly Center (museum, mile 123, 0.2 mi from the route); Lamesa Farm Workers Community Historic District (historic district, mile 186, 1 mi from the route); San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (art museum, mile 319, 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.