Celaya to Mexcaltitán is about 387 road miles (623 km): roughly 7 h 28 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 387 mi (623 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
The Celaya–Mexcaltitán drive in a few lines
MEX-15D (204 mi) and MEX-90 (46 mi) carry about 65% of the 387 miles. It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D, MEX-90D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Celaya to Mexcaltitán
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 2–37 | 35 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 37–42 | 5 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 42–88 | 46 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90D | 88–101 | 13 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 101–123 | 22 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 123–198 | 75 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 198–208 | 10 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 208–337 | 129 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| MEX-15 | 337–360 | 23 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 360–387 | 27 | Nayarit |
- Mile 99 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 256 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Celaya and Mexcaltitán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 267)
- Museums and history: Irapuato Cathedral (mile 40), Plazuelas (mile 80), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 188), Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes (mile 192), Guachimontones (mile 221), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 267), Museo Regional de Nayarit (mile 318)
- With kids: Acuario Michin Guadalajara (mile 193)
Irapuato Cathedral
Irapuato's cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, dates from the 18th century and has a Baroque facade. It served as the seat of the local parish until 2004, when the new Diocese of Irapuato made it a cathedral.
Plazuelas
Near Pénjamo, Plazuelas flourished between AD 450 and 700. Trails lead to Casas Tapadas, a platform crowned by four pyramid bases, a ball court, and rocks carved with spirals and La Maqueta, a low-relief model of Casas Tapadas.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
Tlaquepaque has two main ceramics museums, and this is one of them: the Museo Regional de la Cerámica, on Independencia Street in the center of town. The other is the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.
Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes
The University of Guadalajara's Museo de las Artes, known as MUSA, opened on October 10, 1994, and was expanded in 2013.
Acuario Michin Guadalajara
Acuario Michin Guadalajara is an aquarium in the city of Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
Guachimontones
About 40 circular buildings and two ball courts spread over 20 hectares at Guachimontones, outside Teuchitlán. INAH calls it western Mexico's first large population center, dating back to around 1000 BC.
Ixtlán del Rio
Known locally as Los Toriles, the Ixtlán del Río site is famous for a temple with a fully circular floor plan, rare in Mesoamerica. People lived here from about 300 BC to AD 600, and an introductory gallery explains the finds.
Museo Regional de Nayarit
In the city of Tepic, the Museo Regional de Nayarit focuses on the different cultural traditions of pre-Hispanic Nayarit.
More drives to Mexcaltitán
- Lo de Marcos to Mexcaltitán
- San Francisco to Mexcaltitán
- Sayulita to Mexcaltitán
- Bucerías to Mexcaltitán
- Nuevo Nayarit to Mexcaltitán
- Amatitán to Mexcaltitán
From Celaya to other places in Mexico
- Celaya to Real de Asientos
- Celaya to Amatitán
- Celaya to Zacatecas
- Celaya to Tequila
- Celaya to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Celaya to Sombrerete
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Celaya to Mexcaltitán?
About 7 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 387 miles.
What is the driving distance from Celaya to Mexcaltitán?
About 387 miles (623 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.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Celaya to Mexcaltitán?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Celaya to Mexcaltitán?
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Celaya to Mexcaltitán use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Celaya to Mexcaltitán?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 188, 1 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 267, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Nayarit (museum, mile 318, 1 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.