By road, Celaya and San Francisco are about 351 miles (565 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 22 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 351 mi (565 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 22 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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.
How the Celaya to San Francisco drive plays out
MEX-15D (140 mi) and MEX-90 (46 mi) carry about 53% of the 351 miles. It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D, MEX-90D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Celaya to San Francisco, road by road
| 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 | 208–273 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 273–307 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 307–325 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 325–341 | 16 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 341–350 | 9 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 350–351 | 1 | 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 San Francisco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 267)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 336)
- Museums and history: Irapuato Cathedral (mile 40), Plazuelas (mile 80), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 188), Museo de Cera (mile 191), Basílica de San Felipe Neri (mile 192), Guachimontones (mile 221), National Museum of Tequila (mile 227), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 267)
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
On Independencia Street in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the city's two main ceramics museums, alongside the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.
Museo de Cera
On the Plaza de la Liberación in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo de Cera has 12 rooms with more than 130 wax figures of athletes, singers, actors, politicians and religious figures. It opened in 1994.
Basílica de San Felipe Neri
Guadalajara's Basilica of San Felipe Neri is a Catholic church built in baroque style between 1752 and 1802 by master builder Pedro José Ciprés.
Guachimontones
Western Mexico's first large population center, according to INAH, took shape near Teuchitlán around 1000 BC. Guachimontones stands out for its round architecture, with roughly 40 circular structures across the site.
National Museum of Tequila
The National Museum of Tequila (MUNAT) in the town of Tequila tells the story of the spirit that put this corner of Jalisco on the map. The state government took it back in 2026 and announced a reopening with refreshed exhibits.
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Rincón de Guayabitos is a beach town in Compostela, Nayarit, with about two kilometers of shore known for gentle waves, a popular getaway from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to San Francisco
- La Manzanilla to San Francisco
- Barra de Navidad to San Francisco
- Tecomán to San Francisco
- San Juan de los Lagos to San Francisco
- Pénjamo to San Francisco
- León to San Francisco
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 San Francisco?
About 6 h 22 min of driving without stops, over 351 miles.
How far is San Francisco from Celaya by car?
About 351 miles (565 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 San Francisco?
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 San Francisco?
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 San Francisco use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Celaya to San Francisco?
Closest to the road: Plazuelas (archaeological site, mile 80, 2 mi from the route); 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). 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.