By road, Chihuahua and Arteaga are about 462 miles (743 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 22 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 462 mi (743 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 22 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → CHIH 187 → MEX-49D → MEX-49 → MEX-40D → MEX-40 → MEX-57 |
| Mexican states on the route | Chihuahua, Durango, Coahuila |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-45D, MEX-49D, MEX-40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
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 Chihuahua to Arteaga drive plays out
MEX-49D (119 mi) and MEX-40D (96 mi) carry about 47% of the 462 miles. It runs through 3 states: Chihuahua, Durango, Coahuila. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D, MEX-49D and MEX-40D. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Chihuahua to Arteaga
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 4–57 | 53 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 57–92 | 35 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 92–93 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 187 | 93–96 | 3 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 96–97 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 97–142 | 45 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 142–144 | 2 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-49D | 144–263 | 119 | Chihuahua, Durango |
| MEX-49 | 263–281 | 18 | Durango |
| MEX-40D | 281–329 | 48 | Durango, Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 329–384 | 55 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40D | 384–432 | 48 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 432–454 | 22 | Coahuila |
| MEX-57 | 454–462 | 8 | Coahuila |
- Mile 191 of this route: Chihuahua → Durango (state line)
- Mile 293 of this route: Durango → Coahuila (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Arteaga
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (mile 54), Desert Museum (mile 454)
- Nature and outdoors: Desert Museum (mile 454)
- Museums and history: Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (mile 54), Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense (mile 55), Saltillo Cathedral (mile 452), Desert Museum (mile 454)
Museo de Paleontología de Delicias
Founded with INAH support in 1982, the Museo de Paleontología de Delicias displays seven dinosaur skeletons, a mammoth, and a gray whale, plus fossil snails, fish, and plants.
Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense
Opened in 2010 in Delicias, the Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense (Mudech) has four permanent halls on the geology, plants, and animals of the Chihuahuan Desert, including Velafrons coahuilensis.
Saltillo Cathedral
Built between 1745 and 1800 in downtown Saltillo, the Cathedral of Santiago Apóstol has a carved stone facade with Solomonic, estípite, and Churrigueresque columns. Inside, look for an ornate altarpiece with a silver frontal and a pulpit carved with plant motifs.
Desert Museum
Opened in 1999, Saltillo's Museo del Desierto explores the deserts of Mexico across four pavilions, with skeletons of Tyrannosaurus rex and Quetzalcoatlus, a live prairie dog colony, a plant nursery, and a courtyard where simulated rain falls.
More drives to Arteaga
- Montemorelos to Arteaga
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Arteaga
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Arteaga
- Durango to Arteaga
- Calvillo to Arteaga
- San Juan de los Lagos to Arteaga
From Chihuahua to other places in Mexico
- Chihuahua to Álamos
- Chihuahua to Durango
- Chihuahua to El Salto, Durango
- Chihuahua to Sombrerete
- Chihuahua to Bahía de Kino
- Chihuahua to Santiago, Mexico
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Chihuahua to Arteaga?
About 8 h 22 min of driving without stops, over 462 miles.
What is the driving distance from Chihuahua to Arteaga?
About 462 miles (743 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 Chihuahua to Arteaga?
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 Chihuahua to Arteaga?
The U.S. State Department rates Chihuahua Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Durango Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Chihuahua to Arteaga use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, CHIH 187, MEX-49D, MEX-49, MEX-40D, MEX-40 and MEX-57. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Chihuahua and Arteaga?
Closest to the road: Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (museum, mile 54, 1 mi from the route); Saltillo Cathedral (cathedral, mile 452, 2 mi from the route); Desert Museum (museum, mile 454, 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.