By road, Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas and Amatitán are about 351 miles (565 km) apart, or roughly 6 h 26 min of driving.
| Total distance | 351 mi (565 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 26 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.1 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.
Driving Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Amatitán: the shape of the trip
MEX-200 (168 mi) and MEX-54D (91 mi) carry about 74% of the 351 miles. It runs through 3 states: Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Amatitán
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Michoacán |
| MEX-200 | 3–171 | 168 | Michoacán, Colima |
| local roads | 171–176 | 5 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 176–201 | 25 | Colima |
| MEX-54 | 201–208 | 7 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 208–299 | 91 | Colima, Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 299–301 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-GUA 10D | 301–331 | 30 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 331–343 | 12 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 343–344 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 344–351 | 7 | Jalisco |
- Mile 155 of this route: Michoacán → Colima (state line)
- Mile 217 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
Stops between Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas and Amatitán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): National Museum of Tequila (mile 344)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 221)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de la Cristiada (mile 202), El Chanal (mile 205), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 244), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 244), Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila (mile 318), Guachimontones (mile 324), National Museum of Tequila (mile 344)
Museo Regional de la Cristiada
The Museo Regional de la Cristiada is a small museum in the city of Colima, in the Mexican state of the same name. It opened its doors in 2004.
El Chanal
North of Colima city, this Postclassic settlement straddles the Colima River. Its ceremonial core holds temples, palaces, altars and a ballcourt, and digs revealed copper, silver and gold metalwork along with pottery and obsidian tools.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park
This national park in western Mexico protects the upper slopes of two volcanic peaks, Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, in the states of Jalisco and Colima.
Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral
Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.
Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán
Founded in the 1950s with writer Juan José Arreola among its promoters, this INAH museum in Ciudad Guzmán shows stone and ceramic pieces from western Mexico, colonial-era religious art and sketches by muralist José Clemente Orozco.
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila
Around the town of Tequila, the Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila is a UNESCO World Heritage Site of blue agave fields shaped by the plant's use for tequila since the 16th century.
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
In the town of Tequila, MUNAT, the National Museum of Tequila, covers the history of the drink behind the region's fame. Jalisco's state government reclaimed the museum in 2026 and announced it will reopen with updated exhibits.
More drives to Amatitán
- Tepatitlán to Amatitán
- San Juan de los Lagos to Amatitán
- Aguascalientes to Amatitán
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Amatitán
- Calvillo to Amatitán
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Amatitán
From Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to other places in Mexico
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Pénjamo
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Tepatitlán
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Tapalpa
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Cadereyta
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Mineral de Pozos
- Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Malinalco
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Amatitán?
About 6 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 351 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Amatitán?
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 Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Amatitán?
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 Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Amatitán?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas to Amatitán use?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas and Amatitán?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Cristiada (museum, mile 202, 2 mi from the route); Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (museum, mile 244, 2 mi from the route); National Museum of Tequila (museum, mile 344, 0.8 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.