The Wayro route from Colima to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is 281 miles (453 km), about 5 h 3 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 281 mi (453 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → MEX-15D → MEX-80D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19 |
| Mexican states on the route | Colima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.3 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.
What the drive from Colima to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is like
MEX-54D (90 mi) and MEX-80D (72 mi) carry about 58% of the 281 miles. MEX-54D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-54, MEX-15, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Colima, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Colima to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-54 | 0–6 | 6 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 6–96 | 90 | Colima, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 96–113 | 17 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 113–118 | 5 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 118–134 | 16 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 134–137 | 3 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 137–209 | 72 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 209–210 | 1 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 210–222 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 222–235 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 235–265 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 265–268 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 268–272 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 272–273 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 273–281 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 15 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 239 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Colima and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 254), Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 254)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 19)
- Museums and history: Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 42), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 42), El Ixtépete (mile 114), Guadalajara Cathedral (mile 119), Museo de Cera (mile 119), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 204), Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 254), Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 254)
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.
El Ixtépete
Zapopan's El Ixtépete preserves a pyramid built around AD 650-750, during the Grillo tradition, with at least seven superimposed construction phases; the site lies within the Guadalajara metro area near the Periférico and Avenida Mariano Otero.
Guadalajara Cathedral
In the Centro of Guadalajara, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady is the seat of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara and a minor basilica.
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.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Aguascalientes Cathedral
The cathedral of Aguascalientes stands on the Plaza de la Patria in the city's historic center.
Museo Nacional de la Muerte
Run by the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes, the Museo Nacional de la Muerte displays objects about death in Mexican culture, drawn from a collection donated by printmaker Octavio Bajonero Gil.
When you get to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Santuario del Cristo Roto, San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
A 28-meter broken Christ, the Cristo Roto, stands on an island in the Presidente Calles dam at San José de Gracia, reachable only by boat. Sculptors Erasmo Aguilar and Miguel Romo Santino made it to recall what the town lost when the dam was built.
More drives to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Jerez, Zacatecas to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Amatitán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Ajijic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
From Colima to other places in Mexico
- Colima to Sayula
- Colima to Tequila
- Colima to Tepatitlán
- Colima to Paracho
- Colima to Temacapulín
- Colima to San Juan de los Lagos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Colima to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
About 5 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 281 miles.
How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from Colima by car?
About 281 miles (453 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 Colima to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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 Colima to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
The U.S. State Department rates Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Colima to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes use?
In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15, MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Colima and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
Closest to the road: El Ixtépete (archaeological site, mile 114, 1 mi from the route); Aguascalientes Cathedral (church building, mile 254, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Nacional de la Muerte (art museum, mile 254, 0.2 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.