The Wayro route from Cuauhtémoc to Arteaga is 523 miles (842 km), about 9 h 40 min of driving without stops.
| Total distance | 523 mi (842 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-16 → 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 20.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
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 Cuauhtémoc–Arteaga drive in a few lines
MEX-49D (120 mi) and MEX-40D (96 mi) carry about 41% of the 523 miles. It runs through 3 states: Chihuahua, Durango, Coahuila. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D, MEX-49D and MEX-40D. Of the 6 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Cuauhtémoc and Arteaga
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-16 | 0–60 | 60 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 60–68 | 8 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 68–119 | 51 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 119–153 | 34 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 153–155 | 2 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 187 | 155–158 | 3 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 158–159 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 159–203 | 44 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 203–205 | 2 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-49D | 205–325 | 120 | Chihuahua, Durango |
| MEX-49 | 325–342 | 17 | Durango |
| connecting roads | 342–343 | 1 | Durango |
| MEX-40D | 343–391 | 48 | Durango, Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 391–446 | 55 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40D | 446–494 | 48 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 494–516 | 22 | Coahuila |
| MEX-57 | 516–523 | 7 | Coahuila |
- Mile 253 of this route: Chihuahua → Durango (state line)
- Mile 355 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 116)
- Nature and outdoors: Desert Museum (mile 516)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Chihuahua (mile 64), Museo Casa Chihuahua (mile 64), Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (mile 116), Museo del Desierto Chihuahuense (mile 116), Saltillo Cathedral (mile 514), Desert Museum (mile 516)
Cathedral of Chihuahua
Construction on this Baroque cathedral began in 1725 and stretched over more than a century. It anchors the Plaza de Armas in downtown Chihuahua, and a museum of sacred art occupies its basement.
Museo Casa Chihuahua
This early 20th-century building in central Chihuahua, once the city's Federal Palace, served as a federal building until 2004 and now operates as a cultural heritage museum hosting traveling exhibits.
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 Cuauhtémoc to other places in Mexico
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cuauhtémoc to Arteaga?
About 9 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 523 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cuauhtémoc to Arteaga?
About 523 miles (842 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 Cuauhtémoc 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 Cuauhtémoc 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 Cuauhtémoc to Arteaga use?
In order: MEX-16, 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.
Where can you stop on the way from Cuauhtémoc to Arteaga?
Closest to the road: Museo de Paleontología de Delicias (museum, mile 116, 1 mi from the route); Saltillo Cathedral (cathedral, mile 514, 2 mi from the route); Desert Museum (museum, mile 516, 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.