The Wayro route from Denton to Ciudad Acuña is 436 miles (701 km), about 7 h 46 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 433 on this route, near the Del Rio port of entry.
| Distance | 436 mi (701 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-35W → I-35W Express → I-820 → I-30 → I-20 → Loop 322 → US-83 → US-67 → US-87 → US-277 → US-90 |
| Border crossing | about mile 433 of this route, Texas → Coahuila (near the Del Rio, TX port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Coahuila (Level 3) |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Ciudad Acuña
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Not needed if you stay within 12 miles (20 km) of the border for 6 days or less; required for longer stays or if you travel farther in |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther into Mexico |
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you cross |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
Crossing at Del Rio
The Del Rio International Bridge crosses the Rio Grande between Del Rio and Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila. It is a full-service crossing that handles pedestrians, passenger vehicles and buses as well as commercial trucks.
What the drive from Denton to Ciudad Acuña is like
US-277 (147 mi) and I-20 (129 mi) carry about 63% of the 436 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Texas for about 433 miles; after the border at Del Rio you have about 3 miles left in Mexico. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Denton to Ciudad Acuña, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Texas |
| I-35W | 4–20 | 16 | Texas |
| I-35W Express | 20–30 | 10 | Texas |
| connecting roads | 30–31 | 1 | Texas |
| I-820 | 31–44 | 13 | Texas |
| I-30 | 44–50 | 6 | Texas |
| I-20 | 50–179 | 129 | Texas |
| connecting roads | 179–181 | 2 | Texas |
| Loop 322 | 181–187 | 6 | Texas |
| connecting roads | 187–188 | 1 | Texas |
| US-83 | 188–237 | 49 | Texas |
| US-67 | 237–273 | 36 | Texas |
| connecting roads | 273–274 | 1 | Texas |
| US-87 | 274–279 | 5 | Texas |
| US-277 | 279–426 | 147 | Texas |
| US-90 | 426–430 | 4 | Texas |
| local roads | 430–436 | 6 | Texas, Coahuila |
- Mile 433 of this route: Texas → Coahuila (international border)
Stops between Denton and Ciudad Acuña
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Abilene Zoological Gardens (mile 182), San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (mile 275), Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (mile 275)
- Nature and outdoors: Abilene State Park (mile 201)
- Museums and history: Fort Worth Aviation Museum (mile 34), Vintage Grill & Car Museum (mile 63), Weatherford Downtown Historic District (mile 63), The Grace Museum (mile 183), San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (mile 275), Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (mile 275)
- With kids: Abilene Zoological Gardens (mile 182)
Fort Worth Aviation Museum
The Fort Worth Aviation Museum is an aviation museum next to Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth, Texas.
Vintage Grill & Car Museum
On the Fort Worth Highway in Weatherford, this restaurant doubles as a car museum, with a collection of vintage vehicles that includes a 1964 Lincoln Continental convertible once owned by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Weatherford Downtown Historic District
Downtown Weatherford's historic district in the Parker County seat surrounds the 1886 Parker County Courthouse designed by W.C. Dodson, restored in 2005 with its district courtroom returned to its original size.
Abilene Zoological Gardens
Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1985, this zoo dates to 1922 and has occupied Grover Nelson Park since 1966; visitors can feed giraffes and ride its carousel and train.
The Grace Museum
Downtown Abilene's former Hotel Grace, built in 1909, reopened in 1992 as a museum of art and history. It is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and has a hands-on children's area called Spark.
Abilene State Park
About 16 miles southwest of Abilene along tree-shaded Elm Creek, this park has a no-wake lake for fishing and paddling, a historic swimming pool built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, horse trails, and campsites.
San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts
Beside the Concho River in downtown San Angelo, this art museum occupies a building opened in 1999 and is especially strong in contemporary ceramics, alongside Texas art and Spanish Colonial and Mexican religious works.
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
Seat of the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo since 1961, this cathedral stands on a site donated in 1874 that held the town's first church building, completed in 1884.
When you get to Ciudad Acuña
Ciudad Acuña faces Del Rio, Texas, across the Rio Grande, at the spot where Las Vacas Creek flows into the river. Coahuila's tourism office calls it the state's friendly border, and its biggest draw is the Amistad reservoir, the largest body of water in Coahuila, used for boating, fishing, skiing, sailing and kayaking.
- Presa La Amistad: The reservoir is the city's signature attraction, with fishing, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, diving and kayaking. source
- Plaza Benjamín Canales: The main square anchors the historic center, near the Hemiciclo a Juárez, the monumental flagpole and the Fiftieth Anniversary Forum. source
- Parroquia de Santa María de Guadalupe: The downtown parish church dates from 1914 and is one of the historic landmarks of the city center. source
Whitehead Memorial Museum
Set on about 2.5 acres in Del Rio, this pioneer-village history museum covers frontier life, border radio, and "goat-gland doctor" John Brinkley, and holds the grave of Old West justice of the peace Roy Bean.
More drives to Ciudad Acuña
- Corpus Christi, TX to Ciudad Acuña
- Nacogdoches, TX to Ciudad Acuña
- Clinton, OK to Ciudad Acuña
- Lawton, OK to Ciudad Acuña
- Gruene, TX to Ciudad Acuña
- Comfort, TX to Ciudad Acuña
From Denton to other places in Mexico
All routes to Ciudad Acuña, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico from the U.S.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Denton to Ciudad Acuña?
About 7 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 436 miles.
How far is Ciudad Acuña from Denton by car?
About 436 miles (701 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.
Where does the Denton to Ciudad Acuña drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 433 of this route, from Texas into Coahuila, near the Del Rio port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from Denton to Ciudad Acuña?
Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther into Mexico. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card.
Is it safe to drive from Denton to Ciudad Acuña?
The U.S. State Department rates Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Denton to Ciudad Acuña use?
In order: I-35W, I-35W Express, I-820, I-30, I-20, Loop 322, US-83, US-67, US-87, US-277 and US-90. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Denton and Ciudad Acuña?
Closest to the road: Abilene Zoological Gardens (zoo, mile 182, 0.2 mi from the route); Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (catholic cathedral, mile 275, 0.6 mi from the route); San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (art museum, mile 275, 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 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.