Duncan to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico: Border Crossing, Route & Stops

By admin, 30 September, 2026

The Wayro route from Duncan to Ciudad Acuña is 461 miles (742 km), about 8 h 56 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 458 on this route, near the Del Rio port of entry.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Coahuila — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Coahuila is the Mexican state that contains Ciudad Acuña. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Wichita Falls Railroad MuseumThe Grace MuseumAbilene State ParkSan Angelo Museum of Fine ArtsCathedral of the Sacred HeartU.S.–Mexico borderDuncanCiudad Acuña
Route from Duncan to Ciudad Acuña with the 5 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate U.S.–Mexico border crossing (red square).
Distance461 mi (742 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 56 min
Main roads, in orderUS-81 → US-70 → OK 79 → TX 79 → US-82 → US-277 → US-83 → US-87 → US-90
Border crossingabout mile 458 of this route, Texas → Coahuila (near the Del Rio, TX port of entry)
Mexican states on the routeCoahuila (Level 3)
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 18.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below5

Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Ciudad Acuña

PassportPassport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land
FMM entry permitNot 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 insuranceRequired 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.

Sources: [1] [2]

What the drive from Duncan to Ciudad Acuña is like

US-277 (304 mi) and US-82 (59 mi) carry about 79% of the 461 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Oklahoma, Texas for about 458 miles; after the border at Del Rio you have about 3 miles left in Mexico. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Duncan to Ciudad Acuña, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Oklahoma
US-811–2524Oklahoma
US-7025–294Oklahoma
OK 7929–323Oklahoma
TX 7932–6028Texas
US-8260–11959Texas
US-277119–19071Texas
US-83190–21424Texas
US-277214–30086Texas
US-87300–3044Texas
US-277304–451147Texas
US-90451–4554Texas
local roads455–4616Texas, Coahuila
  • Mile 32 of this route: Oklahoma → Texas (state line)
  • Mile 458 of this route: Texas → Coahuila (international border)

Stops between Duncan and Ciudad Acuña

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (mile 300), Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (mile 300)
  • Nature and outdoors: Wichita Falls Railroad Museum (mile 63), Abilene State Park (mile 227)
  • Museums and history: Wichita Falls Railroad Museum (mile 63), The Grace Museum (mile 211), San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (mile 300), Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (mile 300)

Wichita Falls Railroad Museum

Mile 63 · Railway museum · 1 mi from the route

The Grace Museum

Mile 211 · Art museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 227 · State park · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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

Mile 300 · Art museum · 0.6 mi from the route

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

Mile 300 · Catholic cathedral · 0.6 mi from the route

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

Museum · in Ciudad Acuña

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

From Duncan 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 Duncan to Ciudad Acuña?

About 8 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 461 miles.

How far is Ciudad Acuña from Duncan by car?

About 461 miles (742 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 Duncan to Ciudad Acuña drive cross into Mexico?

At about mile 458 of this route, from Texas into Coahuila, near the Del Rio port of entry.

Do I need a permit to drive my car from Duncan 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 Duncan 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 Duncan to Ciudad Acuña use?

In order: US-81, US-70, OK 79, TX 79, US-82, US-277, US-83, US-87 and US-90. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Duncan and Ciudad Acuña?

Closest to the road: Wichita Falls Railroad Museum (railway museum, mile 63, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral of the Sacred Heart (catholic cathedral, mile 300, 0.6 mi from the route); San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (art museum, mile 300, 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.