The Wayro route from El Paso to Torreón is 524 miles (843 km), about 9 h 31 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 1 on this route, near the El Paso port of entry.
| Distance | 524 mi (843 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → CHIH 187 → MEX-49D → MEX-49 → MEX-40 |
| Border crossing | about mile 1 of this route, Texas → Chihuahua (near the El Paso, TX port of entry) |
| Mexican states on the route | Chihuahua (Level 3), Durango (Level 3), Coahuila (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-49D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 1 |
Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Torreón
| Passport | Passport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land |
|---|---|
| FMM entry permit | Required for this trip: Torreón is well beyond the 12-mile (20 km) border zone where the permit is not needed |
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required for a U.S.-registered vehicle this far 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 El Paso
El Paso and Ciudad Juárez are joined by several Rio Grande bridges, including Paso del Norte downtown for pedestrians and northbound cars, Stanton Street with a northbound SENTRI lane, and the Bridge of the Americas for passenger vehicles and trucks. Paso del Norte also has Ready Lanes.
Sources: [1]
What the drive from El Paso to Torreón is like
MEX-45D (224 mi) and MEX-45 (131 mi) carry about 68% of the 524 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Texas for about 1 miles; after the border at El Paso you have about 523 miles left in Mexico. The Mexican leg uses MEX-45D, MEX-49D, toll highways (cuota). None of the 1 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from El Paso to Torreón, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–12 | 12 | Texas, Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 12–82 | 70 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 82–83 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 83–196 | 113 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 196–210 | 14 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 210–242 | 32 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 242–243 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 243–290 | 47 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 290–325 | 35 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 325–326 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| CHIH 187 | 326–329 | 3 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 329–330 | 1 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45D | 330–374 | 44 | Chihuahua |
| connecting roads | 374–377 | 3 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-49D | 377–496 | 119 | Chihuahua, Durango |
| MEX-49 | 496–516 | 20 | Durango |
| MEX-40 | 516–520 | 4 | Durango |
| local roads | 520–524 | 4 | Durango, Coahuila |
- Mile 1 of this route: Texas → Chihuahua (international border)
- Mile 424 of this route: Chihuahua → Durango (state line)
- Mile 521 of this route: Durango → Coahuila (state line)
Stops between El Paso and Torreón
Nombre de Dios Grottoes
When you get to Torreón
Torreón anchors La Laguna, the metro area it shares with Matamoros and Francisco I. Madero in Coahuila and with Gómez Palacio and Lerdo across the line in Durango. Visit Mexico counts it among the country's youngest cities and notes its nickname, the Pearl of La Laguna, while downtown keeps an early-20th-century core of theaters, banks and museums.
- Cristo de las Noas: A monumental Christ statue by sculptor Vladimir Alvarado crowns a hill above town, with a lookout and a cable car running up from downtown. source
- Museo Arocena: This downtown museum spreads across three historic buildings, the Casino de la Laguna, the Russek Building and the Arocena Building, and shows colonial-era art. source
- Canal de la Perla: A late-19th-century irrigation canal under the city center has been turned into a walkable tourist corridor. source
More drives to Torreón
- Wimberley, TX to Torreón
- San Angelo, TX to Torreón
- Del Rio, TX to Torreón
- Rockport, TX to Torreón
- Marfa, TX to Torreón
- Blanco, TX to Torreón
From El Paso to other places in Mexico
- El Paso, TX to Cuauhtémoc
- El Paso, TX to Batopilas
- El Paso, TX to Chihuahua
- El Paso, TX to Ciudad Juárez
- El Paso, TX to Sonoyta
- El Paso, TX to Múzquiz
All routes to Torreón, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Torreón, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from El Paso to Torreón?
About 9 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 524 miles.
How far is Torreón from El Paso by car?
About 524 miles (843 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 El Paso to Torreón drive cross into Mexico?
At about mile 1 of this route, from Texas into Chihuahua, near the El Paso port of entry.
Do I need a permit to drive my car from El Paso to Torreón?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car this far into Mexico. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card. An FMM entry permit is required too.
Is it safe to drive from El Paso to Torreón?
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 El Paso to Torreón use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, CHIH 187, MEX-49D, MEX-49 and MEX-40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between El Paso and Torreón?
Closest to the road: Nombre de Dios Grottoes (show cave, mile 226, 4 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.