Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas is 215 miles (346 km), about 4 h 20 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Zacatecas is the Mexican state that contains Jerez, Zacatecas. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Museum of Contemporary ArtMuseo Espacio, AguascalientesMuseo de la InsurgenciaGuadalupe regional museumCathedral Basilica of ZacatecasManuel Felguérez MuseumGuanajuatoJerez, Zacatecas
Route from Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas with the 6 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance215 mi (346 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 20 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-110D → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-54 → MEX-23
Mexican states on the routeGuanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-110D, MEX-45D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 8.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below6

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 insuranceRequired 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 Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas is like

MEX-45D (86 mi) and MEX-45 (83 mi) carry about 79% of the 215 miles. MEX-110D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-54, MEX-23 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas. Of the 6 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–44Guanajuato
MEX-110D4–128Guanajuato
MEX-4512–2513Guanajuato
connecting roads25–261Guanajuato
MEX-45D26–9165Guanajuato, Jalisco
MEX-4591–12130Jalisco, Aguascalientes
local roads121–1243Aguascalientes
MEX-45124–15228Aguascalientes, Zacatecas
MEX-45D152–17321Zacatecas
MEX-45173–18512Zacatecas
MEX-54185–19914Zacatecas
MEX-23199–21516Zacatecas
  • Mile 46 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 94 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
  • Mile 149 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)

Stops between Guanajuato and Jerez, Zacatecas

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 109), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 110), Guadalupe regional museum (mile 177), Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas (mile 181), Manuel Felguérez Museum (mile 181)
  • Museums and history: Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 109), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 110), Museo de la Insurgencia (mile 130), Guadalupe regional museum (mile 177), Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas (mile 181), Manuel Felguérez Museum (mile 181)

Museum of Contemporary Art

Mile 109 · Art museum · 0.2 mi from the route

Aguascalientes' Museum of Contemporary Art shows works by contemporary Mexican artists in its Jesús F. Contreras gallery.

Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes

Mile 110 · Art museum · 0.8 mi from the route

Inside the Tres Centurias complex at Aguascalientes' old train station, Museo Espacio is a contemporary art museum, so a visit pairs current work with a look at the city's railroad buildings.

Museo de la Insurgencia

Mile 130 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Set in a 17th-century estate, the Museo de la Insurgencia opened in 1964 to tell the story of Mexico's independence movement. One hall shows farm, mining and textile tools from hacienda work; another displays everyday objects from past eras.

Guadalupe regional museum

Mile 177 · Museum · 0.7 mi from the route

In Guadalupe, Zacatecas, the Museo de Guadalupe fills a former college that sent missionaries to the north and holds an important collection of 17th- to 19th-century painting, including works by Cristóbal de Villalpando, Miguel Cabrera and Juan Correa.

Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas

Mile 181 · Minor basilica · 0.5 mi from the route

Dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption, the Cathedral of Zacatecas is the main church of the Diocese of Zacatecas.

Manuel Felguérez Museum

Mile 181 · Art museum · 0.9 mi from the route

A former seminary begun in 1870, later a barracks and then a prison until 1995, now holds Zacatecas' Museo de Arte Abstracto Manuel Felguérez, devoted to abstract art and to the work of the painter it's named after.

When you get to Jerez, Zacatecas

Jerez de García Salinas lies in a valley about 35 miles (57 km) from the city of Zacatecas, and in 2007 it became the state's first Pueblo Mágico. The town is the birthplace of poet Ramón López Velarde and is closely tied to tamborazo music, filigree jewelry and leatherwork.

  • Teatro Hinojosa: Built between 1872 and 1890, the theater keeps its hand-carved wooden seating and balconies. source
  • Casa Museo Ramón López Velarde: The poet's birthplace now displays his manuscripts and recordings of his work. source
  • Santuario de la Soledad: This neoclassical sanctuary has twin towers and an unusual lobed arch at its entrance. source

More drives to Jerez, Zacatecas

From Guanajuato to other places in Mexico

Coming to Jerez, Zacatecas from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico from the U.S.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas?

About 4 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 215 miles.

How far is Jerez, Zacatecas from Guanajuato by car?

About 215 miles (346 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 Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas?

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 Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas?

The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Guanajuato to Jerez, Zacatecas use?

In order: MEX-110D, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-54 and MEX-23. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Guanajuato and Jerez, Zacatecas?

Closest to the road: Museum of Contemporary Art (art museum, mile 109, 0.2 mi from the route); Guadalupe regional museum (museum, mile 177, 0.7 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas (minor basilica, mile 181, 0.5 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.