Irapuato to Manzanillo Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Irapuato to Manzanillo is 288 miles (464 km), about 6 h 19 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Michoacán — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Colima — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Colima is the Mexican state that contains Manzanillo. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Tequila CorralejoPlazuelasVolcán Nevado de Colima National ParkCathedral Basilica of ColimaMuseo Regional de la CristiadaMuseo Comunitario de la SalIrapuatoManzanillo
Route from Irapuato to Manzanillo with the 6 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance288 mi (464 km)
Driving time, no stops6 h 19 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-35 → MEX-15 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-200D
Mexican states on the routeGuanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Colima (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-90D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 11.5 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 Irapuato to Manzanillo is like

MEX-110 (130 mi) and MEX-90 (45 mi) carry about 61% of the 288 miles. MEX-90D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-90, MEX-110, MEX-35, MEX-15, MEX-54 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima. Of the 6 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Irapuato to Manzanillo, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Guanajuato
MEX-902–4745Guanajuato
MEX-90D47–6114Guanajuato, Michoacán
MEX-11061–8524Michoacán
MEX-3585–927Michoacán
connecting roads92–931Michoacán
MEX-11093–11017Michoacán
MEX-15110–1166Michoacán
connecting roads116–1171Michoacán
MEX-110117–18265Michoacán, Jalisco
MEX-54182–19210Jalisco
connecting roads192–1942Jalisco
MEX-54D194–21925Jalisco, Colima
MEX-54219–2267Colima
MEX-110226–25024Colima
connecting roads250–2533Colima
MEX-200D253–28532Colima
local roads285–2883Colima
  • Mile 59 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 140 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 209 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)

Stops between Irapuato and Manzanillo

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 263)
  • Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 205)
  • Museums and history: Plazuelas (mile 39), Cathedral Basilica of Colima (mile 224), Museo Regional de la Cristiada (mile 224), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 263)

Tequila Corralejo

Mile 24 · Distillery · 1 mi from the route

Tequila Corralejo is distilled in Pénjamo, Guanajuato, at the historic Hacienda de Corralejo, where the brand, established in 1996, offers guided tours and hosts social events.

Plazuelas

Mile 39 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route

Near Pénjamo, Plazuelas flourished between AD 450 and 700. Trails lead to Casas Tapadas, a platform crowned by four pyramid bases, a ball court, and rocks carved with spirals and La Maqueta, a low-relief model of Casas Tapadas.

Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park

Mile 205 · National Park of Mexico · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

This national park in western Mexico protects the upper slopes of two volcanic peaks, Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, in the states of Jalisco and Colima.

Cathedral Basilica of Colima

Mile 224 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route

Colima Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, stands at a corner of the Jardín Libertad in the city center. Pope John Paul II named it a minor basilica on October 12, 1998.

Museo Regional de la Cristiada

Mile 224 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Museo Regional de la Cristiada is a small museum in the city of Colima, in the Mexican state of the same name. It opened its doors in 2004.

Museo Comunitario de la Sal

Mile 263 · Museum · 0.4 mi from the route

Set in an old warehouse in Cuyutlán, the community Salt Museum (Museo Comunitario de la Sal) explains how local salt has been harvested, from the old tapeixtle technique to modern methods, with historic photos of the salt works.

More drives to Manzanillo

From Irapuato to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Irapuato to Manzanillo?

About 6 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 288 miles.

How far is Manzanillo from Irapuato by car?

About 288 miles (464 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 Irapuato to Manzanillo?

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 Irapuato to Manzanillo?

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

What roads does the drive from Irapuato to Manzanillo use?

In order: MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-35, MEX-15, MEX-54, MEX-54D and MEX-200D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Irapuato and Manzanillo?

Closest to the road: Tequila Corralejo (distillery, mile 24, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of Colima (cathedral, mile 224, 2 mi from the route); Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 263, 0.4 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.