Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso is about 474 road miles (763 km): roughly 9 h 4 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Nuevo León: “Those traveling between the U.S. border and Monterrey on highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D should exercise caution and avoid travel after dark.”
- Nuevo León: “Armed robberies and carjackings have occurred along these highways even during daylight hours.”
| Distance | 474 mi (763 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-23 → MEX-54 → MEX-45 → MEX-57 → MEX-40 → MEX-40D → MEX-2D |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-40D, MEX-2D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 insurance | Required 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.
Driving Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso: the shape of the trip
MEX-54 (230 mi) and MEX-40D (114 mi) carry about 73% of the 474 miles. It runs through 4 states: Zacatecas, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-40D and MEX-2D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-23 | 0–16 | 16 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-54 | 16–30 | 14 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 30–37 | 7 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-54 | 37–253 | 216 | Zacatecas, Coahuila |
| MEX-57 | 253–258 | 5 | Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 258–261 | 3 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 261–275 | 14 | Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 275–276 | 1 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40D | 276–306 | 30 | Coahuila, Nuevo León |
| connecting roads | 306–309 | 3 | Nuevo León |
| local roads | 309–314 | 5 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40 | 314–334 | 20 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40D | 334–418 | 84 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40 | 418–436 | 18 | Nuevo León, Tamaulipas |
| MEX-2D | 436–472 | 36 | Tamaulipas |
| local roads | 472–474 | 2 | Tamaulipas |
- Mile 206 of this route: Zacatecas → Coahuila (state line)
- Mile 282 of this route: Coahuila → Nuevo León (state line)
- Mile 429 of this route: Nuevo León → Tamaulipas (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Jerez, Zacatecas and Nuevo Progreso
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Monterrey Cathedral (mile 312), Museo del Noreste (mile 313)
- Museums and history: Historic centre of Zacatecas (mile 30), Guadalupe regional museum (mile 30), Birds Museum of Mexico (mile 257), Saltillo Cathedral (mile 258), Monterrey Cathedral (mile 312), Museo del Noreste (mile 313)
Historic centre of Zacatecas
Founded in 1546 after a rich silver strike, Zacatecas climbs the steep sides of a narrow valley; its UNESCO-listed center holds an 18th-century Baroque cathedral, colonial convents, the Calderón Theater and the old González Market.
Guadalupe regional museum
Paintings by Cristóbal de Villalpando, Miguel Cabrera and Juan Correa are part of the important 17th- to 19th-century collection at the Museo de Guadalupe, in Guadalupe, Zacatecas.
Birds Museum of Mexico
Opened in Saltillo in 1993, the Birds Museum of Mexico (Museo de las Aves de México) grew from a collection Aldegundo Garza de León built over 50 years and donated.
Saltillo Cathedral
Built between 1745 and 1800 in downtown Saltillo, the Cathedral of Santiago Apóstol has a carved stone facade with Solomonic, estípite, and Churrigueresque columns. Inside, look for an ornate altarpiece with a silver frontal and a pulpit carved with plant motifs.
Cerro La Mota
Cerro La Mota, also called Sierra Nacataz, covers about 9,400 hectares of mountains in García and Santa Catarina, with other protected ranges all around it.
Monterrey Cathedral
Built over more than a century and finished with a baroque facade in 1800, Monterrey's cathedral faces the downtown Plaza de Armas. Its bell tower went up in the 1890s, and a 1940s mural by Ángel Zárraga decorates the apse.
Museo del Noreste
Part of Monterrey's three-museum complex with the Museo del Palacio and the Museo de Historia Mexicana, Museo del Noreste belongs to the Paseo Santa Lucía complex.
More drives to Nuevo Progreso
- Torreón to Nuevo Progreso
- Fresnillo to Nuevo Progreso
- Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Nuevo Progreso
- Sombrerete to Nuevo Progreso
- San Miguel de Allende to Nuevo Progreso
From Jerez, Zacatecas to other places in Mexico
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Jerez, Zacatecas to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Temacapulín
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Ajijic
- Jerez, Zacatecas to San Luis Soyatlán
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Cotija
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso?
About 9 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 474 miles.
How far is Nuevo Progreso from Jerez, Zacatecas by car?
About 474 miles (763 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 Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso?
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 Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso?
The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso?
In order: MEX-23, MEX-54, MEX-45, MEX-57, MEX-40, MEX-40D and MEX-2D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso?
Closest to the road: Birds Museum of Mexico (museum, mile 257, 1 mi from the route); Monterrey Cathedral (cathedral, mile 312, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo del Noreste (museum, mile 313, 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.