The Wayro route from Jerez, Zacatecas to Pacanda is 337 miles (542 km), about 6 h 10 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 337 mi (542 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 10 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-23 → MEX-54 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-43D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.5 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.
What the drive from Jerez, Zacatecas to Pacanda is like
MEX-45D (128 mi) and MEX-45 (70 mi) carry about 59% of the 337 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-23, MEX-54, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Jerez, Zacatecas to Pacanda, 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 | 30–42 | 12 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 42–63 | 21 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 63–91 | 28 | Zacatecas, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 91–95 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 95–125 | 30 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 125–232 | 107 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-43D | 232–283 | 51 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 283–285 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 285–288 | 3 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 288–326 | 38 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 326–330 | 4 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 330–337 | 7 | Michoacán |
- Mile 68 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 121 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 169 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 270 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Jerez, Zacatecas and Pacanda
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Fernando Calderón (mile 34), Manuel Felguérez Museum (mile 34), Guadalupe regional museum (mile 38), Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 106)
- Museums and history: Manuel Felguérez Museum (mile 34), Guadalupe regional museum (mile 38), Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 106), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 327), Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 327)
Teatro Fernando Calderón
Built between 1891 and 1897 to plans by architect George Edward King, Zacatecas' Teatro Calderón honors playwright Fernando Calderón and witnessed violent events during the Toma de Zacatecas.
Manuel Felguérez Museum
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.
Guadalupe regional museum
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.
Centro de Artes Visuales
Run by the Instituto Cultural de Aguascalientes, the Centro de Artes Visuales is an arts education center in the city of Aguascalientes with its own exhibition space for visual art.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.
When you get to Pacanda
Lake Pátzcuaro
Boats leave the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro for its islands, including Janitzio, topped by a statue of José María Morelos. Purépecha fishers here are known for butterfly-shaped nets, and whitefish is the local specialty.
Ihuatzio
On the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, Ihuatzio was one of three main Purépecha power centers. Visitors can see raised walkways and two semicircular pyramids called yácatas; excavations here also turned up Chac Mool and coyote sculptures carved from volcanic rock.
More drives to Pacanda
- Amatitán to Pacanda
- Tequila to Pacanda
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Pacanda
- Real de Asientos to Pacanda
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Pacanda
- Zacatecas to Pacanda
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
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Jerez, Zacatecas to Pacanda?
About 6 h 10 min of driving without stops, over 337 miles.
How far is Pacanda from Jerez, Zacatecas by car?
About 337 miles (542 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 Pacanda?
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 Pacanda?
The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Jerez, Zacatecas to Pacanda use?
In order: MEX-23, MEX-54, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D and MEX-37D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Jerez, Zacatecas and Pacanda?
Closest to the road: Teatro Fernando Calderón (theatre building, mile 34, 0.5 mi from the route); Guadalupe regional museum (museum, mile 38, 0.7 mi from the route); Centro de Artes Visuales (art museum, mile 106, 0.3 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.