Linares to Jalpa is about 455 road miles (733 km): roughly 9 h 16 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 by road | 455 mi (733 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-40 → MEX-40D → MEX-54 → MEX-45 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nuevo León, Coahuila, Zacatecas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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.
How the Linares to Jalpa drive plays out
MEX-54 (301 mi) and MEX-85 (71 mi) carry about 82% of the 455 miles. It runs through 3 states: Nuevo León, Coahuila, Zacatecas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-40D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Linares to Jalpa
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-85 | 1–72 | 71 | Nuevo León |
| local roads | 72–79 | 7 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40 | 79–85 | 6 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40D | 85–147 | 62 | Nuevo León, Coahuila |
| MEX-54 | 147–356 | 209 | Coahuila, Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 356–362 | 6 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-54 | 362–454 | 92 | Zacatecas |
| local roads | 454–455 | 1 | Zacatecas |
- Mile 109 of this route: Nuevo León → Coahuila (state line)
- Mile 186 of this route: Coahuila → Zacatecas (state line)
What to see on the way from Linares to Jalpa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Monterrey Cathedral (mile 79)
- Nature and outdoors: Cumbres de Monterrey National Park (mile 47), Cola de Caballo (mile 57)
- Museums and history: Papalote Museum, Monterrey (mile 78), Monterrey Cathedral (mile 79), Historic centre of Zacatecas (mile 362), Guadalupe regional museum (mile 362), La Quemada (mile 388)
Cumbres de Monterrey National Park
Spanning the northern Sierra Madre Oriental in Nuevo León and Coahuila near Monterrey, Cumbres de Monterrey National Park protects more than 1,770 square kilometers of rugged terrain with deep canyons, rivers, waterfalls and mountain peaks, including Cerro de la Silla.
Cola de Caballo
In the Sierra Madre Oriental outside Santiago, this 27-meter waterfall takes its name from the way its stream spills like a horse's tail. A walking path leads visitors to the falls.
Papalote Museum, Monterrey
Inside Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, Papalote Museo del Niño is a children's museum set in an underground space 16 meters below ground, designed by architect Iñaki Echeverría.
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.
Cerro La Mota
Protected by Nuevo León state since 2000, Cerro La Mota, also known as Sierra Nacataz, covers about 9,400 hectares of mountains in García and Santa Catarina, ringed by other protected ranges.
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
Missionaries were once sent north from this former college in Guadalupe, Zacatecas. Today it holds the Museo de Guadalupe and an important collection of painting from the 17th to the 19th century.
La Quemada
About 56 km south of Zacatecas on Federal Highway 54 toward Guadalajara, La Quemada is an archaeological site in the Villanueva municipality.
Arriving in Jalpa
Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes
The Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes is a community museum in the municipality of Jalpa, in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, named for teacher Arturo Reyes Viramontes.
More drives to Jalpa
From Linares to other places in Mexico
- Linares to Pinos
- Linares to Mineral de Pozos
- Linares to Pinal de Amoles
- Linares to San Juan de los Lagos
- Linares to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Linares to Calvillo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Linares to Jalpa?
About 9 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 455 miles.
How far is Jalpa from Linares by car?
About 455 miles (733 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 Linares to Jalpa?
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 Linares to Jalpa?
The U.S. State Department rates Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Linares to Jalpa?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-40, MEX-40D, MEX-54 and MEX-45. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Linares to Jalpa?
Closest to the road: Papalote Museum, Monterrey (museum, mile 78, 1 mi from the route); Monterrey Cathedral (cathedral, mile 79, 0.2 mi from the route); La Quemada (archaeological site, mile 388, 1 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.