The Wayro route from Manzanillo to El Oro is 375 miles (604 km), about 7 h 17 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 375 mi (604 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-110 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-15 → MEX-15D |
| Mexican states on the route | Colima (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
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 Manzanillo to El Oro is like
MEX-15D (168 mi) and MEX-110 (107 mi) carry about 73% of the 375 miles. MEX-200D, MEX-54D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-200, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico. Of the 4 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Manzanillo to El Oro, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Colima |
| MEX-200 | 3–9 | 6 | Colima |
| MEX-200D | 9–35 | 26 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 35–38 | 3 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 38–63 | 25 | Colima |
| MEX-54 | 63–70 | 7 | Colima |
| MEX-54D | 70–94 | 24 | Colima, Jalisco |
| MEX-54 | 94–104 | 10 | Jalisco |
| MEX-110 | 104–168 | 64 | Jalisco, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 168–170 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 170–176 | 6 | Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 176–194 | 18 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 194–198 | 4 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 198–366 | 168 | Jalisco, Michoacán |
| local roads | 366–375 | 9 | Michoacán, State of Mexico |
- Mile 80 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 146 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 195 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 201 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 373 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Manzanillo and El Oro
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26)
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 83)
- Museums and history: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 26), Alfonso Michel University Art Gallery (mile 65), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 348)
Museo Comunitario de la Sal
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.
Alfonso Michel University Art Gallery
Two restored old houses in downtown Colima hold this art gallery (Pinacoteca Universitaria Alfonso Michel), which honors painter Alfonso Michel and displays a large collection belonging to the University of Colima.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park
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.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
When you get to El Oro
Museo del Ferrocarril del Oro
The Museo del Ferrocarril is in El Oro de Hidalgo, State of Mexico, a town seen as an important part of Mexico's mining and railroad history and named a Pueblo Mágico in 2011.
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
More drives to El Oro
- Amatitán to El Oro
- Pabellón de Arteaga to El Oro
- Tequila to El Oro
- Calvillo to El Oro
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to El Oro
- Zacatecas to El Oro
From Manzanillo to other places in Mexico
- Manzanillo to Comala
- Manzanillo to Mazamitla
- Manzanillo to Cotija
- Manzanillo to San Luis Soyatlán
- Manzanillo to Ajijic
- Manzanillo to Tequila
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Manzanillo to El Oro?
About 7 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 375 miles.
How far is El Oro from Manzanillo by car?
About 375 miles (604 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 Manzanillo to El Oro?
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 Manzanillo to El Oro?
The U.S. State Department rates Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Manzanillo to El Oro use?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-110, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-15 and MEX-15D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Manzanillo and El Oro?
Closest to the road: Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 26, 0.4 mi from the route); Alfonso Michel University Art Gallery (museum, mile 65, 2 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 348, 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 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.