Plan on about 6 h 23 min of driving for the 280-mile (450 km) trip from Matehuala to Jalpa, before any stops.
| Total distance | 280 mi (450 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-57 → MEX-57D → MEX-70 |
| Mexican states on the route | San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
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.
On the road from Matehuala to Jalpa
MEX-70 (132 mi) and MEX-57 (94 mi) carry about 81% of the 280 miles. It runs through 4 states: San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D. Of the 6 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Matehuala to Jalpa
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 2–80 | 78 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 80–101 | 21 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 101–117 | 16 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 117–127 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 127–136 | 9 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 136–217 | 81 | San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 217–227 | 10 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-70 | 227–278 | 51 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| local roads | 278–280 | 2 | Zacatecas |
- Mile 162 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Zacatecas (state line)
- Mile 166 of this route: Zacatecas → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 205 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 262 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Matehuala and Jalpa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 221), Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos (mile 254), La Santa Cruz (mile 255)
- Nature and outdoors: La Pona (mile 217)
- Museums and history: Federico Silva Museum (mile 119), Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 221), Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (mile 222), Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos (mile 254), La Santa Cruz (mile 255)
Federico Silva Museum
Opened on September 18, 2003, in San Luis Potosí's historic center, the Federico Silva Museum is devoted entirely to sculpture.
La Pona
Inside the city of Aguascalientes, La Pona protects a native mesquite woodland as an ecological conservation zone, with a quiet forest area for walks and a separate section with sports and recreation spaces.
Teatro Aguascalientes
Teatro Aguascalientes is the city's main opera house, a modern building by architect Abraham Zabludovsky with seating for about 1,650 people.
Museo Regional de Aguascalientes
An early 20th-century building by self-taught architect Refugio Reyes holds this INAH museum of Aguascalientes history, with fossils, archaeological finds, colonial paintings by Juan Correa and more than 300 devotional ex-voto paintings.
Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos
In Calvillo, Aguascalientes, the Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos opened in 2019 to preserve folk art and cultural pieces from Mexico's 121 Pueblos Mágicos.
La Santa Cruz
In Calvillo's town center, La Santa Cruz is a cultural and monumental complex with Catholic and historical themes devoted to Calvillo's role in the Cristero War of 1926; it opened in 2021.
In Jalpa itself
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 Matehuala to other places in Mexico
- Matehuala to San Juan de los Lagos
- Matehuala to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Matehuala to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Matehuala to Calvillo
- Matehuala to Temacapulín
- Matehuala to Ajijic
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Matehuala to Jalpa?
About 6 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 280 miles.
What is the driving distance from Matehuala to Jalpa?
About 280 miles (450 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 Matehuala 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 Matehuala to Jalpa?
The U.S. State Department rates San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Matehuala to Jalpa use?
In order: MEX-57, MEX-57D and MEX-70. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Matehuala to Jalpa?
Closest to the road: Teatro Aguascalientes (opera house, mile 221, 0.8 mi from the route); Museo Nacional de Pueblos Mágicos (museum, mile 254, 0.6 mi from the route); La Santa Cruz (museum, mile 255, 0.2 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.