The Wayro route from Mexico City to Barra de Navidad is 514 miles (827 km), about 9 h 43 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 514 mi (827 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 43 min |
| Main roads, in order | Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-110 → MEX-15 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Colima (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.5 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.
What the drive from Mexico City to Barra de Navidad is like
MEX-15D (188 mi) and MEX-110 (108 mi) carry about 58% of the 514 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D, MEX-200D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-54, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Mexico City to Barra de Navidad, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 2–6 | 4 | Mexico City |
| Periférico | 6–24 | 18 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| MEX-57 | 24–58 | 34 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 58–60 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 60–93 | 33 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 93–281 | 188 | State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 281–286 | 5 | Jalisco |
| MEX-110 | 286–304 | 18 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 304–309 | 5 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 309–311 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 311–377 | 66 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-54 | 377–386 | 9 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 386–388 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 388–413 | 25 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-54 | 413–420 | 7 | Colima |
| MEX-110 | 420–444 | 24 | Colima |
| connecting roads | 444–447 | 3 | Colima |
| MEX-200D | 447–484 | 37 | Colima |
| MEX-200 | 484–512 | 28 | Colima, Jalisco |
| local roads | 512–514 | 2 | Jalisco |
- Mile 9 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 41 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 62 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 111 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 279 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 286 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 335 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 404 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
- Mile 500 of this route: Colima → Jalisco (state line)
Stops between Mexico City and Barra de Navidad
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Soumaya (mile 9), Parque Naucalli (mile 13), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 457)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Naucalli (mile 13), Rayón National Park (mile 114), Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 400)
- Museums and history: Museo Soumaya (mile 9), Museo Tezozómoc (mile 12), Cristo Rey (mile 19), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 94), Museo Comunitario de la Sal (mile 457)
Museo Soumaya
Museo Soumaya is a private, nonprofit art museum in Mexico City with two buildings, Plaza Loreto and Plaza Carso. Its collection spans pre-Hispanic sculpture, Mexican art and European masters such as Rodin, Dalí and Tintoretto.
Museo Tezozómoc
Run by the Instituto Politécnico Nacional since 1999, Museo Tezozómoc is an interactive museum about science and technology.
Parque Naucalli
Parque Naucalli is a park just outside Mexico City, in the municipality of Naucalpan de Juárez, where planning for the park began in 1975.
Cristo Rey
Begun in 1975 and inaugurated in 1981, this colossal Cristo Rey statue stands on Cerro Cola de Caballo in the Sierra de Guadalupe, within the Jardines del Recuerdo cemetery in Tlalnepantla.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.
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.
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.
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.
More drives to Barra de Navidad
- Cotija to Barra de Navidad
- Tepatitlán to Barra de Navidad
- San Juan de los Lagos to Barra de Navidad
- Nochistlán to Barra de Navidad
- Jalpa to Barra de Navidad
- Pátzcuaro to Barra de Navidad
From Mexico City to other places in Mexico
- Mexico City to Metepec
- Mexico City to Toluca
- Mexico City to Cuernavaca
- Mexico City to Atlatlahucan
- Mexico City to Malinalco
- Mexico City to Cuautla
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Mexico City to Barra de Navidad?
About 9 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 514 miles.
How far is Barra de Navidad from Mexico City by car?
About 514 miles (827 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 Mexico City to Barra de Navidad?
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 Mexico City to Barra de Navidad?
The U.S. State Department rates Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Mexico City to Barra de Navidad use?
In order: Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Barra de Navidad?
Closest to the road: Museo Soumaya (museum network, mile 9, 0.6 mi from the route); Parque Naucalli (park, mile 13, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Comunitario de la Sal (museum, mile 457, 0.4 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.