The Wayro route from Mexico City to Colima is 418 miles (673 km), about 7 h 52 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 418 mi (673 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-110 → MEX-15 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D |
| 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 |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.7 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 Mexico City to Colima is like
MEX-15D (188 mi) and MEX-110 (84 mi) carry about 65% of the 418 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-54 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Mexico City to Colima, 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 | 413–418 | 5 | Colima |
- 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)
Stops between Mexico City and Colima
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Soumaya (mile 9), Torres de Satélite (mile 14), Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 47)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 114), Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 400)
- Museums and history: Museo Soumaya (mile 9), Tlalnepantla Cathedral (mile 17), Santa Cecilia Acatitlan (mile 18)
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.
Torres de Satélite
The Torres de Satélite are giant sculptures in Ciudad Satélite, Naucalpan, conceived from 1957 by architect Luis Barragán, painter Jesús Reyes Ferreira and sculptor Mathias Goeritz.
Tlalnepantla Cathedral
Consecrated on August 23, 1964, Tlalnepantla's Corpus Christi Cathedral stands where Franciscans founded the Convent of San Francisco in 1525.
Santa Cecilia Acatitlan
Santa Cecilia Acatitlan is an early Aztec archaeological zone in Tlalnepantla de Baz, about 10 km northwest of Mexico City, once on the shore of Lake Texcoco.
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco
The Templo y Exconvento de San Francisco is a church and former convent located in the city of Tepeji del Río, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
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.
When you get to Colima
Museo Regional de la Cristiada
The Museo Regional de la Cristiada is a small museum in the city of Colima, in the Mexican state of the same name. It opened its doors in 2004.
Cathedral Basilica of Colima
Colima Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, stands at a corner of the Jardín Libertad in the city center. Pope John Paul II named it a minor basilica on October 12, 1998.
Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar
Founded by collector María Teresa Pomar and run by the University of Colima, this museum is dedicated to Mexican folk art and handcrafts (artesanía), with pieces from across the country as well as the traditions of Colima state.
More drives to Colima
- Guadalajara to Colima
- Irapuato to Colima
- Salamanca to Colima
- León to Colima
- Aguascalientes to Colima
- Guanajuato to Colima
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 Colima?
About 7 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 418 miles.
How far is Colima from Mexico City by car?
About 418 miles (673 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 Colima?
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 Colima?
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 Colima use?
In order: Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-54 and MEX-54D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Colima?
Closest to the road: Museo Soumaya (museum network, mile 9, 0.6 mi from the route); Torres de Satélite (sculpture, mile 14, 0.1 mi from the route); Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (convent, mile 47, 0.6 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.