The Wayro route from Mexico City to Guadalajara is 343 miles (552 km), about 5 h 43 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 343 mi (552 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 43 min |
| Main roads, in order | Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D |
| Mexican states on the route | Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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 Guadalajara is like
MEX-15D (244 mi) and MEX-57 (34 mi) carry about 81% of the 343 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-57 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 5 states: Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Michoacán, Jalisco. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Mexico City to Guadalajara, 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 | 93–337 | 244 | State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 337–339 | 2 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 339–343 | 4 | 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)
Stops between Mexico City and Guadalajara
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Acuario Inbursa (mile 9), Museo Nacional del Virreinato (mile 30), Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 47)
- Nature and outdoors: Bicentennial Park (mile 11), Los Remedios National Park (mile 12), Rayón National Park (mile 114)
- Museums and history: Tenayuca (mile 18), Xólotl Museum (mile 18), Museo Nacional del Virreinato (mile 30), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 132)
- With kids: Acuario Inbursa (mile 9)
Acuario Inbursa
In the Nuevo Polanco area of Mexico City, Acuario Inbursa spreads across about 3,500 square meters of exhibits holding some 1.6 million liters of seawater.
Bicentennial Park
On the line between the Azcapotzalco and Miguel Hidalgo boroughs, Bicentennial Park (Parque Bicentenario) is a park in the western part of Mexico City.
Los Remedios National Park
Los Remedios National Park, created by federal decree in 1938, covers about 400 hectares on the far western side of Naucalpan, just northwest of Mexico City.
Tenayuca
Tenayuca is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the Valley of Mexico. In the Postclassic period it was a settlement on the old western shore of Lake Texcoco.
Xólotl Museum
Run by INAH at the Tenayuca archaeological zone in Tlalnepantla, the Xólotl Museum traces the history of Tenayuca, an early Chichimec settlement in the Basin of Mexico.
Museo Nacional del Virreinato
Housed in the former Jesuit college of San Francisco Javier in Tepotzotlán, begun in 1606, this national museum covers three centuries of colonial art. Its Baroque church, built 1670-1682, keeps altarpieces designed by Miguel Cabrera and Higinio de Chávez.
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.
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 Guadalajara
Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan
The Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan is a 17th-century Franciscan sanctuary in downtown Zapopan. It keeps a wooden image of the Virgin that came from Spain to New Galicia in the 16th century.
Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes
The University of Guadalajara's Museo de las Artes, known as MUSA, opened on October 10, 1994, and was expanded in 2013.
Guadalajara Cathedral
In the Centro of Guadalajara, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady is the seat of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara and a minor basilica.
More drives to Guadalajara
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 Guadalajara?
About 5 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 343 miles.
How far is Guadalajara from Mexico City by car?
About 343 miles (552 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 Guadalajara?
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 Guadalajara?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Mexico City to Guadalajara use?
In order: Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-M40D and MEX-15D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Mexico City and Guadalajara?
Closest to the road: Acuario Inbursa (public aquarium, mile 9, 0.6 mi from the route); Museo Nacional del Virreinato (museum, mile 30, 0.9 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.