Plan on about 8 h 50 min of driving for the 443-mile (713 km) trip from Monterrey to Temacapulín, before any stops.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Nuevo León: “Those traveling between the U.S. border and Monterrey on highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D should exercise caution and avoid travel after dark.”
- Nuevo León: “Armed robberies and carjackings have occurred along these highways even during daylight hours.”
| Distance by road | 443 mi (713 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 50 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-40D → MEX-54 → ZAC 155 → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-80D |
| Mexican states on the route | Nuevo León, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-40D, MEX-45D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.7 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.
On the road from Monterrey to Temacapulín
MEX-54 (204 mi) and MEX-40D (63 mi) carry about 60% of the 443 miles. It runs through 5 states: Nuevo León, Coahuila, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-40D, MEX-45D and MEX-80D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Monterrey to Temacapulín: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40D | 7–70 | 63 | Nuevo León, Coahuila |
| MEX-54 | 70–274 | 204 | Coahuila, Zacatecas |
| ZAC 155 | 274–278 | 4 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 278–309 | 31 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 309–338 | 29 | Zacatecas, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 338–342 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 342–372 | 30 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 372–385 | 13 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 385–396 | 11 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 396–398 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 398–424 | 26 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 424–426 | 2 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 426–443 | 17 | Jalisco |
- Mile 31 of this route: Nuevo León → Coahuila (state line)
- Mile 109 of this route: Coahuila → Zacatecas (state line)
- Mile 314 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 368 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Monterrey and Temacapulín
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 353)
- Museums and history: Historic centre of Zacatecas (mile 281), Guadalupe regional museum (mile 288), Museo de la Insurgencia (mile 332), Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 353), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 403), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 410)
Cerro La Mota
Protected by Nuevo León state since 2000, Cerro La Mota, also known as Sierra Nacataz, covers about 9,400 hectares of mountains in García and Santa Catarina, ringed by other protected ranges.
Historic centre of Zacatecas
Zacatecas' UNESCO-listed center packs in an 18th-century Baroque cathedral, colonial convents, the Calderón Theater and the old González Market, all set on the steep sides of a narrow valley.
Guadalupe regional museum
Paintings by Cristóbal de Villalpando, Miguel Cabrera and Juan Correa are part of the important 17th- to 19th-century collection at the Museo de Guadalupe, in Guadalupe, Zacatecas.
Museo de la Insurgencia
Mexico's independence movement is the subject of the Museo de la Insurgencia, opened in 1964 inside a 17th-century estate. Exhibits include farm, mining and textile tools once used in hacienda work.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Aguascalientes' Museum of Contemporary Art shows works by contemporary Mexican artists in its Jesús F. Contreras gallery.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
Pyramids, sunken patios and a ball court spread over roughly nine hectares at Teocaltitán, close to Jalostotitlán in the Los Altos region.
More drives to Temacapulín
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Temacapulín
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Temacapulín
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Temacapulín
- Real de Asientos to Temacapulín
- Pinos to Temacapulín
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Temacapulín
From Monterrey to other places in Mexico
- Monterrey to Ciudad Victoria
- Monterrey to Ciudad Tula
- Monterrey to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Monterrey to Ciudad Valles
- Monterrey to Aguascalientes
- Monterrey to Jalpa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Monterrey to Temacapulín?
About 8 h 50 min of driving without stops, over 443 miles.
How far is Temacapulín from Monterrey by car?
About 443 miles (713 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 Monterrey to Temacapulín?
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 Monterrey to Temacapulín?
The U.S. State Department rates Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Monterrey to Temacapulín?
In order: MEX-40D, MEX-54, ZAC 155, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and MEX-80D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Monterrey and Temacapulín?
Closest to the road: Museum of Contemporary Art (art museum, mile 353, 0.2 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (basilica, mile 403, 2 mi from the route); Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (archaeological site, mile 410, 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.