Nochistlán to Comala Road Trip: Stops, Tolls & Drive Time

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Nochistlán to Comala is 213 miles (342 km), about 4 h 29 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Colima — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Colima is the Mexican state that contains Comala. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Museo Etnográfico Huichol WixxarikaMuseo de Ciencias AmbientalesParque Metropolitano de GuadalajaraEl IxtépeteMuseo Arqueológico de Ciudad GuzmánCiudad Guzmán CathedralVolcán Nevado de Colima National ParkNochistlánComala
Route from Nochistlán to Comala with the 7 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance213 mi (342 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 29 min
Main roads, in orderJAL 205 → JAL 201 → MEX-54 → MEX-15 → MEX-54D
Mexican states on the routeZacatecas (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Colima (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-54D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 8.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below7

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 insuranceRequired 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 Nochistlán to Comala is like

MEX-54D (89 mi) and JAL 201 (36 mi) carry about 59% of the 213 miles. MEX-54D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-54, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Zacatecas, Jalisco, Colima. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Nochistlán to Comala, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–44Zacatecas
JAL 2054–2117Zacatecas, Jalisco
connecting roads21–243Jalisco
JAL 20124–6036Jalisco
MEX-5460–8121Jalisco
local roads81–9716Jalisco
MEX-1597–11316Jalisco
MEX-54D113–20289Jalisco, Colima
MEX-54202–2064Colima
local roads206–2137Colima
  • Mile 9 of this route: Zacatecas → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 193 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)

Stops between Nochistlán and Comala

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Ciencias Ambientales (mile 86), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 93), El Ixtépete (mile 96)
  • Nature and outdoors: Museo de Ciencias Ambientales (mile 86), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 93), Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 188)
  • Museums and history: Museo Etnográfico Huichol Wixxarika (mile 86), Museo de Ciencias Ambientales (mile 86), El Ixtépete (mile 96), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 167), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 168)

Museo Etnográfico Huichol Wixxarika

Mile 86 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

The Museo de Arte Huichol Wixárika is a public museum where visitors can see a permanent exhibition of Huichol art.

Museo de Ciencias Ambientales

Mile 86 · Natural history museum · 0.7 mi from the route

Part of the University of Guadalajara, Zapopan's Museo de Ciencias Ambientales uses interactive exhibits on biodiversity, ecology, climate change and waste to teach about the environment.

Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara

Mile 93 · Park · 0.7 mi from the route

Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Zapopan, Jalisco, that hosts many events, including concerts, outdoor movie screenings and food festivals.

El Ixtépete

Mile 96 · Archaeological site · 0.2 mi from the route

Zapopan's El Ixtépete preserves a pyramid built around AD 650-750, during the Grillo tradition, with at least seven superimposed construction phases; the site lies within the Guadalajara metro area near the Periférico and Avenida Mariano Otero.

Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán

Mile 167 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in the 1950s with writer Juan José Arreola among its promoters, this INAH museum in Ciudad Guzmán shows stone and ceramic pieces from western Mexico, colonial-era religious art and sketches by muralist José Clemente Orozco.

Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral

Mile 168 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.

Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park

Mile 188 · National Park of Mexico · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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 Comala

Museo Universitario Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo

Museum · in Comala

Founded in 1996 in the village of Nogueras, in Comala, this university museum honors painter Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo and forms part of the Nogueras cultural complex.

El Chanal

Archaeological site · in Comala

North of Colima city, this Postclassic settlement straddles the Colima River. Its ceremonial core holds temples, palaces, altars and a ballcourt, and digs revealed copper, silver and gold metalwork along with pottery and obsidian tools.

More drives to Comala

From Nochistlán to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Nochistlán to Comala?

About 4 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 213 miles.

How far is Comala from Nochistlán by car?

About 213 miles (342 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 Nochistlán to Comala?

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 Nochistlán to Comala?

The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas 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 Nochistlán to Comala use?

In order: JAL 205, JAL 201, MEX-54, MEX-15 and MEX-54D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Nochistlán and Comala?

Closest to the road: Museo de Ciencias Ambientales (natural history museum, mile 86, 0.7 mi from the route); Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 93, 0.7 mi from the route); El Ixtépete (archaeological site, mile 96, 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 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.