By road, Pabellón de Arteaga and Nuevo Progreso are about 495 miles (797 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 23 min of driving.
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 | 495 mi (797 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → ZAC 155 → MEX-54 → MEX-57 → MEX-40 → MEX-40D → MEX-2D |
| Mexican states on the route | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-45D, MEX-40D, MEX-2D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.8 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.
Driving Pabellón de Arteaga to Nuevo Progreso: the shape of the trip
MEX-54 (214 mi) and MEX-40D (114 mi) carry about 66% of the 495 miles. It runs through 5 states: Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D, MEX-40D and MEX-2D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Pabellón de Arteaga to Nuevo Progreso
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 1–25 | 24 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 25–57 | 32 | Zacatecas |
| ZAC 155 | 57–61 | 4 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-54 | 61–275 | 214 | Zacatecas, Coahuila |
| MEX-57 | 275–280 | 5 | Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 280–283 | 3 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 283–297 | 14 | Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 297–298 | 1 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40D | 298–327 | 29 | Coahuila, Nuevo León |
| connecting roads | 327–330 | 3 | Nuevo León |
| local roads | 330–335 | 5 | Nuevo León |
| connecting roads | 335–336 | 1 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40 | 336–355 | 19 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40D | 355–440 | 85 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40 | 440–457 | 17 | Nuevo León, Tamaulipas |
| MEX-2D | 457–493 | 36 | Tamaulipas |
| local roads | 493–495 | 2 | Tamaulipas |
- Mile 21 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
- Mile 227 of this route: Zacatecas → Coahuila (state line)
- Mile 304 of this route: Coahuila → Nuevo León (state line)
- Mile 450 of this route: Nuevo León → Tamaulipas (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Pabellón de Arteaga and Nuevo Progreso
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Desert Museum (mile 280), Basilica of Guadalupe, Monterrey (mile 332), Faro del Comercio (mile 333)
- Nature and outdoors: Desert Museum (mile 280)
- Museums and history: Guadalupe regional museum (mile 48), Historic centre of Zacatecas (mile 55), Saltillo Cathedral (mile 279), Desert Museum (mile 280), Basilica of Guadalupe, Monterrey (mile 332), Faro del Comercio (mile 333)
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.
Historic centre of Zacatecas
Founded in 1546 after a rich silver strike, Zacatecas climbs the steep sides of a narrow valley; its UNESCO-listed center holds an 18th-century Baroque cathedral, colonial convents, the Calderón Theater and the old González Market.
Saltillo Cathedral
Built between 1745 and 1800 in downtown Saltillo, the Cathedral of Santiago Apóstol has a carved stone facade with Solomonic, estípite, and Churrigueresque columns. Inside, look for an ornate altarpiece with a silver frontal and a pulpit carved with plant motifs.
Desert Museum
Opened in 1999, Saltillo's Museo del Desierto explores the deserts of Mexico across four pavilions, with skeletons of Tyrannosaurus rex and Quetzalcoatlus, a live prairie dog colony, a plant nursery, and a courtyard where simulated rain falls.
Cerro La Mota
Since 2000, Nuevo León state has protected Cerro La Mota, also known as Sierra Nacataz, a mountain area of about 9,400 hectares in García and Santa Catarina.
Basilica of Guadalupe, Monterrey
The Basilica of Guadalupe, also called the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, is a Roman Catholic church in the Monterrey metropolitan area of Nuevo León.
Faro del Comercio
Nearly 70 meters (about 230 feet) tall, this slender tower on the Macroplaza was designed by Luis Barragán with Raúl Ferrera for the Monterrey Chamber of Commerce's 1983 centennial.
More drives to Nuevo Progreso
- Torreón to Nuevo Progreso
- Fresnillo to Nuevo Progreso
- Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Nuevo Progreso
- Sombrerete to Nuevo Progreso
- San Miguel de Allende to Nuevo Progreso
From Pabellón de Arteaga to other places in Mexico
- Pabellón de Arteaga to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Temacapulín
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Amatitán
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Tequila
- Pabellón de Arteaga to San Luis Soyatlán
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Mazamitla
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Pabellón de Arteaga to Nuevo Progreso?
About 9 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 495 miles.
How far is Nuevo Progreso from Pabellón de Arteaga by car?
About 495 miles (797 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 Pabellón de Arteaga to Nuevo Progreso?
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 Pabellón de Arteaga to Nuevo Progreso?
The U.S. State Department rates Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Pabellón de Arteaga to Nuevo Progreso use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, ZAC 155, MEX-54, MEX-57, MEX-40, MEX-40D and MEX-2D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Pabellón de Arteaga and Nuevo Progreso?
Closest to the road: Desert Museum (museum, mile 280, 0.7 mi from the route); Basilica of Guadalupe, Monterrey (basilica, mile 332, 0.4 mi from the route); Faro del Comercio (monument, mile 333, 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 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.