By road, Pinal de Amoles and Chacala are about 457 miles (735 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 52 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 457 mi (735 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → QRO 100 → QRO 4 → MEX-57D → MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.3 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.
Driving Pinal de Amoles to Chacala: the shape of the trip
MEX-15D (142 mi) and MEX-45D (65 mi) carry about 45% of the 457 miles. It runs through 5 states: Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D, MEX-45D and MEX-90D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Pinal de Amoles to Chacala, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-120 | 0–29 | 29 | Querétaro |
| QRO 100 | 29–57 | 28 | Querétaro |
| QRO 4 | 57–76 | 19 | Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 76–77 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 77–89 | 12 | Querétaro |
| MEX-45D | 89–154 | 65 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 154–155 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 155–200 | 45 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90D | 200–213 | 13 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 213–235 | 22 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 235–311 | 76 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 311–319 | 8 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 319–385 | 66 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 385–419 | 34 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 419–437 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 437–442 | 5 | Nayarit |
| connecting roads | 442–443 | 1 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200 | 443–451 | 8 | Nayarit |
| local roads | 451–457 | 6 | Nayarit |
- Mile 96 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 212 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 240 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 368 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Pinal de Amoles and Chacala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 378)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 442)
- Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 116), Plazuelas (mile 192), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 300), Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas (mile 304), Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes (mile 304), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 378)
Aqueduct of Querétaro
Finished in 1738, Querétaro's aqueduct carries 74 stone arches up to 23 meters high across a valley for about 1,280 meters. It once brought spring water to the city by gravity and still stands as a symbol of colonial Mexico.
Templo de Santa Clara de Asís
Founded in the 17th century, the church and convent of Santa Clara de Asís stands in Querétaro's historic center and was a major convent for women in New Spain.
Celaya Cathedral
Where a former chapel once stood, annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis, Celaya's main Catholic church now rises: the Immaculate Conception Cathedral.
Plazuelas
Near Pénjamo, Plazuelas flourished between AD 450 and 700. Trails lead to Casas Tapadas, a platform crowned by four pyramid bases, a ball court, and rocks carved with spirals and La Maqueta, a low-relief model of Casas Tapadas.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
On Independencia Street in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the city's two main ceramics museums, alongside the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.
Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas
The Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas stands on Paseo Alcalde, formerly Avenida Alcalde, in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco.
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.
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
Rincón de Guayabitos
Rincón de Guayabitos is a beach town in Compostela, Nayarit, with about two kilometers of shore known for gentle waves, a popular getaway from Tepic and Guadalajara.
More drives to Chacala
- Tequila to Chacala
- Amatitán to Chacala
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Chacala
- Tepatitlán to Chacala
- Mazatlán to Chacala
- Nochistlán to Chacala
From Pinal de Amoles to other places in Mexico
- Pinal de Amoles to Omitlán
- Pinal de Amoles to Huasca de Ocampo
- Pinal de Amoles to Pacanda
- Pinal de Amoles to Temacapulín
- Pinal de Amoles to Boca de Pascuales
- Pinal de Amoles to La Manzanilla
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Pinal de Amoles to Chacala?
About 8 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 457 miles.
What is the driving distance from Pinal de Amoles to Chacala?
About 457 miles (735 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 Pinal de Amoles to Chacala?
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 Pinal de Amoles to Chacala?
The U.S. State Department rates Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Pinal de Amoles to Chacala?
In order: MEX-120, QRO 100, QRO 4, MEX-57D, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Pinal de Amoles and Chacala?
Closest to the road: Aqueduct of Querétaro (aqueduct, mile 87, 1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 300, 1 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 378, 0.5 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.