Puerto Vallarta to Actopan is about 522 road miles (840 km): roughly 8 h 37 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance by road | 522 mi (840 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-M40D → HGO 17 → HGO 30 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 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.
The Puerto Vallarta–Actopan drive in a few lines
MEX-15D (320 mi) and MEX-200D (53 mi) carry about 71% of the 522 miles. It runs through 5 states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-70D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Puerto Vallarta to Actopan
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-200 | 1–6 | 5 | Jalisco |
| MEX-200D | 6–59 | 53 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 59–111 | 52 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 111–177 | 66 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 177–189 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 189–443 | 254 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 443–492 | 49 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| HGO 17 | 492–496 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 30 | 496–505 | 9 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 505–522 | 17 | Hidalgo |
- Mile 16 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 257 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 424 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 474 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
Stops between Puerto Vallarta and Actopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 188)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 49), Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (mile 188), Rayón National Park (mile 421)
- Museums and history: Guachimontones (mile 163), Universidad de Guadalajara. Museo de las Artes (mile 192), Guadalajara Cathedral (mile 193), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 196), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 403)
Rincón de Guayabitos
Visitors from Guadalajara and Tepic often head to this Nayarit beach town in the municipality of Compostela. Its shore runs about two kilometers, and the waves tend to be calm.
Guachimontones
Near the town of Teuchitlán, Guachimontones is known for its circular structures. INAH describes it as the first large population center in western Mexico, emerging around 1000 BC, with two ball courts and about 40 circular buildings across 20 hectares.
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara
Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara is a public park in Zapopan, Jalisco, that hosts many events, including concerts, outdoor movie screenings and food festivals.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hacienda Demiñho
Near Tunititlán in the Mezquital Valley, Hacienda Demiñho is a former Spanish-era estate that once ran cattle, farmed and rented land, becoming one of the region's important haciendas.
More drives to Actopan
- Tulancingo to Actopan
- Tepotzotlán to Actopan
- Mexico City to Actopan
- Tequisquiapan to Actopan
- Toluca to Actopan
- Cuernavaca to Actopan
From Puerto Vallarta to other places in Mexico
- Puerto Vallarta to Tecomán
- Puerto Vallarta to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- Puerto Vallarta to Tepatitlán
- Puerto Vallarta to Nochistlán
- Puerto Vallarta to San Ignacio, Sinaloa, Sinaloa
- Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Arteaga
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puerto Vallarta to Actopan?
About 8 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 522 miles.
How far is Actopan from Puerto Vallarta by car?
About 522 miles (840 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 Puerto Vallarta to Actopan?
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 Puerto Vallarta to Actopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Puerto Vallarta to Actopan?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-M40D, HGO 17 and HGO 30. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Vallarta and Actopan?
Closest to the road: Parque Metropolitano de Guadalajara (park, mile 188, 0.9 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 196, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 403, 1 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.