The Wayro route from Puerto Vallarta to Bernal is 444 miles (715 km), about 7 h 46 min of driving without stops.
| Distance by road | 444 mi (715 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-110 → MEX-90 → MEX-45D → MEX-57D → QRO 4 → QRO 100 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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–Bernal drive in a few lines
MEX-15D (138 mi) and MEX-45D (67 mi) carry about 46% of the 444 miles. It runs through 5 states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacán, Guanajuato, Querétaro. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-70D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Puerto Vallarta to Bernal
| 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 | 189–261 | 72 | Jalisco, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 261–262 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 262–297 | 35 | Michoacán, Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 297–342 | 45 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 342–343 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 343–410 | 67 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 410–420 | 10 | Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 420–421 | 1 | Querétaro |
| QRO 4 | 421–440 | 19 | Querétaro |
| QRO 100 | 440–444 | 4 | Querétaro |
- 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 287 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 401 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
What to see on the way from Puerto Vallarta to Bernal
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 148)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 49), Agua Azul (mile 193)
- Museums and history: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 148), Museo de Cera (mile 193), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 196), Plazuelas (mile 305), Celaya Cathedral (mile 380)
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.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
The Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería, an interpretive museum of agave landscape and mining, is located in the municipality of Magdalena, Mexico.
Museo de Cera
On the Plaza de la Liberación in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo de Cera has 12 rooms with more than 130 wax figures of athletes, singers, actors, politicians and religious figures. It opened in 1994.
Agua Azul
Parque Agua Azul is an urban park on Calzada Independencia in Guadalajara's historic center, a green stop close to downtown.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
Tlaquepaque has two main ceramics museums, and this is one of them: the Museo Regional de la Cerámica, on Independencia Street in the center of town. The other is the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.
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.
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.
Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin
The Cloister of San Felipe Neri in central Querétaro was part of the Oratorian convent and stands beside the Templo de San Felipe Neri, now the city's cathedral.
More drives to Bernal
- Celaya to Bernal
- Salamanca to Bernal
- Irapuato to Bernal
- Guanajuato to Bernal
- Pénjamo to Bernal
- León to Bernal
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 Bernal?
About 7 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 444 miles.
What is the driving distance from Puerto Vallarta to Bernal?
About 444 miles (715 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 Bernal?
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 Bernal?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Puerto Vallarta to Bernal?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-110, MEX-90, MEX-45D, MEX-57D, QRO 4 and QRO 100. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Vallarta and Bernal?
Closest to the road: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 148, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 196, 1 mi from the route); Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin (convent, mile 408, 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.