Puerto Vallarta to Cadereyta Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 12 October, 2026

Puerto Vallarta to Cadereyta is about 452 road miles (728 km): roughly 8 h 4 min at the wheel if you don't stop.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: 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 CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Querétaro is the Mexican state that contains Cadereyta. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Rincón de GuayabitosMuseo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la MineríaCasa Museo López PortilloPlazuelasCelaya CathedralEl CerritoClaustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio ConinAqueduct of QuerétaroPuerto VallartaCadereyta
Route from Puerto Vallarta to Cadereyta with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Total distance452 mi (728 km)
Drive time without stops8 h 4 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-110 → MEX-90 → MEX-45D → MEX-57D → QRO 4 → QRO 5
Mexican states on the routeJalisco, 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 18.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

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.

The Puerto Vallarta–Cadereyta drive in a few lines

MEX-15D (138 mi) and MEX-45D (67 mi) carry about 45% of the 452 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.

Roads you'll take from Puerto Vallarta to Cadereyta

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Jalisco
MEX-2001–65Jalisco
MEX-200D6–5953Jalisco, Nayarit
MEX-70D59–11152Nayarit
MEX-15D111–17766Nayarit, Jalisco
MEX-15177–18912Jalisco
MEX-15D189–26172Jalisco, Michoacán
connecting roads261–2621Michoacán
MEX-110262–29735Michoacán, Guanajuato
MEX-90297–34245Guanajuato
connecting roads342–3431Guanajuato
MEX-45D343–41067Guanajuato, Querétaro
MEX-57D410–42010Querétaro
connecting roads420–4211Querétaro
QRO 4421–44019Querétaro
QRO 5440–4444Querétaro
local roads444–4528Querétaro
  • 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)

Breaking up the drive: stops between Puerto Vallarta and Cadereyta

  • 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)
  • Museums and history: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 148), Casa Museo López Portillo (mile 193), Plazuelas (mile 305), Celaya Cathedral (mile 380), El Cerrito (mile 405)

Rincón de Guayabitos

Mile 49 · Beach · 2 mi from the route

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

Mile 148 · Museum · 0.5 mi from the route

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.

Casa Museo López Portillo

Mile 193 · Museum · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Opened on May 10, 1982, this house museum in Guadalajara's historic center showcases decorative arts and promotes work by young artists from the metro area.

Plazuelas

Mile 305 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route

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

Mile 380 · Cathedral · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The space now taken by the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, the main Catholic church in Celaya, was once a chapel annexed to the Temple of St. Francis next door.

El Cerrito

Mile 405 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route

Just outside Querétaro city in Corregidora, El Cerrito is an INAH archaeological zone centered on a pyramid close to 100 feet high, later topped by a 19th-century fort, with a small site museum on the grounds.

Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin

Mile 408 · Convent · 1 mi from the route

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.

Aqueduct of Querétaro

Mile 410 · Aqueduct · 1 mi from the route

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.

More drives to Cadereyta

From Puerto Vallarta to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Puerto Vallarta to Cadereyta?

About 8 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 452 miles.

What is the driving distance from Puerto Vallarta to Cadereyta?

About 452 miles (728 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 Cadereyta?

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 Cadereyta?

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.

What roads does the drive from Puerto Vallarta to Cadereyta use?

In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-110, MEX-90, MEX-45D, MEX-57D, QRO 4 and QRO 5. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.

What are good stops between Puerto Vallarta and Cadereyta?

Closest to the road: Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 148, 0.5 mi from the route); Claustro de San Felipe Neri - Palacio Conin (convent, mile 408, 1 mi from the route); Aqueduct of Querétaro (aqueduct, mile 410, 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.