Puerto Vallarta to Ezequiel Montes is about 447 road miles (719 km): roughly 7 h 49 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 447 mi (719 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 49 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 5 |
| 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 17.9 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.
On the road from Puerto Vallarta to Ezequiel Montes
MEX-15D (138 mi) and MEX-45D (67 mi) carry about 46% of the 447 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.
Puerto Vallarta to Ezequiel Montes: the road sequence
| 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 5 | 440–446 | 6 | Querétaro |
| local roads | 446–447 | 1 | 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)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Puerto Vallarta and Ezequiel Montes
- 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), Guadalajara Cathedral (mile 193), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 193), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 196), Plazuelas (mile 305), Celaya Cathedral (mile 380), Querétaro Cathedral (mile 408)
Rincón de Guayabitos
Gentle waves are the draw at Rincón de Guayabitos, where roughly two kilometers of shoreline make this Compostela, Nayarit, beach town a favorite escape for people from Tepic and Guadalajara.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
In the municipality of Magdalena, Mexico, an interpretive museum focuses on two subjects: the agave landscape and mining.
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 Guadalajara
Facing the Rotonda de los Jaliscienses Ilustres in downtown Guadalajara, the Museo Regional de Guadalajara fills a full city block bounded by Hidalgo, Pino Suárez, Liceo and Independencia streets.
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
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
Querétaro Cathedral
Querétaro's cathedral, dedicated to St. Philip Neri, is a Catholic church built by the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri in Santiago de Querétaro.
More drives to Ezequiel Montes
- Celaya to Ezequiel Montes
- Salamanca to Ezequiel Montes
- Moroleón to Ezequiel Montes
- Pénjamo to Ezequiel Montes
- Morelia to Ezequiel Montes
- Zamora to Ezequiel Montes
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 does it take to drive from Puerto Vallarta to Ezequiel Montes?
About 7 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 447 miles.
How far is Ezequiel Montes from Puerto Vallarta by car?
About 447 miles (719 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 Ezequiel Montes?
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 Ezequiel Montes?
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 Ezequiel Montes?
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 Ezequiel Montes?
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); Querétaro Cathedral (cathedral, 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.