Puerto Vallarta to Guanajuato is about 362 road miles (583 km): roughly 5 h 59 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
| Distance | 362 mi (583 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 59 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-110D → MEX-110 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.5 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–Guanajuato drive in a few lines
MEX-15D (86 mi) and MEX-80D (73 mi) carry about 44% of the 362 miles. It runs through 3 states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato. 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.
The route from Puerto Vallarta to Guanajuato, road by road
| 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 | 189–209 | 20 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 209–211 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 211–284 | 73 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 284–298 | 14 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 298–335 | 37 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 335–336 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 336–349 | 13 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-110D | 349–358 | 9 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-110 | 358–362 | 4 | Guanajuato |
- Mile 16 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 316 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
Places worth a stop between Puerto Vallarta and Guanajuato
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 118)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 49)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 118), National Museum of Tequila (mile 158), Guachimontones (mile 163), Museo de Cera (mile 193), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 196), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 272), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 278)
- With kids: Acuario Michin Guadalajara (mile 192)
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.
Ixtlán del Rio
Known locally as Los Toriles, the Ixtlán del Río site is famous for a temple with a fully circular floor plan, rare in Mesoamerica. People lived here from about 300 BC to AD 600, and an introductory gallery explains the finds.
National Museum of Tequila
In the town of Tequila, MUNAT, the National Museum of Tequila, covers the history of the drink behind the region's fame. Jalisco's state government reclaimed the museum in 2026 and announced it will reopen with updated exhibits.
Guachimontones
About 40 circular buildings and two ball courts spread over 20 hectares at Guachimontones, outside Teuchitlán. INAH calls it western Mexico's first large population center, dating back to around 1000 BC.
Acuario Michin Guadalajara
Acuario Michin Guadalajara is an aquarium in the city of Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
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.
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.
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
A people who dominated much of Los Altos between AD 400 and 900 built Teocaltitán, near Jalostotitlán. The site's pyramids, sunken patios and ball court cover about nine hectares.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Once you reach Guanajuato
Tucked into a narrow mountain valley in central Mexico, Guanajuato grew into the world's leading silver-extraction center in the 18th century. Its Baroque churches, tunnels and underground streets earned the Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines a place on UNESCO's World Heritage list in 1988.
- Alhóndiga de Granaditas: Built from 1797 to 1809 as a granary and stormed by Miguel Hidalgo's insurgents in 1810, it has housed the Regional Museum of Guanajuato since 1958. source
- Underground streets: Drive or walk the subterranean roadways that run beneath the city, one of the features UNESCO singles out in its listing. source
- Historic mines: The old silver mines on the edge of town are part of the World Heritage property along with the historic center. source
Presa de la Olla
Presa de la Olla is a dam and hydraulic work built in the 18th century in the city of Guanajuato, Mexico.
Basílica Colegiata de Guanajuato
On Guanajuato's Plaza de la Paz, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guanajuato stands opposite the plaque marking the city center as a World Heritage Site.
Teatro Juárez
Guanajuato's Teatro Juárez is a 19th-century theater designed by architect José Noriega and built between 1872 and 1903 by order of General Florencio Antillón.
More drives to Guanajuato
- McAllen, TX to Guanajuato
- Brownsville, TX to Guanajuato
- Laredo, TX to Guanajuato
- South Padre Island, TX to Guanajuato
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Guanajuato
- Fresnillo to Guanajuato
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
Coming to Guanajuato from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Guanajuato, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Puerto Vallarta to Guanajuato?
About 5 h 59 min of driving without stops, over 362 miles.
How far is Guanajuato from Puerto Vallarta by car?
About 362 miles (583 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 Guanajuato?
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 Guanajuato?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Puerto Vallarta to Guanajuato?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-80, MEX-45D, MEX-45, MEX-110D and MEX-110. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Vallarta and Guanajuato?
Closest to the road: Rincón de Guayabitos (beach, mile 49, 2 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 118, 0.5 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 196, 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.