Plan on about 9 h 14 min of driving for the 513-mile (826 km) trip from Puerto Vallarta to Matehuala, before any stops.
| Total distance | 513 mi (826 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 14 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-80 → MEX-70 → MEX-57D → SLP 32 → MEX-57 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.5 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.
How the Puerto Vallarta to Matehuala drive plays out
MEX-80D (114 mi) and MEX-57 (91 mi) carry about 40% of the 513 miles. It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-70D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Puerto Vallarta and Matehuala
| 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 | 284–317 | 33 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 317–358 | 41 | Jalisco, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80 | 358–362 | 4 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 362–378 | 16 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 378–388 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 388–391 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 32 | 391–400 | 9 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 400–413 | 13 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 413–434 | 21 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 434–512 | 78 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 512–513 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 16 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 341 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 352 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
Places worth a stop between Puerto Vallarta and Matehuala
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 307), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 308)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 49)
- Museums and history: Guachimontones (mile 163), Museo Regional de Guadalajara (mile 193), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 196), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 278), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 307), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 308), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 393)
- With kids: Acuario Michin Guadalajara (mile 192)
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.
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.
Acuario Michin Guadalajara
Acuario Michin Guadalajara is an aquarium in the city of Guadalajara, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
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.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Gothic-style ribbed vaults rise over the interior of San Juan de los Lagos' cathedral basilica, built from 1732 to 1769, where you'll also find a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
Teatro José Rosas Moreno
Lagos de Moreno's Teatro José Rosas Moreno opened its doors on May 5, 1907, some forty years after construction began in 1867. It honors a writer from Jalisco.
Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera
The Museo Casa Agustín Rivera Altos de Jalisco is a museum you'll find in the town of Lagos de Moreno, in the state of Jalisco.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
Look closely at the two towers of San Luis Potosí's cathedral: one is built of mortar, the other of quarried cantera stone. The Baroque church is the seat of the archdiocese.
When you get to Matehuala
Matehuala Cathedral
Matehuala's Immaculate Conception Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Matehuala; it is open for worship though still under construction.
More drives to Matehuala
- Zitácuaro to Matehuala
- Mexico City to Matehuala
- Pachuca to Matehuala
- Cuernavaca to Matehuala
- Tlaxcala to Matehuala
- Cuautla to Matehuala
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 Matehuala?
About 9 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 513 miles.
How far is Matehuala from Puerto Vallarta by car?
About 513 miles (826 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 Matehuala?
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 Matehuala?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí 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 Matehuala use?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-80, MEX-70, MEX-57D, SLP 32 and MEX-57. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Vallarta and Matehuala?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 196, 1 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 307, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 308, 0.4 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.