By road, Puerto Vallarta and Pabellón de Arteaga are about 347 miles (559 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 57 min of driving.
| Distance | 347 mi (559 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-200 → MEX-200D → MEX-70D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco, Nayarit, Aguascalientes |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-80D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.9 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 Pabellón de Arteaga drive plays out
MEX-15D (86 mi) and MEX-80D (73 mi) carry about 46% of the 347 miles. It runs through 3 states: Jalisco, Nayarit, Aguascalientes. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-200D, MEX-70D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Puerto Vallarta and Pabellón de Arteaga
| 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 |
| connecting roads | 284–285 | 1 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 285–297 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 297–310 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 310–340 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 340–347 | 7 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 16 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 314 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Puerto Vallarta and Pabellón de Arteaga
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 118), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 328), Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 328)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 49)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 118), Guachimontones (mile 163), Guadalajara Cathedral (mile 193), Museo de Cera (mile 193), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 196), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 278), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 328), Centro de Artes Visuales (mile 328)
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.
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
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.
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 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
Ceramics lovers in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, can find the Museo Regional de la Cerámica on Independencia Street. Along with the Pantaleón Panduro Museum, it is one of the city's two principal pottery museums.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Raised between 1732 and 1769, the cathedral basilica of San Juan de los Lagos draws pilgrims from far away who come to visit the small image of the Virgin kept inside.
Historic centre of Aguascalientes
The historic center of Aguascalientes is the city's zone of historic monuments, which INAH has declared part of the nation's heritage.
Centro de Artes Visuales
Run by the Instituto Cultural de Aguascalientes, the Centro de Artes Visuales is an arts education center in the city of Aguascalientes with its own exhibition space for visual art.
Arriving in Pabellón de Arteaga
Museo de la Insurgencia
Set in a 17th-century estate, the Museo de la Insurgencia opened in 1964 to tell the story of Mexico's independence movement. One hall shows farm, mining and textile tools from hacienda work; another displays everyday objects from past eras.
More drives to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Tepatitlán to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Guadalajara to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Paracho to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Uruapan to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Pátzcuaro to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Moroleón to Pabellón de Arteaga
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 Hidalgo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Arteaga?
About 5 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 347 miles.
How far is Pabellón de Arteaga from Puerto Vallarta by car?
About 347 miles (559 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 Pabellón de Arteaga?
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 Pabellón de Arteaga?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Puerto Vallarta to Pabellón de Arteaga?
In order: MEX-200, MEX-200D, MEX-70D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-45D and MEX-45. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Puerto Vallarta and Pabellón de Arteaga?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 118, 0.5 mi from the route); Historic centre of Aguascalientes (historic district, mile 328, 0.1 mi from the route); Centro de Artes Visuales (art museum, mile 328, 0.1 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.