The Wayro route from Querétaro to Tepic is 342 miles (550 km), about 5 h 55 min of driving without stops.
| Distance by road | 342 mi (550 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.7 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.
How the Querétaro to Tepic drive plays out
MEX-15D (180 mi) and MEX-45D (64 mi) carry about 71% of the 342 miles. It runs through 5 states: Querétaro, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D, MEX-90D and MEX-15D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Querétaro to Tepic, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Querétaro |
| MEX-45D | 2–66 | 64 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 66–67 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 67–112 | 45 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90D | 112–126 | 14 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 126–147 | 21 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 147–148 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 148–223 | 75 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 223–232 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 232–337 | 105 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 337–342 | 5 | Nayarit |
- Mile 9 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 124 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 153 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 280 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
What to see on the way from Querétaro to Tepic
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 261), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 291)
- Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 29), Irapuato Cathedral (mile 65), Plazuelas (mile 104), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 213), Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi (mile 216), Guachimontones (mile 245), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 261), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 291)
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.
Irapuato Cathedral
Irapuato's cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, dates from the 18th century and has a Baroque facade. It served as the seat of the local parish until 2004, when the new Diocese of Irapuato made it a cathedral.
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.
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.
Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi
The Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi is a space devoted to showing and sharing the culture of tequila and mariachi, both part of Mexico's heritage and cultural identity.
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.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
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.
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.
Once you reach Tepic
Museo Amado Nervo
Poet Amado Nervo was born on August 27, 1870, in this mid-19th-century house in downtown Tepic, which opened as a museum dedicated to him on April 27, 1970.
Tepic Cathedral
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also known as Tepic Cathedral, stands on the main square in the center of Tepic and is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tepic.
Casa Museo Juan Escutia
In central Tepic, Casa Museo Juan Escutia honors Juan Escutia, one of the fighters who died defending Chapultepec Castle during the U.S. invasion of Mexico.
More drives to Tepic
- Guadalajara to Tepic
- León to Tepic
- Irapuato to Tepic
- Morelia to Tepic
- San Luis Potosí to Tepic
- Toluca to Tepic
From Querétaro to other places in Mexico
- Querétaro to Pinos
- Querétaro to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Querétaro to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Querétaro to Real de Asientos
- Querétaro to Guadalupe, Zacatecas
- Querétaro to Amatitán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Querétaro to Tepic?
About 5 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 342 miles.
What is the driving distance from Querétaro to Tepic?
About 342 miles (550 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 Querétaro to Tepic?
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 Querétaro to Tepic?
The U.S. State Department rates Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Querétaro to Tepic?
In order: MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Querétaro to Tepic?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 213, 1 mi from the route); Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (museum, mile 261, 0.5 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 291, 0.5 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.