The Wayro route from Real de Asientos to Zirahuén is 273 miles (440 km), about 4 h 52 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 273 mi (440 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-39 → AGS 9 → MEX-71 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-43D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-14D |
| Mexican states on the route | Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
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.
What the drive from Real de Asientos to Zirahuén is like
MEX-45D (108 mi) and MEX-43D (51 mi) carry about 58% of the 273 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-14D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-39, MEX-71, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán. Of the 6 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Real de Asientos to Zirahuén, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-39 | 1–9 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 9–11 | 2 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 9 | 11–14 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-71 | 14–21 | 7 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 21–22 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 22–26 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 26–55 | 29 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 55–163 | 108 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-43D | 163–214 | 51 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 214–215 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 215–218 | 3 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 218–219 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 219–257 | 38 | Michoacán |
| MEX-14D | 257–269 | 12 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 269–273 | 4 | Michoacán |
- Mile 52 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 101 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 200 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Real de Asientos and Zirahuén
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (mile 37), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 37)
- Museums and history: Museo de la Insurgencia (mile 18), Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (mile 37), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 37), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 261), Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (mile 261)
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.
Museo Regional de Aguascalientes
An early 20th-century building by self-taught architect Refugio Reyes holds this INAH museum of Aguascalientes history, with fossils, archaeological finds, colonial paintings by Juan Correa and more than 300 devotional ex-voto paintings.
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.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares
Housed in an 18th-century building adapted from the Colegio de San Nicolás, which Vasco de Quiroga founded in the 16th century, this INAH museum in Pátzcuaro shows Purépecha pottery, textiles, woodwork and lacquerware.
When you get to Zirahuén
Lake Zirahuén
Small and deep, Lake Zirahuén is a mountain lake in the Santa Clara del Cobre municipality of Michoacán, with a sandy bottom partly covered in mud and no outlet to the sea.
More drives to Zirahuén
- Amatitán to Zirahuén
- Tequila to Zirahuén
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Zirahuén
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Zirahuén
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Zirahuén
- Calvillo to Zirahuén
From Real de Asientos to other places in Mexico
- Real de Asientos to Temacapulín
- Real de Asientos to San Luis Soyatlán
- Real de Asientos to Tócuaro
- Real de Asientos to Pacanda
- Real de Asientos to Ihuatzio
- Real de Asientos to Mineral de Pozos
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Real de Asientos to Zirahuén?
About 4 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 273 miles.
How far is Zirahuén from Real de Asientos by car?
About 273 miles (440 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 Real de Asientos to Zirahuén?
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 Real de Asientos to Zirahuén?
The U.S. State Department rates Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Real de Asientos to Zirahuén use?
In order: MEX-39, AGS 9, MEX-71, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D and MEX-14D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Real de Asientos and Zirahuén?
Closest to the road: Historic centre of Aguascalientes (historic district, mile 37, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (history museum, mile 37, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo de Artes e Industrias Populares (museum, mile 261, 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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.