By road, Reynosa and Hidalgo del Parral are about 547 miles (881 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 47 min of driving.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Nuevo León: “Those traveling between the U.S. border and Monterrey on highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D should exercise caution and avoid travel after dark.”
- Nuevo León: “Armed robberies and carjackings have occurred along these highways even during daylight hours.”
| Distance by road | 547 mi (881 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-40 → MEX-40D → MEX-49 → MEX-49D → MEX-45 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila, Durango, Chihuahua |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-40D, MEX-49D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
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 Reynosa to Hidalgo del Parral drive plays out
MEX-40D (240 mi) and MEX-49D (121 mi) carry about 66% of the 547 miles. It runs through 5 states: Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila, Durango, Chihuahua. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-40D and MEX-49D. Of the 4 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Reynosa to Hidalgo del Parral
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tamaulipas |
| MEX-40 | 1–30 | 29 | Tamaulipas, Nuevo León |
| MEX-40D | 30–126 | 96 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40 | 126–132 | 6 | Nuevo León |
| local roads | 132–139 | 7 | Nuevo León |
| connecting roads | 139–142 | 3 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-40D | 142–192 | 50 | Nuevo León, Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 192–193 | 1 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 193–208 | 15 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40D | 208–255 | 47 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 255–308 | 53 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40D | 308–355 | 47 | Coahuila, Durango |
| MEX-49 | 355–373 | 18 | Durango |
| MEX-49D | 373–494 | 121 | Durango, Chihuahua |
| MEX-49 | 494–498 | 4 | Chihuahua |
| MEX-45 | 498–545 | 47 | Chihuahua |
| local roads | 545–547 | 2 | Chihuahua |
- Mile 19 of this route: Tamaulipas → Nuevo León (state line)
- Mile 167 of this route: Nuevo León → Coahuila (state line)
- Mile 344 of this route: Coahuila → Durango (state line)
- Mile 446 of this route: Durango → Chihuahua (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Hidalgo del Parral
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Papalote Museum, Monterrey (mile 135), Museo del Noreste (mile 136), Palacio del Obispado (mile 139)
- Museums and history: Papalote Museum, Monterrey (mile 135), Museo del Noreste (mile 136), Palacio del Obispado (mile 139)
Papalote Museum, Monterrey
Inside Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, Papalote Museo del Niño is a children's museum set in an underground space 16 meters below ground, designed by architect Iñaki Echeverría.
Museo del Noreste
Part of Monterrey's three-museum complex with the Museo del Palacio and the Museo de Historia Mexicana, Museo del Noreste belongs to the Paseo Santa Lucía complex.
Palacio del Obispado
Completed in 1787 for Bishop Rafael José Verger, this Baroque palace served as a fortress in 1846, during the French intervention, and in the Revolution. The building is home to INAH's regional museum of Nuevo León.
Cerro La Mota
Since 2000, Nuevo León state has protected Cerro La Mota, also known as Sierra Nacataz, a mountain area of about 9,400 hectares in García and Santa Catarina.
In Hidalgo del Parral itself
Hidalgo del Parral is a silver-mining city in southern Chihuahua, on the road between Chihuahua city and Durango, that grew up around the La Prieta mine. It is also where Pancho Villa was killed in an ambush on July 20, 1923, and the city marks that history each July with the Jornadas Villistas festival.
- Museo Francisco Villa: The museum occupies the building where Villa's assassins hid before the 1923 ambush. source
- Mina La Prieta: The mine that gave rise to the city worked for 345 years, producing silver, copper, zinc and gold. source
- Palacio Alvarado: Built between 1898 and 1904 by architect Luis E. Rouvier for mine owner Pedro Alvarado, the mansion now serves as a cultural center. source
More drives to Hidalgo del Parral
- Alpine, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Marfa, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Marathon, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Del Rio, TX to Hidalgo del Parral
- Las Cruces, NM to Hidalgo del Parral
- Silver City, NM to Hidalgo del Parral
From Reynosa to other places in Mexico
- Reynosa to Arteaga
- Reynosa to General Cepeda
- Reynosa to Parras de la Fuente
- Reynosa to San Pedro, Mexico
- Reynosa to Viesca
- Reynosa to Gómez Palacio
Coming to Hidalgo del Parral from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Hidalgo del Parral, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Reynosa to Hidalgo del Parral?
About 9 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 547 miles.
What is the driving distance from Reynosa to Hidalgo del Parral?
About 547 miles (881 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 Reynosa to Hidalgo del Parral?
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 Reynosa to Hidalgo del Parral?
The U.S. State Department rates Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Durango Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Chihuahua Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Reynosa to Hidalgo del Parral use?
In order: MEX-40, MEX-40D, MEX-49, MEX-49D and MEX-45. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Reynosa to Hidalgo del Parral?
Closest to the road: Papalote Museum, Monterrey (museum, mile 135, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo del Noreste (museum, mile 136, 0.4 mi from the route); Palacio del Obispado (museum, mile 139, 0.2 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.