Salamanca to Jalpa Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Salamanca to Jalpa is 183 miles (295 km), about 3 h 41 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Zacatecas is the Mexican state that contains Jalpa. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Irapuato CathedralTeatro AguascalientesMuseo DescubreLa Santa CruzSalamancaJalpa
Route from Salamanca to Jalpa with the 4 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance183 mi (295 km)
Driving time, no stops3 h 41 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-70
Mexican states on the routeGuanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-45D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 7.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below4

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 insuranceRequired 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 Salamanca to Jalpa is like

MEX-45D (90 mi) and MEX-70 (51 mi) carry about 77% of the 183 miles. MEX-45D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-70 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas. Of the 4 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Salamanca to Jalpa, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–44Guanajuato
MEX-454–1814Guanajuato
connecting roads18–191Guanajuato
MEX-45D19–10990Guanajuato, Jalisco
MEX-45109–12415Jalisco, Aguascalientes
local roads124–1317Aguascalientes
MEX-70131–18251Aguascalientes, Zacatecas
local roads182–1831Zacatecas
  • Mile 65 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 112 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
  • Mile 167 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)

Stops between Salamanca and Jalpa

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Irapuato Cathedral (mile 13), Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 125), Museo Descubre (mile 125), La Santa Cruz (mile 159)
  • Museums and history: Irapuato Cathedral (mile 13), Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 125), Museo Descubre (mile 125), La Santa Cruz (mile 159)

Irapuato Cathedral

Mile 13 · Cathedral · 0.7 mi from the route

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.

Teatro Aguascalientes

Mile 125 · Opera house · 0.9 mi from the route

Teatro Aguascalientes is the city's main opera house, a modern building by architect Abraham Zabludovsky with seating for about 1,650 people.

Museo Descubre

Mile 125 · Museum · 0.8 mi from the route

Museo Descubre is a hands-on, interactive museum in the city of Aguascalientes whose spiral-shaped interior leads inward along various paths of knowledge.

La Santa Cruz

Mile 159 · Museum · 0.2 mi from the route

In Calvillo's town center, La Santa Cruz is a cultural and monumental complex with Catholic and historical themes devoted to Calvillo's role in the Cristero War of 1926; it opened in 2021.

When you get to Jalpa

Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes

Museum · in Jalpa

The Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes is a community museum in the municipality of Jalpa, in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, named for teacher Arturo Reyes Viramontes.

More drives to Jalpa

From Salamanca to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Salamanca to Jalpa?

About 3 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 183 miles.

How far is Jalpa from Salamanca by car?

About 183 miles (295 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 Salamanca to Jalpa?

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 Salamanca to Jalpa?

The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Salamanca to Jalpa use?

In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D and MEX-70. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Salamanca and Jalpa?

Closest to the road: Irapuato Cathedral (cathedral, mile 13, 0.7 mi from the route); Museo Descubre (museum, mile 125, 0.8 mi from the route); La Santa Cruz (museum, mile 159, 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 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.