The Wayro route from Salamanca to Puerto Vallarta is 357 miles (575 km), about 6 h 17 min of driving without stops.
| Total distance | 357 mi (575 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-90 → MEX-90D → MEX-110 → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-70D → MEX-200D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-45D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-70D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.3 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.
Driving Salamanca to Puerto Vallarta: the shape of the trip
MEX-15D (140 mi) and MEX-200D (53 mi) carry about 54% of the 357 miles. It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-45D, MEX-90D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Salamanca and Puerto Vallarta
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 4–10 | 6 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 10–14 | 4 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 14–15 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90 | 15–60 | 45 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-90D | 60–74 | 14 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 74–96 | 22 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 96–171 | 75 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 171–180 | 9 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 180–245 | 65 | Jalisco, Nayarit |
| local roads | 245–280 | 35 | Nayarit |
| MEX-70D | 280–298 | 18 | Nayarit |
| MEX-200D | 298–351 | 53 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-200 | 351–357 | 6 | Jalisco |
- Mile 72 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 101 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 229 of this route: Jalisco → Nayarit (state line)
- Mile 342 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
Places worth a stop between Salamanca and Puerto Vallarta
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 239)
- Nature and outdoors: Rincón de Guayabitos (mile 308)
- Museums and history: Irapuato Cathedral (mile 13), Plazuelas (mile 52), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 160), Teatro Degollado (mile 164), Guadalajara city museum (mile 165), Guachimontones (mile 194), National Museum of Tequila (mile 199), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 239)
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
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.
Teatro Degollado
On Guadalajara's central plaza, along Belén Street between Hidalgo and Morelos avenues, the neoclassical Teatro Degollado is known for its varied performances and artistic design.
Guadalajara city museum
Guadalajara's city museum (Museo de la Ciudad), in the historic center, opened on February 14, 1992, and covers the city's history and many sides of its culture.
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.
National Museum of Tequila
In the town of Tequila, MUNAT, the National Museum of Tequila, covers the history of the drink behind the region's fame. Jalisco's state government reclaimed the museum in 2026 and announced it will reopen with updated exhibits.
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.
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.
When you get to Puerto Vallarta
Costalegre
Costalegre is a string of beaches, capes and bays of many sizes along Jalisco's Pacific coast, between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo.
Museo Arqueológico de Puerto Vallarta Cuale
The Museo Arqueológico de Puerto Vallarta Cuale presents crafts along with the hunting and gathering items used in pre-Hispanic times, with a focus on western Mexico.
Parque Lineal
Parque Lineal is a linear park in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, with a skatepark among its features.
More drives to Puerto Vallarta
- Aguascalientes to Puerto Vallarta
- Uruapan to Puerto Vallarta
- San Luis Potosí to Puerto Vallarta
- Querétaro to Puerto Vallarta
- Fresnillo to Puerto Vallarta
- San Juan del Río to Puerto Vallarta
From Salamanca to other places in Mexico
- Salamanca to Zamora
- Salamanca to Cotija
- Salamanca to Temacapulín
- Salamanca to Pabellón de Arteaga
- Salamanca to Pinos
- Salamanca to Pabellón de Hidalgo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Salamanca to Puerto Vallarta?
About 6 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 357 miles.
How far is Puerto Vallarta from Salamanca by car?
About 357 miles (575 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 Puerto Vallarta?
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 Puerto Vallarta?
The U.S. State Department rates 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 Salamanca to Puerto Vallarta?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-90, MEX-90D, MEX-110, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-70D, MEX-200D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Salamanca to Puerto Vallarta?
Closest to the road: Plazuelas (archaeological site, mile 52, 2 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 160, 1 mi from the route); Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 239, 0.6 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.