Salvatierra to Pinos Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Salvatierra to Pinos is 193 miles (310 km), about 4 h 28 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Zacatecas is the Mexican state that contains Pinos. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Celaya CathedralCristo ReyCasa de Miguel HidalgoSalvatierraPinos
Route from Salvatierra to Pinos with the 3 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance193 mi (310 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 28 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-51 → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → GTO 77 → ZAC 144
Mexican states on the routeGuanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Zacatecas (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-43D, MEX-45D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 7.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below3

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 Salvatierra to Pinos is like

MEX-51 (59 mi) and GTO 77 (39 mi) carry about 51% of the 193 miles. MEX-45D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-51, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Zacatecas. Of the 3 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Salvatierra to Pinos, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Guanajuato
MEX-511–2221Guanajuato
connecting roads22–231Guanajuato
MEX-4523–4421Guanajuato
connecting roads44–473Guanajuato
MEX-45D47–6518Guanajuato
MEX-4565–8217Guanajuato
connecting roads82–831Guanajuato
GTO 7783–12239Guanajuato
MEX-51122–16038Guanajuato, Jalisco
connecting roads160–1633Jalisco
ZAC 144163–19128Zacatecas
local roads191–1932Zacatecas
  • Mile 156 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 163 of this route: Jalisco → Zacatecas (state line)

Stops between Salvatierra and Pinos

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Celaya Cathedral (mile 23), Casa de Miguel Hidalgo (mile 123)
  • Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 23), Cristo Rey (mile 86), Casa de Miguel Hidalgo (mile 123)

Celaya Cathedral

Mile 23 · Church building · 0.9 mi from the route

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.

Cristo Rey

Mile 86 · Monument · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Atop Cerro del Cubilete near Silao, at about 2,600 meters, a 20-meter statue of Christ the King stands on a concrete dome, with a sanctuary and a Cristero museum nearby.

Casa de Miguel Hidalgo

Mile 123 · Museum · 0.4 mi from the route

The Museo Histórico Casa de Hidalgo, also called La Francia Chiquita, is a museum in the town of San Felipe, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.

More drives to Pinos

From Salvatierra to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Salvatierra to Pinos?

About 4 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 193 miles.

How far is Pinos from Salvatierra by car?

About 193 miles (310 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 Salvatierra to Pinos?

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 Salvatierra to Pinos?

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

What roads does the drive from Salvatierra to Pinos use?

In order: MEX-51, MEX-45, MEX-45D, GTO 77 and ZAC 144. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Salvatierra and Pinos?

Closest to the road: Celaya Cathedral (church building, mile 23, 0.9 mi from the route); Cristo Rey (monument, mile 86, 3 mi from the route); Casa de Miguel Hidalgo (museum, mile 123, 0.4 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.