By road, San Blas and Tonatico are about 493 miles (794 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 3 min of driving.
| Distance by road | 493 mi (794 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 3 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-76D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-55D → MEX-55 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-76D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.7 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.
The San Blas–Tonatico drive in a few lines
MEX-15D (371 mi) and MEX-55D (58 mi) carry about 87% of the 493 miles. It runs through 4 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-76D, MEX-15D and MEX-M40D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect San Blas and Tonatico
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Nayarit |
| MEX-76D | 7–27 | 20 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 27–144 | 117 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 144–155 | 11 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 155–409 | 254 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 409–412 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 412–446 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 446–451 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 451–464 | 13 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 464–465 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 465–489 | 24 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 489–493 | 4 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 96 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 223 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 391 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between San Blas and Tonatico
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 85), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 411), Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 450)
- Nature and outdoors: Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 452), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 469)
- Museums and history: Tepic Cathedral (mile 33), Ixtlán del Rio (mile 85), Guadalajara Cathedral (mile 159), Casa Museo López Portillo (mile 159), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 370), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 411), Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 450), Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México (mile 452)
Tepic Cathedral
On Tepic's main square, right in the city center, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also known as Tepic Cathedral, serves the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tepic.
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.
Guadalajara Cathedral
In the Centro of Guadalajara, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady is the seat of the Archdiocese of Guadalajara and a minor basilica.
Casa Museo López Portillo
Opened on May 10, 1982, this house museum in Guadalajara's historic center showcases decorative arts and promotes work by young artists from the metro area.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Opera singer Ángela Peralta performed at the opening of Maravatío's Teatro Morelos on January 11, 1879. Architect Rafael Guerrero Torres designed the building in a neoclassical style with French influence.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.
Fine Arts Museum of Toluca
Toluca's Museo de Bellas Artes has filled a former Carmelite convent since 1945. Its galleries hold colonial-era paintings and sculpture, including an 18th-century funeral catafalque.
Museo de Ciencias Naturales del Estado de México
Set in the Parque de los Matlatzincas on Cerro del Calvario, the Natural Sciences Museum of the State of Mexico explores biology, geology and the preservation of natural resources.
Nevado de Toluca National Park
The Nevado de Toluca volcano was declared a flora and fauna protection area in 2013, a protected zone spanning ten municipalities of the State of Mexico, including Toluca, Zinacantepec and Temascaltepec.
More drives to Tonatico
- Valle de Bravo to Tonatico
- Zitácuaro to Tonatico
- Tlalpujahua to Tonatico
- Amealco to Tonatico
- San Juan del Río to Tonatico
- Tequisquiapan to Tonatico
From San Blas to other places in Mexico
- San Blas to Teúl de González Ortega
- San Blas to Temacapulín
- San Blas to Barra de Navidad
- San Blas to Comala
- San Blas to Jalpa de Cánovas
- San Blas to Boca de Pascuales
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Blas to Tonatico?
About 8 h 3 min of driving without stops, over 493 miles.
How far is Tonatico from San Blas by car?
About 493 miles (794 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 San Blas to Tonatico?
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 San Blas to Tonatico?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from San Blas to Tonatico use?
In order: MEX-76D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-55D and MEX-55. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between San Blas and Tonatico?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 85, 0.5 mi from the route); Cathedral of Atlacomulco (cathedral, mile 411, 0.4 mi from the route); Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (museum, mile 450, 0.9 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.