The Wayro route from San Juan de los Lagos to Comala is 209 miles (336 km), about 3 h 35 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 209 mi (336 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 35 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-54D → MEX-54 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Colima (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-80D, MEX-90D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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.
What the drive from San Juan de los Lagos to Comala is like
MEX-54D (89 mi) and MEX-80D (81 mi) carry about 81% of the 209 miles. MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-54 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: Jalisco, Colima. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from San Juan de los Lagos to Comala, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 2–83 | 81 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 83–88 | 5 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 88–92 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 92–109 | 17 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 109–198 | 89 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-54 | 198–202 | 4 | Colima |
| local roads | 202–209 | 7 | Colima |
- Mile 190 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
Stops between San Juan de los Lagos and Comala
- Nature and outdoors: Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 185)
- Museums and history: Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 9), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 84), Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas (mile 88), El Ixtépete (mile 93), Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán (mile 163), Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral (mile 164)
Teocaltitan Archaeological Site
Near Jalostotitlán in the Los Altos region, the Teocaltitán site holds pyramids, sunken patios and a ball court spread across about nine hectares, built by a people who dominated much of the area from AD 400 to 900.
Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque
On Independencia Street in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the city's two main ceramics museums, alongside the Pantaleón Panduro Museum.
Convento de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro
Better known as El Perpetuo Socorro, this Guadalajara church is home to a Passionist convent that has housed the order's postulants since 2020.
Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas
The Museo del Periodismo y las Artes Gráficas stands on Paseo Alcalde, formerly Avenida Alcalde, in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco.
El Ixtépete
Zapopan's El Ixtépete preserves a pyramid built around AD 650-750, during the Grillo tradition, with at least seven superimposed construction phases; the site lies within the Guadalajara metro area near the Periférico and Avenida Mariano Otero.
Museo Arqueológico de Ciudad Guzmán
Founded in the 1950s with writer Juan José Arreola among its promoters, this INAH museum in Ciudad Guzmán shows stone and ceramic pieces from western Mexico, colonial-era religious art and sketches by muralist José Clemente Orozco.
Ciudad Guzmán Cathedral
Ciudad Guzmán's St. Joseph Cathedral (Catedral de San José) is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ciudad Guzmán and the seat of its bishop.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park
This national park in western Mexico protects the upper slopes of two volcanic peaks, Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, in the states of Jalisco and Colima.
When you get to Comala
Museo Universitario Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo
Founded in 1996 in the village of Nogueras, in Comala, this university museum honors painter Alejandro Rangel Hidalgo and forms part of the Nogueras cultural complex.
El Chanal
North of Colima city, this Postclassic settlement straddles the Colima River. Its ceremonial core holds temples, palaces, altars and a ballcourt, and digs revealed copper, silver and gold metalwork along with pottery and obsidian tools.
More drives to Comala
- Tepatitlán to Comala
- Nochistlán to Comala
- Jalpa to Comala
- Lagos de Moreno to Comala
- León to Comala
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Comala
From San Juan de los Lagos to other places in Mexico
- San Juan de los Lagos to Jerez, Zacatecas
- San Juan de los Lagos to Sombrerete
- San Juan de los Lagos to Nombre de Dios
- San Juan de los Lagos to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- San Juan de los Lagos to El Salto, Durango
- San Juan de los Lagos to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from San Juan de los Lagos to Comala?
About 3 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 209 miles.
How far is Comala from San Juan de los Lagos by car?
About 209 miles (336 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 Juan de los Lagos to Comala?
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 Juan de los Lagos to Comala?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from San Juan de los Lagos to Comala use?
In order: MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-54D and MEX-54. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between San Juan de los Lagos and Comala?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 84, 1 mi from the route); Convento de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro (convent, mile 88, 1 mi from the route); El Ixtépete (archaeological site, mile 93, 1 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.