San Miguel de Allende to Jerez, Zacatecas Road Trip

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from San Miguel de Allende to Jerez, Zacatecas is 255 miles (411 km), about 5 h 30 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 Jerez, Zacatecas. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Teatro JuárezMuseo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de GranaditasMuseum of Contemporary ArtTeatro MorelosMuseo de la InsurgenciaCathedral Basilica of ZacatecasMuseo Toma de ZacatecasSan Miguel de AllendeJerez, Zacatecas
Route from San Miguel de Allende to Jerez, Zacatecas with the 7 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance255 mi (411 km)
Driving time, no stops5 h 30 min
Main roads, in orderGTO 67 → MEX-110D → MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-54 → MEX-23
Mexican states on the routeGuanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-110D, MEX-45D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 10.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below7

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 San Miguel de Allende to Jerez, Zacatecas is like

MEX-45D (85 mi) and MEX-45 (83 mi) carry about 66% of the 255 miles. MEX-110D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-54, MEX-23 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas. Of the 7 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.

The route from San Miguel de Allende to Jerez, Zacatecas, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–1212Guanajuato
GTO 6712–4331Guanajuato
MEX-110D43–5310Guanajuato
MEX-4553–6613Guanajuato
MEX-45D66–13165Guanajuato, Jalisco
MEX-45131–16029Jalisco, Aguascalientes
local roads160–1644Aguascalientes
MEX-45164–19329Aguascalientes, Zacatecas
MEX-45D193–21320Zacatecas
MEX-45213–22512Zacatecas
MEX-54225–24015Zacatecas
MEX-23240–25515Zacatecas
  • Mile 86 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 135 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
  • Mile 188 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)

Stops between San Miguel de Allende and Jerez, Zacatecas

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 149), Teatro Morelos (mile 149), Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas (mile 221), Museo Toma de Zacatecas (mile 221)
  • Museums and history: Teatro Juárez (mile 43), Museo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas (mile 43), Museum of Contemporary Art (mile 149), Museo de la Insurgencia (mile 170), Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas (mile 221), Museo Toma de Zacatecas (mile 221)

Teatro Juárez

Mile 43 · Opera house · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Guanajuato's Teatro Juárez is a 19th-century theater designed by architect José Noriega and built between 1872 and 1903 by order of General Florencio Antillón.

Museo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas

Mile 43 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Built between 1796 and 1809 to plans by José Alejandro Durán y Villaseñor, the Alhóndiga de Granaditas in Guanajuato is home to the Museo Regional de Guanajuato.

Museum of Contemporary Art

Mile 149 · Art museum · 0.3 mi from the route

Aguascalientes' Museum of Contemporary Art shows works by contemporary Mexican artists in its Jesús F. Contreras gallery.

Teatro Morelos

Mile 149 · Theatre building · 0.1 mi from the route

In downtown Aguascalientes, Teatro Morelos is a neoclassical theater designed and built by engineer José Noriega and opened in 1885. In October and November 1914 it hosted the Sovereign Revolutionary Convention.

Museo de la Insurgencia

Mile 170 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Set in a 17th-century estate, the Museo de la Insurgencia opened in 1964 to tell the story of Mexico's independence movement. One hall shows farm, mining and textile tools from hacienda work; another displays everyday objects from past eras.

Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas

Mile 221 · Minor basilica · 0.6 mi from the route

Dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption, the Cathedral of Zacatecas is the main church of the Diocese of Zacatecas.

Museo Toma de Zacatecas

Mile 221 · Museum · 0.7 mi from the route

On the Cerro de la Bufa, this museum explains the military and social story behind the Taking of Zacatecas during the Mexican Revolution, along with glimpses of daily life in the city at the time.

When you get to Jerez, Zacatecas

Jerez de García Salinas lies in a valley about 35 miles (57 km) from the city of Zacatecas, and in 2007 it became the state's first Pueblo Mágico. The town is the birthplace of poet Ramón López Velarde and is closely tied to tamborazo music, filigree jewelry and leatherwork.

  • Teatro Hinojosa: Built between 1872 and 1890, the theater keeps its hand-carved wooden seating and balconies. source
  • Casa Museo Ramón López Velarde: The poet's birthplace now displays his manuscripts and recordings of his work. source
  • Santuario de la Soledad: This neoclassical sanctuary has twin towers and an unusual lobed arch at its entrance. source

More drives to Jerez, Zacatecas

From San Miguel de Allende to other places in Mexico

Coming to Jerez, Zacatecas from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico from the U.S.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from San Miguel de Allende to Jerez, Zacatecas?

About 5 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 255 miles.

How far is Jerez, Zacatecas from San Miguel de Allende by car?

About 255 miles (411 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 Miguel de Allende to Jerez, Zacatecas?

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 Miguel de Allende to Jerez, Zacatecas?

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 San Miguel de Allende to Jerez, Zacatecas use?

In order: GTO 67, MEX-110D, MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-54 and MEX-23. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between San Miguel de Allende and Jerez, Zacatecas?

Closest to the road: Teatro Morelos (theatre building, mile 149, 0.1 mi from the route); Museum of Contemporary Art (art museum, mile 149, 0.3 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas (minor basilica, mile 221, 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 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.