Plan on about 10 h 20 min of driving for the 542-mile (872 km) trip from Tampico to Sayula, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 542 mi (872 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 20 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-70D → MEX-70 → SLP 75D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → MEX-80 → MEX-80D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-54D → MEX-54 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tamaulipas, Veracruz, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-70D, MEX-57D, MEX-80D, MEX-90D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.7 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.
Driving Tampico to Sayula: the shape of the trip
MEX-80D (127 mi) and MEX-70 (102 mi) carry about 42% of the 542 miles. It runs through 5 states: Tamaulipas, Veracruz, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-70D, MEX-57D and MEX-80D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tampico to Sayula, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Tamaulipas |
| MEX-70D | 2–6 | 4 | Tamaulipas, Veracruz |
| MEX-70 | 6–68 | 62 | Veracruz, San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70D | 68–142 | 74 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 142–164 | 22 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 75D | 164–229 | 65 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 229–231 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 231–252 | 21 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 252–267 | 15 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 267–277 | 10 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 277–286 | 9 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-70 | 286–304 | 18 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80 | 304–307 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-80D | 307–349 | 42 | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-80 | 349–382 | 33 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 382–467 | 85 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 467–473 | 6 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 473–477 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 477–494 | 17 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 494–534 | 40 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 534–536 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54 | 536–540 | 4 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 540–542 | 2 | Jalisco |
- Mile 4 of this route: Tamaulipas → Veracruz (state line)
- Mile 39 of this route: Veracruz → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 314 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 324 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Sayula
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 357), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 358)
- Museums and history: Tamtoc (mile 76), Federico Silva Museum (mile 269), Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (mile 357), Teatro José Rosas Moreno (mile 358), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 386), Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (mile 469), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 472), Guadalajara Cathedral (mile 472)
Tamtoc
Tamtoc, also called Tamohí, is an archaeological site of the Huastec culture in Tamuín, San Luis Potosí, studied and restored since 2000 by a team led by archaeologist Estela Martínez Mora.
Federico Silva Museum
Opened on September 18, 2003, in San Luis Potosí's historic center, the Federico Silva Museum is devoted entirely to sculpture.
Teatro de la Paz
Built between 1889 and 1894 and opened on December 4, 1894, San Luis Potosí's Teatro de la Paz is a historic monument listed by INAH.
Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera
The Museo Casa Agustín Rivera Altos de Jalisco is a museum in the town of Lagos de Moreno, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
Teatro José Rosas Moreno
Named after Jalisco writer José Rosas Moreno, this theater in Lagos de Moreno took decades to finish: work started in 1867, and it opened on May 5, 1907.
Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos
Gothic-style ribbed vaults rise over the interior of San Juan de los Lagos' cathedral basilica, built from 1732 to 1769, where you'll also find a silver-framed Way of the Cross.
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.
Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara
Fossils are the focus at Guadalajara's Museum of Paleontology, which opened in 2000 inside Parque Agua Azul with exhibits developed alongside INAH, Mexico's national anthropology and history institute.
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.
More drives to Sayula
- Tepatitlán to Sayula
- San Juan de los Lagos to Sayula
- Lagos de Moreno to Sayula
- León to Sayula
- Aguascalientes to Sayula
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Sayula
From Tampico to other places in Mexico
- Tampico to Huasca de Ocampo
- Tampico to Pachuca
- Tampico to Omitlán
- Tampico to Actopan
- Tampico to Calpulalpan
- Tampico to Zacatelco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tampico to Sayula?
About 10 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 542 miles.
How far is Sayula from Tampico by car?
About 542 miles (872 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 Tampico to Sayula?
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 Tampico to Sayula?
The U.S. State Department rates Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Veracruz Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tampico to Sayula?
In order: MEX-70D, MEX-70, SLP 75D, MEX-57D, MEX-57, MEX-80, MEX-80D, MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-54D and MEX-54. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tampico and Sayula?
Closest to the road: Museo de los Altos de Jalisco, Casa Agustín Rivera (museum, mile 357, 0.4 mi from the route); Teatro José Rosas Moreno (opera house, mile 358, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Ceramica, Tlaquepaque (museum, mile 469, 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 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.