Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes Road Trip

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is 119 miles (192 km), about 2 h 26 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Aguascalientes is the Mexican state that contains San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Teocaltitan Archaeological SiteCathedral Basilica of San Juan de los LagosHistoric centre of AguascalientesMuseo Espacio, AguascalientesTepatitlánSan José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Route from Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes with the 4 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance119 mi (192 km)
Driving time, no stops2 h 26 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-80 → MEX-80D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19
Mexican states on the routeJalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-80D, MEX-45D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 4.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below4

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 Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is like

MEX-80D (40 mi) and MEX-45 (34 mi) carry about 62% of the 119 miles. MEX-80D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-80, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Jalisco
MEX-801–76Jalisco
MEX-80D7–4740Jalisco
connecting roads47–481Jalisco
local roads48–6012Jalisco
MEX-45D60–7313Jalisco
MEX-4573–10330Jalisco, Aguascalientes
local roads103–1063Aguascalientes
MEX-45106–1104Aguascalientes
connecting roads110–1111Aguascalientes
AGS 19111–1198Aguascalientes
  • Mile 77 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)

Stops between Tepatitlán and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 92), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 93)
  • Museums and history: Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 35), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 42), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 92), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 93)

Teocaltitan Archaeological Site

Mile 35 · Archaeological site · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos

Mile 42 · Minor basilica · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Pilgrims come from far and wide to San Juan de los Lagos to see the small image of the Virgin kept in this cathedral basilica, built between 1732 and 1769. Inside are Gothic-style ribbed vaults and a silver-framed Way of the Cross.

Historic centre of Aguascalientes

Mile 92 · Historic district · 0.2 mi from the route

The historic center of Aguascalientes is the city's zone of historic monuments, which INAH has declared part of the nation's heritage.

Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes

Mile 93 · Art museum · 0.9 mi from the route

Inside the Tres Centurias complex at Aguascalientes' old train station, Museo Espacio is a contemporary art museum, so a visit pairs current work with a look at the city's railroad buildings.

When you get to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes

Santuario del Cristo Roto, San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes

Statue · in San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes

A 28-meter broken Christ, the Cristo Roto, stands on an island in the Presidente Calles dam at San José de Gracia, reachable only by boat. Sculptors Erasmo Aguilar and Miguel Romo Santino made it to recall what the town lost when the dam was built.

More drives to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes

From Tepatitlán to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?

About 2 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 119 miles.

How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from Tepatitlán by car?

About 119 miles (192 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 Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?

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 Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?

The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes use?

In order: MEX-80, MEX-80D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tepatitlán and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?

Closest to the road: Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (minor basilica, mile 42, 2 mi from the route); Historic centre of Aguascalientes (historic district, mile 92, 0.2 mi from the route); Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (art museum, mile 93, 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 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.