By road, Tepic and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes are about 289 miles (465 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 12 min of driving.
| Total distance | 289 mi (465 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-80D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-80D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.5 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 Tepic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes: the shape of the trip
MEX-15D (125 mi) and MEX-80D (73 mi) carry about 69% of the 289 miles. It runs through 3 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D, MEX-80D and MEX-45D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tepic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 5–110 | 105 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 110–122 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 122–142 | 20 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 142–144 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-80D | 144–217 | 73 | Jalisco |
| local roads | 217–230 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 230–243 | 13 | Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 243–273 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 273–276 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 276–280 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 280–288 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 288–289 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 62 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 247 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
What to see on the way from Tepic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 81), Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara (mile 124), Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 262), Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 262)
- Museums and history: Ixtlán del Rio (mile 51), Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería (mile 81), National Museum of Tequila (mile 89), Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara (mile 126), Teocaltitan Archaeological Site (mile 204), Cathedral Basilica of San Juan de los Lagos (mile 211), Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 262), Museo Nacional de la Muerte (mile 262)
Ixtlán del Rio
Between roughly 300 BC and AD 600, people made their home at Los Toriles in Ixtlán del Río. Today visitors come for its circular temple, a rare design in Mesoamerica.
Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería
Agave landscapes and mining are the twin themes of the Museo Interpretativo del Paisaje Agavero y la Minería, an interpretive museum in the municipality of Magdalena.
National Museum of Tequila
Jalisco's state government took back the National Museum of Tequila in 2026, announcing a reopening with refreshed displays. The museum, known as MUNAT, tells the story of the spirit in the town that shares its name.
Statue of Minerva, Guadalajara
At a roundabout fountain in Guadalajara, a bronze statue of Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom, stands on a large pedestal inscribed with the names of 18 notable citizens.
Museum of Paleontology of Guadalajara
Only a few museums in Mexico are devoted to fossils, and one of them sits in Guadalajara's Parque Agua Azul, where it has welcomed visitors since 2000.
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.
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.
Aguascalientes Cathedral
The cathedral of Aguascalientes stands on the Plaza de la Patria in the city's historic center.
Museo Nacional de la Muerte
Run by the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes, the Museo Nacional de la Muerte displays objects about death in Mexican culture, drawn from a collection donated by printmaker Octavio Bajonero Gil.
Arriving in San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Santuario del Cristo Roto, 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
- Jerez, Zacatecas to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Amatitán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Ajijic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
From Tepic to other places in Mexico
- Tepic to Amatitán
- Tepic to Ajijic
- Tepic to Tepatitlán
- Tepic to Temacapulín
- Tepic to Nochistlán
- Tepic to San Juan de los Lagos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tepic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
About 5 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 289 miles.
How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from Tepic by car?
About 289 miles (465 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 Tepic 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 Tepic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tepic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-80D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tepic and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
Closest to the road: Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site, mile 51, 0.5 mi from the route); Aguascalientes Cathedral (cathedral, mile 262, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Nacional de la Muerte (art museum, mile 262, 0.1 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.