Tyler to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico: Border Crossing, Route & Stops

By admin, 30 September, 2026

The Wayro route from Tyler to Ciudad Acuña is 466 miles (750 km), about 8 h 20 min of driving without stops. The U.S.–Mexico border is at about mile 464 on this route, near the Del Rio port of entry.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Coahuila — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Coahuila is the Mexican state that contains Ciudad Acuña. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
Waco Mammoth National MonumentLyndon Baines Johnson Library and MuseumMcKinney Falls State ParkMission ConcepcionMission San JoséMission San Juan CapistranoMission San Francisco de la EspadaSan Felipe CreekU.S.–Mexico borderTylerCiudad Acuña
Route from Tyler to Ciudad Acuña with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots) and the approximate U.S.–Mexico border crossing (red square).
Distance466 mi (750 km)
Driving time, no stops8 h 20 min
Main roads, in orderTX 31 → US-175 → US-84 → I-35 → I-410 → US-90
Border crossingabout mile 464 of this route, Texas → Coahuila (near the Del Rio, TX port of entry)
Mexican states on the routeCoahuila (Level 3)
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 18.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

Crossing into Mexico: what you need for Ciudad Acuña

PassportPassport book or passport card to enter Mexico by land
FMM entry permitNot needed if you stay within 12 miles (20 km) of the border for 6 days or less; required for longer stays or if you travel farther in
Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP)Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther into Mexico
Mexican auto insuranceRequired for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you cross

Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.

Crossing at Del Rio

The Del Rio International Bridge crosses the Rio Grande between Del Rio and Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila. It is a full-service crossing that handles pedestrians, passenger vehicles and buses as well as commercial trucks.

Sources: [1] [2]

What the drive from Tyler to Ciudad Acuña is like

I-35 (171 mi) and US-90 (142 mi) carry about 67% of the 466 miles. The U.S. part of the drive runs through Texas for about 464 miles; after the border at Del Rio you have about 2 miles left in Mexico. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Tyler to Ciudad Acuña, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Texas
TX 311–3332Texas
US-17533–396Texas
connecting roads39–401Texas
TX 3140–12181Texas
US-84121–1276Texas
I-35127–298171Texas
I-410298–31820Texas
connecting roads318–3191Texas
US-90319–461142Texas
local roads461–4665Texas, Coahuila
  • Mile 464 of this route: Texas → Coahuila (international border)

Stops between Tyler and Ciudad Acuña

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum (mile 229), San Felipe Creek (mile 459)
  • Nature and outdoors: McKinney Falls State Park (mile 235), San Felipe Creek (mile 459)
  • Museums and history: Waco Mammoth National Monument (mile 127), Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum (mile 229), Mission Concepcion (mile 309), Mission San José (mile 309), Mission San Juan Capistrano (mile 318), Mission San Francisco de la Espada (mile 318)

Waco Mammoth National Monument

Mile 127 · National monument · 4 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

An elevated walkway in the Dig Shelter looks down on Columbian mammoth fossils still lying where they were found, part of the nation's first and only recorded evidence of a nursery herd of Ice Age Columbian mammoths.

Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum

Mile 229 · Museum · 0.2 mi from the route

Run by the National Archives on the UT Austin campus, Lyndon B. Johnson's presidential library includes a replica of the Oval Office among its permanent exhibits.

McKinney Falls State Park

Mile 235 · State park · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

About 13 miles from downtown Austin, Onion Creek spills over limestone ledges into pools at the upper and lower falls. Nearly nine miles of trails pass early Texas homestead ruins and an ancient rock shelter.

Mission Concepcion

Mile 309 · Spanish mission · 8 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Dedicated in 1755, the stone church here is one of the country's oldest remaining original stone churches and the least restored of San Antonio's colonial missions. Inside, four rooms still show colorful frescoes painted more than 250 years ago.

Mission San José

Mile 309 · Spanish mission · 10 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Known as the Queen of the Missions, this 1720 Franciscan mission has a stone church completed in 1782, a working grist mill and the park visitor center. It's still an active Catholic parish within a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Mile 318 · Spanish mission · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1716 in East Texas as Mission San José de los Nazonis, it was moved to the east bank of the San Antonio River in 1731 and renamed San Juan Capistrano. It's part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mission San Francisco de la Espada

Mile 318 · Spanish mission · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Part of the San Antonio Missions UNESCO World Heritage Site and still an active parish, Espada shows off a three-bell stone chapel front and a double-arched 1745 aqueduct that carries its acequia over Piedras Creek.

San Felipe Creek

Mile 459 · Spring · 0.3 mi from the route

Fed by San Felipe Springs, one of the largest spring systems in Texas and Del Rio's water supply, this creek has swimming holes at Horseshoe and Lions parks, a paved hike-and-bike trail, and good birdwatching.

When you get to Ciudad Acuña

Ciudad Acuña faces Del Rio, Texas, across the Rio Grande, at the spot where Las Vacas Creek flows into the river. Coahuila's tourism office calls it the state's friendly border, and its biggest draw is the Amistad reservoir, the largest body of water in Coahuila, used for boating, fishing, skiing, sailing and kayaking.

  • Presa La Amistad: The reservoir is the city's signature attraction, with fishing, water skiing, jet skiing, sailing, diving and kayaking. source
  • Plaza Benjamín Canales: The main square anchors the historic center, near the Hemiciclo a Juárez, the monumental flagpole and the Fiftieth Anniversary Forum. source
  • Parroquia de Santa María de Guadalupe: The downtown parish church dates from 1914 and is one of the historic landmarks of the city center. source

Whitehead Memorial Museum

Museum · in Ciudad Acuña

Set on about 2.5 acres in Del Rio, this pioneer-village history museum covers frontier life, border radio, and "goat-gland doctor" John Brinkley, and holds the grave of Old West justice of the peace Roy Bean.

More drives to Ciudad Acuña

From Tyler to other places in Mexico

All routes to Ciudad Acuña, border crossings and permits in one place: Driving to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico from the U.S.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Tyler to Ciudad Acuña?

About 8 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 466 miles.

How far is Ciudad Acuña from Tyler by car?

About 466 miles (750 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.

Where does the Tyler to Ciudad Acuña drive cross into Mexico?

At about mile 464 of this route, from Texas into Coahuila, near the Del Rio port of entry.

Do I need a permit to drive my car from Tyler to Ciudad Acuña?

Not needed inside the border zone; required if you drive farther into Mexico. You also need Mexican auto insurance and a passport book or card.

Is it safe to drive from Tyler to Ciudad Acuña?

The U.S. State Department rates Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Tyler to Ciudad Acuña use?

In order: TX 31, US-175, US-84, I-35, I-410 and US-90. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Tyler and Ciudad Acuña?

Closest to the road: Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum (museum, mile 229, 0.2 mi from the route); McKinney Falls State Park (state park, mile 235, 3 mi from the route); San Felipe Creek (spring, mile 459, 0.3 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.