The Wayro route from Tzintzuntzan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is 250 miles (402 km), about 4 h 30 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 250 mi (402 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-120 → MEX-15 → MEX-37D → MEX-15D → MEX-43D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19 |
| Mexican states on the route | Michoacán (Level 4), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
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.
What the drive from Tzintzuntzan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is like
MEX-45D (108 mi) and MEX-43D (51 mi) carry about 64% of the 250 miles. MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Michoacán, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tzintzuntzan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MEX-120 | 0–5 | 5 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 5–19 | 14 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 19–40 | 21 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 40–43 | 3 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 43–45 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-43D | 45–96 | 51 | Michoacán, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 96–204 | 108 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 204–234 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 234–237 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 237–240 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 240–241 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 241–249 | 8 | Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 249–250 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
- Mile 60 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 159 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 208 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
Stops between Tzintzuntzan and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 221), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 222)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (mile 224)
- Museums and history: Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 221), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 222)
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
Teatro Aguascalientes
Teatro Aguascalientes is the city's main opera house, a modern building by architect Abraham Zabludovsky with seating for about 1,650 people.
Historic centre of Aguascalientes
The historic center of Aguascalientes is the city's zone of historic monuments, which INAH has declared part of the nation's heritage.
Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl
The Jardín Botánico Rey Nezahualcóyotl is a botanical garden that falls under the administration of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.
When you get to 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 Tzintzuntzan to other places in Mexico
- Tzintzuntzan to Amatitán
- Tzintzuntzan to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tzintzuntzan to Real de Asientos
- Tzintzuntzan to Nombre de Dios
- Tzintzuntzan to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
- Tzintzuntzan to Mineral de Pozos
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tzintzuntzan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
About 4 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 250 miles.
How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from Tzintzuntzan by car?
About 250 miles (402 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 Tzintzuntzan 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 Tzintzuntzan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
The U.S. State Department rates Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; 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 Tzintzuntzan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes use?
In order: MEX-120, MEX-15, MEX-37D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D, 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 Tzintzuntzan and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
Closest to the road: Teatro Aguascalientes (opera house, mile 221, 0.3 mi from the route); Historic centre of Aguascalientes (historic district, mile 222, 0.1 mi from the route); Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (botanical garden, mile 224, 2 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.