Plan on about 6 h 39 min of driving for the 332-mile (535 km) trip from Zacatecas to Montemorelos, before any stops.
What the State Department tells travelers on this route:
- Nuevo León: “Those traveling between the U.S. border and Monterrey on highways 85/85D, 54, and 40/40D should exercise caution and avoid travel after dark.”
- Nuevo León: “Armed robberies and carjackings have occurred along these highways even during daylight hours.”
| Total distance | 332 mi (535 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-54 → MEX-57 → MEX-40 → MEX-40D → MEX-85 → NL 85 |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas, Coahuila, Nuevo León |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Zacatecas to Montemorelos: the shape of the trip
MEX-54 (217 mi) and MEX-85 (44 mi) carry about 79% of the 332 miles. It runs through 3 states: Zacatecas, Coahuila, Nuevo León. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-40D. Of the 7 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Zacatecas to Montemorelos: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 3–9 | 6 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-54 | 9–226 | 217 | Zacatecas, Coahuila |
| MEX-57 | 226–231 | 5 | Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 231–234 | 3 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40 | 234–248 | 14 | Coahuila |
| connecting roads | 248–249 | 1 | Coahuila |
| MEX-40D | 249–278 | 29 | Coahuila, Nuevo León |
| MEX-40 | 278–281 | 3 | Nuevo León |
| connecting roads | 281–285 | 4 | Nuevo León |
| MEX-85 | 285–329 | 44 | Nuevo León |
| NL 85 | 329–332 | 3 | Nuevo León |
- Mile 178 of this route: Zacatecas → Coahuila (state line)
- Mile 254 of this route: Coahuila → Nuevo León (state line)
Places worth a stop between Zacatecas and Montemorelos
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Desert Museum (mile 230), Faro del Comercio (mile 284)
- Nature and outdoors: Desert Museum (mile 230), Cola de Caballo (mile 306), Cumbres de Monterrey National Park (mile 316)
- Museums and history: Birds Museum of Mexico (mile 229), Desert Museum (mile 230), Faro del Comercio (mile 284), Papalote Museum, Monterrey (mile 285)
Birds Museum of Mexico
Opened in Saltillo in 1993, the Birds Museum of Mexico (Museo de las Aves de México) grew from a collection Aldegundo Garza de León built over 50 years and donated.
Desert Museum
Opened in 1999, Saltillo's Museo del Desierto explores the deserts of Mexico across four pavilions, with skeletons of Tyrannosaurus rex and Quetzalcoatlus, a live prairie dog colony, a plant nursery, and a courtyard where simulated rain falls.
Cerro La Mota
Protected by Nuevo León state since 2000, Cerro La Mota, also known as Sierra Nacataz, covers about 9,400 hectares of mountains in García and Santa Catarina, ringed by other protected ranges.
Faro del Comercio
Nearly 70 meters (about 230 feet) tall, this slender tower on the Macroplaza was designed by Luis Barragán with Raúl Ferrera for the Monterrey Chamber of Commerce's 1983 centennial.
Papalote Museum, Monterrey
Inside Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, Papalote Museo del Niño is a children's museum set in an underground space 16 meters below ground, designed by architect Iñaki Echeverría.
Cola de Caballo
In the Sierra Madre Oriental outside Santiago, this 27-meter waterfall takes its name from the way its stream spills like a horse's tail. A walking path leads visitors to the falls.
Cumbres de Monterrey National Park
Spanning the northern Sierra Madre Oriental in Nuevo León and Coahuila near Monterrey, Cumbres de Monterrey National Park protects more than 1,770 square kilometers of rugged terrain with deep canyons, rivers, waterfalls and mountain peaks, including Cerro de la Silla.
More drives to Montemorelos
- Ciudad Valles to Montemorelos
- Fresnillo to Montemorelos
- Tuxpan, Veracruz to Montemorelos
- Lagos de Moreno to Montemorelos
- San Miguel de Allende to Montemorelos
- Guanajuato to Montemorelos
From Zacatecas to other places in Mexico
- Zacatecas to San Juan de los Lagos
- Zacatecas to Temacapulín
- Zacatecas to Tepatitlán
- Zacatecas to Amatitán
- Zacatecas to Tequila
- Zacatecas to San Luis Soyatlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zacatecas to Montemorelos?
About 6 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 332 miles.
How far is Montemorelos from Zacatecas by car?
About 332 miles (535 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 Zacatecas to Montemorelos?
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 Zacatecas to Montemorelos?
The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Coahuila Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Nuevo León Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Zacatecas to Montemorelos?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-54, MEX-57, MEX-40, MEX-40D, MEX-85 and NL 85. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Zacatecas to Montemorelos?
Closest to the road: Birds Museum of Mexico (museum, mile 229, 1 mi from the route); Desert Museum (museum, mile 230, 0.7 mi from the route); Faro del Comercio (monument, mile 284, 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 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.