Zacatecas to Moroleón Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Zacatecas to Moroleón is 235 miles (379 km), about 4 h 13 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Guanajuato is the Mexican state that contains Moroleón. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Museo de la InsurgenciaAguascalientes MuseumMuseo Regional de AguascalientesZacatecasMoroleón
Route from Zacatecas to Moroleón with the 3 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance235 mi (379 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 13 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-43D → MEX-43
Mexican states on the routeZacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-45D, MEX-43D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 9.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below3

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 Zacatecas to Moroleón is like

MEX-45D (129 mi) and MEX-45 (65 mi) carry about 83% of the 235 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-43D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-43 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato. Of the 3 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Zacatecas to Moroleón, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Zacatecas
MEX-451–98Zacatecas
MEX-45D9–3021Zacatecas
MEX-4530–5828Zacatecas, Aguascalientes
local roads58–624Aguascalientes
MEX-4562–9129Aguascalientes, Jalisco
MEX-45D91–199108Jalisco, Guanajuato
MEX-43D199–23031Guanajuato
connecting roads230–2311Guanajuato
MEX-43231–2343Guanajuato
local roads234–2351Guanajuato
  • Mile 35 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
  • Mile 88 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 136 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)

Stops between Zacatecas and Moroleón

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Aguascalientes Museum (mile 73), Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (mile 73)
  • Museums and history: Museo de la Insurgencia (mile 52), Aguascalientes Museum (mile 73), Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (mile 73)

Museo de la Insurgencia

Mile 52 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Set in a 17th-century estate, the Museo de la Insurgencia opened in 1964 to tell the story of Mexico's independence movement. One hall shows farm, mining and textile tools from hacienda work; another displays everyday objects from past eras.

Aguascalientes Museum

Mile 73 · Art museum · 0.4 mi from the route

Located in the state capital, the Aguascalientes Museum is the city's art museum, set in the city of Aguascalientes, Mexico.

Museo Regional de Aguascalientes

Mile 73 · History museum · 0.4 mi from the route

An early 20th-century building by self-taught architect Refugio Reyes holds this INAH museum of Aguascalientes history, with fossils, archaeological finds, colonial paintings by Juan Correa and more than 300 devotional ex-voto paintings.

More drives to Moroleón

From Zacatecas to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Zacatecas to Moroleón?

About 4 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 235 miles.

How far is Moroleón from Zacatecas by car?

About 235 miles (379 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 Moroleón?

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 Moroleón?

The U.S. State Department rates Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Zacatecas to Moroleón use?

In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-43D and MEX-43. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Zacatecas and Moroleón?

Closest to the road: Museo de la Insurgencia (museum, mile 52, 3 mi from the route); Aguascalientes Museum (art museum, mile 73, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Aguascalientes (history museum, mile 73, 0.4 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.