The Wayro route from Zacatecas to Santa Fe de la Laguna is 292 miles (470 km), about 5 h 11 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 292 mi (470 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-43D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Zacatecas (Level 4), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
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 Zacatecas to Santa Fe de la Laguna is like
MEX-45D (129 mi) and MEX-45 (65 mi) carry about 66% of the 292 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Michoacán. Of the 5 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zacatecas to Santa Fe de la Laguna, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 1–9 | 8 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 9–30 | 21 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 30–58 | 28 | Zacatecas, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 58–62 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 62–91 | 29 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 91–199 | 108 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-43D | 199–250 | 51 | Guanajuato, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 250–251 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 251–255 | 4 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 255–276 | 21 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 276–292 | 16 | Michoacán |
- Mile 35 of this route: Zacatecas → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 137 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 236 of this route: Guanajuato → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Zacatecas and Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 72), Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 75)
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (mile 71)
- Museums and history: Museo de la Insurgencia (mile 52), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 72), Teatro Aguascalientes (mile 75)
Museo de la Insurgencia
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.
Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl
The Jardín Botánico Rey Nezahualcóyotl is a botanical garden that falls under the administration of the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.
Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes
Inside the Tres Centurias complex at Aguascalientes' old train station, Museo Espacio is a contemporary art museum, so a visit pairs current work with a look at the city's railroad buildings.
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 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.
When you get to Santa Fe de la Laguna
Tzintzuntzan
Once the political and economic capital of the Purépecha empire, governed by a hereditary line of uacúsecha, or 'eagle lords,' Tzintzuntzan preserves its yácatas, temple bases that combine rectangular and semicircular platforms around ritual plazas.
More drives to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Pedro Escobedo to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Amatitán to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Cadereyta to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Tequila to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Zimapán to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Santa Fe de la Laguna
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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
About 5 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 292 miles.
How far is Santa Fe de la Laguna from Zacatecas by car?
About 292 miles (470 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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
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; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacatecas to Santa Fe de la Laguna use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Zacatecas and Santa Fe de la Laguna?
Closest to the road: Jardín Botánico Rey Netzahualcoyotl (botanical garden, mile 71, 2 mi from the route); Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (art museum, mile 72, 0.7 mi from the route); Teatro Aguascalientes (opera house, mile 75, 0.2 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.