By Car in Guadalajara

By Car

Arriving & Departing

Toll highway 15D is the safest and quickest route between Mexico City and Guadalajara. Expect to pay upward of $50 in tolls for the seven-hour drive. Around the halfway mark is the turnoff to Morelia, the splendid capital of Michoacá State. West of Guadalajara, you can continue on to Tepic, the capital of Nayarit, or to Puerto Vallarta, a four-and-a-half-hour drive via 15D then the windy, free Route 200.

The most direct road between Guadalajara and the Pacific coast is toll route 54D south; two-and-a-half hours from the city you'll reach Colima, and coastal Manzanillo is an additional 45 minutes from there. Toll road 80D travels northwest from Guadalajara and branches off to Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, and León. Zacatecas is due north of Guadalajara via free routes 54 and 23. The stretches nearest Guadalajara are perilously windy and prone to massive rockslides in the rainy season. Route 23 is the preferable of the two options. For a leisurely day trip, loop the south side of Lake Chapala on Route 15; it leads to Morelia.

Getting Around

Beware of heavy traffic and topes (speed bumps). Traffic circles are common at busy intersections. Parking in the city center can be scarce, so take a taxi or bus if you're not staying nearby; otherwise, try the underground lots across from the Palacio Municipal (Avenida Hidalgo and Calle Pedro Loza) and below the Plaza de la Liberación (Avenida Hidalgo and Calle Belén, in front of the Teatro Degollado). Park illegally and the police may tow your vehicle, necessitating a visit to the municipal transit office to pay a fine and then to one of the correlones (holding areas) to pay the tow charge (around $15) and retrieve your car.

To reach Tlaquepaque, take Avenida Revolución southwest. At the Plaza de la Bandera, turn right onto Calzada del Ejército and cross the plaza to the first light. Turn left onto Boulevard General Marcelino García Barragán (aka Boulevard Tlaquepaque). Follow the glorieta (traffic circle) around to Avenida Niños Héroes. The first intersection is Calle Independencia, a pedestrian mall in Tlaquepaque. From the Plaza del Sol area, take Calzada Lázaro Cárdenas southeast toward the airport and pick up the Carretera Guadalajara-Chapala. Fork off to the north onto Avenida Niños Héroes. Either trip takes about 25 minutes. To travel from Tlaquepaque to Tonalá, take Avenida Río Nilo southeast directly into town and the intersection of Avenida de los Tonaltecas (five minutes).

Contacts

Alamo (Av. Niños Héroes 982, south of Centro Histórico, Guadalajara. 01800/849-8001; 33/3613-5560; 33/3688-6630 at the airport. www.alamo-mexico.com.mx). Avis (Hilton, Av. de las Rosas 2933, Zona Cruz del Sur, Guadalajara. 33/3671-3422; 33/3688-5784 at the airport). Budget (Av. Niños Héroes 934, at Av. 16 de Septiembre, Centro Histórico, Guadalajara. 01800/700-1700; 33/3613-0027; 33/3613-0286; 33/3688-5216 at the airport. www.budget.com.mx). Dollar (Av. Federalismo Sur 540-A, at Av. de la Paz, Centro Histórico, Guadalajara. 33/3825-5080 or 33/3826-4221). Express Rent a Car (Calle Manzano 44, Centro Histórico, Guadalajara. 33/3614-1465, 33/3614-1865, or 33/3614-2077). Hertz (At the airport only. 33/3688-5633 or 33/3688-6080. www.hertz.com.mx). National (Av. Niños Héroes 961-C, Guadalajara. 33/3614-7175; 33/3688-5522 for an appointment. www.nationalcar.com.mx). Thrifty (At the aiport only. 33/3688-6318 or 33/3688-6319. www.thrifty.com.mx).