How to Get to Tequila, Jalisco from Guadalajara: Car, Bus, Train or Tour
Hola Tequila Tour •
Tequila town sits about 60 km northwest of Guadalajara, a little over an hour away via the highway to Tepic. There are four ways to make the trip: your own car, the bus, the José Cuervo Express train or a tour with transport included. The choice usually comes down to one question: who is driving back after the tequila tastings?
Here is each option, with the good, the bad and who it works for. If you have not decided what to see yet, start with the complete guide to Tequila town.
By car: the most flexible option
From Guadalajara, head west on Avenida Vallarta, which becomes the highway toward Nogales and Tepic. Then you choose between two roads:
- Toll highway (15D): the fastest. Without traffic you arrive in a little over an hour. There is a toll booth.
- Free road (15): runs through El Arenal and Amatitán. It is slower, with speed bumps and town stretches, but you drive between agave fields and can stop along the way.
The good: you leave when you want and can combine several stops. The bad: downtown Tequila fills up on weekends, and if the group is tasting tequila, someone has to stay sober to drive back.
By bus: the cheapest option
Buses leave Guadalajara for Tequila throughout the day. The ride takes longer than driving because it stops in the towns along the way. Check the day's departures at the station and, above all, the time of the last bus back.
The good: it is cheap and nobody drives. The bad: it drops you in town, but agave fields and many distilleries are outside the center, so from there you are on your own.
By train: the José Cuervo Express
A tourist train that leaves from Guadalajara, usually on weekends, with drinks on board and a visit to José Cuervo's distillery in Tequila. It is comfortable and well produced, but expensive and with limited seats, so book ahead. Check dates and prices on its official site.
The good: the ride itself is part of the outing. The bad: the cost, and the day revolves around a single brand.
On a tour from Guadalajara: the whole day sorted
A tour picks you up in Guadalajara and takes care of the whole day: distilleries, an agave field, free time in town and the ride back. Nobody drives after the tastings and there is no parking to hunt for.
The tour you book with us leaves every day at 11:30 AM from Colonia Americana or downtown Guadalajara and returns between 7:00 and 8:00 PM. It starts at $490 MXN per person and includes round-trip transport in an air-conditioned van, guided tastings, an artisanal distillery with its cellar, an agave field and cantaritos in Amatitán. It can also pick you up at your address if you are inside the coverage area. The tour is guided in Spanish. The tour is operated by Guatequi Tours; bookings are handled by Hola Tequila Tour.
Which one is right for you?
- You want full freedom and someone will not be drinking: car.
- You are on a tight budget and only want to see the town center: bus.
- You want something special and price is not an issue: train.
- You want distilleries, fields and the town without driving or planning: tour.
Travel tips
- Leave early, especially on weekends: getting out of Guadalajara and parking in Tequila are what eat up the most time.
- Do not drive after tasting. Tastings add up faster than you think.
- Bring cash for small purchases in town.
- From Guadalajara airport you have to cross the city, so allow at least an hour and a half to Tequila.
Once you are in town, the next decision is which distillery to visit. We cover that in distilleries in Tequila: which ones to visit.