The UK advises against all but essential travel to the areas of Guanajuato state south-west of road 45D. That warning comes from the United Kingdom (UK) Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), which also warns that shootouts in the state can happen in populated areas. At Safe to Go, we re-check the UK, US and Canadian advisories every day.
The FCDO’s list of affected places names the cities of Celaya and Irapuato and municipalities such as Salamanca and Silao de la Victoria. That list does not name Guanajuato city itself, so check whether your route and day trips fall south-west of road 45D on the FCDO Mexico page. The United States (US) State Department and Canada set their caution for Mexico as a whole and point to their own regional maps and advisories; the panel above shows today’s level from each.
What the UK, US and Canada Say about Guanajuato State
The UK FCDO names Guanajuato directly and draws its warning at road 45D. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the areas south-west of that road, which includes the city of Celaya and the 20 municipalities listed below, Irapuato among them.
Guanajuato is a drug trafficking route, security incidents and drug-related violence have increased in the state, and fuel thefts from plants and pipelines also happen. Organised crime activity is rampant, particularly in the south of the state, and bystanders have been caught in the crossfire of shootouts in populated areas.
The FCDO adds an insurance warning: your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice.
The US State Department tells travelers to exercise increased caution in Mexico due to terrorism, crime and kidnapping, and says some areas carry increased risk. Its summary does not list states by name. It says conditions can vary widely from state to state and even within a state, that US government employees may not travel to certain high-risk areas, and that US citizens should follow the same restrictions; its maps of restricted areas sit on that page.
Canada asks travelers to exercise a high degree of caution in Mexico, with regional advisories on its Mexico page. Its most recent change removed a regional warning for the west-central coast. The FCDO lists these 20 municipalities south-west of road 45D:
- Abasolo
- Acámbaro
- Cuerámaro
- Huanímaro
- Irapuato
- Jaral del Progreso
- Manuel Doblado
- Moroleón
- Pénjamo
- Pueblo Nuevo
- Purisima del Rincón
- Romita
- Salamanca
- Salvatierra
- San Francisco del Rincón
- Santiago Maravatío
- Silao de la Victoria
- Uriangato
- Valle de Santiago
- Yuriria
Is Guanajuato Safe Compared with the Rest of Mexico
Guanajuato carries a partial warning from the FCDO, while several other states carry a whole-state warning. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the entire state of Zacatecas, and to all of Michoacán except named routes around Morelia and Pátzcuaro. In Guanajuato, the warning covers the areas south-west of road 45D only.
The FCDO groups Guanajuato under its West and Central region with Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima and Guerrero. If your trip combines Guanajuato with any of those states, each one has its own line, summarised in the table. For the city of Guadalajara, see our Guadalajara safety guide.
What we see travelers misread most often is the national level, when the warning is about specific regions. Our Mexico country guide covers the full FCDO list, which also reaches parts of Baja California, Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Chiapas.
| State | FCDO advises against all but essential travel to | Exceptions the FCDO names |
|---|---|---|
| Guanajuato | Areas south-west of road 45D, including Celaya and Irapuato | None listed |
| Michoacán | The whole state | Morelia via toll roads 15D, 126 and 43; toll road 48D to the airport; Pátzcuaro via roads 14D and 15; Lake Pátzcuaro boat trips; federal highway 15D |
| Jalisco | Areas south and south-west of Lake Chapala to the Colima border, plus 11 northern municipalities | None listed |
| Zacatecas | The whole state | None |
| Colima | The whole state | Manzanillo by sea or air, and road 200 from the airport to Manzanillo |
| Guerrero | The whole state | Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa accessed by air |
Risks Visitors Face in Guanajuato and the Precaution for Each
The risk the FCDO ties to Guanajuato itself is drug-related violence and organised crime, including shootouts in populated areas. For areas affected by gang fighting, the FCDO says risks are lower in tourist areas but asks travelers to take advice from local authorities or their hotel, stay aware of their surroundings, use reputable tourism and transport companies, and travel in the daytime where possible.
The rest of the FCDO’s crime advice applies across Mexico, including Guanajuato. Each risk below comes with the precaution the FCDO gives for it.
- Pickpocketing and theft, including on public transport: skip expensive-looking clothing, jewellery and watches, carry little cash and few cards, and watch your luggage even in a hotel lobby.
- Robbery at cash machines (ATMs) and exchange offices: withdraw small amounts in daylight from ATMs inside shops or malls, and watch who is around you.
- Fake police and police extortion: do not hand over money or your passport, ask for ID and a copy of the fine to pay later, and note the officer’s name, badge number and patrol car number.
- Phone kidnapping scams: if a caller claims to hold a relative or colleague, hang up and check on that person directly.
- Express kidnapping in urban areas, where victims are forced to withdraw cash at an ATM: stay alert, avoid higher-risk areas at night, and keep talk of money private.
- Drink spiking and methanol: never leave food or drinks unattended, and seek urgent medical help for signs of methanol poisoning, which cannot be detected by taste or smell.
- Sexual assault, reported in tourist areas: take extra care after dark, even close to hotels.
- Demonstrations: avoid them and move away from any protest, since foreign nationals who join can be detained and deported.
Getting around Guanajuato: Taxis, Roads and Night Travel
US government employees may not travel between cities after dark, should avoid traveling alone in remote areas, and must use dispatched vehicles from regulated taxi stands or app-based services like Uber or Cabify instead of waving down taxis on the street, and the US State Department says US citizens should follow the same restrictions.
The FCDO gives matching taxi advice. Unlicensed taxi drivers have robbed and assaulted passengers, so use ‘sitio’ taxis from authorised ranks or ask your hotel to order one, and at airports use only authorised pre-paid airport taxi services. The FCDO also warns that fake immigration officers can work in international airports; refuse offers of help and go straight to the immigration office.
For intercity buses, the FCDO advises first-class buses on toll roads, which have fewer incidents than second- and third-class buses on free (‘libre’) roads. If you drive, use toll roads (‘cuotas’), stay off isolated roads, and keep doors locked and windows closed at traffic lights. In remote areas, unofficial roadblocks run by local groups can turn violent.
The US adds one rule for the road. If you meet a road checkpoint, comply, because fleeing or ignoring instructions can get you hurt or killed. It also says emergency services are limited or unavailable in remote or rural areas.
Travelers Who Should Rethink a Southern Guanajuato Route
This answer does not cover road-trippers planning to drive through the municipalities south-west of road 45D, such as Pénjamo, Valle de Santiago or Salamanca. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel there, and a night drive between those towns also runs against the after-dark restriction US staff follow and US citizens are advised to follow.
The FCDO says traveling against its advice could invalidate travel insurance cover.
This verdict would change if the FCDO moved or removed the road 45D line, or if the US restricted-area maps or Canada’s regional advisories name Guanajuato. When the three governments disagree, we show all three and lean on the strictest for the area you are visiting.
How to Check Whether Guanajuato Is Safe Right Now
The panel above shows today’s level from the US, the UK and Canada, refreshed daily. Our latest advisory changes page lists recent edits across all three governments.
For the full wording, read the Guanajuato section of the FCDO Mexico page, the restricted-area maps on the US State Department advisory, and the regional list on Canada’s Mexico page.
Before you book, open the FCDO’s Mexico page and check each town you plan to visit against the road 45D line.