The Wayro route from Acapulco to Irapuato is 429 miles (690 km), about 7 h 16 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 429 mi (690 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-95D → MEX-95 → Periférico → MEX-57 → MEX-47D → MEX-45D |
| Mexican states on the route | Guerrero (Level 4), Morelos (Level 3), Mexico City (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-95D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
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 Acapulco to Irapuato is like
MEX-95D (203 mi) and MEX-57 (71 mi) carry about 64% of the 429 miles. MEX-95D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-95, MEX-57 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Guerrero, Morelos, Mexico City, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Guanajuato. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Acapulco to Irapuato, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95D | 3–63 | 60 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 63–70 | 7 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95D | 70–178 | 108 | Guerrero, Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 178–186 | 8 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 186–221 | 35 | Morelos, Mexico City |
| local roads | 221–226 | 5 | Mexico City |
| Periférico | 226–255 | 29 | Mexico City, State of Mexico |
| MEX-57 | 255–326 | 71 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 326–327 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 327–380 | 53 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 380–424 | 44 | Guanajuato |
| local roads | 424–429 | 5 | Guanajuato |
- Mile 150 of this route: Guerrero → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 208 of this route: Morelos → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 241 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 273 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 293 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 326 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 367 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
Stops between Acapulco and Irapuato
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Chilpancingo Cathedral (mile 66), Cuetlajuchitlán (mile 124), Mexico City Metro Museum (mile 236)
- Nature and outdoors: Tula National Park (mile 288), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 368)
- Museums and history: Tehuacalco (mile 39), Chilpancingo Cathedral (mile 66), Cuetlajuchitlán (mile 124), Teopanzolco (mile 181), Mexico City Metro Museum (mile 236), Casa Estudio Leonora Carrington (mile 239), Celaya Cathedral (mile 392)
Tehuacalco
Near Chilpancingo, Tehuacalco is an archaeological site tied to the Yope people, with excavation work carried out in the 2000s.
Chilpancingo Cathedral
Chilpancingo's neoclassical cathedral of the Assumption hosted the Congress of Anáhuac in 1813, a key moment of the independence movement whose work led to the Apatzingán Constitution, with its ideas of popular sovereignty and separation of powers.
Cuetlajuchitlán
Discovered in 1991 while the Autopista del Sol was being built, Cuetlajuchitlán (Los Querende) preserves plazas, ritual baths, sunken courtyards and pink stone walls with drainage channels from a settlement that peaked between 200 BC and AD 200.
Teopanzolco
Now surrounded by the city of Cuernavaca, Teopanzolco preserves a Late Postclassic pyramid base that once carried twin temples to Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, a layout closely tied to Tenochtitlan's sacred precinct.
Mexico City Metro Museum
Mexico City's Metro Museum (Museo del Metro) is located inside Mixcoac station on Line 12 of the city's subway system.
Casa Estudio Leonora Carrington
In Roma Norte at Chihuahua Street 194, this was the home and studio of British surrealist painter and writer Leonora Carrington.
Tula National Park
This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Celaya Cathedral
Celaya's main Catholic church, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, occupies the space of a former chapel that was annexed to the neighboring Temple of St. Francis.
When you get to Irapuato
Irapuato Cathedral
Irapuato's cathedral, dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, dates from the 18th century and has a Baroque facade. It served as the seat of the local parish until 2004, when the new Diocese of Irapuato made it a cathedral.
More drives to Irapuato
From Acapulco to other places in Mexico
- Acapulco to Iguala
- Acapulco to Tlaltizapán
- Acapulco to Oaxtepec
- Acapulco to Malinalco
- Acapulco to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Acapulco to Tepoztlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Acapulco to Irapuato?
About 7 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 429 miles.
How far is Irapuato from Acapulco by car?
About 429 miles (690 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 Acapulco to Irapuato?
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 Acapulco to Irapuato?
The U.S. State Department rates Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Acapulco to Irapuato use?
In order: MEX-95D, MEX-95, Periférico, MEX-57, MEX-47D and MEX-45D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Acapulco and Irapuato?
Closest to the road: Chilpancingo Cathedral (cathedral, mile 66, 0.6 mi from the route); Cuetlajuchitlán (archaeological site, mile 124, 0.2 mi from the route); Mexico City Metro Museum (museum, mile 236, 0.3 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.