The Wayro route from Actopan to Cuetzalan is 164 miles (264 km), about 3 h 48 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 164 mi (264 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 48 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-130 → MEX-132D → MEX-119D → PUE 148 → PUE 575 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-132D, MEX-119D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Actopan to Cuetzalan is like
PUE 148 (52 mi) and MEX-132D (25 mi) carry about 47% of the 164 miles. MEX-132D, MEX-119D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-85, MEX-130 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 2 states: Hidalgo, Puebla. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to Cuetzalan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 2–16 | 14 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 16–25 | 9 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-130 | 25–44 | 19 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132D | 44–69 | 25 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 69–71 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-119D | 71–89 | 18 | Hidalgo, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 89–95 | 6 | Puebla |
| PUE 148 | 95–123 | 28 | Puebla |
| local roads | 123–126 | 3 | Puebla |
| PUE 148 | 126–150 | 24 | Puebla |
| PUE 575 | 150–163 | 13 | Puebla |
| local roads | 163–164 | 1 | Puebla |
- Mile 75 of this route: Hidalgo → Puebla (state line)
Stops between Actopan and Cuetzalan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santuario de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Aquixtla (mile 96)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 19), El Hiloche (mile 25)
- Museums and history: Templo y exconvento de San Andrés Apóstol (mile 33), Museo de Datos Históricos (mile 50)
- With kids: Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo (mile 21)
El Chico National Park
In Hidalgo, El Chico National Park is known for towering cliffs such as Las Ventanas and Peña del Cuervo, popular with climbers, and forest wildlife including gray foxes, ringtails, armadillos, hawks, falcons and woodpeckers.
Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo
Pachuca's Bioparque de Convivencia is a rescue and recovery center for wild, exotic and endemic animals saved from abuse, abandonment or risk, housing a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation unit.
Teatro de la Ciudad San Francisco
The Teatro de la Ciudad San Francisco is a theater in the historic center of Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
El Hiloche
Bosque El Hiloche is a state park of about 100 hectares of forest in Mineral del Monte, Hidalgo, and one of the geosites of the Comarca Minera Geopark.
Templo y exconvento de San Andrés Apóstol
Augustinian friars raised this 16th-century church and convent in Epazoyucan, Hidalgo; the complex keeps its posa chapels, open chapel and atrium, and its stonework mixes Plateresque carving with Indigenous tequitqui craftsmanship.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.
Museo de Datos Históricos
Tulancingo's first station of the Hidalgo and Northeast Railroad, built in 1893, now houses the Museo de Datos Históricos, with regional archaeological pieces such as the Huapalcalco feline, traditional clothing from Santa Ana Hueytlalpan and a historical photo archive.
Santuario de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Aquixtla
In the Sierra Norte de Puebla, the sanctuary of Nuestro Padre Jesús in Aquixtla draws thousands of pilgrims during the year who come to give thanks for favors received.
When you get to Cuetzalan
Yohualichan
Pre-Columbian ruins at Yohualichan form an archaeological site in the municipality of Cuetzalan del Progreso, in the Mexican state of Puebla.
More drives to Cuetzalan
- Chiautempan to Cuetzalan
- Cholula to Cuetzalan
- Huejotzingo to Cuetzalan
- Calpulalpan to Cuetzalan
- Pachuca to Cuetzalan
- Otumba to Cuetzalan
From Actopan to other places in Mexico
- Actopan to Otumba
- Actopan to Cadereyta
- Actopan to Ezequiel Montes
- Actopan to Amealco
- Actopan to Pedro Escobedo
- Actopan to El Oro
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Actopan to Cuetzalan?
About 3 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 164 miles.
How far is Cuetzalan from Actopan by car?
About 164 miles (264 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 Actopan to Cuetzalan?
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 Actopan to Cuetzalan?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Actopan to Cuetzalan use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-130, MEX-132D, MEX-119D, PUE 148 and PUE 575. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and Cuetzalan?
Closest to the road: Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo (zoo, mile 21, 2 mi from the route); Museo de Datos Históricos (museum, mile 50, 2 mi from the route); Santuario de Nuestro Padre Jesús de Aquixtla (sanctuary, mile 96, 0.7 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.