The Wayro route from Actopan to Ixcateopan is 196 miles (315 km), about 4 h 41 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 196 mi (315 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-85D → EM 12 → Viaducto → MEX-95D → MEX-95 → MEX-92D |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3), Guerrero (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-85D, MEX-95D, MEX-92D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Ixcateopan is like
MEX-95 (37 mi) and MEX-85 (35 mi) carry about 37% of the 196 miles. MEX-85D, MEX-95D, MEX-92D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-85, MEX-95 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Morelos, Guerrero. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to Ixcateopan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 2–37 | 35 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85D | 37–53 | 16 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 53–58 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| EM 12 | 58–66 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 66–70 | 4 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 70–76 | 6 | Mexico City |
| local roads | 76–83 | 7 | Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 83–86 | 3 | Mexico City |
| MEX-95D | 86–108 | 22 | Mexico City, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 108–117 | 9 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 117–126 | 9 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 126–137 | 11 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 137–138 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 138–166 | 28 | Morelos, Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 166–168 | 2 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 168–173 | 5 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 173–174 | 1 | Guerrero |
| local roads | 174–196 | 22 | Guerrero |
- Mile 43 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 68 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Mexico City → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 160 of this route: Morelos → Guerrero (state line)
Stops between Actopan and Ixcateopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Anahuacalli Museum (mile 83)
- Nature and outdoors: Viveros de Coyoacán (mile 81), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 162)
- Museums and history: Mexican Air Force Museum (mile 48), Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco (mile 70), Anahuacalli Museum (mile 83), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 126)
Mexican Air Force Museum
At Santa Lucía Air Base, the Military Aviation Museum, run by the Secretariat of National Defense, displays historical material from the Mexican Air Force.
Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco
Established by Franciscans in Tlatelolco on January 6, 1536, the Colegio de Santa Cruz was an early school of higher learning that trained Indigenous students and interpreters.
Teatro Metropólitan
The Teatro Metropólitan is a theater in Mexico City. It was built as a movie palace and was previously known as the Cine Metropólitan.
Viveros de Coyoacán
Part tree nursery, part public park, Viveros de Coyoacán covers 96 acres and was founded in the early 20th century by Miguel Ángel de Quevedo to grow seedlings for reforesting Mexico's forests.
Anahuacalli Museum
Designed by muralist Diego Rivera as a temple of the arts, the Anahuacalli Museum is a museum and arts center in the San Pablo de Tepetlapa neighborhood of Coyoacán.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.
When you get to Ixcateopan
Ixcateopan
Some 36 kilometers from Taxco in the rugged mountains of northern Guerrero, the ruins at Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc belong to a city that served as an important regional ceremonial center.
More drives to Ixcateopan
- Tlaltizapán to Ixcateopan
- Tepoztlán to Ixcateopan
- Metepec to Ixcateopan
- Oaxtepec to Ixcateopan
- Tlayacapan to Ixcateopan
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixcateopan
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 Ixcateopan?
About 4 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 196 miles.
How far is Ixcateopan from Actopan by car?
About 196 miles (315 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 Ixcateopan?
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 Ixcateopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Actopan to Ixcateopan use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-85D, EM 12, Viaducto, MEX-95D, MEX-95 and MEX-92D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and Ixcateopan?
Closest to the road: Viveros de Coyoacán (National Park of Mexico, mile 81, 2 mi from the route); Anahuacalli Museum (museum, mile 83, 0.4 mi from the route); Cuernavaca Cathedral (cathedral, mile 126, 2 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.