The Wayro route from Actopan to Jalpa is 350 miles (563 km), about 6 h 33 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 350 mi (563 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | HGO 30 → HGO 17 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → MEX-70 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.0 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 Actopan to Jalpa is like
MEX-45D (141 mi) and MEX-47D (53 mi) carry about 55% of the 350 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-70 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to Jalpa, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–17 | 17 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 30 | 17–26 | 9 | Hidalgo |
| HGO 17 | 26–30 | 4 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 30–45 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 45–46 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 46–81 | 35 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-47D | 81–134 | 53 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 134–275 | 141 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 275–291 | 16 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 291–298 | 7 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-70 | 298–349 | 51 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| local roads | 349–350 | 1 | Zacatecas |
- Mile 47 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 80 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 122 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 231 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 280 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 334 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
Stops between Actopan and Jalpa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 291), La Santa Cruz (mile 326)
- Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 117), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 122), Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 291)
- Museums and history: Tula (mile 34), Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 35), Celaya Cathedral (mile 146), La Santa Cruz (mile 326)
Hacienda Demiñho
Near Tunititlán in the Mezquital Valley, Hacienda Demiñho is a former Spanish-era estate that once ran cattle, farmed and rented land, becoming one of the region's important haciendas.
Tula
Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.
Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl
The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
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.
Parque Rodolfo Landeros
Also called Parque Héroes, this environmental and recreation park on Avenida José María Chávez in Aguascalientes has an artificial lake, bike rentals and several other attractions.
Teatro Morelos
In downtown Aguascalientes, Teatro Morelos is a neoclassical theater designed and built by engineer José Noriega and opened in 1885. In October and November 1914 it hosted the Sovereign Revolutionary Convention.
La Santa Cruz
In Calvillo's town center, La Santa Cruz is a cultural and monumental complex with Catholic and historical themes devoted to Calvillo's role in the Cristero War of 1926; it opened in 2021.
When you get to Jalpa
Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes
The Museo Comunitario Profr. Arturo Reyes Viramontes is a community museum in the municipality of Jalpa, in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, named for teacher Arturo Reyes Viramontes.
More drives to Jalpa
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 Jalpa?
About 6 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 350 miles.
How far is Jalpa from Actopan by car?
About 350 miles (563 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 Jalpa?
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 Jalpa?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas 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 Jalpa use?
In order: HGO 30, HGO 17, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and MEX-70. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and Jalpa?
Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 34, 1 mi from the route); Parque Rodolfo Landeros (park, mile 291, 0.4 mi from the route); La Santa Cruz (museum, mile 326, 0.2 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.