The Wayro route from Actopan to Metepec is 113 miles (182 km), about 2 h 24 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 113 mi (182 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-85D → EM 10 → MEX-134D |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-85D, MEX-134D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.5 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 Metepec is like
MEX-85 (35 mi) and MEX-85D (29 mi) carry about 57% of the 113 miles. MEX-85D, MEX-134D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-85 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 3 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Mexico City. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to Metepec, 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 | 37–66 | 29 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| EM 10 | 66–70 | 4 | Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 70–71 | 1 | Mexico City |
| local roads | 71–83 | 12 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-134D | 83–107 | 24 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 107–113 | 6 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 43 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 66 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 71 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Actopan and Metepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Tezozómoc (mile 76), Los Remedios National Park (mile 80)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 17), Parque Tezozómoc (mile 76), Viveros de Coyoacán (mile 79), Los Remedios National Park (mile 80), Desierto de los Leones National Park (mile 93)
- Museums and history: Mexican Air Force Museum (mile 48), Museo de los Ferrocarrileros (mile 66), Planetario Luis Enrique Erro (mile 69), Xólotl Museum (mile 71)
- With kids: Planetario Luis Enrique Erro (mile 69)
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.
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.
Museo de los Ferrocarrileros
In the former La Villa train station in northern Mexico City, this museum opened in 2006 and tells the story of Mexico's railroads and the railroad workers' social movements.
Planetario Luis Enrique Erro
Run by the National Polytechnic Institute, the Planetario Luis Enrique Erro in Mexico City is a planetarium open to the public and one of the longest-running in Latin America.
Xólotl Museum
Run by INAH at the Tenayuca archaeological zone in Tlalnepantla, the Xólotl Museum traces the history of Tenayuca, an early Chichimec settlement in the Basin of Mexico.
Parque Tezozómoc
A large park in the Azcapotzalco borough, Parque Tezozómoc offers open green space in the northwestern part of Mexico City.
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.
Los Remedios National Park
Los Remedios National Park, created by federal decree in 1938, covers about 400 hectares on the far western side of Naucalpan, just northwest of Mexico City.
Desierto de los Leones National Park
Declared a national park in 1917, this fir, ash and oak forest in Mexico City's Cuajimalpa and Álvaro Obregón boroughs surrounds a former Carmelite monastery. Locals come to hike, run and cycle, and more than 100 bird species live here.
When you get to Metepec
Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario
Set in Toluca's Torres Bicentenario complex, built to celebrate Mexican independence, this gallery shows paintings, prints and sculpture by artists from the State of Mexico, and many works are for sale.
Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
In Toluca's historic center, a building from the late 18th and early 19th centuries holds about 225 watercolors, oils and drawings tracing the work of painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. It opened in December 1992.
Cosmovitral
Toluca's Cosmovitral wraps a botanical garden of more than 500 plant species in a huge stained-glass work designed by artist Leopoldo Flores. Light filtering through the colored glass sets the mood as you walk the garden paths.
More drives to Metepec
- Zitácuaro to Metepec
- Salvatierra to Metepec
- Celaya to Metepec
- San Miguel de Allende to Metepec
- Uruapan to Metepec
- Pénjamo to Metepec
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 Metepec?
About 2 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 113 miles.
How far is Metepec from Actopan by car?
About 113 miles (182 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 Metepec?
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 Metepec?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Actopan to Metepec use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-85D, EM 10 and MEX-134D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and Metepec?
Closest to the road: Xólotl Museum (archaeological museum, mile 71, 1 mi from the route); Parque Tezozómoc (park, mile 76, 0.9 mi from the route); Los Remedios National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 80, 0.8 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.