The Wayro route from Actopan to Oaxtepec is 134 miles (215 km), about 2 h 55 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 134 mi (215 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-85D → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-85D, MEX-5D, MEX-115D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.3 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 Oaxtepec is like
MEX-85 (35 mi) and MEX-5D (33 mi) carry about 51% of the 134 miles. MEX-85D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-85, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to Oaxtepec, 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 | 37–57 | 20 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 57–58 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-5D | 58–91 | 33 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 91–92 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 92–108 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 108–122 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 122–126 | 4 | Morelos |
| local roads | 126–134 | 8 | Morelos |
- Mile 43 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 116 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Actopan and Oaxtepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Sacromonte National Park (mile 107), Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl (mile 127), Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol (mile 127)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 17), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 106), Sacromonte National Park (mile 107)
- Museums and history: Museo El Rehilete (mile 21), Mexican Air Force Museum (mile 48), Luis Barragán House and Studio (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.
Museo El Rehilete
Kids head to Pachuca's interactive museum El Rehilete for its planetarium, observatory, dinosaur park, botanical garden and archaeological walk, plus a historic DC-3 airplane and a fire truck they can explore.
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.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Luis Barragán House and Studio
Luis Barragán built his own house and studio in Mexico City in 1948, blending modern design with Mexican vernacular touches. The concrete house and its private garden joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004.
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, also called Izta-Popo Zoquiapan, protects the land around Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's second- and third-highest peaks, where the states of México, Puebla and Morelos meet.
Sacromonte National Park
Sacromonte National Park is a national park and protected area in the State of Mexico, established in 1952 and covering roughly 0.44 square kilometers.
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Inscribed by UNESCO in 1994, this World Heritage site groups early 16th-century monasteries that Franciscan, Dominican and Augustinian friars built on the slopes of Popocatépetl, with large open spaces used to evangelize the Indigenous population.
Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol
Built by Augustinian friars, the Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol in Atlatlahucan is well preserved, with murals and decorated vaults, and is associated with the origins of the Chinelo dancers.
When you get to Oaxtepec
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
More drives to Oaxtepec
- Malinalco to Oaxtepec
- Mexico City to Oaxtepec
- Metepec to Oaxtepec
- Toluca to Oaxtepec
- Otumba to Oaxtepec
- Taxco to Oaxtepec
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 Oaxtepec?
About 2 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 134 miles.
How far is Oaxtepec from Actopan by car?
About 134 miles (215 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 Oaxtepec?
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 Oaxtepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Actopan to Oaxtepec use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-85D, MEX-5D and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and Oaxtepec?
Closest to the road: Sacromonte National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 107, 0.4 mi from the route); Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl (world Heritage Site, mile 127, 0.2 mi from the route); Templo y Exconvento de San Mateo Apóstol (convent, mile 127, 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.