The Wayro route from Actopan to Pabellón de Hidalgo is 317 miles (510 km), about 5 h 43 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 317 mi (510 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 43 min |
| Main roads, in order | HGO 30 → HGO 17 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 20 |
| 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) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.7 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 Pabellón de Hidalgo is like
MEX-45D (141 mi) and MEX-47D (53 mi) carry about 61% of the 317 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 6 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to Pabellón de Hidalgo, 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 | 275–305 | 30 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 305–309 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 309–313 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 313–314 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 20 | 314–317 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
- 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)
Stops between Actopan and Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 294)
- Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 117), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 122)
- Museums and history: Tula (mile 34), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 34), Celaya Cathedral (mile 146), Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 294)
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.
Jorge R. Acosta Museum
Next to the Tula ruins, the Museo de Sitio Jorge R. Acosta traces the rise and decline of the Toltecs and their city, Tollan Xicocotitlan. It moved into new facilities in 1982 and covers nearly 20 years of digs led by archaeologist Jorge R. Acosta.
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.
Aguascalientes Cathedral
The cathedral of Aguascalientes stands on the Plaza de la Patria in the city's historic center.
When you get to Pabellón de Hidalgo
Museo de la Insurgencia
Set in a 17th-century estate, the Museo de la Insurgencia opened in 1964 to tell the story of Mexico's independence movement. One hall shows farm, mining and textile tools from hacienda work; another displays everyday objects from past eras.
More drives to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Nombre de Dios to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- El Salto, Durango to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tepatitlán to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Guadalajara to Pabellón de Hidalgo
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 Pabellón de Hidalgo?
About 5 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 317 miles.
How far is Pabellón de Hidalgo from Actopan by car?
About 317 miles (510 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 Pabellón de Hidalgo?
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 Pabellón de Hidalgo?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Actopan to Pabellón de Hidalgo use?
In order: HGO 30, HGO 17, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 20. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and Pabellón de Hidalgo?
Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 34, 1 mi from the route); Jorge R. Acosta Museum (museum, mile 34, 1 mi from the route); Aguascalientes Cathedral (church building, mile 294, 0.1 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.