The Wayro route from Actopan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is 321 miles (517 km), about 5 h 51 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 321 mi (517 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | HGO 30 → HGO 17 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 → AGS 19 |
| 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 12.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes is like
MEX-45D (141 mi) and MEX-47D (53 mi) carry about 60% of the 321 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 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes, 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 | 309–312 | 3 | Aguascalientes |
| connecting roads | 312–313 | 1 | Aguascalientes |
| AGS 19 | 313–321 | 8 | 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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 294), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 295)
- Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 117), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 122)
- Museums and history: Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 35), Celaya Cathedral (mile 146), Historic centre of Aguascalientes (mile 294), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 295)
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.
Atlantean figures
Crowning the main pyramid at the Tula archaeological zone, these basalt sculptures of Toltec warriors stand more than four meters tall in what was once the Toltec capital; the nearby Wall of Snakes shows carved serpents 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.
Historic centre of Aguascalientes
The historic center of Aguascalientes is the city's zone of historic monuments, which INAH has declared part of the nation's heritage.
Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes
Inside the Tres Centurias complex at Aguascalientes' old train station, Museo Espacio is a contemporary art museum, so a visit pairs current work with a look at the city's railroad buildings.
When you get to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Santuario del Cristo Roto, San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
A 28-meter broken Christ, the Cristo Roto, stands on an island in the Presidente Calles dam at San José de Gracia, reachable only by boat. Sculptors Erasmo Aguilar and Miguel Romo Santino made it to recall what the town lost when the dam was built.
More drives to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Jerez, Zacatecas to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tepatitlán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Amatitán to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Ajijic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
About 5 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 321 miles.
How far is San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes from Actopan by car?
About 321 miles (517 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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
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 San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes use?
In order: HGO 30, HGO 17, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D, MEX-45 and AGS 19. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes?
Closest to the road: Atlantean figures (atlantean figures, mile 34, 1 mi from the route); Historic centre of Aguascalientes (historic district, mile 294, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (art museum, mile 295, 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.