The Wayro route from Actopan to Santa Fe de la Laguna is 207 miles (333 km), about 3 h 48 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 207 mi (333 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 48 min |
| Main roads, in order | HGO 30 → HGO 17 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.3 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 Santa Fe de la Laguna is like
MEX-15D (89 mi) and MEX-M40D (48 mi) carry about 66% of the 207 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 3 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán. None of the 7 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Actopan to Santa Fe de la Laguna, 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 | 30–78 | 48 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 78–80 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 80–169 | 89 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 169–170 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 170–190 | 20 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 190–191 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 191–206 | 15 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 206–207 | 1 | Michoacán |
- Mile 48 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 97 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Actopan and Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 100)
- Museums and history: Tula (mile 34), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 34), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 80), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 118)
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.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
When you get to Santa Fe de la Laguna
Tzintzuntzan
Once the political and economic capital of the Purépecha empire, governed by a hereditary line of uacúsecha, or 'eagle lords,' Tzintzuntzan preserves its yácatas, temple bases that combine rectangular and semicircular platforms around ritual plazas.
More drives to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Pedro Escobedo to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Amatitán to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Cadereyta to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Tequila to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Zimapán to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Santa Fe de la Laguna
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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
About 3 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 207 miles.
How far is Santa Fe de la Laguna from Actopan by car?
About 207 miles (333 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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán 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 Santa Fe de la Laguna use?
In order: HGO 30, HGO 17, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and Santa Fe de la Laguna?
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); Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 118, 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.