The Wayro route from Actopan to Tetela del Volcán is 130 miles (210 km), about 2 h 51 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 130 mi (210 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 51 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 |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.2 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 Tetela del Volcán is like
MEX-85 (35 mi) and MEX-5D (33 mi) carry about 52% of the 130 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, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to Tetela del Volcán, 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 | 92–112 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 112–130 | 18 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
- Mile 43 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 122 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Actopan and Tetela del Volcán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (mile 59), Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 60)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 17), Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 80), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 106)
- Museums and history: Mexican Air Force Museum (mile 48), Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (mile 59), Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (mile 60), 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.
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.
Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec
The Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, also called Ecatepec Cathedral, is the main Catholic church and seat of the Diocese of Ecatepec in Mexico, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec
Also called the Centro Comunitario Casa de Morelos, the Casa de Morelos is a museum in the municipality of Ecatepec de Morelos dedicated to José María Morelos y Pavón.
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.
Guerrero Chimalli
Rising 60 meters beside Bordo de Xochiaca Avenue in Chimalhuacán, this steel sculpture by Sebastián depicts an Indigenous warrior holding a shield (chimalli) and a mace.
Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park
Named for Antonio Flores de Valdés, who inherited the estate in 1642, this former hacienda and mill near Texcoco became a national park in 1937. Visitors walk among its ruins, the San Joaquín church remains and a chapel built on rock.
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.
When you get to Tetela del Volcán
Convento de Santiago Apóstol
In the town of Ocuituco, the Temple and Ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol (Templo y Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol) belongs to the UNESCO-listed group of 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, inscribed in 1994.
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
More drives to Tetela del Volcán
- Cuernavaca to Tetela del Volcán
- Mexico City to Tetela del Volcán
- Zacatelco to Tetela del Volcán
- Tlaxcala to Tetela del Volcán
- Apizaco to Tetela del Volcán
- Metepec to Tetela del Volcán
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 Tetela del Volcán?
About 2 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 130 miles.
How far is Tetela del Volcán from Actopan by car?
About 130 miles (210 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 Tetela del Volcán?
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 Tetela del Volcán?
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 Tetela del Volcán 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 Tetela del Volcán?
Closest to the road: Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (cathedral, mile 59, 0.7 mi from the route); Casa de Morelos, Ecatepec (museum, mile 60, 0.2 mi from the route); Guerrero Chimalli (colossal statue, mile 73, 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.