The Wayro route from Actopan to Tlayacapan is 123 miles (198 km), about 2 h 54 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 123 mi (198 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 54 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-85D → MEX-5D → MEX-113 |
| 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 4.9 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 Tlayacapan is like
MEX-85 (35 mi) and MEX-5D (33 mi) carry about 55% of the 123 miles. MEX-85D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-85, MEX-113 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Actopan to Tlayacapan, 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 | 91–93 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 93–105 | 12 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-113 | 105–118 | 13 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| local roads | 118–123 | 5 | Morelos |
- Mile 43 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 109 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Actopan and Tlayacapan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (mile 59)
- Nature and outdoors: El Chico National Park (mile 17), El Tepeyac National Park (mile 66), Cerro de la Estrella National Park (mile 72), Molino de Flores Nezahualcóyotl National Park (mile 80)
- Museums and history: Mexican Air Force Museum (mile 48), Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (mile 59), Acozac (mile 91)
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.
El Tepeyac National Park
Decreed in 1937 on reforested slopes of the Sierra de Guadalupe, including Cerro del Tepeyac, this national park was created for rest and recreation, with views toward Mexico City and the old Lake Texcoco plain.
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.
Cerro de la Estrella National Park
Rising in eastern Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough, Cerro de la Estrella is where the Mexica lit the New Fire every 52 years; trails lead up to a pyramid-shaped site museum near the summit and to caves with traces of pre-Hispanic use.
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.
Acozac
Acozac is an archaeological site in the municipality of Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico, located at kilometer 30 of the federal Mexico City–Puebla road, heading toward Ixtapaluca.
When you get to Tlayacapan
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.
Templo y exconvento de San Guillermo
Augustinian friars began the Templo y Exconvento de San Guillermo in Totolapan in the mid-16th century; part of the UNESCO-listed Popocatépetl monasteries, it was badly damaged in the 2017 earthquake, and INAH has supervised its restoration.
More drives to Tlayacapan
- Atlixco to Tlayacapan
- Otumba to Tlayacapan
- Calpulalpan to Tlayacapan
- Metepec to Tlayacapan
- Toluca to Tlayacapan
- Puebla to Tlayacapan
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 Tlayacapan?
About 2 h 54 min of driving without stops, over 123 miles.
How far is Tlayacapan from Actopan by car?
About 123 miles (198 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 Tlayacapan?
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 Tlayacapan?
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 Tlayacapan use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-85D, MEX-5D and MEX-113. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and Tlayacapan?
Closest to the road: Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral, Ecatepec (cathedral, mile 59, 0.7 mi from the route); Guerrero Chimalli (colossal statue, mile 73, 1 mi from the route); Acozac (archaeological site, mile 91, 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.