The Wayro route from Actopan to Zacualpan de Amilpas is 144 miles (231 km), about 3 h 7 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 144 mi (231 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-85 → MEX-88 → MEX-132 → MEX-M40D → PUE 438D |
| Mexican states on the route | Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas is like
MEX-M40D (46 mi) and PUE 438D (24 mi) carry about 49% of the 144 miles. MEX-M40D is a toll highway (cuota); MEX-85, MEX-88, MEX-132 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Morelos. None of the 6 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Actopan to Zacualpan de Amilpas, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-85 | 2–16 | 14 | Hidalgo |
| local roads | 16–23 | 7 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-88 | 23–38 | 15 | Hidalgo |
| connecting roads | 38–39 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-132 | 39–42 | 3 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 42–88 | 46 | State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| local roads | 88–117 | 29 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 117–141 | 24 | Puebla, Morelos |
| local roads | 141–144 | 3 | Morelos |
- Mile 42 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 54 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 62 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 84 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 139 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Actopan and Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 83)
- With kids: Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo (mile 21)
Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo
Pachuca's Bioparque de Convivencia is a rescue and recovery center for wild, exotic and endemic animals saved from abuse, abandonment or risk, housing a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation unit.
Teatro Hidalgo Bartolomé de Medina
The Teatro Hidalgo Bartolomé de Medina is a theater in the city of Pachuca de Soto, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
Parque nacional Xicoténcatl
Covering roughly 600 hectares in central Tlaxcala, Xicohténcatl National Park takes in the historic center of Tlaxcala city plus Quiahuixtlán, Ocotelulco and Tepeticpac, which correspond to three of the old Tlaxcalan lordships.
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
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.
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.
More drives to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Puebla to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Cuernavaca to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Zacatelco to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Mexico City to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Chiautempan to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Apizaco to Zacualpan de Amilpas
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?
About 3 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 144 miles.
How far is Zacualpan de Amilpas from Actopan by car?
About 144 miles (231 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?
The U.S. State Department rates Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas use?
In order: MEX-85, MEX-88, MEX-132, MEX-M40D and PUE 438D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Actopan and Zacualpan de Amilpas?
Closest to the road: Bioparque de Convivencia en Pachuca, Hidalgo (zoo, mile 21, 2 mi from the route); Teatro Hidalgo Bartolomé de Medina (theatre building, mile 22, 2 mi from the route); Convento de Huejotzingo (convent, mile 99, 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.