The Wayro route from Aguascalientes to Cuetzalan is 464 miles (746 km), about 7 h 55 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 464 mi (746 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136 → MEX-140D → MEX-129D → PUE 575 |
| Mexican states on the route | Aguascalientes (Level 2), Jalisco (Level 3), Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D, MEX-129D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.6 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 Aguascalientes to Cuetzalan is like
MEX-45D (143 mi) and MEX-M40D (88 mi) carry about 50% of the 464 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D, MEX-129D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-136 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 8 states: Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Aguascalientes to Cuetzalan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 2–19 | 17 | Aguascalientes, Jalisco |
| MEX-45D | 19–162 | 143 | Jalisco, Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 162–214 | 52 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 214–249 | 35 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 249–250 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 250–338 | 88 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 338–390 | 52 | Tlaxcala |
| connecting roads | 390–391 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-140D | 391–405 | 14 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-129D | 405–429 | 24 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 429–432 | 3 | Puebla |
| PUE 575 | 432–463 | 31 | Puebla |
| local roads | 463–464 | 1 | Puebla |
- Mile 16 of this route: Aguascalientes → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 65 of this route: Jalisco → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 175 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 216 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 249 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 279 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 293 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 310 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 322 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 330 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 400 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
Stops between Aguascalientes and Cuetzalan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Nacional del Títere (mile 382)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 173), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 363), La Malinche National Park (mile 378)
- Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 150), Teotihuacan (mile 311), Museo Nacional del Títere (mile 382)
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.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Church and former convent of Todos los Santos
Franciscan friars built this fortress-style convent in Zempoala, and the complex still keeps the classic layout of atrium, church, open chapel and cloister. It pairs well with a drive through the area's old pulque haciendas.
Teotihuacan
Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.
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.
Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia
The ruined walls of this 16th-century Franciscan convent in Atlihuetzia rise as high as 21 meters beside the 17th-century Purísima Concepción church. The site also holds a sanctuary to Cristóbal, honored as the first Catholic child martyr in the Americas.
La Malinche National Park
Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.
Museo Nacional del Títere
On the main square of Huamantla, the National Puppet Museum (Museo Nacional del Títere) fills eight galleries with puppets from Mexico and abroad, including pieces tied to the Rosete Aranda family, whose company toured Mexico for generations.
When you get to Cuetzalan
Yohualichan
Pre-Columbian ruins at Yohualichan form an archaeological site in the municipality of Cuetzalan del Progreso, in the Mexican state of Puebla.
More drives to Cuetzalan
- Chiautempan to Cuetzalan
- Cholula to Cuetzalan
- Huejotzingo to Cuetzalan
- Calpulalpan to Cuetzalan
- Pachuca to Cuetzalan
- Otumba to Cuetzalan
From Aguascalientes to other places in Mexico
- Aguascalientes to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Aguascalientes to Fresnillo
- Aguascalientes to Nombre de Dios
- Aguascalientes to El Rosario, Sinaloa
- Aguascalientes to Mazatlán
- Aguascalientes to San Ignacio, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Aguascalientes to Cuetzalan?
About 7 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 464 miles.
How far is Cuetzalan from Aguascalientes by car?
About 464 miles (746 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 Aguascalientes to Cuetzalan?
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 Aguascalientes to Cuetzalan?
The U.S. State Department rates Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Aguascalientes to Cuetzalan use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-136, MEX-140D, MEX-129D and PUE 575. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Aguascalientes and Cuetzalan?
Closest to the road: Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 313, 2 mi from the route); Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 363, 1 mi from the route); Museo Nacional del Títere (museum, mile 382, 0.9 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.