The Wayro route from Aguascalientes to Xalapa is 463 miles (745 km), about 7 h 37 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 463 mi (745 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136 → MEX-140D |
| 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), Veracruz (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-43D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.5 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 Xalapa is like
MEX-45D (143 mi) and MEX-M40D (88 mi) carry about 50% of the 463 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-136 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 9 states: Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Aguascalientes to Xalapa, 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 | 391–457 | 66 | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz |
| local roads | 457–463 | 6 | Veracruz |
- 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)
- Mile 426 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Stops between Aguascalientes and Xalapa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Nacional del Títere (mile 383)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 173), La Malinche National Park (mile 379), Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 435)
- Museums and history: Celaya Cathedral (mile 150), Museo Nacional del Títere (mile 383), Museo de Sitio de Cantona (mile 416), Cantona (mile 418)
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.
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.
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.
Museo de Sitio de Cantona
At the Cantona archaeological zone in Tepeyahualco, this site museum shows finds from more than 20 years of digs: pottery, obsidian and stone tools, musical instruments, greenstone and shell ornaments, and burial remains.
Cantona
High on the Puebla plateau near the Veracruz line, Cantona was a fortified pre-Hispanic city that controlled trade toward the Gulf; its explored southern section reveals interconnected streets, walled residential units and more than two dozen ballgame courts.
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
Cofre de Perote National Park protects the forested slopes of the mountain, and its role is practical as well as scenic: a little over 40 percent of the water used in Xalapa comes from here.
When you get to Xalapa
Pinacoteca Diego Rivera
In downtown Xalapa, the Pinacoteca Diego Rivera is an art museum with a large collection of works by the muralist Diego Rivera.
Museo Casa Xalapa
Also called the Museo de la Ciudad, or MUXA, Museo Casa Xalapa traces the history of the Veracruz capital and state from pre-Hispanic times to today. It opened in 2007 and was renovated in 2016.
Paseo de los Lagos
Paseo de los Lagos is a lakeside public path in Xalapa, on the site of an old dam, in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico.
More drives to Xalapa
- Mexico City to Xalapa
- Toluca to Xalapa
- Morelia to Xalapa
- Irapuato to Xalapa
- León to Xalapa
- San Luis Potosí to Xalapa
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
- Aguascalientes to Zacatelco Road Trip: Route, Stops & Safety
- Aguascalientes to Oaxtepec Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way
- Aguascalientes to Tetela del Volcán Road Trip: Stops & Tolls
- Aguascalientes to Atlatlahucan Road Trip: Route, Tolls & Stops
- Aguascalientes to Amatitán Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Aguascalientes to Xalapa?
About 7 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 463 miles.
How far is Xalapa from Aguascalientes by car?
About 463 miles (745 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 Xalapa?
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 Xalapa?
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; Veracruz 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 Xalapa use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-136 and MEX-140D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Aguascalientes and Xalapa?
Closest to the road: Celaya Cathedral (church building, mile 150, 2 mi from the route); Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 313, 2 mi from the route); Museo Nacional del Títere (museum, mile 383, 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.