The Wayro route from Apizaco to Ciudad Tula is 420 miles (676 km), about 7 h 28 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 420 mi (676 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → SLP 75D → MEX-101D → MEX-101 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-101D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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.
On the road from Apizaco to Ciudad Tula
MEX-57D (129 mi) and MEX-57 (97 mi) carry about 54% of the 420 miles. It runs through 7 states: Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-M40D, MEX-57D and MEX-101D. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Apizaco to Ciudad Tula: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 1–27 | 26 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-M40D | 27–114 | 87 | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 114–115 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 115–202 | 87 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 202–299 | 97 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 299–300 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 300–342 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 342–344 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 75D | 344–363 | 19 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-101D | 363–395 | 32 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-101 | 395–419 | 24 | San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas |
| local roads | 419–420 | 1 | Tamaulipas |
- Mile 35 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 43 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 56 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 73 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 86 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 116 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 149 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 209 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 262 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 398 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Tamaulipas (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Apizaco and Ciudad Tula
- Nature and outdoors: El Gogorrón National Park (mile 288)
- Museums and history: Tula (mile 103), Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 104), Casa de la Corregidora (mile 186), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 194), San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 308)
Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque
At Tepeyahualco, the tallest arcade of this 16th-century water system rises almost 40 meters. Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque built it between 1554 and 1572.
Tula
Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.
Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl
The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
Baroque churches and mansions from the 17th and 18th centuries line the streets of Querétaro's historic center, along with the city's landmark aqueduct.
Casa de la Corregidora
Completed in 1770 as Querétaro's royal houses and town hall, the Casa de la Corregidora is where Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, held there in 1810, sent word of danger to Miguel Hidalgo. After independence it became the state government palace.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
El Gogorrón National Park
Hot-spring balnearios lie within the bounds of Gogorrón National Park, which covers parts of Villa de Reyes and Santa María del Río in San Luis Potosí. Its higher ground carries pine-oak forest.
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
A parish church from 1609 once stood where San Luis Potosí's cathedral rose between 1701 and 1728. Today the Baroque building serves as the seat of the archdiocese.
More drives to Ciudad Tula
- San Miguel de Allende to Ciudad Tula
- Guanajuato to Ciudad Tula
- Querétaro to Ciudad Tula
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Ciudad Tula
- Pedro Escobedo to Ciudad Tula
- Calvillo to Ciudad Tula
From Apizaco to other places in Mexico
- Apizaco to Omitlán
- Apizaco to Huasca de Ocampo
- Apizaco to Atlatlahucan
- Apizaco to Metepec
- Apizaco to Jilotepec
- Apizaco to Malinalco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Apizaco to Ciudad Tula?
About 7 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 420 miles.
How far is Ciudad Tula from Apizaco by car?
About 420 miles (676 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 Apizaco to Ciudad Tula?
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 Apizaco to Ciudad Tula?
The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Apizaco to Ciudad Tula?
In order: MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-57, SLP 75D, MEX-101D and MEX-101. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Apizaco to Ciudad Tula?
Closest to the road: Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 52, 2 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 103, 1 mi from the route); Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (archaeological site, mile 104, 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.