Apizaco to Sombrerete Road Trip: Distance, Time & Stops

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Apizaco to Sombrerete is 535 miles (861 km), about 9 h 19 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: 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; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Zacatecas is the Mexican state that contains Sombrerete. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Aqueduct of Padre TemblequeTeotihuacanTulaSala Histórica QuetzalcóatlEl Cimatario National ParkParque Rodolfo LanderosAguascalientes CathedralMuseo Espacio, AguascalientesHistoric centre of ZacatecasApizacoSombrerete
Route from Apizaco to Sombrerete with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance535 mi (861 km)
Driving time, no stops9 h 19 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45
Mexican states on the routeTlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 21.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 insuranceRequired 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 Apizaco to Sombrerete is like

MEX-45D (196 mi) and MEX-45 (130 mi) carry about 61% of the 535 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 8 states: Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Apizaco to Sombrerete, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–11Tlaxcala
MEX-1361–2726Tlaxcala
MEX-M40D27–11487Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
connecting roads114–1151Hidalgo
MEX-57D115–15035Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro
MEX-47D150–20353Querétaro, Guanajuato
MEX-45D203–344141Guanajuato, Jalisco
MEX-45344–37430Jalisco, Aguascalientes
local roads374–3773Aguascalientes
MEX-45377–40629Aguascalientes, Zacatecas
MEX-45D406–44135Zacatecas
MEX-45441–4476Zacatecas
MEX-45D447–4558Zacatecas
MEX-45455–4638Zacatecas
MEX-45D463–47512Zacatecas
MEX-45475–53257Zacatecas
local roads532–5353Zacatecas
  • 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 191 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
  • Mile 300 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
  • Mile 348 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
  • Mile 401 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)

Stops between Apizaco and Sombrerete

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 360), Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 362), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 364)
  • Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 186), Parque Rodolfo Landeros (mile 360)
  • Museums and history: Teotihuacan (mile 55), Tula (mile 103), Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 104), Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 362), Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (mile 364)

Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque

Mile 52 · Aqueduct · 2 mi from the route

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.

Teotihuacan

Mile 55 · Historic site · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Tula

Mile 103 · Archaeological site · 1 mi from the route

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

Mile 104 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

El Cimatario National Park

Mile 186 · National Park of Mexico · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.

Parque Rodolfo Landeros

Mile 360 · Park · 0.3 mi from the route

Also called Parque Héroes, this environmental and recreation park on Avenida José María Chávez in Aguascalientes has an artificial lake, bike rentals and several other attractions.

Aguascalientes Cathedral

Mile 362 · Church building · 0.1 mi from the route

The cathedral of Aguascalientes stands on the Plaza de la Patria in the city's historic center.

Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes

Mile 364 · Art museum · 0.7 mi from the route

Inside the Tres Centurias complex at Aguascalientes' old train station, Museo Espacio is a contemporary art museum, so a visit pairs current work with a look at the city's railroad buildings.

Historic centre of Zacatecas

Mile 434 · Urban area · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1546 after a rich silver strike, Zacatecas climbs the steep sides of a narrow valley; its UNESCO-listed center holds an 18th-century Baroque cathedral, colonial convents, the Calderón Theater and the old González Market.

More drives to Sombrerete

From Apizaco to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Apizaco to Sombrerete?

About 9 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 535 miles.

How far is Sombrerete from Apizaco by car?

About 535 miles (861 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 Sombrerete?

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 Sombrerete?

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; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Apizaco to Sombrerete use?

In order: MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D and MEX-45. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Apizaco and Sombrerete?

Closest to the road: Parque Rodolfo Landeros (park, mile 360, 0.3 mi from the route); Aguascalientes Cathedral (church building, mile 362, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Espacio, Aguascalientes (art museum, mile 364, 0.7 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.