The Wayro route from Apizaco to Tzintzuntzan is 278 miles (447 km), about 4 h 38 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 278 mi (447 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-15 → MEX-120 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.1 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.
What the drive from Apizaco to Tzintzuntzan is like
MEX-M40D (120 mi) and MEX-15D (90 mi) carry about 76% of the 278 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136, MEX-15, MEX-120 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Apizaco to Tzintzuntzan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 1–27 | 26 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-M40D | 27–147 | 120 | Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 147–148 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 148–238 | 90 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 238–239 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 239–259 | 20 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 259–260 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 260–273 | 13 | Michoacán |
| MEX-120 | 273–278 | 5 | Michoacán |
- 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 117 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 166 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Apizaco and Tzintzuntzan
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 169)
- Museums and history: Teotihuacan (mile 55), Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (mile 87), Tula (mile 103), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 103), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 187)
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.
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.
Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco
Founded in 1985, the Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco sits across from the parish church of San Francisco de Asís and beside the town hall in Apaxco, State of Mexico.
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.
Jorge R. Acosta Museum
Next to the Tula ruins, the Museo de Sitio Jorge R. Acosta traces the rise and decline of the Toltecs and their city, Tollan Xicocotitlan. It moved into new facilities in 1982 and covers nearly 20 years of digs led by archaeologist Jorge R. Acosta.
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
When you get to Tzintzuntzan
Lake Pátzcuaro
Boats leave the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro for its islands, including Janitzio, topped by a statue of José María Morelos. Purépecha fishers here are known for butterfly-shaped nets, and whitefish is the local specialty.
Tzintzuntzan
Once the political and economic capital of the Purépecha empire, governed by a hereditary line of uacúsecha, or 'eagle lords,' Tzintzuntzan preserves its yácatas, temple bases that combine rectangular and semicircular platforms around ritual plazas.
Ihuatzio
On the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, Ihuatzio was one of three main Purépecha power centers. Visitors can see raised walkways and two semicircular pyramids called yácatas; excavations here also turned up Chac Mool and coyote sculptures carved from volcanic rock.
More drives to Tzintzuntzan
- Tequila to Tzintzuntzan
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Tzintzuntzan
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Tzintzuntzan
- Zacatecas to Tzintzuntzan
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Tzintzuntzan
- Sombrerete to Tzintzuntzan
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 is the drive from Apizaco to Tzintzuntzan?
About 4 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 278 miles.
How far is Tzintzuntzan from Apizaco by car?
About 278 miles (447 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 Tzintzuntzan?
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 Tzintzuntzan?
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; Michoacán 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 Tzintzuntzan use?
In order: MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D, MEX-15 and MEX-120. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Apizaco and Tzintzuntzan?
Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 103, 1 mi from the route); Jorge R. Acosta Museum (museum, mile 103, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 187, 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.