The Wayro route from Atlixco to Matehuala is 452 miles (727 km), about 8 h 18 min of driving without stops.
| Distance by road | 452 mi (727 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190D → MEX-190 → MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-190D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.1 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.
How the Atlixco to Matehuala drive plays out
MEX-57 (175 mi) and MEX-57D (127 mi) carry about 67% of the 452 miles. It runs through 7 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-190D, MEX-150D and MEX-M40D. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Atlixco to Matehuala, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Puebla |
| MEX-190D | 3–16 | 13 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 16–25 | 9 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 25–26 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 26–39 | 13 | Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 39–145 | 106 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 145–146 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-57D | 146–232 | 86 | State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 232–233 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 233–330 | 97 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 330–331 | 1 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 331–372 | 41 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 372–450 | 78 | San Luis Potosí |
| local roads | 450–452 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
- Mile 43 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 66 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 74 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 87 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 104 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 117 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 146 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 179 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 240 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 293 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
Places worth a stop between Atlixco and Matehuala
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 32), El Gogorrón National Park (mile 319)
- Museums and history: International Museum of the Baroque (mile 16), Museo Regional de Cholula (mile 21), Cacaxtla (mile 34), Teotihuacan (mile 86), Tula (mile 134)
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
Great Pyramid of Cholula
Under a hilltop church dedicated to the Virgin of los Remedios lies Tlachihualtepetl, a pyramid built in superimposed stages with a base about 400 meters per side. Excavations have opened roughly 8 km of tunnels inside the mound.
Museo Regional de Cholula
Right beside the Great Pyramid and archaeological zone of Cholula, this public museum displays collections ranging from pre-Hispanic and colonial art to contemporary and folk art.
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.
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
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.
Tula
The Toltecs once ruled from Tula, now an archaeological zone. Its Coatepantli wall is carved with snakes devouring skeletons, and the famous Atlantes stand atop the main pyramid.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
UNESCO listed Querétaro's historic center in 1996. Here, the Spanish grid of streets meets the winding lanes of the old Indigenous quarters, with Baroque churches and mansions throughout.
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.
Once you reach Matehuala
Matehuala Cathedral
In Matehuala, San Luis Potosí, the Diocese of Matehuala has its seat at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, a Catholic church that remains open to worshippers.
More drives to Matehuala
- Zitácuaro to Matehuala
- Mexico City to Matehuala
- Pachuca to Matehuala
- Cuernavaca to Matehuala
- Tlaxcala to Matehuala
- Cuautla to Matehuala
From Atlixco to other places in Mexico
- Atlixco to Zacatelco
- Atlixco to Tlaxcala
- Atlixco to Apizaco
- Atlixco to Ixtenco
- Atlixco to Tlaxco
- Atlixco to Calpulalpan
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Atlixco to Matehuala?
About 8 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 452 miles.
How far is Matehuala from Atlixco by car?
About 452 miles (727 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 Atlixco to Matehuala?
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 Atlixco to Matehuala?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; 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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Atlixco to Matehuala?
In order: MEX-190D, MEX-190, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D and MEX-57. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Atlixco to Matehuala?
Closest to the road: International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 16, 1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de Cholula (anthropology museum, mile 21, 1 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 134, 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.