The Wayro route from Atlixco to Metepec is 122 miles (196 km), about 2 h 47 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 122 mi (196 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 47 min |
| Main roads, in order | PUE 438D → MEX-160 → MEX-160D → MEX-95D → MEX-106 → MEX-200 → EM 44 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-160D, MEX-95D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.9 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 Atlixco to Metepec is like
PUE 438D (25 mi) and MEX-160D (20 mi) carry about 37% of the 122 miles. MEX-160D, MEX-95D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-160, MEX-106, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Puebla, Morelos, State of Mexico. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Atlixco to Metepec, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 7–32 | 25 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 32–48 | 16 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 48–68 | 20 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 68–69 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 69–80 | 11 | Morelos |
| MEX-106 | 80–98 | 18 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 98–103 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 103–107 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 107–111 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 111–118 | 7 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 118–119 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 119–122 | 3 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 24 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 89 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Atlixco and Metepec
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 64), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 89)
- Nature and outdoors: Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 89), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 91), La Marquesa National Park (mile 111)
- Museums and history: Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 64)
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
Convento de Santiago Apóstol
In the town of Ocuituco, the Temple and Ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol (Templo y Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol) belongs to the UNESCO-listed group of 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, inscribed in 1994.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
La Marquesa National Park
Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.
Ciénegas del Lerma
These marshes in the Toluca Valley are three lakes left from a wetland of about 27,000 hectares in the late 19th century. A Ramsar site since 2004, they hold dozens of endemic and threatened species and are a key stop for migratory species.
When you get to Metepec
Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario
Set in Toluca's Torres Bicentenario complex, built to celebrate Mexican independence, this gallery shows paintings, prints and sculpture by artists from the State of Mexico, and many works are for sale.
Museum José María Velasco
In Toluca's historic center, the Museo José María Velasco shares the work of 19th-century Mexican painter José María Velasco, with Plaza de los Mártires to the south and the Government Palace to the east.
Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
In Toluca's historic center, a building from the late 18th and early 19th centuries holds about 225 watercolors, oils and drawings tracing the work of painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. It opened in December 1992.
More drives to Metepec
- Zitácuaro to Metepec
- Salvatierra to Metepec
- Celaya to Metepec
- San Miguel de Allende to Metepec
- Uruapan to Metepec
- Pénjamo to Metepec
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 is the drive from Atlixco to Metepec?
About 2 h 47 min of driving without stops, over 122 miles.
How far is Metepec from Atlixco by car?
About 122 miles (196 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 Metepec?
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 Metepec?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Atlixco to Metepec use?
In order: PUE 438D, MEX-160, MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-106, MEX-200 and EM 44. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Atlixco and Metepec?
Closest to the road: Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (museum, mile 64, 0.5 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 89, 0.4 mi from the route); Ciénegas del Lerma (flora and fauna protection area, mile 112, 2 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.