The Wayro route from Atlixco to Moroleón is 284 miles (457 km), about 4 h 36 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 284 mi (457 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190D → MEX-190 → MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-43D → MEX-43 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Guanajuato (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-190D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.4 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.
What the drive from Atlixco to Moroleón is like
MEX-M40D (139 mi) and MEX-15D (86 mi) carry about 79% of the 284 miles. MEX-190D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-190, MEX-43 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 6 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Guanajuato. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Atlixco to Moroleón, 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 | 39–178 | 139 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 178–179 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 179–265 | 86 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 265–266 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-43D | 266–278 | 12 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 278–280 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-43 | 280–283 | 3 | Michoacán, Guanajuato |
| local roads | 283–284 | 1 | Guanajuato |
- 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 148 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 197 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 281 of this route: Michoacán → Guanajuato (state line)
Stops between Atlixco and Moroleón
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 32), Tula National Park (mile 134), Rayón National Park (mile 200)
- Museums and history: Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 17), Cholula (mile 21), Tula (mile 134), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 218)
Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla
Behind the facade of Puebla's Santo Domingo church hides the Capilla del Rosario, inaugurated in 1690. Gold covers its walls, pilasters and vaults, and contemporaries hailed it as the eighth wonder of the New World.
Tonantzintla Observatory
The Tonantzintla Observatory in Puebla was home to the National Astrophysical Observatory directed by Guillermo Haro. Its main instrument, a Schmidt camera, was a wide-field telescope built for photographing the sky.
Cholula
Cholula's Great Pyramid grew in successive construction phases around an adobe core. INAH repair work on its Pocito staircase after the 2017 earthquakes turned up broken pre-Hispanic braziers and a small limestone figure of the rain god Tláloc.
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.
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.
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.
Tula National Park
This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.
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.
More drives to Moroleón
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Moroleón
- Zacatecas to Moroleón
- Jerez, Zacatecas to Moroleón
- Fresnillo to Moroleón
- Durango to Moroleón
- Mazatlán to Moroleón
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 Moroleón?
About 4 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 284 miles.
How far is Moroleón from Atlixco by car?
About 284 miles (457 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 Moroleón?
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 Moroleón?
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; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Atlixco to Moroleón use?
In order: MEX-190D, MEX-190, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-43D and MEX-43. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Atlixco and Moroleón?
Closest to the road: Tula (archaeological site, mile 134, 1 mi from the route); Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 134, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (opera house, mile 218, 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.