The Wayro route from Atlixco to Santa Fe de la Laguna is 306 miles (493 km), about 5 h 2 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 306 mi (493 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 2 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190D → MEX-190 → MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-190D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.3 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 Santa Fe de la Laguna is like
MEX-M40D (139 mi) and MEX-15D (90 mi) carry about 75% of the 306 miles. MEX-190D, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-190, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Atlixco to Santa Fe de la Laguna, 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 | 179–269 | 90 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 269–270 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 270–290 | 20 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 290–291 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 291–306 | 15 | Michoacán |
- 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)
Stops between Atlixco and Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 32), Rayón National Park (mile 200)
- Museums and history: International Museum of the Baroque (mile 16), Museo Regional de Cholula (mile 21), 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.
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.
Church and former convent of Todos los Santos
Franciscan friars built this fortress-style convent in Zempoala, and the complex still keeps the classic layout of atrium, church, open chapel and cloister. It pairs well with a drive through the area's old pulque haciendas.
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.
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.
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 Santa Fe de la Laguna
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.
More drives to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Pedro Escobedo to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Amatitán to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Cadereyta to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Tequila to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Zimapán to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes to Santa Fe de la Laguna
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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
About 5 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 306 miles.
How far is Santa Fe de la Laguna from Atlixco by car?
About 306 miles (493 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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
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 Santa Fe de la Laguna?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Atlixco to Santa Fe de la Laguna use?
In order: MEX-190D, MEX-190, MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Atlixco and Santa Fe de la Laguna?
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 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.