The Wayro route from Celaya to Cuautla is 221 miles (356 km), about 3 h 56 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 221 mi (356 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-5D → MEX-115 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D, MEX-115D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.8 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 Celaya to Cuautla is like
MEX-57D (57 mi) and MEX-5D (55 mi) carry about 51% of the 221 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-115 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Celaya to Cuautla, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45 | 2–7 | 5 | Guanajuato |
| connecting roads | 7–8 | 1 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 8–13 | 5 | Guanajuato |
| MEX-47D | 13–65 | 52 | Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 65–122 | 57 | Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| MEX-5D | 122–177 | 55 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 177–178 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-115 | 178–193 | 15 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 193–208 | 15 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| MEX-115 | 208–221 | 13 | Morelos |
- Mile 25 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 67 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 101 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 120 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 201 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Celaya and Cuautla
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (mile 113), Sacromonte National Park (mile 193)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 24), El Tepeyac National Park (mile 152), Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park (mile 192), Sacromonte National Park (mile 193)
- Museums and history: Acozac (mile 176)
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Templo y exconvento de San Francisco
The Templo y Exconvento de San Francisco is a church and former convent located in the city of Tepeji del Río, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
El Tepeyac National Park
Decreed in 1937 on reforested slopes of the Sierra de Guadalupe, including Cerro del Tepeyac, this national park was created for rest and recreation, with views toward Mexico City and the old Lake Texcoco plain.
Historic center of Mexico City
Built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, Mexico City's Centro Histórico holds the Metropolitan Cathedral, the excavated Aztec Templo Mayor and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1987.
Acozac
Acozac is an archaeological site in the municipality of Ixtapaluca, State of Mexico, located at kilometer 30 of the federal Mexico City–Puebla road, heading toward Ixtapaluca.
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park
Iztaccíhuatl–Popocatépetl National Park, also called Izta-Popo Zoquiapan, protects the land around Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's second- and third-highest peaks, where the states of México, Puebla and Morelos meet.
Sacromonte National Park
Sacromonte National Park is a national park and protected area in the State of Mexico, established in 1952 and covering roughly 0.44 square kilometers.
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.
When you get to Cuautla
Museo Histórico del Oriente de Morelos "Casa de Morelos"
In this 18th-century house in Cuautla, José María Morelos lived during the 1812 Siege of Cuautla. Its INAH galleries trace regional history through Morelos and Emiliano Zapata and display "El Niño," his first cannon, a gift from the Galeana family.
More drives to Cuautla
- Cuernavaca to Cuautla
- Toluca to Cuautla
- San Juan del Río to Cuautla
- Querétaro to Cuautla
- Morelia to Cuautla
- Salamanca to Cuautla
From Celaya to other places in Mexico
- Celaya to Real de Asientos
- Celaya to Amatitán
- Celaya to Zacatecas
- Celaya to Tequila
- Celaya to Jerez, Zacatecas
- Celaya to Sombrerete
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Celaya to Cuautla?
About 3 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 221 miles.
How far is Cuautla from Celaya by car?
About 221 miles (356 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 Celaya to Cuautla?
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 Celaya to Cuautla?
The U.S. State Department rates Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Celaya to Cuautla use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-5D and MEX-115. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Celaya and Cuautla?
Closest to the road: Templo y exconvento de San Francisco (convent, mile 113, 0.6 mi from the route); Acozac (archaeological site, mile 176, 2 mi from the route); Sacromonte National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 193, 0.3 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.