Celaya to Huamantla Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Celaya to Huamantla is 233 miles (375 km), about 3 h 53 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: 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; Tlaxcala — Level 2, Exercise Increased CautionAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Tlaxcala is the Mexican state that contains Huamantla. Check the full advisory for this state before you go.
El Cimatario National ParkSala Histórica QuetzalcóatlAtlantean figuresChurch and former convent of Todos los SantosTeotihuacanParque nacional XicoténcatlEx Convento de Santa María de la Concepción AtlihuetziaMuseo Casa de PiedraBasílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, ApizacoCelayaHuamantla
Route from Celaya to Huamantla with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance233 mi (375 km)
Driving time, no stops3 h 53 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136
Mexican states on the routeGuanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2)
Toll roadsMEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 9.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 insuranceRequired 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 Huamantla is like

MEX-M40D (89 mi) and MEX-47D (52 mi) carry about 61% of the 233 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-136 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Celaya to Huamantla, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
local roads0–22Guanajuato
MEX-452–75Guanajuato
connecting roads7–81Guanajuato
MEX-45D8–135Guanajuato
MEX-47D13–6552Guanajuato, Querétaro
MEX-57D65–10136Querétaro, State of Mexico
MEX-M40D101–19089Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala
MEX-136190–23343Tlaxcala
  • 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 130 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 144 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 161 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 173 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 181 of this route: Hidalgo → Tlaxcala (state line)

Stops between Celaya and Huamantla

  • Nature and outdoors: El Cimatario National Park (mile 30), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 213)
  • Museums and history: Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 112), Teotihuacan (mile 162), Museo Casa de Piedra (mile 217), Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco (mile 218)

El Cimatario National Park

Mile 30 · National Park of Mexico · 9 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.

Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl

Mile 112 · Museum · 1 mi from the route

The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.

Atlantean figures

Mile 113 · Atlantean figures · 1 mi from the route

Crowning the main pyramid at the Tula archaeological zone, these basalt sculptures of Toltec warriors stand more than four meters tall in what was once the Toltec capital; the nearby Wall of Snakes shows carved serpents devouring skeletons.

Church and former convent of Todos los Santos

Mile 160 · Convent · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Teotihuacan

Mile 162 · Historic site · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Parque nacional Xicoténcatl

Mile 213 · National Park of Mexico · 7 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia

Mile 214 · Convent · 1 mi from the route

The ruined walls of this 16th-century Franciscan convent in Atlihuetzia rise as high as 21 meters beside the 17th-century Purísima Concepción church. The site also holds a sanctuary to Cristóbal, honored as the first Catholic child martyr in the Americas.

Museo Casa de Piedra

Mile 217 · Railway museum · 2 mi from the route

Apizaco's old railroad station, dating from 1916, now houses the Museo Casa de Piedra. Inside, photographs and documents trace the town's history, especially its long ties to the railroads.

Basílica de Nuestra Señora de las Misericordias, Apizaco

Mile 218 · Basilica · 2 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

In the city of Apizaco, this Catholic basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia) was begun in the third decade of the 20th century and completed in 1961.

When you get to Huamantla

Museo Nacional del Títere

Museum · in Huamantla

On the main square of Huamantla, the National Puppet Museum (Museo Nacional del Títere) fills eight galleries with puppets from Mexico and abroad, including pieces tied to the Rosete Aranda family, whose company toured Mexico for generations.

More drives to Huamantla

From Celaya to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Celaya to Huamantla?

About 3 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 233 miles.

How far is Huamantla from Celaya by car?

About 233 miles (375 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 Huamantla?

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 Huamantla?

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; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Celaya to Huamantla use?

In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D and MEX-136. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Celaya and Huamantla?

Closest to the road: Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (museum, mile 112, 1 mi from the route); Atlantean figures (atlantean figures, mile 113, 1 mi from the route); Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 214, 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.