The Wayro route from Celaya to Naolinco is 322 miles (518 km), about 5 h 33 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 322 mi (518 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-136 → MEX-140D → VER 65 |
| Mexican states on the route | Guanajuato (Level 3), Querétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Veracruz (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.9 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 Naolinco is like
MEX-M40D (89 mi) and MEX-140D (66 mi) carry about 48% of the 322 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-140D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45, MEX-136 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Celaya to Naolinco, 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 | 65–101 | 36 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| MEX-M40D | 101–190 | 89 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala |
| MEX-136 | 190–242 | 52 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-140D | 242–308 | 66 | Tlaxcala, Puebla, Veracruz |
| connecting roads | 308–309 | 1 | Veracruz |
| VER 65 | 309–322 | 13 | Veracruz |
- 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)
- Mile 251 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 277 of this route: Puebla → Veracruz (state line)
Stops between Celaya and Naolinco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tula National Park (mile 113)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro de las Campanas (mile 24), Tula National Park (mile 113), Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 213), La Malinche National Park (mile 231), Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote (mile 286)
- Museums and history: Museo de Sitio de Cantona (mile 267), Cantona (mile 269)
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
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.
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.
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.
Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia
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.
La Malinche National Park
Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.
Museo de Sitio de Cantona
At the Cantona archaeological zone in Tepeyahualco, this site museum shows finds from more than 20 years of digs: pottery, obsidian and stone tools, musical instruments, greenstone and shell ornaments, and burial remains.
Cantona
High on the Puebla plateau near the Veracruz line, Cantona was a fortified pre-Hispanic city that controlled trade toward the Gulf; its explored southern section reveals interconnected streets, walled residential units and more than two dozen ballgame courts.
Parque Nacional Cofre de Perote
Cofre de Perote National Park protects the forested slopes of the mountain, and its role is practical as well as scenic: a little over 40 percent of the water used in Xalapa comes from here.
More drives to Naolinco
- Cholula to Naolinco
- Zacatelco to Naolinco
- Huejotzingo to Naolinco
- Atlixco to Naolinco
- Cuautla to Naolinco
- Tepotzotlán to Naolinco
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 Naolinco?
About 5 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 322 miles.
How far is Naolinco from Celaya by car?
About 322 miles (518 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 Naolinco?
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 Naolinco?
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; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Veracruz 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 Naolinco use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-136, MEX-140D and VER 65. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Celaya and Naolinco?
Closest to the road: Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 113, 1 mi from the route); Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 163, 2 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.