The Wayro route from Celaya to Tehuacán is 307 miles (494 km), about 4 h 52 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 307 mi (494 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-45 → MEX-45D → MEX-47D → MEX-57D → MEX-M40D → MEX-150D → MEX-135D |
| 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) |
| Toll roads | MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-135D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Tehuacán is like
MEX-M40D (107 mi) and MEX-150D (69 mi) carry about 57% of the 307 miles. MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D, MEX-135D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-45 is a free federal road (libre). It runs through 6 states: Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, Puebla. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Celaya to Tehuacán, 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 | 101–208 | 107 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 208–277 | 69 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 277–302 | 25 | Puebla |
| local roads | 302–307 | 5 | Puebla |
- 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 204 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
Stops between Celaya and Tehuacán
- 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), La Malinche National Park (mile 236)
- Museums and history: Teotihuacan (mile 162), Xochitecatl (mile 213), Cacaxtla (mile 213), Museo Bello (mile 228)
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.
Teotihuacan
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.
Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena
The former convent of Santa María Magdalena (Exconvento de Santa María Magdalena) is a 17th-century Baroque church built by the Dieguino friars, still in use as a Catholic temple of the Archdiocese of Puebla.
Xochitecatl
Xochitécatl is a pre-Hispanic archaeological site in the state of Tlaxcala. INAH runs it together with nearby Cacaxtla as a single zone, and the Xochitécatl site museum displays finds from the area.
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
Museo Bello
Puebla's Museo José Luis Bello y González shows the collection of industrialist José Luis Bello y González and his son: paintings, Talavera, featherwork, furniture, porcelain, ivory, glass and metalwork from America, Europe and Asia.
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.
When you get to Tehuacán
Museo del Valle de Tehuacán
Inside an 18th-century former Carmelite convent in Tehuacán, the Valley of Tehuacán Museum opened in 2002 and focuses on the history of corn and its ties to the valley's early peoples.
More drives to Tehuacán
- Mexico City to Tehuacán
- Cuernavaca to Tehuacán
- Toluca to Tehuacán
- Querétaro to Tehuacán
- Acapulco to Tehuacán
- Salamanca to Tehuacán
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 Tehuacán?
About 4 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 307 miles.
How far is Tehuacán from Celaya by car?
About 307 miles (494 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 Tehuacán?
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 Tehuacán?
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 (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Celaya to Tehuacán use?
In order: MEX-45, MEX-45D, MEX-47D, MEX-57D, MEX-M40D, MEX-150D and MEX-135D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Celaya and Tehuacán?
Closest to the road: Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 113, 1 mi from the route); Exconvent of Santa María Magdalena (convent, mile 208, 1 mi from the route); Xochitecatl (archaeological site, mile 213, 2 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.