The Wayro route from Cholula to Colima is 485 miles (781 km), about 8 h 40 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 485 mi (781 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-110 → MEX-15 → MEX-54 → MEX-54D |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3), Colima (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.4 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 Cholula to Colima is like
MEX-15D (189 mi) and MEX-M40D (139 mi) carry about 68% of the 485 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-54D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-150, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-54 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 7 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco, Colima. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Cholula to Colima, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-150 | 1–9 | 8 | Puebla |
| local roads | 9–21 | 12 | Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 21–160 | 139 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 160–349 | 189 | State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 349–354 | 5 | Jalisco |
| MEX-110 | 354–372 | 18 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 372–377 | 5 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 377–379 | 2 | Michoacán |
| MEX-110 | 379–444 | 65 | Michoacán, Jalisco |
| MEX-54 | 444–454 | 10 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 454–456 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 456–480 | 24 | Jalisco, Colima |
| MEX-54 | 480–485 | 5 | Colima |
- Mile 25 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 48 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 56 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 68 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 85 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 99 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 178 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 347 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 354 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 402 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 471 of this route: Jalisco → Colima (state line)
Stops between Cholula and Colima
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 25), Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park (mile 467)
- Museums and history: Teotihuacan (mile 67), Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (mile 99), Jorge R. Acosta Museum (mile 116), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 199)
Convento de Huejotzingo
Founded by Franciscans in the 16th century, the former convent of San Miguel Arcángel in Huejotzingo shows colonial Plateresque architecture on the western slopes of Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in 1994.
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.
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.
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.
Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco
Founded in 1985, the Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco sits across from the parish church of San Francisco de Asís and beside the town hall in Apaxco, State of Mexico.
Atlantean figures
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.
Jorge R. Acosta Museum
Next to the Tula ruins, the Museo de Sitio Jorge R. Acosta traces the rise and decline of the Toltecs and their city, Tollan Xicocotitlan. It moved into new facilities in 1982 and covers nearly 20 years of digs led by archaeologist Jorge R. Acosta.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
Volcán Nevado de Colima National Park
This national park in western Mexico protects the upper slopes of two volcanic peaks, Volcán de Colima and Nevado de Colima, in the states of Jalisco and Colima.
When you get to Colima
Cathedral Basilica of Colima
Colima Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, stands at a corner of the Jardín Libertad in the city center. Pope John Paul II named it a minor basilica on October 12, 1998.
Museo Universitario de Artes Populares María Teresa Pomar
Founded by collector María Teresa Pomar and run by the University of Colima, this museum is dedicated to Mexican folk art and handcrafts (artesanía), with pieces from across the country as well as the traditions of Colima state.
El Chanal
North of Colima city, this Postclassic settlement straddles the Colima River. Its ceremonial core holds temples, palaces, altars and a ballcourt, and digs revealed copper, silver and gold metalwork along with pottery and obsidian tools.
More drives to Colima
- Guadalajara to Colima
- Irapuato to Colima
- Salamanca to Colima
- León to Colima
- Aguascalientes to Colima
- Guanajuato to Colima
From Cholula to other places in Mexico
- Cholula to Apizaco
- Cholula to Calpulalpan
- Cholula to Otumba
- Cholula to Omitlán
- Cholula to Tepotzotlán
- Cholula to Huasca de Ocampo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cholula to Colima?
About 8 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 485 miles.
How far is Colima from Cholula by car?
About 485 miles (781 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 Cholula to Colima?
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 Cholula to Colima?
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; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Colima Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cholula to Colima use?
In order: MEX-150, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-110, MEX-15, MEX-54 and MEX-54D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cholula and Colima?
Closest to the road: Convento de Huejotzingo (convent, mile 9, 1 mi from the route); Atlantean figures (atlantean figures, mile 116, 1 mi from the route); Jorge R. Acosta Museum (museum, mile 116, 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.