The Wayro route from Cholula to Pinos is 385 miles (619 km), about 7 h 13 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 385 mi (619 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → MEX-49 → ZAC 291 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Querétaro (Level 2), Guanajuato (Level 3), San Luis Potosí (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-57D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.4 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 Pinos is like
MEX-57 (108 mi) and MEX-M40D (106 mi) carry about 56% of the 385 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-57D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-150, MEX-57, MEX-49 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 8 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Cholula to Pinos, 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 | 21–127 | 106 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-57D | 127–214 | 87 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro |
| MEX-57 | 214–322 | 108 | Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 322–325 | 3 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-49 | 325–368 | 43 | San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas |
| ZAC 291 | 368–383 | 15 | Zacatecas |
| local roads | 383–385 | 2 | Zacatecas |
- 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 128 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 162 of this route: State of Mexico → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 221 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 275 of this route: Guanajuato → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 357 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Zacatecas (state line)
Stops between Cholula and Pinos
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 25), El Gogorrón National Park (mile 301)
- Museums and history: Tula (mile 116), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 206), Museo Regional Potosino (mile 325)
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.
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.
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.
Tula
Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.
Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro
Querétaro's historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, pairs the Spaniards' grid of streets with the winding lanes of the old Indigenous quarters. Walk it for Baroque churches and mansions of the 17th and 18th centuries and the city's landmark aqueduct.
Former hacienda of Chichimequillas
Discalced Carmelite friars founded this hacienda around 1690 to shelter travelers on the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and to farm. Its two-story stone and lime main house, finished in 1813, wraps around a central courtyard beside a chapel.
El Gogorrón National Park
Straddling San Luis Potosí and Guanajuato near Villa de Reyes, this national park offers rugged rock formations, mountain scenery and thermal springs, with camping, hiking and mountain biking.
Museo Regional Potosino
Opened on November 20, 1952, the Museo Regional Potosino occupies part of the former Convent of San Francisco, built in 1586, in San Luis Potosí.
Historical centre of San Luis Potosí City
San Luis Potosí's historic center is a zone of historic monuments that INAH has recognized as part of Mexico's national heritage.
More drives to Pinos
- Calvillo to Pinos
- El Rosario, Sinaloa to Pinos
- Amatitán to Pinos
- Tequila to Pinos
- Paracho to Pinos
- Pátzcuaro to Pinos
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 Pinos?
About 7 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 385 miles.
How far is Pinos from Cholula by car?
About 385 miles (619 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 Pinos?
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 Pinos?
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; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Zacatecas 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 Pinos use?
In order: MEX-150, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-57, MEX-49 and ZAC 291. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cholula and Pinos?
Closest to the road: Convento de Huejotzingo (convent, mile 9, 1 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 116, 1 mi from the route); Historical centre of San Luis Potosí City (old town, mile 325, 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.