Plan on about 8 h 27 min of driving for the 485-mile (781 km) trip from Cholula to Teúl de González Ortega, before any stops.
| Distance by road | 485 mi (781 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 27 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-23 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco, Zacatecas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-M40D, MEX-15D |
| 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.
How the Cholula to Teúl de González Ortega drive plays out
MEX-15D (239 mi) and MEX-M40D (139 mi) carry about 78% of the 485 miles. It runs through 7 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco, Zacatecas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-M40D and MEX-15D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cholula to Teúl de González Ortega, 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 | 160–399 | 239 | State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco |
| local roads | 399–417 | 18 | Jalisco |
| MEX-23 | 417–485 | 68 | Jalisco, 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 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 455 of this route: Jalisco → Zacatecas (state line)
Stops between Cholula and Teúl de González Ortega
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Guadalajara Zoo (mile 411)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 25), Rayón National Park (mile 181)
- Museums and history: Tula (mile 116), Panteón de Belén (mile 412), Museo de Arte de Zapopan (mile 416), Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan (mile 416)
- With kids: Guadalajara Zoo (mile 411)
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.
Church and former convent of Todos los Santos
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.
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.
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Guadalajara Zoo
Zoológico Guadalajara is the main zoo of Guadalajara, Jalisco, and holds a large population of animal species.
Panteón de Belén
A historic cemetery in Guadalajara, Panteón de Belén is known for its legends and offers night tours.
Museo de Arte de Zapopan
Run by the city of Zapopan, the Museo de Arte de Zapopan is a contemporary art museum in the town's historic center, open since 2002.
Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan
The Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopan is a 17th-century Franciscan sanctuary in downtown Zapopan. It keeps a wooden image of the Virgin that came from Spain to New Galicia in the 16th century.
In Teúl de González Ortega itself
El Teúl
On a hill of the same name in southern Zacatecas, near Jalisco, El Teúl was a Mesoamerican settlement where people made copper and ceramic goods.
More drives to Teúl de González Ortega
- Ajijic to Teúl de González Ortega
- Tepatitlán to Teúl de González Ortega
- Aguascalientes to Teúl de González Ortega
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Teúl de González Ortega
- San Juan de los Lagos to Teúl de González Ortega
- Lagos de Moreno to Teúl de González Ortega
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 does it take to drive from Cholula to Teúl de González Ortega?
About 8 h 27 min of driving without stops, over 485 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cholula to Teúl de González Ortega?
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 Teúl de González Ortega?
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 Teúl de González Ortega?
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; Zacatecas Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cholula to Teúl de González Ortega?
In order: MEX-150, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D and MEX-23. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cholula and Teúl de González Ortega?
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); Guadalajara Zoo (zoo, mile 411, 0.7 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.