The Wayro route from Cholula to Zacatecas is 448 miles (721 km), about 7 h 37 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 448 mi (721 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150 → MEX-M40D → MEX-57D → MEX-47D → MEX-45D → MEX-45 |
| 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), Jalisco (Level 3), Aguascalientes (Level 2), Zacatecas (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.9 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 Cholula to Zacatecas is like
MEX-45D (162 mi) and MEX-M40D (106 mi) carry about 60% of the 448 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-150, MEX-45 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 9 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Querétaro, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cholula to Zacatecas, 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 | 127–162 | 35 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-47D | 162–216 | 54 | Querétaro, Guanajuato |
| MEX-45D | 216–357 | 141 | Guanajuato, Jalisco |
| MEX-45 | 357–386 | 29 | Jalisco, Aguascalientes |
| local roads | 386–390 | 4 | Aguascalientes |
| MEX-45 | 390–418 | 28 | Aguascalientes, Zacatecas |
| MEX-45D | 418–439 | 21 | Zacatecas |
| MEX-45 | 439–448 | 9 | 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 203 of this route: Querétaro → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 312 of this route: Guanajuato → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 360 of this route: Jalisco → Aguascalientes (state line)
- Mile 414 of this route: Aguascalientes → Zacatecas (state line)
Stops between Cholula and Zacatecas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 375)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 25), El Cimatario National Park (mile 198), Cerro de las Campanas (mile 204), La Pona (mile 376)
- Museums and history: Tula (mile 116), Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl (mile 116), Aguascalientes Cathedral (mile 375)
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.
Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl
The Sala Histórica Quetzalcóatl is an archaeological museum located in Tula de Allende, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
El Cimatario National Park
El Cimatario National Park protects about 24 square kilometers of land just south of the city of Santiago de Querétaro.
Cerro de las Campanas
Rising within Querétaro City, the Cerro de las Campanas is a hill that is protected as a Mexican national park.
Aguascalientes Cathedral
The cathedral of Aguascalientes stands on the Plaza de la Patria in the city's historic center.
La Pona
Inside the city of Aguascalientes, La Pona protects a native mesquite woodland as an ecological conservation zone, with a quiet forest area for walks and a separate section with sports and recreation spaces.
When you get to Zacatecas
Zacatecas climbs the steep slopes of a narrow valley between the Bufa and Grillo hills in north-central Mexico. Founded in 1546 after the discovery of a rich silver lode, its historic center has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993, and the city is also part of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, the colonial silver route listed by UNESCO in 2010.
- Zacatecas Cathedral: Built between 1730 and 1760, the cathedral dominates downtown with Baroque façades that mix European and Indigenous decorative elements. source
- Teatro Calderón: The downtown theater dates from 1834 and is one of the civic landmarks UNESCO highlights in the historic center. source
- Mercado González Ortega: The iron-framed market building from 1886 stands in the historic center near the cathedral. source
Cathedral Basilica of Zacatecas
Dedicated to the Virgin of the Assumption, the Cathedral of Zacatecas is the main church of the Diocese of Zacatecas.
Teatro Fernando Calderón
Built between 1891 and 1897 to plans by architect George Edward King, Zacatecas' Teatro Calderón honors playwright Fernando Calderón and witnessed violent events during the Toma de Zacatecas.
Manuel Felguérez Museum
A former seminary begun in 1870, later a barracks and then a prison until 1995, now holds Zacatecas' Museo de Arte Abstracto Manuel Felguérez, devoted to abstract art and to the work of the painter it's named after.
More drives to Zacatecas
- Del Rio, TX to Zacatecas
- South Padre Island, TX to Zacatecas
- McAllen, TX to Zacatecas
- Laredo, TX to Zacatecas
- Corpus Christi, TX to Zacatecas
- Brownsville, TX to Zacatecas
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
Coming to Zacatecas from the United States? Border crossings, permits and routes from U.S. cities: Driving to Zacatecas, Mexico from the U.S.
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cholula to Zacatecas?
About 7 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 448 miles.
How far is Zacatecas from Cholula by car?
About 448 miles (721 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 Zacatecas?
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 Zacatecas?
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; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Aguascalientes 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 Zacatecas use?
In order: MEX-150, MEX-M40D, MEX-57D, MEX-47D, MEX-45D and MEX-45. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cholula and Zacatecas?
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); Aguascalientes Cathedral (church building, mile 375, 0.1 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.