The Wayro route from Cholula to Zitácuaro is 176 miles (283 km), about 3 h 6 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 176 mi (283 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 6 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-190 → MEX-150D → Viaducto → Periférico → MEX-134D → MEX-A6D → MEX-A7D → MEX-15D → MEX-15 |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Mexico City (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-150D, MEX-134D, MEX-A6D, MEX-A7D, MEX-15D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.0 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 Cholula to Zitácuaro is like
MEX-150D (61 mi) and MEX-A7D (34 mi) carry about 54% of the 176 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-134D, MEX-A6D, MEX-A7D, MEX-15D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-190, MEX-15 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Puebla, State of Mexico, Mexico City, Michoacán. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cholula to Zitácuaro, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 2–7 | 5 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 7–68 | 61 | Puebla, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 68–73 | 5 | State of Mexico, Mexico City |
| Viaducto | 73–81 | 8 | Mexico City |
| Periférico | 81–85 | 4 | Mexico City |
| connecting roads | 85–86 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 86–91 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 91–92 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-134D | 92–112 | 20 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 112–113 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-A6D | 113–129 | 16 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-A7D | 129–163 | 34 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| MEX-15D | 163–170 | 7 | Michoacán |
| MEX-15 | 170–174 | 4 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 174–176 | 2 | Michoacán |
- Mile 39 of this route: Puebla → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 71 of this route: State of Mexico → Mexico City (state line)
- Mile 85 of this route: Mexico City → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 161 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Cholula and Zitácuaro
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Cabeza de Juárez (mile 70), Museo Casa de la Bola (mile 81), Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City (mile 83), Los Remedios National Park (mile 88)
- Nature and outdoors: Los Remedios National Park (mile 88), Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (mile 168)
- Museums and history: Cacaxtla (mile 16), Xochitecatl (mile 16), Museo Cabeza de Juárez (mile 70), Borda House, Mexico City (mile 78), Museo Casa de la Bola (mile 81), Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City (mile 83)
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.
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.
Museo Cabeza de Juárez
A colossal head of Benito Juárez, the 26th president of Mexico, crowns this museum and monument in Mexico City's Iztapalapa borough.
Borda House, Mexico City
The Borda House on Madero Street in Mexico City's historic center first belonged to Frenchman José de la Borda, one of New Spain's richest men in the 18th century, and stands out for its sculpted stone details on the ground floor.
Museo Casa de la Bola
The Museo Casa de la Bola is a museum in Mexico City, located in the city's Tacubaya neighborhood.
Museo Rufino Tamayo, Mexico City
In Chapultepec Park, the Museo Rufino Tamayo shows modern and contemporary art, including works from painter Rufino Tamayo's own collection, in a building by Teodoro González de León and Abraham Zabludovsky.
Los Remedios National Park
Los Remedios National Park, created by federal decree in 1938, covers about 400 hectares on the far western side of Naucalpan, just northwest of Mexico City.
Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve
Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies from across North America return to the oyamel fir forests about 100 km northwest of Mexico City, clustering so densely they bend branches. The reserve became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
More drives to Zitácuaro
- San Juan del Río to Zitácuaro
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Zacatecas to Zitácuaro
- Fresnillo to Zitácuaro
- Durango to Zitácuaro
- Mazatlán to Zitácuaro
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
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cholula to Zitácuaro?
About 3 h 6 min of driving without stops, over 176 miles.
How far is Zitácuaro from Cholula by car?
About 176 miles (283 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 Zitácuaro?
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 Zitácuaro?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Mexico City Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán 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 Zitácuaro use?
In order: MEX-190, MEX-150D, Viaducto, Periférico, MEX-134D, MEX-A6D, MEX-A7D, MEX-15D and MEX-15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cholula and Zitácuaro?
Closest to the road: Museo Cabeza de Juárez (museum, mile 70, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Casa de la Bola (museum, mile 81, 0.2 mi from the route); Los Remedios National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 88, 0.8 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.