The Wayro route from Ciudad Tula to Otumba is 378 miles (609 km), about 6 h 55 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 378 mi (609 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 6 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-101 → SLP 80D → SLP 75D → MEX-57D → MEX-57 → MEX-M40D → MEX-132 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-57D, MEX-M40D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.1 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.
On the road from Ciudad Tula to Otumba
MEX-57D (129 mi) and MEX-57 (97 mi) carry about 60% of the 378 miles. It runs through 6 states: Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro, State of Mexico, Hidalgo. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-57D and MEX-M40D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Ciudad Tula to Otumba
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Tamaulipas |
| MEX-101 | 2–25 | 23 | Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 80D | 25–57 | 32 | San Luis Potosí |
| SLP 75D | 57–77 | 20 | San Luis Potosí |
| connecting roads | 77–79 | 2 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57D | 79–121 | 42 | San Luis Potosí |
| MEX-57 | 121–218 | 97 | San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato, Querétaro |
| connecting roads | 218–219 | 1 | Querétaro |
| MEX-57D | 219–306 | 87 | Querétaro, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 306–307 | 1 | Hidalgo |
| MEX-M40D | 307–367 | 60 | Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| MEX-132 | 367–373 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 373–374 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 374–378 | 4 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 23 of this route: Tamaulipas → San Luis Potosí (state line)
- Mile 158 of this route: San Luis Potosí → Guanajuato (state line)
- Mile 212 of this route: Guanajuato → Querétaro (state line)
- Mile 273 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 306 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 335 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 349 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 366 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
Places worth a stop between Ciudad Tula and Otumba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tula National Park (mile 318)
- Nature and outdoors: El Gogorrón National Park (mile 132), Tula National Park (mile 318)
- Museums and history: San Luis Potosí Cathedral (mile 112), Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (mile 226), Casa de la Corregidora (mile 234)
San Luis Potosí Cathedral
Look closely at the two towers of San Luis Potosí's cathedral: one is built of mortar, the other of quarried cantera stone. The Baroque church is the seat of the archdiocese.
El Gogorrón National Park
Hot-spring balnearios lie within the bounds of Gogorrón National Park, which covers parts of Villa de Reyes and Santa María del Río in San Luis Potosí. Its higher ground carries pine-oak forest.
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.
Casa de la Corregidora
Completed in 1770 as Querétaro's royal houses and town hall, the Casa de la Corregidora is where Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, held there in 1810, sent word of danger to Miguel Hidalgo. After independence it became the state government palace.
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.
Tula National Park
This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.
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.
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.
When you get to Otumba
Pyramid of the Sun
Rising along the Avenue of the Dead between the Pyramid of the Moon and the Ciudadela, the Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in Teotihuacan, believed to date to about AD 200.
Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba
The Museo del Ferrocarril en Otumba is a museum in the town of Otumba de Gómez Farías devoted, as its name says, to the railroad.
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.
More drives to Otumba
- Mexico City to Otumba
- Tepotzotlán to Otumba
- Toluca to Otumba
- Metepec to Otumba
- Jilotepec to Otumba
- Cuernavaca to Otumba
From Ciudad Tula to other places in Mexico
- Ciudad Tula to Mineral de Pozos
- Ciudad Tula to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Ciudad Tula to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Ciudad Tula to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Ciudad Tula to Temacapulín
- Ciudad Tula to Angangueo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ciudad Tula to Otumba?
About 6 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 378 miles.
How far is Otumba from Ciudad Tula by car?
About 378 miles (609 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 Ciudad Tula to Otumba?
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 Ciudad Tula to Otumba?
The U.S. State Department rates Tamaulipas Level 4: Do Not Travel; San Luis Potosí Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guanajuato Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Ciudad Tula to Otumba?
In order: MEX-101, SLP 80D, SLP 75D, MEX-57D, MEX-57, MEX-M40D and MEX-132. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ciudad Tula to Otumba?
Closest to the road: Former hacienda of Chichimequillas (historic estate, mile 226, 3 mi from the route); Tula National Park (national park, mile 318, 1 mi from the route); Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque (aqueduct, mile 367, 3 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.